Lotus News

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

A black Lotus Type 79 Formula 1 car with John Player Special livery takes a corner on a racetrack, driven by Jan Lammers wearing a blue helmet.

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 27, 2025

Jan Lammers Drives Lotus Evija & Lotus Type 79 After 46 Y...

Lotus celebrates its rich racing history in the Netherlands. This year’s Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix is fast approaching, taking the world’s most intense and prestigious racing series to the beach town of Zandvoort since the race returned to the F1 calendar in 2021 after its 35-year hiatus since 1985. A historic and venerated name in the legacy of Formula 1 is Lotus, a manufacturer that has built its legacy on motorsport success, and whose futuristic luxury performance vehicles, sports cars, and hypercars are inspired by racing legends of the past. With six victories on the track, Lotus is one of the most successful manufacturers at Zandvoort, as legends like Mario Andretti and Jim Clark won at the circuit in 1978, and 1963, 1964, 1965, and 1967, respectively. One year after Andretti’s win at Zandvoort in 1978, driver Jan Lammers tested a Lotus Type 79 chassis at the track in an effort to earn a place on the Formula 1 team. 46 years later, the Dutch racing driver was reunited with the car that he tested on the track in 1979, taking the historic Lotus Type 79 for a number of laps like he did on the Zandvoort track deades earlier. In addition, Lammers also test drove the incredible flagship electric hypercar from Lotus: the Evija. With roughly 2,000 horsepower, the Evija has immense power and engineering focused on pure performance through its electric powertrain. Representing both the glorious past and exciting new innovations from the brand, Jan Lammers’ reunion with Lotus at Zandvoort is a celebration of the Dutch Grand Prix’s history and the venerated heritage of Lotus as a racing staple and a manufacturer. View All Lotus For Sale Image Source: Lotus

Modern car interior featuring a large central touchscreen display, digital controls, and white leather seats with yellow accents.

By Tyler Rampersaud – August 06, 2025

Lotus Adds Spatial Audio In CarPlay To Emeya & Eletre

Lotus’s new cohort of luxury cars includes spatial audio. For most of its life, Lotus’s lineup of sports cars was rarely celebrated for luxury. Instead, Lotus amassed a cult following over the years thanks to its legacy of racing success, and for a lineup of road cars that boasted lightweight construction, agile handling, and absolutely thrilling fun-to-drive character. However, the new era of Lotus is a complete renaissance for the British manufacturer, still adhering to creating fun-to-drive performance cars, but instead introducing high-performance electric hypercars, luxury electric vehicles, and a touring-ready sports car to the mix. With immense electric power and luxurious engineering and features, cars like the Eletre and Emeya still have the performance-oriented character of the Lotus cars of old, but they are a far cry from the relatively Spartan nature of past Lotus models. Among features including cutting-edge technology and computing power, and groundbreaking safety features, one of the most exciting luxury aspects of the new Lotus lineup is the KEF audio system available in the Emeya and Eletre. Thanks to a new over-the-air update that is available for both cars, Louts is now introducing Spatial Audio via Apple CarPlay, enhancing the already impressive quality of the audio system even further, and giving drivers immersive 3D sound with Dolby Atmos through as many as 23 speakers. With an iPhone running iOS 18 or later, and an over-the-air update available for the Lotus Emeya and Lotus Eletre, the new Spatial Audio experience makes owning a member of the new futuristic, luxurious era of Lotus even more exciting than before. View All Lotus For Sale

Three green and yellow Lotus race cars—F1 Legends from different eras—race at Goodwood, with a modern sports car leading two vintage Formula 1 machines once driven by icons like Senna.

By Khris Bharath – July 08, 2025

Lotus To Honor F1 Legends Jim Clark And Ayrton Senna At G...

