The Lotus Elite will debut in 2014 with a Toyota-powered hybrid version in tow. (Source: AutoBlog)Hybrid system might make Lotus's beastly 611 hp 5.0L V8 a bit more fuel efficient


This may sound like heresy to some auto enthusiasts, but British sports car maker Lotus Cars will be offering a hybrid variant of its upcoming Lotus Elite. When you take a deep breath, though, and look at the decision objectively, it starts to make a lot of sense.

First of all, there's a strong drive in the luxury market to deploy electrified vehicles. Perhaps fueled by America's newest automaker Tesla Motors' success in showing that a luxury electrified sports car can be profitably realized, some of the sporting industry's biggest names -- Porsche, Volvo, and Audi, to name a few -- are designing new hybrids and EVs.

The reasoning for that push is multi-fold. First, a mild hybrid system paired with electric motor(s) tends to offer a favorable power increase for their extra weight. Secondly, they extend the range and fuel economy of almost any car, by cutting its losses. So ultimately you get a more fuel efficient, more powerful car, at a mild expense (of course the benefits of full electrification are more debatable, given current costs).

Then there's the fact that the Lotus Elite, which will soon be previewed at the 2010 Paris Motor Show and will be set to debut in 2014, is a major departure from Lotus's designs in the first place. The Elite defies Lotus's traditional philosophy of weight savings, weighing in at a hefty 1650 kg (3,600 lbs). The car's sharp velvety curves are a bit different from the company's traditions as well -- the work of new designer Colin Chapman.

And the Lotus isn't going to any old manufacturer for its hybrid system or trying to roll its own. It's turned to the king of worldwide hybrids, Toyota. This is a natural fit because the vehicle in its stock configuration (non-hybrid) already uses a 611 hp 5.0-liter V8 motor from Toyota. Toyota is already using the engine in its Lexus IS-F luxury sports car.

Japan's automakers Subaru and Mazda have already contracted Toyota for hybrid powertrains, and luxury auto-maker Mercedes-Benz is reportedly looking to join Lotus, as well, in seeking Toyota's design expertise.

The vehicle will feature a unique, performance-tuned automatic transmission. It will have a top speed of 315 km/h (195 mph) and will accelerate from 0-62 mph in a smoking 3.6 seconds (potentially even faster in the hybrid configuration). The car will cost approximately £115,000 ($180k) in its base configuration, and the hybrid will likely come at a premium.

Lotus is currently in the process of cooking up other hybrid designs, but the Lotus Elite may the company's first hybrid to hit the market.