Setting aside collaborative projects such as the Lotus Carlton / Omega from the early 1990s, it’ll be the first four-door saloon that Lotus has produced. Nevertheless, the firm is convinced that there’s a market for it.
It’s also saying the Eterne is ‘… not an evolution of an existing two-door model, it's a deliberate and considered stand-alone creation’, although it looks suspiciously like a four-door version of the 2014 Lotus Elite. Both cars certainly use the same engine, a 5.0 litre V8 that will first appear in the 2013 Esprit.
At an estimated £120,000, the Eterne will undercut competitors such as the Aston Martin Rapide, but it will cost more than cars such as the Porsche Panamera and Maserati Quattroporte.
| 2015 Lotus Eterne Concept Specification | |
|---|---|
| Layout | 4 seats, front-engined |
| Engine | Petrol, 5.0 litre V8 |
| Hybrid technology | Optional, incl. KERS |
| Power | 611 bhp / 456 kW / 620 PS |
| Torque | 720 Nm |
| 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) | 4.0 seconds |
| Top speed | 195 mph (315 km/h) |
| Weight | 1,800 kg |
| Transmission | Full hybrid |
| Drive | Rear-wheel drive, optional all-wheel drive |
| Production starts | Early 2015 |
| On sale | Spring 2015 |
| Price | Around £120,000 |
Related posts:
Five new Lotus sports cars
2013 Lotus Esprit
2013 Lotus Elan
2014 Lotus Elite
2015 Lotus Elise