It’s not every day that you get to witness the past, present, and future of an automotive brand in one place, but this week, with the Goodwood Festival of Speed upon us, this is exactly what visitors will get to experience at the Lotus Stand. Marking its return to the famed annual hill climb event, Lotus will showcase its radical and futuristic Theory 1, a concept car that is a showcase of design, electric performance, and the general direction of where the storied British marque is headed next. According to Lotus VP Ben Payne, this concept builds on everything that the brand has achieved in its 77-year history. But perhaps, the biggest highlight for Lotus this weekend will be about celebrating its glorious past in motorsports. With Goodwood celebrating 75 years of Formula 1 in 2025, some of the brightest minds from the world of F1 are descending on the venue. Lotus, a name that pioneered the concept of light-weight grand prix cars with the great Colin Chapman at the helm back in the day, will be in full force at the event, as it honors some of its most successful drivers, Jim Clark and Ayrton Senna. On display will be the iconic Lotus Type 33, which took Jim Clark to his 1965 F1 title, and sitting alongside will be Senna’s Lotus 97T, the very car that gave the legendary Brazilian driver his first F1 win at Estoril back in 1985. On Saturday and Sunday, at 12:30 p.m., Clive Chapman, son of Lotus founder Colin Chapman, will also share personal stories alongside Chris Dinnage. Once Senna’s mechanic, Chris, is now Classic Team Lotus’ manager. “2025 marks the 40th anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s first F1 victory at Estoril with Team Lotus, a defining moment for both team and driver. We also celebrated the 60th anniversary of Jim Clark’s unrivalled year of winning the Formula 1 World Championship, Indianapolis 500, Tasman Series, and the Formula 2 Championship." - Clive Chapman 2025 also marks the revival of Team Lotus, and the new Emira GT4 and a track-ready Emira Cup concept, built to help amateur drivers from their first track days to full competition, will also be shown. Now, this really wouldn’t be Goodwood without some action-packed events lined up. The Lotus stand transforms into a hub, with Q&As, family-friendly “Lotus Moments,” and inclusion-focused panels hosted by journalist Natasha Bird. The full crop of the current Lotus production models, including the all-electric Evija hypercar, the Emeya super sedan, the Eletre SUV, and the Emira, will participate in the hill climb. View All Lotus For Sale Source: Lotus

Three workers assemble a white Lotus sports car on a factory floor, with the car body elevated and wheels not yet attached—a glimpse into U.S. production at the crossroads of innovation and precision craftsmanship.

By Khris Bharath – June 30, 2025

Lotus at a Crossroads: Could U.S. Production Lead The Way?

The iconic British sports car brand, Lotus, which once defined light-weight race cars and subsequently sports cars, under the watchful eye of the great Colin Chapman, is once again at the crossroads. Multiple recent reports, including one from the Financial Times, have indicated that Geely-owned brand is considering moving production of some of its models, including the Emira Sports Car, elsewhere; most likely to the United States. According to the BBC, sources inside the company have confirmed that the option is under active review, stating that actively exploring strategic options to enhance efficiency and ensure global competitiveness in the evolving market. At stake are 1,300 jobs and the legacy of the brand that has called Norfolk home since 1966. The primary reason for such a drastic step are the U.S. import tariffs, which were announced in April this year. Import duties soared to 25% following tariff increases announced in April 2025 under President Trump’s administration. For a brand that views the United States as one of its key markets, this led to a pause in production since May. While a new U.S.-U.K. trade deal has temporarily reduced tariffs to 10%, the announcement came too late to avoid damage. Lotus CEO Feng Qinfeng stated during the earnings call earlier this month that localization is a possibility in the U.S. The most likely case could be that of Swedish automaker Volvo’s Ridgeville plant. Volvo, which is also owned by Geely, has an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles at its South Carolina manufacturing facility. Despite these rumors, Lotus insists that it is not abandoning the U.K., and operations at its Hethel plant will continue as normal. In a statement to the BBC, the company stated that it has invested significantly in R&D and operations in the United Kingdom and remains committed to its British Heritage. Having said that, commitment and practicality are two different entities. The market for all-electric models like the China-made Electre SUV and Emeya sedan has waned, and Lotus posted a $183 million loss in the first Quarter of 2025. In the recent wake of the aforementioned tariffs, exports to the United States, once its third-largest market, have since collapsed, along with the suspension of the deliveries of the Eletre. While the company has invested £100 million ($136.93 million) over the past few years, including a new facility that opened in 2022, Hethal’s future looks uncertain. The U.K. government is reportedly scrambling to offer support, and according to the Financial Times, the company's Business Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, is expected to meet with Lotus executives to discuss more on this evolving situation. With the market for EVs cooling off and the U.S. emerging as a final stronghold for combustion-engine cars, the writing may be on the wall. If Lotus decides to move some production stateside, it would be a strategic move that is about the brand’s survival rather than anything else. View All Lotus Cars For Sale Source: Financial Times, BBC

