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Tesla - New US Electro Car

Last Wednesday the Financial Times ran a piece indicating that Tesla was now formally setting its sights on Europe. This is the first of what will be an increasing effort on our part to build the Tesla brand on the European continent with the anticipation of delivering cars to customers starting in the middle of 2009.

The idea that Tesla would expand internationally is nothing new – that has been our intention all along. There are many reasons why Europe is a very attractive market, outlined below. The thing that is new here is the timing of our expansion plans.

While issues of global warming and sustainability have become part of the mainstream progressive thinking in the United States in the past couple of years, Europeans have been passionate about them for a while now.
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Porsche erweitert Modellangebot bei Mittelmotor-Sportwagen

Stuttgart. Mit zwei Modellneuheiten rundet die Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, ihr sportliches Mittelmotor-Programm nach oben ab. Die beiden Neuheiten, der Porsche Boxster S Porsche Design Edition 2 und der Cayman S Sport, leisten mit 303 PS (223 kW) aus 3,4 Liter Hubraum nun acht PS mehr als die jeweiligen S-Versionen. Beide Modelle verfügen über exklusive Ausstattungsumfänge, die durch ein markantes Fahrzeugdesign betont werden, und sind ab Anfang September im Handel erhältlich.
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With its stunning visual impact, exhilarating all-round dynamic performance, innovative chassis technology and high levels of luxury, packaging and convenience, the Evora heralds an exciting new era for Lotus.

The first all-new Lotus since the iconic Elise made its debut in 1995, The Evora enters the sports car market as currently the world’s only mid-engined 2+2. Powered by a Lotus-tuned 3.5-litre V6 engine producing 280 PS, and weighing just 1350 kg (prototype specification), the Evora promises breathtaking performance. During preliminary testing around the famous Nürburgring, the Lotus chassis engineers report that it is extremely agile and great fun to drive – even when clad with the full development disguise that hid the beautiful lines from the prying motor-industry paparazzi.

In addition to its excellent performance and exemplary handling, the Evora offers a more refined ownership experience than Lotus’s existing smaller four- cylinder models. Its elegantly styled cabin is elegantly trimmed and its equipment list includes contemporary features such as an advanced touch- screen multi-media system and electric power-fold door mirrors.

Because one of the roles of the Evora is to attract new customers to the Lotus brand, much attention has been paid to its ease of use. Wider, taller door apertures and narrower sills make getting in and out of the cabin a less athletic undertaking than it is in Lotus’s smaller sports cars (the Elise, Exige, Europa and 2-Eleven), while the design of the cabin itself will accommodate two 99th percentile (6ft 5in tall) American males in the front seats. Continue Reading »

Group Lotus plc unveils a new updated and significantly enhanced range of Europa’s at the 78th annual Geneva International Motor Show. The new entry level Europa is priced at £27,950 MSRP / 37,500, with the range topping Europa SE available for a competitive £32,995 MSRP / 41,500 (Euro prices are without taxes, delivery & other related costs).

These new Europa variants have been designed and developed especially for European customers and will be sold exclusively across Europe from June 2008. The Europa is now available to a larger target audience with the entry level car providing a more accessible way to own a Europa and the SE designed to appeal to those who are even more style conscious and want increased levels of performance. Mike Kimberley, CEO of Group Lotus plc commented: “As the true driver will know, this Europa range, offers access to Lotus’ unique DNA for those who perceive the Elise and Exige as a little too uncompromising for everyday use. The new Europa SE sits at the more refined end of the Lotus spectrum, providing a terrific mix of performance, agility and style, but incorporates Lotus’s values and heritage”. Continue Reading »

