Lotus Promises 1000-HP V-8 Hybrid SupercarLotusIt has been a tough few years for Lotus, the famous British sports car brand having lurched between a succession of crises, some seemingly existential. The grand plans to create a new model line of EVs hit multiple problems, not least U.S. tariffs against Chinese-made cars, and led to a succession of executive departures when it became obvious that optimistic sales targets were unachievable.There were also various proposals for new models that experienced Lotus-watchers knew were deeply improbable at best, including reported consideration of a V-8 engine for the existing Emira. (Which would have been a serious packaging challenge, given the existing car uses a transverse-mounted V-6 and inline-four.) But now, Lotus is trying to get ahead of the rumor and conjecture by revealing what it is describing as its "Focus 2030" strategy to target “market competiveness and sustainable business operations.”LotusThe headline news is confirmation that Lotus is indeed planning to build what is now described as an all-new hybrid V-8 supercar that will have more than 986 hp—that being a thousand metric horsepower. This is now acknowledged to be a distinct model from the existing Emira, and is being developed under the model code Type 135, this originally being the project number for the now-cancelled EV Emira replacement. Lotus has said this car will be manufactured in Europe, and has released a rendered teaser image of the rear end of the proposed supercar, showing what appear to be twin exhausts and a large diffuser.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe company also confirms it plans to keep the Emira sports car in production beyond the point at which sales were originally meant to stop in 2027. Lotus promises it will be unveiling an updated version soon, set to be the “most powerful and lightest Emira”—meaning it will have more than 416 hp and weigh less than 3200 pounds.Oliver BrookwellA longer-term future for the Emira will require either an extension of the engine supply deal with Mercedes-AMG, which provides the existing turbocharged four-cylinder engine, or a switch to another supplier—possibly Horse, the Geely-Renault joint venture (Lotus being a Geely subsidiary.) The supercharged Toyota V-6 that was offered in early versions of the Emira has already been discontinued.Lotus will also be selling the gas-electric version of the formerly-EV-only Eletre SUV in Europe, this using a range-extended battery pack that works in conjunction with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine; there is no mechanical transmission, so all drive is electrical. The Eletre X-Hybrid is already on sale in China where it is known as the Eletre For Me, where the company claims 1000 “pre-orders” were placed before deliveries started.However, prohibitively high tariff rates for Chinese-made vehicles in the U.S. means there is minimal chance the range-extended Eletre will come here, or indeed, any more examples of the full EV version or its Emeya sedan sibling. Lotus says its North America strategy is “anchored in sports cars, with [a] new SUV market opportunity in Canada.”Zack KlapmanLotus is also set to reunify its corporate structure, after splitting the EV-making side of the business into a separate entity called Lotus Technology. Lotus Technology currently trades on the Nasdaq, where the stock has fallen from $13.80 at the time it was launched in 2024 to $1.16 at market close yesterday. Lotus now says it wants to integrate Lotus UK—the sports car side of the business based at Hethel—with Lotus Technology “into a single entity.”AdvertisementAdvertisementThe most important part of the new strategy is the section detailed as “restoring financial discipline,” with Lotus now targeting an increase of sales to reach a pinnacle of 30,000 a year combined across all markets—this being a far cry from the predictions from senior executives being made as recently as 2024 that Lotus would push annual production to 150,000 cars by 2028.Lotus founder Colin Chapman’s oft-quoted dictum—“simplify and add lightness”—seems to be being applied to the modern company’s strategy and management. But will it be enough to secure a long-term future for the famous brand?You Might Also LikeIf You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State
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