Four modern silver sports cars are parked side by side on a flat surface with mountains and a clear sky in the background.

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 27, 2025

Lotus Reports Improving Financials In Q1 2025

The first quarter of 2025 spells continued growth for Lotus. This decade has been an interesting one for car enthusiasts thus far, but especially for fans of the racing-bred manufacturer of cult-favorite sports cars: Lotus. With a rich racing legacy, Lotus sports cars were known for years for boasting enviable fun-to-drive character, lightweight construction, and track-ready agility. However, the 2020s saw the introduction of the Evija, a new all-electric hypercar with unfathomable power that ushered in a new era for Lotus as an electric luxury performance car manufacturer. Meanwhile, the Lotus Emira promises to be the ultimate combustion-powered Lotus sports car, utilizing the time-honored Lotus formula of agile performance and adding cutting-edge tech, luxurious craftsmanship, and stunning design to the mix. More electric models have been added to the Lotus lineup, like the Eletre performance SUV, and the Emeya performance four-door grand tourer. Since then, Lotus has experienced growth as a brand, and Lotus has reported its unaudited results for the first quarter of 2025 as it hopes to continue said growth. In the quarter, Lotus delivered 1,274 vehicles, and while that represents a significantly decreased number from last year due to a transition period, the financial impact is what demonstrates a positive trend for Lotus, where the operating loss was decreased by a significant 56 percent, and the net loss was decreased by 29 percent. With steadily improving results on its business side, the new chapter for Lotus continues to shape itself up for success. View All Lotus For Sale

A purple Lotus Emira sports car is parked on a city street beside a modern building, with blurred figures in the background.

By Tyler Rampersaud – June 05, 2025

Lotus Reveals New 2026 Emira V6 SE Flagship

Lotus adds new members to the Emira family. In the new era of Lotus, featuring a growing lineup of luxurious electric performance vehicles that combine bleeding-edge futuristic technology with the cherished motorsport legacy of the manufacturer. However, the final combustion-powered sports car model to emerge from Lotus is the Emira, which has proven itself a shining example of Lotus’ signature approach to automotive excellence, providing robust performance through multiple powertrains, along with lightweight construction, enviable agility, and a thrilling driving experience. However, the 2026 model year sees the Emira expanding the already celebrated legacy it is building, with the Emira Turbo SE recently being announced as a new 400-horsepower variant of the Emira with its 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine. Now, two more variants are being introduced for the 2026 model year: the new 2026 Lotus Emira V6 SE and the 2026 Lotus Emira Turbo. The new Lotus Emira V6 SE sits alongside the flagship Turbo SE, offering the supercharged 3.5-cylinder V6 with 400 horsepower like the Turbo SE’s four-cylinder engine. Offered as standard is a six-speed manual gearbox, highlighting the Emira’s driver’s car ethos, but an optional manual transmission is also available. With a 4.3-second 0-60 time, 15 available exterior colors, and 7 interior themes, the new Lotus Emira V6 SE is thrilling and luxurious alike. In general, the Lotus Emira has been thoroughly optimized for the 2026 model year, with improvements made to its cooling system, its DCT automatic transmission, the inclusion of standard ADAS, and more. Meanwhile, the new entry point for the Lotus Emira lineup is the new 2026 Lotus Emira Turbo, which features the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four engine derived from AMG with 360 horsepower. For both SE models, the new 2026 Lotus Emira comes with the option for enhanced racing-inspired design touches through the Racing Line, adding an accent color through a pinstripe and mirror color, along with special badging. As Lotus creates the pinnacle of its combustion-powered sports car legacy, the Emira continues to impress for the 2026 model year. View All Lotus Emira For Sale

