Lotus Debuts Esprit, Eterne Concepts with KERS Hybrid Systems
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From: Fairfax Station, VA. Formally Long Island :(
Lotus Debuts Esprit, Eterne Concepts with KERS Hybrid Systems
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=19773
It is interesting since the KERS technology is only a hybrid in the sense that it regenerates and stores power when the car brakes. According to another article I read, the new Esprit is going to weigh in at about 3200 lbs, which is still on the hefty side for a Lotus.
Lotus is the British carmaker that had many salivating decades ago; even James Bond drove a Lotus Esprit (which turned into a submarine) in “The Spy Who Loved Me” and later in “For Your Eyes Only”. The Esprit has been updated by Lotus as a new concept car that has debuted in Paris at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.
Lotus plans to bring the Esprit back to market for the 2013 year model and the concept is quite fetching. According to Lotus, the car uses styling cues from the old Esprit, but some may see a little bit of Lamborghini inspiration in there as well. The Esprit Concept car has a mid-engine supercharged V8 displacing 5-liters. The 2-seat car will have 620 horsepower, claims a 0-60 time of less than 3.5 seconds and a 205 mph top speed.
The car is planned for sale in the U.S. in 2013 at a price of about $175,000 reports Autoblog. The Esprit will also have an option for KERS that recovers heat generated by braking and stored it until the driver needs a boost (which is activated with a steering wheel-mounted button).
Lotus also showed off the Eterne hybrid sedan concept at the show, which has many of the same styling cues as the Esprit in a four-door flavor. The Eterne gets the same 620hp V8 that the Esprit uses and the KERS system. The vehicle will be offered in rear and all wheel drive models.
Despite the extra heft added by a larger chassis, the car still promises a 0-60 run of 4-seconds, half a second slower than the Esprit. The top speed for the Eterne is 196mph.
The Eterne is a concept only at this point, but it could see production as a 2015 model and sell for about $190,000.
Lotus plans to bring the Esprit back to market for the 2013 year model and the concept is quite fetching. According to Lotus, the car uses styling cues from the old Esprit, but some may see a little bit of Lamborghini inspiration in there as well. The Esprit Concept car has a mid-engine supercharged V8 displacing 5-liters. The 2-seat car will have 620 horsepower, claims a 0-60 time of less than 3.5 seconds and a 205 mph top speed.
The car is planned for sale in the U.S. in 2013 at a price of about $175,000 reports Autoblog. The Esprit will also have an option for KERS that recovers heat generated by braking and stored it until the driver needs a boost (which is activated with a steering wheel-mounted button).
Lotus also showed off the Eterne hybrid sedan concept at the show, which has many of the same styling cues as the Esprit in a four-door flavor. The Eterne gets the same 620hp V8 that the Esprit uses and the KERS system. The vehicle will be offered in rear and all wheel drive models.
Despite the extra heft added by a larger chassis, the car still promises a 0-60 run of 4-seconds, half a second slower than the Esprit. The top speed for the Eterne is 196mph.
The Eterne is a concept only at this point, but it could see production as a 2015 model and sell for about $190,000.
It is interesting since the KERS technology is only a hybrid in the sense that it regenerates and stores power when the car brakes. According to another article I read, the new Esprit is going to weigh in at about 3200 lbs, which is still on the hefty side for a Lotus.
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Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Cornelius, NC
So, the Esprit from 2004 had 350 bhp, did 0-60 in 4.3 seconds, and weighed in at 2,866 lbs. They about double the horsepower which is cool, but tack on another 400 pounds? I wonder how much lighter these cars would be without this hybrid crap?
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,022
From: Newhall, CA USA
Not to mention that Colin Chapman is spinning (at redline) in his grave.
This is the antithesis of Lotus. As a small, lightweight, iconoclastic manufacturer, they had a niche. Competing head-to-head against Porsche and the like with warmed-over Toyota drivetrains in conventionally porky cars, not so much.
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 210
From: Houston/Spring, TX
Wow. I like that Eterne almost as much as I like the Aston Martin Rapide, and that's saying something. As much as the Esprit has always been one of my favorite cars ever, I don't like the looks of this one so much. The styling works on the longer Eterne, but not really on the Esprit. Maybe I just need to get used to it or see it in person.
Also, the back end of the Esprit looks like a goatse to me.
(Of course, I'm sure that's how the Eterne looks back there too. 
)
Also, the back end of the Esprit looks like a goatse to me.
(Of course, I'm sure that's how the Eterne looks back there too. )
Last edited by msgZ28; Oct 3, 2010 at 06:40 PM.
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