Lotus Type 131 - The Rumour Mill

[PAR]

3 hours ago, Karl M Roberts said:

eir parts bin? AMG 500-600 BHP

There isn’t such an engine at amg unless you take the v8 which doesn’t seem an option.

4cyl up to 400bhp, after that either they pick another engine manufacturer or maybe they try to push the 3.0l 6cyl in line to 500bhp by changing ÉCU/supercharger/Turbo.

 

 

 

[Karl M Roberts]

Hi, yes it was just a thought about Mercedes/AMG. I can only imagine Lotus would want the top of the 131 to have more than the 430 BHP of Evora and Exige.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Cool. I reckon they’re going to upsell you. I can’t imagine they will want chassis number one to be poverty spec!

[NedaSay]

On 22/01/2021 at 03:29, electro_boy said:

Oh I was hoping Lotus might be able to use Merc engines.  Geely has a stake in Daimler if I'm not mistaken?  I would have thought Mercedes engines would have been a better fit for Lotus rather than the Volvo engines that many people were speculating.  But then it is a Lotus tradition of taking a very average engine and making sound and feel great, so I'm sure even with a Volvo engine the car will be great.

The extra tech to bring into line with German cars I think was inevitable if Lotus want to go for mass market.  Hopefully they are smart about what features they choose and how they integrate them in.  If they can implement them in away so that for people who prefer basics are agnostic to the tech and its almost hidden away running in the back then that shouldn't upset too many people.  But then cameras, sensors and wires all have weight so you don't want them there if you are not using them.   hmm thats gonna be a tricky one to get right, fingers crossed they get it right.

Uh the AMG 4 cyl is probably out of the equation as the deal between Geely and Daimler was signed way after the development team froze the spec. Beside Volvo has a very potent 4cyl that does fit the need for a lightweight mild hybrid (48v battery) sport cars and also a PHEV (the SUV), and has it come from within the group there is no license fee to pay and  dealership staff can easily be trained to service it.

[scotty435]

A photo posted today. The new home of Lotus Engineering, what’s interesting is the car under the cover, obviously one of the 3 versions of the 131. Looks like it as some great curves. Very promising in my opinion.

[TonyKL]

Makes the Evija look huge. 

[NedaSay]

Pfff They are not and I mean not messing around... That car, under the wraps, looks sleek tiny and light I wonder if it is a scale model, definitely Elige class if it is the real thing. That change in global footprint is mighty.

[C8RKH]

And in a huge nod to the Type 116 they put up a sculpture based on the sills!  Wicked.......

 

 

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Shame the wind didn’t blow the cover off!

[stephenwhyte]

You’ve got to admire Lotus. They really are going for it aren’t they!! I think we are all in for one hell of a ride.....I can’t wait to see this new Type 131👍👏👏

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Yes it really looks the business doesn’t it?

[stephenwhyte]

@scotty435.....where was the article posted?

[Arregueti]

Sherlock was off duty, so he asked me to try...

Wishful thinking but there seems to be only one car on the charger... Looks like the logo on the truck has been blurred intentionally, too.

[NedaSay]

How did they manage to make the Evija looks to big? Is the engine in the cockpit?

[scotty435]

10 hours ago, stephenwhyte said:

@scotty435.....where was the article posted?

https://media.lotuscars.com/en/blog/new-collaborations-and-a-new-home-to-reinvigorate-lotus-engineering.html?fbclid=IwAR3kftJNbmwvHhMStTo1Ddz9_uhpekcQJAXGgtaOB2-yfTrsGR-VcVs6QVM

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

It seems to share the nostrils feature of the Evija. There’s also a protrusion ahead of the rear wheel arch where the fuel filler would be on an Evora: air intake, charging point, filler flap open? Finally, like the Evija, there aren’t any wing mirrors...

PS: the colour of the Evija door doesn’t seem to match the rest of the car!

Edited February 16, 2021 by LotusLeftLotusRight

[Karl M Roberts]

6 hours ago, NedaSay said:

How did they manage to make the Evija looks to big? Is the engine in the cockpit?

Dont forget, the Evija may only be 44 inches tall, but at 176 long and 79 wide, it has quite a foot print.

[Bibs]

[Karl M Roberts]

On 15/02/2021 at 15:59, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

Cool. I reckon they’re going to upsell you. I can’t imagine they will want chassis number one to be poverty spec!

Believe me I wont be buying a base model 131.

[ramjet]

On 16/02/2021 at 09:02, Arregueti said:

Sherlock was off duty, so he asked me to try...

Wishful thinking but there seems to be only one car on the charger... Looks like the logo on the truck has been blurred intentionally, too.

I'm going with emoticon as far as the truck logo goes.

I am not sure if that sort of fits with all the other names that Lotus has had? Sort of like Decepticon.

[cobwatch]

Followed the reveal of the McLaren Artura closely. Good specs, and technically very well implemented. Performance figures are impressive. Something of the Evija in the styling and all very Lotus overall I thought. The most mature Mac yet. £185k is presumably well above the top spec131, but if Lotus can achieve 80-85% of the performance for 60% of the cost they will have a winner. 

[Arregueti]

 

42 minutes ago, ramjet said:

I'm going with emoticon as far as the truck logo goes.

I am not sure if that sort of fits with all the other names that Lotus has had? Sort of like Decepticon.

Emoticon would go with the times.  In all honesty, that picture looks treated to me. I hope we don't end up in Decepticon.

[Demolitionman13]

Truck logo is Battcon as per https://media.lotuscars.com/en/news-articles/lotus-engineering-launches-new-battery-test-facilities-to-support-booming-electric-vehicle-(ev)-sector.html

[NedaSay]

6 hours ago, cobwatch said:

Followed the reveal of the McLaren Artura closely. Good specs, and technically very well implemented. Performance figures are impressive. Something of the Evija in the styling and all very Lotus overall I thought. The most mature Mac yet. £185k is presumably well above the top spec131, but if Lotus can achieve 80-85% of the performance for 60% of the cost they will have a winner. 

McLaren definitely poached pages of the playbook and a lot more than that when they started their road division.  The tech spec of that Artura is very impressive.  The design leaves me a bit cold as most of the work is in the detail but the overall look is an evolution on 570S. Still the implementation is very McLaren, clinical, beautiful but somewhat devoid of passion.  And yes should Type 131 be in the price bracket mentioned and well executed. it should represent 95% of the value at a fraction of the cost.

[cobwatch]

18 minutes ago, NedaSay said:

McLaren definitely poached pages of the playbook and a lot more than that when they started their road division.  The tech spec of that Artura is very impressive.  The design leaves me a bit cold as most of the work is in the detail but the overall look is an evolution on 570S. Still the implementation is very McLaren, clinical, beautiful but somewhat devoid of passion.  And yes should Type 131 be in the price bracket mentioned and well executed. it should represent 95% of the value at a fraction of the cost.

I wonder if Lotus may be a little frustrated, pipped to the post here...The most impressive aspect of the Artura for me is the DIN weight. The styling is good, nice and coherent and a much better evolution of the Mac style and all the better for not having a big wing hanging off the back. McLaren will certainly produce a simpler, lighter version with standard doors and try to spoil the Type 131 show. The 120 degree V6 is a good call. I immediately thought, reviewing the specs...damn and blast it, this could well ape very closely a modern interpretation of the Esprit. You can be sure Lotus engineers were examining every detail. Clinical, and not passionate? Could be. I have no doubt Lotus will bring the magic.