A modern green and yellow Lotus Emira Jim Clark Edition sports car races on a track alongside two vintage race cars, all moving at high speed with blurred backgrounds.

By Tyler Rampersaud – May 02, 2025

Lotus Unveils New 1-of-60 Emira Jim Clark Edition

A Formula 1 racing legend inspires a new exclusive sports car. While its lineup currently consists of electric luxury vehicles with futuristic technology and impressive performance, Lotus has been long celebrated for its agile and incredibly fun to drive sports cars. However, its long history has roots firmly planted in the racing world, and specifically in the intense, prestigious rivalry that is the Formula 1 grid. It was 60 years ago, in 1965, when Jim Clark and Team Lotus made an incredible milestone in the racing world. That year, Clark secured the Formula 1 World Championship with Team Lotus, and also won the Indianapolis 500. His incredible racing talent also resulted in success in that year’s Formula 2 and Tasman racing series, and in touring car races behind the wheel of a Lotus Ford Cortina. The incredible year of racing victory 60 years ago inspired a new exclusive edition of the Lotus Emira, the final combustion-powered sports car model from the brand, the new Jim Clark Edition, created in collaboration with the Jim Clark Trust. Making its debut at the Formula 1 2025 Miami Grand Prix, the new Lotus Emira Jim Clark Edition is based on the V6 variant, with a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 engine with 400 horsepower. The car is finished with an exclusive Clark Racing Green exterior color with a contrasting black roof, including silver mirrors and a yellow racing stripe reminiscent of historic Lotus racing cars. A special interior is finished in leather and alcantara, with a red driver seat and a black passenger seat, with exclusive badging denoting the special edition, as well. Only 60 examples of the car will be available, a number that reflects the years that have passed since Jim Clark and Lotus achieved an unfathomable racing victory, which is undoubtedly deserving of the stunning homage that is the new Lotus Emira Jim Clark Edition. View All Lotus Emiras For Sale Image Source: Lotus

A red sports car with off-road tires and extra lights on the hood is parked on a rural road at sunset. The license plate reads "GET LOST." Mountains are visible in the background.

By Jordan Aquistapace – April 15, 2025

Meet The Off-Road, Safari-Built Lotus Elise You Never Kne...

The beauty behind the ever-evolving automotive world is the passionate community of owners and enthusiasts who continue to preserve and breathe new life into cars that may have gone overlooked in the past. And while the latest and greatest releases will always shine in the spotlight, aftermarket specialists are shedding light on some seriously cool builds that won't break the bank for the driver searching for something special to get behind the wheel of. One of those cars that may have been lost in the shuffle is the Lotus Elise S1, which the manufacturer first described as the world's most advanced sports car when it debuted at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show. Showcasing the Elise S1 in full safari form as part of its first vehicle build, the team at Get Lost Automotive is jumping into the scene and paving its own path. GFWILLIAMS Get Lost's journey to Project Safari began with founder and renowned automotive photographer GFWilliams, who used more than a decade of experience being around the most exceptional cars in the world to spark interest in his own dream. The off-road, purpose-built Lotus Elise S1 was created as "a car that delivers emotional connection through design, engineering, and a relentless pursuit of fun." Instead of changing what made the Elise iconic, the team studied its layout and leaned into the outrageous idea of turning it into an off-road monster. GFWILLIAMS Project Safari features a custom roof scoop, rectangular headlights, and a fully redesigned interior wrapped in top-tier materials. Everything's purposeful, not just flashy, making it less of a bodykit job and more of a total reimagination. Founder George Williams describes the project as a reinterpretation, not a modification. Underneath Project Safari, a bespoke suspension system ups the ride height and width, while all-terrain tires and a limited-slip diff mean this thing actually works off-road. A new powertrain and playful touches like a hydraulic handbrake make it even more fun on trails. Customer builds for Get Lost's Project Safari kick off later this year. View All Lotus Elises For Sale Source: Get Lost

