Sir Colin’s Lotus Unveils Concepts and Cosworth Connection @ Geneva

by Gunnar Heinrich ::: img Lotus Cars, Ltd. ::: Lotus Concept Cars Geneva

LOTUS appears to be the little sports car maker that not only could, but in fact, just may…

Making waves at the Geneva Auto Show – an event this year packed with so many new developments from across the luxury automotive market as to make us crosseyed- Lotus has issued two concepts – the Evora 414E Plugin Hybrid and Evora Carbon Concept – plus announced a promising new partnership with Cosworth for your consideration.

The marque that the late and charismatic Colin Chapman built now stands next to the likes of Porsche, Ferrari, and even Koeniggsegg for bringing to the ideas marketplace a concept that aims to deliver performance with lofty promises of hybrid efficiency and eco-friendliness to satiate even the loudest of European communists green parties.

Or does it? The answer is a definitive maybe.

In a slap at Tesla, the Lotus Evora 414E (plug-in) Hybrid Concept is the British stab at a plug-in roadster but offers modest performance (47 hp, tri-pot), and even more modest range (35 miles on batteries only). And that’s not  even with playing your favorite tracks from The Who on the in-dash.

Some have noted that even the concept’s color choice leaves something to be desired , but these are all small quibbles in the face of slow, but sure progress to success, people!

Considering that for the past decade, Lotus sold light and lighter variants of one car (Elise/Exige) and sold a lovely, if fairly dated Giugaro penned Ferrari rival for the previous three (Esprit), it’s right that Team Lotus is putting as many irons in the fire as it damn well can.