Lotus Exos launched.

[Flibster]

Otherwise known as the Lotus T125 *Evora GT4 Cup car is T124 and the Lotus Racing car is the T127*

Oh my.....

Orders now being taken with a £10k deposit. How much to kidneys go for at the moment?

 

[Flibster]

More info is needed though.

When I get it.

I guess that's basically your ultimate track day car for the super rich right there?

I suppose people might also use them for some racing too

I'm expecting another single make series from Lotus to arrive. We had the Lotus Cup with the central seat Elises and we've currently got the Lotus On Track events

So what is it. A track day car?

Single seat race car essentially. Looks to have FIA spec head protection so it's going to be extremely serious.

I love the paintjob - especially with the trails leading to the F1 cars and the years they ran them. WANT ONE!

 

[Flibster]

Are you allowed open wheels on normal track days anyway?

Depends, I've been on a couple where someone was running an old Formula Ford or F3000 car.

 

[Flibster]

Holy hell! Really want one now.

The Exos is a 640hp car with unique tub and construction for accommodation similar to the Evora eg it can fit drivers from 4'8" to 6'4" and all in between.

Lotus are the first and only manufacturer to offer such a product, it is amazing!!

The car will be aligned with a totally unique and exclusive lifestyle package that you would only be able to find in the edges of the EXOSphere*.

*The exosphere is the uppermost layer of the atmosphere. In the exosphere, an upward travelling molecule can escape to space if it is moving fast enough to attain escape velocity; otherwise it will be pulled back to the celestial body by gravity. In either case, such a molecule is unlikely to collide with another molecule due to the exosphere's low density.

 

[Flibster]

Touch more info now.
All carbon construction
Weighs in at 650kg
650bhp Cosworth GPV8 - 10'300 rpm limiter raised to 10'800 with push to pass. 4500km between rebuilds and a starter motor.
Semi Auto paddle operated gearbox
25 to be built and a small price of $1'000'000, but available in any colourscheme including Gold Leaf, JPS and Camel.

Quite a few more photo's here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rnair/4870207465/in/set-72157624676393270/

As much as the JPS or Gold Leaf painscheme appeals - I'd have the one they showed yesterday....

 

[Flibster]

Deigned by Lotus cars without any input from Lotus racing f1 team - think they missed a trick here, or is it just because Lotus racing f1 team are not really a part of Lotus (it's the air asia f1 team essentially) but only licence the name?

Lotus Racing aren't technically part of Lotus. But neither was Team Lotus.
Lotus Racing is owned and funded by a consortium of the Malaysian Government, Proton (who own Lotus Cars and Engineering), Sepang International Circuit, Tune Group, Naza Motors amongst others.

Lotus Racing does have very close ties with Lotus Cars and Engineering though. Technology exchanges are in place and development is done by each other.

Plus, the Chapman Family are happy with what Tony Fernandes and Mike Gascoyne are doing and where they are heading. It's already been said that when they win it will be Lotus' 80th win not Lotus Racing 1st.

Interestingly there are rumours that there will be closer integration over the next couple of years. Tony has apparently been trying to buy Ketteringham Hall *historic base of Team Lotus* and set it up as the base of operations. Including facilities for Classic Team Lotus, and a Lotus Museum - something that has been sorely lacking over the years. Also strongly rumoured is a name change from Lotus Racing to Team Lotus. Proton bringing them under the full Lotus umbrella.

 

[Flibster]

I confused, what is this car?

Lotus version of the Ferrari FXX, but done properly.

I spent some time at Ketteringham when they were building the Lotus Esprit race cars a few years back, cracking place full of history and felt very 70's inside not least in the car shop where they were being prepped.

From what I gather it would retain that feel, but have modern race bays and manufacturing facilities.

Could be the old race bays are used by Classic Team Lotus, after all, it is their home and new bays built for the current F1 effort.

 

[Flibster]

Mr Tony seemed very keen on the idea when he was interviewed on Radio Norfolk at the start of the season. He was quizzed on the future of Lotus Racing and the possibility of the team & operations being moved from Hingham to Malaysia. He was very enthusiastic about the idea of bringing the whole of the Lotus family under one "roof" here at some point in the future. Will it happen? Who knows but it would be fantastic if he pulled it off.

They pretty much binned the move to Sepang immediately. Nice idea, but in order to keep staff who know what they are doing they can't move.

Imo, the biggest problem with them staying in Norfolk is the A11... Hateful road. Dual the lot of it you useless *******! I don't care about the Stone Curlew or whatever it is - Send in Prince Phillip - he'll sort them out.

 

[Flibster]

Very pretty .. but why not just buy an old GP2 or F1 car? It'll cost you a fraction of the amount!

To buy the car... Possibly. To run it... maybe not.
It's not just the car though - it's the support behind it.

Car - start at £50k for a late 80's early 90's tail ender and go to well over £1million for more modern machinery with a good history.
Engine rebuilds between 300-700 miles - Anywhere from £20k up to £200k *again - depending on engine and rebuild*
No factory support *unless you get a Lotus or a Ferrari who have excellent historic support*
No driver training *apparently including Hakkinen and Trulli*
No fitness training
Specialist knowledge to maintain the classic cars costs a chunk.
Specialist pit gear - engine heating systems etc...
Crew gear to monitor and start the car - especially with a more modern car which requires laptops and specialist software to start them.

Performance wise, I gather it's meant to be about GP2 level. So it's quicker than a lot of the available F1 cars.

 

[Flibster]

Ooof... If anyone wants one they'll have to be quick. Apparently half of them have been sold already!

Recession? What recession?