Visitors were thrilled to see the highly anticipated Eletre in Blossom Grey on the Lotus stand, commenting on the spaciousness and the incredible number of features included. The retail team received significant interest, kick-starting the push for customer deposits in advance of the Eletre launching in the USA market in 2024.

• Eletre impressed guests on its US debut at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering
• A new breed of pure electric performance SUV, Eletre takes core principles from Lotus’ 75 years of sports car design and engineering
• Lotus also had two world debuts at Monterey Car Week – the Type 66 ultra-exclusive track-only Can-Am racer and F1 legend Jenson Button’s bespoke Lotus Evija hypercar

The first of a new breed of pure electric performance SUVs, the Eletre takes the core principles from 75 years of sports car design and engineering. It evolves the brand as a desirable lifestyle vehicle that is practical and spacious, while packed with the latest digital technology to make their driving life safer and more convenient. Eletre takes Lotus’ DNA of creating vehicles that people love to drive, and effortlessly combines it with the latest cutting-edge technology to create a vehicle that is fun to drive, as well as being comfortable enough for long-range road trips and city driving alike.

The Eletre is priced from £89,500 in the UK and €95,990 in Europe. The most premium versions are the Eletre S and Eletre R. The Eletre S is focused on customers seeking luxury. The enhanced specification over the base model includes additional features such as soft door close, privacy glass, active rear spoiler, configurable ambient lighting, illuminated side sills, air quality system, 2,160-watt 23-speaker KEF Reference Audio system, and 22-inch 10-spoke forged wheels in grey with a diamond-turned finish.

The flagship Eletre R is all about performance, and benefits from the Lotus Dynamic Handling Pack (comprising Intelligent Active Roll Control and Active Rear Steering), Carbon Pack, Pirelli P Zero performance tyres, and a gloss black finish for the wheels. There’s also a sixth Drive Mode: Track.

Lotus also celebrated its 75^th anniversary year with the world debut of Type 66 at both The Quail and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Bringing history back to life, the Type 66 is a stunning, track-only car with a limited production run of just 10 units. It reimagines a ‘lost Lotus’ drawing board programme from the brand’s world-renowned motorsport heritage, combining it with today’s state-of-the-art racing technology and components.

F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi would have likely raced the car in the 1970s had it gone to production. He was at The Quail on Friday to help with the unveiling. “It’s been an honour to be a part of this reveal and share the Type 66 with the public,” he said. “I’m so happy to have had this opportunity.”

The final treat for Lotus’ fans was the reveal of Jenson Button’s bespoke Evjia electric hypercar.  His unique spec was chosen in consultation with the Lotus Design team and the special colour scheme pays tribute to his 2009 F1 World Championship-winning Brawn GP race car – Arctic White with Verve Yellow and Carbon Black accents.

In an F1 career spanning seasons 2006-2012, Button had 15 race victories. The aluminium strip that runs vertically through the driver’s seat centre has been laser-etched with the dates and locations of each of those wins – just one example of the attention to detail that Lotus can offer to Evija customers.

This unique project was unveiled at ‘The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering’ as part of Monterey Car Week in California, USA. Truly exotic in its design execution, the Type 66 is a new, ultra-exclusive, low-volume car from Lotus. It brings to life a ‘lost Lotus’ drawing board programme from the brand’s world-renowned motorsport heritage, combining it with today’s state-of-the-art racing technology and components.

The Type 66 has been launched in Lotus’ 75^th anniversary year and is testament to the brand’s desire to reimagine the best elements of its heritage, updating them in the most exhilarating way possible.

With his eyes on the high-profile and commercially lucrative Can-Am Series, Lotus founder Colin Chapman tasked Team Lotus draughtsman Geoff Ferris to launch the Type 66 project to evaluate how Lotus design principles could be applied to this exciting category. Chapman’s primary focus on Formula 1 meant the innovative project never went beyond technical drawings and scale models. In a fitting tribute to the brand’s illustrious racing pedigree and heritage, Lotus has proudly fulfilled the original vision 53 years after the designer first put pen to paper.

Only 10 examples of this ‘rediscovered and reimagined’ Lotus V8 will be built. It’s a total selected to commemorate the number of races the Type 66 would have competed in during the 1970 season.

The car made its public debut in a heritage-inspired livery – reflecting the red, white and gold colours Lotus raced in during the early Seventies – and which could have adorned the Type 66, alongside the all-conquering Lotus Type 72 F1 car.

The Type 66 is one of the most exclusive projects Lotus has ever undertaken and each example will cost in excess of £1million.

Simon Lane, Executive Director, Lotus Advanced Performance, said: “The Type 66 perfectly blends the past and present. It takes drivers back in time, to the iconic design, sound and pure theatre of motorsport more than 50 years ago, with added 21^st century performance and safety. This is a truly unique project and in our 75^th anniversary year it’s the perfect gift from Lotus, to fans worldwide and to a handful of customers.”

