New Lotus Model @ NY Auto Show

[wallabyguy]

Lotus will unveil the new Lotus Sport Elise Thursday @ 1:55pm. The show opens to the public on Friday. Club111 will visit as a group on Saturday.

[Surferjer]

Is this the dressed up Elise with the same guts, or is this a more powerful version?

[wallabyguy]

I don't know. Lotus Sport Officially just entered the US . I would guess that based on previous Lotus Sport cars this is a streetable track car with even more aggressive tuning compared to the track pack. We'll all know Thursday.

[pip]

can be found starting on wed. the 12th at www.nytimes.com/autos. Hopefully there will be some mention of the Lotus. Pip

[Fungezap]

Isn't this version of the elise that just came out in the UK called "sport"? It's all cosmetic, I think...

[nas213]

Originally Posted by Fungezap

Isn't this version of the elise that just came out in the UK called "sport"? It's all cosmetic, I think...

I think this is what you are taliking about.

http://www.autospectator.com/modules...p?storyid=2477

[LARRY]

Lotus will try to have a "new" version of one kind or another every few months so it can stay in the media - especially car magazines.

This new version looks very racy....

[JWA]

"Lotus Sport" is the name of the motorsports division of Lotus. Think of it like BMW's M division, or kind of like Ford SVT.

So, a Lotus Sport Elise should be a lot different than the purely cosmetic Lotus Elise Sport Racer Edition as linked to above. It could be a compettition/track-only car, or there's a slight possibility that it could be a highly-tuned street/track car.

[Buz]

Racy, but really just a sport pack car with AD07 tires on it. I do not think a supercharged model will be announced until most of the 300 Exiges are spoken for.

[Surferjer]

Just another sheep in wolve's clothing. It's purty, though.

[JWA]

Originally Posted by Buz

Racy, but really just a sport pack car with AD07 tires on it.

For '06 you can order forged rims on non-Sport Pack cars. They look the same as those on Sport Pack cars, but are the same size as the base wheels and of course come with AD07's.

[Stan]

Originally Posted by JWA

For '06 you can order forged rims on non-Sport Pack cars. They look the same as those on Sport Pack cars, but are the same size as the base wheels and of course come with AD07's.

Actually the fronts on that package are 6 inches wide rather than the normal 5 1/2 inches. I'm running AD07s on 6 1/2 wide wheels at the moment. It helps them a bit.

[FIRME]

I can't confirm if it will affect engine (I do not believe so) but, will be limited to 50 for the U.S., Ohlin set-up, will be in the Saffron Yellow with Storm Titanium stripes, black wheels and some kind of carbon fiber/alcantara interior with sport seats. If it affects the engine, I'm all for it but, I highly doubt it as it will be more of a suspension/cosmetic set-up.

[ivan1]

I hope to be at the dealer preview on Thursday...Ill see if I can get some info/pics

[67veloce]

Looks like a $55,000 Elise to me. Read the numbers. Surferjer seems to hit the nail on the head.

[peck555]

Don't forget that we will be meeting on Saturday April 15th at the "crystal Palace" in the Javits center at 11am.The site: www.autoshowny.com
You can get tickets online,which is quicker than waiting on line.
Club111 Rules!
Greg

[nas213]

Car and driver says one of the two cars will be the sport elise.
Everything else they say is speculation, though.
http://www.caranddriver.com/autoshow...ort-elise.html

[Vangman]

I was just on CARS.com and this was posted:

Lotus APX

Lotus' APX concept shows that the little British company could charge into a new automotive segment at a moment's notice. But relax, British sports car fans; Lotus doesn't want to bump Land Rover off the plush sport utility vehicle perch. And it's hard to imagine the British make abandoning its small, blindingly quick sports cars.

Louts was shooting to "convey strength and velocity" with the design, but, looking at photographs, the APX appeared to more than one observer to be a member of the Mazda family.

Using the same production techniques that let bigger rivals build several cars off one platform, Lotus used its Versatile Vehicle Architecture to develop the APX crossover. VVA actually will be used on a super sports car Lotus plans to release in 2008, but in the meantime the automaker wanted to show off its engineering prowess. What better way than building the hot vehicle of the automotive world — a crossover with three rows of seats — off a platform it had sitting around the shop?

The third row is called "occasional," and press material indicates it's best for children, which gives an idea of its size. Still, Lotus claims families of seven who want to pile everyone in for a fast jaunt to Burberry can do so. The vehicle is 187.8 inches long, 74 inches wide and has a 108-inch wheelbase. By comparison, a Mazda6 wagon is 187.8 inches long, 70.1 inches wide and has a 105.3-inch wheelbase.

Lotus claims a top speed of 152 mph, a zero-to-60 mph time of 5 seconds and combined fuel economy of 32 mpg. Lotus says the figures are possible because the vehicle is light. It weighs roughly 3,454 pounds, compared to 3,404 pounds for the Mazda6 wagon — but the Mazda6 doesn't have the heavy all-wheel-drive mechanicals of the APX. Lotus says the weight savings is because of the extensive use of aluminum in the concept. Indeed, APX stands for Aluminum Performance Crossover.

As if its staggering performance weren't enough for a people-mover, Lotus also says the APX is suitable for occasional offroad use. One assumes this means traversing grass parking lots at the fox hunt rather than riding the Rubicon Trail.

Wherever it's driven, the APX was designed to have a "Jekyll and Hyde" personality, good for dropping the kids off at school or thrashing about the track if so desired.

Inside, the aim was to blend the drama of a sports car with the functionality of a luxury vehicle, according to Lotus. Photos reveal a fairly conservative interior compared to the rest of the car, but given the too-fancy, "Buck Rogers" nature of many instrument clusters today, this could work in its favor.

All of this, however, is likely palaver. Lotus stressed at least three times in the APX's media information kit — in boldfaced type, no less — that while it "is a feasible prototype close to production," it "is not a concept indicating a strategic direction of Lotus Cars."

Lotus figures the APX is production-feasible and could be made, cost-effectively, at 30,000 or so vehicles a year. Given the performance specs, perhaps Land Rover should start getting nervous?

# Looks like: A Mazda6 wagon built in England
# Defining characteristics: Triangular grille, taillights and rear hatch windows
# Ridiculous features: Third-row seat to hold children
# Chance of being mass-produced: Not likely, though Lotus wants you to know it could easily build one if it wanted to

[Surferjer]

[Mark Starr]

The other car at the show will be a Silver Exige Cup Race car..........One of the limited 15 or so coming to this country............I licked the door handles on that one so don't get it dirty!!!