Lotus Elite Concept Preview

Lotus is planning a concept extravaganza for next week's 2010 Paris Auto Show, including a new take on the Esprit supercar, and today MotorAuthority.com has a glimpse of one of the vehicles that will be gracing the stands of the niche British sports car company.


Described as the embodiment of Lotus’ new era, the striking Lotus Elite adopts a “modern classic" look and is just the first taste of what’s to come from the company in the future. Yes, that’s right. The Elite is labeled as a “production intent prototype and is scheduled to go on sale in 2014 with a pricetag around $180,000.

Like the current Evora, the Elite is a 2+2 grand tourer but is unique in that it features a new front-engine and rear drive platform. Power comes from a 5.0-liter V-8 with an integrated energy recovery system churning out 612 horsepower and 530 pound-feet of torque. Acceleration from 0-62 mph is expected to be around the 3.5 seconds mark while top speed is an estimated 196 mph.