He continued: “While the visual expression is strikingly similar to what could have been – including the period-correct white, red and gold graphics – the technology and mechanical underpinnings of the Lotus Type 66 represent the very best in today’s advanced racing performance.”

Crucial to the development of the Type 66 programme has been Clive Chapman, Managing Director of Classic Team Lotus and son of Colin Chapman. It was documents held by Clive which allowed the Lotus Design team to bring the car to life.

He commented: “The car would have shared many innovative features with our most successful F1 chassis, the Lotus Type 72, which was developed during the same era. These include side-mounted radiators which helped reduce front drag, increase front downforce and channel airflow through and over the car. The rear of the car incorporates a distinctive tail section, resembling the Le Mans endurance cars of the period. These features would have boosted its downforce considerably, compared to rivals, aiding high-speed stability and ultimately its lap times. It would have been spectacular, as is the actual Type 66 we see today.”

Clive said it’s highly likely that Lotus F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi would have driven the Type 66 if it had been built. The Brazilian was guest of honour on the Lotus stand at The Quail and helped to unveil the car.

The Lotus Type 66 has benefitted from more than half a century of technical progress since it was imagined to optimise its design, engineering and manufacture. Using state-of-the-art computer software, the team led by Russell Carr, Design Director, Lotus, digitised a series of 1/4 and 1/10^th scale drawings supplied by Clive Chapman and created 3D renders to provide an entirely new perspective of the vehicle. The original sketches were true to Colin Chapman’s early designs, featuring a cockpit enclosure that would reduce drag and improve airflow to the rear wing.

In order to conform to modern safety standards and to ensure 21^st century driver confidence, the original designs were delicately reinterpreted. New features to the vehicle include a modernised driver compartment, inboard fuel cell, sequential transmission and anti-stall system. Everything is contained in a full carbon fibre bodyshell.

The front wing was designed to channel air from the front of the car, through and underneath the rear wings, generating more downforce than the vehicle’s total weight at full speed. This sense of porosity, where air travels through a vehicle, rather than around it, remains a signature element of Lotus vehicle design today and is seen on the Emira sports car, Eletre SUV and Evija hypercar.

Russell said: “We are incredibly proud to have completed such a unique project, and one that Colin Chapman was personally involved in. There is a real delicacy in remastering the past. This is not a re-edition or a restomod, but a completely new breed of Lotus – a commitment that our past glories will continue to be reflected in our future.”

Optimised aerodynamics has been part of the Lotus DNA for all of its 75 years, and the Type 66 is no exception. More than 1,000 hours of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) work has gone into the programme, resulting in downforce in excess of 800kg at 150mph. That’s far more than the original underbody design would have been able to manage, enhancing both driver safety and vehicle performance for quicker lap times.

Advanced ‘driver-in-the-loop’ technology has been used to test how the vehicle would perform on race tracks around the globe, such as Laguna Seca, Silverstone, Fuji and Spa. Thanks to modern-day engineering and ingenuity, the Type 66 now matches the dynamic performance and lap times of a modern GT3 race car. On some circuits, such as Laguna Seca, simulator work suggests it could actually be quicker.

At the heart of the Type 66 is a period-representative V8 push-rod engine. It’s mid-mounted for optimised handling, tuned by Lotus to produce more than 830bhp at 8,800rpm*. Bespoke modern-day components include an aluminium forged crank, rod and pistons, which generate torque of more than 746 Nm at 7,400rpm*. The iconic Can-Am-inspired air intake ‘trumpets’ take centre stage at the top of the engine. These not only smooth out the air intake to create laminar flow, but also greatly improve the volumetric efficiency, allowing for greater combustion and more power.

The chassis is also period-representative, with extruded aluminium sections, bonded joints and aluminium honeycomb panels adding to its authenticity. To ensure drivers can unlock maximum performance when on track, the Type 66 features modern comforts such as an EPASS motorsport power steering column, a sequential racing gearbox with reverse, a race ABS braking system, an anti-stall multi-plate clutch and a fixed rollover bar. 

Following the car’s world debut at The Quail, the Type 66 will be displayed on the Concept Lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday 20 August.

* Target performance data

F1 World Champion Jenson Button will debut his bespoke Lotus Evija at ‘The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering’ on Friday 18 August.

Like all examples of the Evija, Button’s car is completely bespoke and based on the spec which he chose in consultation with the Lotus Design team. The unique colour scheme pays tribute to his 2009 F1 World Championship-winning Brawn GP race car – Arctic White, with Verve Yellow and Carbon Black as accents. The number 22 is prominently displayed on the deployable door mirror housing, a nod to Jenson’s race number during that amazing season. It is also replicated on the interior door lining.

As an example of the attention to detail Lotus can offer Evija customers, the aluminium strip which runs vertically through the seat centre has been laser-etched with the date and location of every one of Jenson’s 15 F1 race wins. Spanning the seasons 2006-2012, it includes the six victories that helped him win the 2009 Championship.