Latest Track Car From Lotus Offers ‘Straight Out Of The Box’ Thrills

Model Year 2008 Lotus Sport Exige Cup 260

Lotus Sport, the motor sport division of Lotus Cars Ltd, has unveiled the MY2008 Lotus Sport Exige Cup 260. A direct development of the 2007 Exige Cup Car, this year’s car has a revised engine management system to take the maximum power output to 257 hp (260 PS), up by nearly 5 hp (5 PS) over last year. Bespoke performance enhancements created to offer a car with even greater levels of handling and acceleration capable of taming Europe’s most challenging race circuits. The Exige Cup 260, once again represents Lotus’ most radical version of the Exige, with the track environment being its home and for 2008, the Lotus Sport Exige Cup 260 has full European homologation for road use (a must have for some competitive environments where a road legal car has to be entered). There are further product changes: all Lotus Sport Exige Cup 260 cars now have a number of the 2008 Model year improvements from the road versions of the Elise and Exige, namely:

• Instrument pack with new graphic design and expanded functionality
• New alarm/immobiliser + single integrated function key
• Variable Lotus Traction Control
• Variable Lotus Launch Control

In traditional Lotus style, weight saving is paramount. Weighing in at just 928 kg, the power to weight ratio is an impressive 271 hp / tonne (273 PS / tonne). Such a fantastic power to weight ratio alone of course does not make a superlative track car, so the Exige Cup 260 has a formidable list of standard equipment that includes Lotus specific LTS compound Yokohama A048R tyres, 4-piston AP Racing front brake calipers, adjustable dampers and anti-roll bar, the latest FIA 6-point roll cage and sports driver and passenger seats. The car can also be ordered as a Track version for track use only. The Track Version comes pre- fitted with an FIA approved 6-point roll cage, and 4-point harnesses. In addition, a wide range of motorsport specific options are also available with this version. Continue Reading »

Lotus Cars Ltd. freut sich, seine ausschließlich in Continental Europa erhältliche Sonderedition – den Lotus Elise S 40th Limited Edition – präsentieren zu können.

Dieses einzigartige Sondermodell basiert auf dem Einstiegsmodell der Lotus Elise Modell-Palette – dem Elise S – und wird zu Ehren des 40-jährigen Produktionsjubiläums der Lotus- Fabrikation in Hethel aufgelegt.

Der Lotus Elise S 40th Limited Edition ist wie folgt spezifiziert:

• Elise S – Modelljahr 2008, serienmäßig mit zwei Airbags ausgestattet
• Premium-Lackierung in “Burnt Orange”
• Hardtop in Wagenfarbe
• In Schwarz lackierte Felgen und ein in schwarz lackierter Heckdiffusor
• Vollederausstattung in schwarz mit orangefarbenen Nähten
• In Wagenfarbe lackierte Mittelkonsole, Karosserieteile und Bremssättel
• Numerierte Produktions-Plakette
• Länderspezifische Aufkleber mit der jeweiligen Nationalflagge
• Jubiläumsschreiben anläßlich der 40-Jahrfeier, unterschrieben von Mike
• Kimberley, CEO von Lotus Cars Ltd.

Der Wagen kann bei allen Lotus-Vertragshändlern in Continental Europa ab sofort bestellt werden und ist nach folgendem Schlüssel in den einzelnen Ländern limitiert:

• Deutschland 15
• Schweiz 10
• Frankreich 5
• Belgien 5
• Italien 6
• Andere 9 (mit englischer Nationalflagge gekennzeichnet)

Mit diesem Sondermodell sollen gleich zwei besondere Umstände gebührend gefeiert werden. Zum einen das 40-jährige Produktionsjubiläum der Lotus-Fabrikation in Hethel und zum anderen das vierte Jahr in Folge, in dem Lotus seine Verkaufszahlen in Europa steigern konnte (im laufenden Jahr 2007 beträgt das Verkaufsplus gegenüber 2006 ca. 9%). Die Lotus Elise S 40th Limited Edition ist preislich dank seiner umfangreichen Serienausstattung und seiner sonst nicht erhältlichen Features preislich sehr attraktiv. Gegenüber dem serienmäßigen Elise S erhält der Kunde einen Mehrwert von ca. 10%. Als aufpreispflichtige Optionen werden lediglich eine Klimaanlage und eine Traktionskontrolle angeboten.

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