British sports car manufacturer Lotus showcases
the jewels from its product line-up at the 2013
Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition,
further asserting its presence in the Chinese
market as its popularity grows amongst China’s
fashion-conscious elite.
Chinese trend-setters looking for the ultimate
in exclusivity and style, are warmly invited to
the Guangzhou International Automobile
Exhibition, where from 21 November, the iconic
British sports car brand Lotus, affirms its
commitment to the Chinese sports car fan. This
follows the recent strategic acquisition by
Lotus’ parent company DRB-HICOM, of the importer
and distributor of Lotus cars in China.
The contemporary Elise S, the super-cool
track warrior - the Exige S, together with the
sleek Evora S Sports Racer will take pride of
place, representing a cross-section of the Lotus
product range. For the more adventurous, Lotus
is pleased to present the exclusive Type 125.
The single-seater, ultra high-performance
Formula 1® inspired race car, which launched at
Pebble Beach, California is the most exclusive
sports car in the Lotus product line-up,
bringing the driver as close as possible to the
driving experience of a real Formula 1® car.
Aslam Farikullah, Chief Operating Officer for
Group Lotus plc said, “The Chinese market is
very important to Lotus, so much so that we made
the acquisition of Symphony Lotus through our
parent company DRB-HICOM. This strategic move
confirms our commitment to expand our presence
and to strengthen the Lotus marque in China. It
also ensures that the Group controls not only
the quality and the delivery, but also the
marketing, sales and aftersales of the products
in China. We appreciate the demand and desire
for Lotus in China, and have worked extremely
hard to ensure that the cars we hand build at
our high-tech facility in Hethel, England, are
perfectly suited to our global customers.”
“The Guangzhou International Automobile
Exhibition enables us to reach out to the
thrill-seeking, style-orientated sports car fan
- those who expect an exclusive car, but one
that delivers performance, unparalleled grip,
together with exceptional ride and handling.
Regardless of its enviable pedigree and heritage,
Lotus is a youthful brand that all ages aspire
to owning. We currently have nine dealers in
China and Hong Kong, and expect to increase this
number in the future as the demand for our cars
grows. We are extremely excited with our new
product range and plan to continue introducing
new variants. Coupled with a more efficient
production schedule, and together with the
support from our Chinese dealers, we are looking
at great things for Lotus fans in China,” added
Aslam.
The cars in more detail:
The Elise S
The Elise S is an icon in youthful motoring
enjoyment. A trendy, pure-bred and lightweight
2-seater sportscar that delivers a feel-good
driving experience, the Elise S benefits from a
light aluminium chassis construction and
mid-mounted supercharged 1.8 litre engine which
captures Lotus’ focus of ‘performance through
lightweight’.
Not only is it a head turner of the youthful
style-alert, it is incredibly safe too. The
aluminium chassis is mated front and rear by
high-tech energy crash structures. The front
composite structure absorbs five times more
energy than an equivalent structure in steel,
meaning it provides high-level protection for
the cabin.
At just 924 kg and with 162 kW at 6800 rpm, its
performance is nothing short of thrilling!
Couple that with the open-top, 6-speed
transmission of the Elise S, and you have a
genuine sports car that is as perfectly at home
on the open road or cosmopolitan urban streets
as it is on the race track. Plus, achieving
0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds will ensure a
thrilling drive regardless of the road, street
or track you choose.
Fuel consumption for Elise S: Urban 27.3 mpg –
10.3 litres / 100km. Extra urban 47.6 mpg – 5.9
litres / 100km. Combined – 37.5 mpg – 7.5 litres
/ 100km. CO2 emissions 175g CO2 / km.
The Exige S
Some call it “a track-day warrior”, others call
it “a beast”. We say the Exige S is the true
expression of Lotus’ DNA; a pure, focussed,
drivers’ car.
The intent of the Exige S is evident from its
statistics: It achieves 0-100 km/h in 4 seconds.
It is capable of a top speed of 274 km/h and 400
Nm of torque at 4500 rpm – all thanks to a 3.5
litre V6 supercharged engine and weight of 1176
kg.
The performance of the Exige S is impressive,
but what really sets it apart is its exceptional
ride and handling, brute downforce and iron-like
grip of the road. Competition-beating like the
Elise, it has a youthful spirit, but it’s
altogether more serious, intended for a focussed
driver. The mid-engine layout provides optimal
balance whilst perfectly tuned and honed brakes,
springs and dampers bring the Exige S’
suspension into a league of its own – delivering
an exhilarating experience on both track and
road.
Fuel consumption for Exige S; Urban 19.5 mpg –
14.5 litres / 100km. Extra urban 37.2 mpg – 7.6
litres / 100km. Combined – 28.0 mpg – 10.1
litres / 100km. CO2 emissions 236g CO2 / km.
The Evora S
Presented to the Guangzhou Motorshow audience in
‘Sports Racer’ scheme and with Intelligent
Precision Shift ‘IPS’ automatic transmission,
the Evora S really is of beautiful form and
uncompromising function. Retaining the purist
driving experience associated with Lotus cars,
the exclusive Evora S boasts sophisticated
styling, an aesthetic which belies the animal
within! In every way it can, the Evora S
communicates speed, purity, lightness and
elegance, thanks to the craftsmanship of the
visionaries at Lotus Design.
Boasting 258 kW at 7000 rpm and 0-100 km
performance of 4.7 seconds, the Evora S with IPS
ensures driver focus is uncompromised with the
addition of paddle shift-operated automatic
transmission. Powered by a 3.5 litre V6,
mid-mounted engine and achieving a top speed of
267 km/h the Evora S is as competent as it is
stunning.
Fuel consumption for Evora S (with IPS) is –
urban 19.6 mpg – 14.4 litres / 100km, extra
urban 40.8 mpg – 6.9 litres / 100km, combined –
29.3 mpg – 9.7 litres / 100km. CO2 emissions 224
g CO2 / km.
The Type 125
Developed together with the Lotus F1® Team, the
Lotus Type 125, or more fondly referred to as
the T125, is an exclusive, ultra high
performance Formula 1® inspired race-car,
complete with Cosworth 3.8 litre V8 engine
producing 477 kW linked to a 6-speed
semi-automatic gearbox with paddle shift. Its
superlight weight of just 590kg gives a
phenomenal power-to-weight ratio of more than
745 kW per tonne.
The T125 gives you the closest experience to
that of an F1® driver and, with a minimum number
in production, offers a completely unique and
privileged insight to top level global
motorsport. Plus, you won’t need a team of
mechanics to assist you. The T125 is fired up at
the start of a button.
Customers of the Lotus T125 are invited to
liaise directly with Lotus Motorsport at the UK
headquarters, where after selecting the car’s
individual livery, whether a classic Lotus
livery, like the green and yellow displayed on
the stand today, or one’s own colour scheme,
clients can then watch the build of their car,
and take the opportunity to hone their driving
skills with our qualified instructors.
The Guangzhou International Automobile
Exhibition runs until 30th November 2013 |