Button, who will be on the Lotus stand at The Quail, commented: “The car looks sensational and in a colour scheme which means so much to me. The Lotus team has done an amazing job to deliver the design proposal we dreamed up together – they’ve created a real head-turner.”

Simon Lane, Director, Lotus Advanced Performance, added: “I’m delighted to be with Jenson in California as he reveals his Lotus Evija to the world for the first time. It’s a fantastic moment for the whole team, which has worked so hard to bring Jenson’s vision to life.”

The cabin of Jenson’s car is dominated by the white and black perforated leather seats, with an ebony Alcantara headliner and steering wheel. Lime Yellow contrast stitching is another bespoke feature and adds further eye-catching detail. The same colour has been used to enhance the look of the pedals, centre console rotary, start/stop button, steering wheel-mounted mode switch and air vent surrounds. 

The brake calipers are Verve Yellow, housed in gloss black alloy wheels with magnesium matt black highlights. The centre-locking wheel nut is another motorsport-inspired feature of the Evija and is finished in anodised silver.

Personalisation of the Lotus Evija is a significant part of the customer experience, though all versions of the pure electric hypercar are identical in terms of powertrain and performance. At The Quail, the car’s power output was revealed as 1,500 kW / 2,039 PS – more than the 2,000 PS announced when the Evija was unveiled, and confirming it as the most powerful series production road car ever.

Visitors to The Quail will also be able to witness the unveiling of a thrilling all-new performance car that takes inspiration from Lotus’ iconic racing heritage, and see the US debut of the Lotus Eletre Hyper-SUV.

Lotus Evija technical specification:

Ben most recently led the team responsible for the design development of the Eletre hyper-SUV, the company’s first vehicle beyond traditional sports cars, marking a key milestone for the business on its journey to become a global performance brand by 2028.

In his newly appointed role, Ben will oversee all design for the Lotus brand, working closely with group leadership and collaborate with the commercial team to drive forward the growth of Lotus. This will ensure design consistency, synergies and creative leadership across the whole brand.

Ben succeeds Peter Horbury, who passed away in June 2023.

Commenting on his new role, Ben Payne said: “Having worked extremely closely with Peter over the past five years, it was a privilege to call him a friend and great mentor in shaping global creative leadership and influencing my own design philosophy. It’s an honour to be taking on this new role, and I am excited to further elevate the brand globally.”

Feng Qingfeng, CEO at Lotus Group, said: “Lotus is renowned for its world-class design, and Ben has played a key role in ensuring our new lifestyle electric vehicles stay true to the heritage of the Lotus brand. We have ambitious plans to scale rapidly by 2028, and I look forward to working with Ben as we deliver new vehicles and expand into new markets.”

Ben brings an extensive knowledge of automotive design and brand, having held influential roles at Aston Martin and Bugatti, and has diverse consultancy experience with Makkina.

In 2018, Lotus announced its Vision80 strategy and plans to transform the brand from a heritage automotive company to an all-electric, intelligent, luxury mobility provider by 2028 – when the business turns 80. 

The company has seen a huge demand for its products, with an orderbook of over 17,000 vehicles for its Emira sports car and Eletre hyper-SUV. Lotus has ramped up production this year, already delivering Emiras to customers, and expects to deliver the Eletre to customers in the UK and Europe later this summer. 

Key achievements for the first six months to 30 June 2023 include: 

• Order book grew to approximately 17,000 vehicles worldwide for the Eletre, Lotus’ first electric lifestyle hyper-SUV, and Emira, a mid-engine sports car.  
• Produced over 2,200 Emiras in its UK sportscar manufacturing facility, which is a 381 percent increase  from FY22. The order book for Emira is full for the next two years. 
• Production of Lotus’ lifestyle hyper-SUV, Eletre, ramped up this year in its first all-electric vehicle factory. Customer deliveries began in China at the end of March, and Lotus expects to deliver to UK and European customers later this summer.  
• Lotus expanded its global retail network to 193 stores, opening 24 new outlets over the first half of 2023.  
• Expanded into South Korea, one of the largest luxury markets in the world, through a partnership to sell Lotus vehicles with the leading regional automotive retailer, Kolon Mobility Group. 
• Nine awards won globally including ‘SUV of the Year’ for Eletre at GQ Car Awards and ‘Best Performance Car’ for Emira at UK Car of the Year Awards.  
• Mike Johnstone joined the business as Chief Commercial Officer, bringing over 25 years of international experience in leading and growing automotive brands. He will be responsible for the Lotus’s global business and product strategy, as well as international expansion.  

Feng Qingfeng, CEO of Lotus Group said: “We set an ambitious goal in 2018, with the launch of our Vision80 strategy to transform the business from a traditional automotive brand to become an all-electric, luxury, mobility provider in ten years. We have spent the last few years laying the foundations for success and today’s announcement demonstrates that Lotus is no longer the same business that it has been in previous years. We are firmly on track to becoming a global performance brand by 2028.”  

Lotus plans to further ramp up production and sales for the second half of the year and expects the full year to surpass all previous years.