Black and gold Formula 1 car with "John Player Special" on the side, parked in a dimly lit garage.

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 11, 2025

Lotus Celebrates Ayrton Senna's First F1 Victory With Bru...

Lotus celebrates one of the world’s greatest racing legacies. The late Ayrton Senna is one of the world’s greatest racing legends, with an incredible legacy of victory and excellence that continues to inspire motorsports today. One of the most iconic chapters in his racing career was his time racing for Team Lotus, which lasted from 1985 to 1987. It was 40 years ago and behind the wheel of a Lotus 97T Formula 1 car when Ayrton Senna won his first F1 victory at the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix. To celebrate the anniversary of one of the most important and formative moments in the legendary Ayrton Senna’s racing career, Lotus brought the same 97T race car back to the Estoril Circuit for the first time since he won the Grand Prix. Driving it was Senna’s nephew, Bruno Senna, whose own motorsport career has helped the Senna legacy continue. With no traction control and wet weather during the race, Senna called his Portuguese Grand Prix win his greatest, and it is especially poignant considering that it was his first. Both an important moment in Lotus’s rich racing history, and a crucial breakthrough in Senna’s legendary career, the 40th anniversary of Senna’a 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix win deserved the beautiful reunion it had with the Estoril Circuit. View All Lotus For Sale Image Source: Lotus

Two sleek sports cars, a white Lotus Emeya and a black Eletre, are parked next to each other on a paved surface, with the blurred motion of people bustling around them.

By Tyler Rampersaud – April 02, 2025

Lotus Revamps the Emeya & Eletre Model Ranges

Lotus revamps its electric performance lineup. Lotus is a far cry from the brand that enthusiasts across the world knew and loved for decades. While the manufacturer still celebrates its racing-derived roots with agile, fun-to-drive cars and track-inspired design cues, its new lineup consists of the Emira, the final combustion-powered model from the brand, and a host of new electric vehicles like the Evija hypercar, the Eletre SUV, and the Emeya grand tourer. While Lotus’ new electric models are ushering in a revolution for the brand, the manufacturer has already decided to give the Emeya and the Eletre a series of tweaks to the range of both models, which was just announced. The range of powertrains available for the new Emeya and Eletre models from Lotus have been now named 600 and 900, reflecting the respective power output of each. In addition, Lotus has restructured the trim levels for both models to revive historic naming conventions for Lotus: GT, GT SE, and Sport. The name GT reflects a step above the base trim, with GT SE, Sport SE, and Sport sitting above that. For both models, the flagship trim level is Sport Carbon. Features seen in the upper trim levels include larger wheels and 6-piston brakes for the GT, a premium KEF REFERENCE audio system for the GT SE, massaging and ventilated front seats for Sport SE, an active spoiler for Sport, and exposed carbon fiber accents for the Carbon trim, which all apply to both models. The Sport and Carbon trims are only available with the 900 powertrain, and the Eletre 900 and Emeya 900 are only available in those trim levels, as well. With a revamped trim level and powertrain structure, the Lotus Emeya and Eletre continue to redefine electric luxury vehicles and the historic Lotus brand. View All Lotus For Sale Image Source: Lotus

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