Lotus will launch a new supercar 2028 featuring an all-new V8 hybrid powertrain as part of its Focus 2030 business strategy reset that ditches the electric-only focus and places emphasis on a multi-powertrain approach.
In order to achieve a more flexible sustainable business model that will make the brand more resilient to shifting market conditions, Lotus will provide a diverse powertrain lineup built around the customer.
“As regulatory and consumer landscapes continue to evolve globally at different speeds, Lotus will pursue an agile approach across ICE (internal combustion engine), PHEV (hybrid electric vehicle) and BEV (battery electric vehicle), targeting an approximately 60% PHEV / 40% BEV volume mix over its electrified portfolio in the short term, and a customer-led transition to full electrification,” the automaker said in a press release.
A New Lotus Esprit on Steroids Is Coming
Lotus Cars
Building on its existing X-Hybrid PHEV powertrain available in the Eletre X in China, Lotus will reaffirm its performance DNA with what it calls its "first ever supercar" called Type 135—what about the 2,011-hp Evija electric hypercar, isn't that supercar enough for Lotus? Slated to launch in 2028, Type 135 will be an all-new car featuring a V8 hybrid powertrain delivering over 986 horsepower (1,000 metric horsepower).
Lotus expects to build the new model in Europe, but further details will be announced later this year. The automaker also released a teaser image of its hybrid supercar, showing a mean-looking rear end featuring two massive round exhaust tips, a chunky diffuser and two pairs of high-set horizontal LED lights. From this angle, the Lotus Type 135 appears to have a very sloped roofline with an almost horizontal rear window.
There’s a clear resemblance between the Type 135 and the Lotus Theory 1 concept from 2024, which was designed to evoke the spirit of the Esprit and its F1 racing heritage. However, that car featured a twin-motor AWD battery-electric powertrain, whereas the production version has switched to a hybrid V8 setup.
The last time Lotus sold a V8 model was in 2004, when the Lotus Esprit mid-engine sports car went out of production. Here's hoping that Lotus will revive the Esprit name with the new model; the Type 135 is a working name used during development.
Lotus Back to Being Lotus
Kyle Edward
Lotus has promised that its V8 supercar will follow the brand’s old philosophy, suggesting a return to extreme lightweight engineering.
“Lotus was born from the rebellious spirit of Colin Chapman, and that is not lost today,” said Lotus Group CEO Qingfeng Feng. “Focus 2030 will reset both the brand and the business to keep us true to our DNA. We are obsessed with engineering, obsessed with performance and obsessed with building drivers’ cars, and that is what will grow this business.”
Regardless of product or powertrain, every future Lotus will be “developed against the same set of guiding principles: lightweight, aerodynamics, obsessive engineering and driver engagement,” reads Lotus’ press release. That’s reassuring to hear if you’re a Lotus fan who was confused by the company’s strategy in recent years.
Under Focus 2030, Lotus has pledged to keep design and engineering rooted in the UK, home of its identity and motorsport expertise, and R&D in China to deliver rapid scale to market—Lotus is of course majority owned by China’s Geely Holding Group.
Lotus also said that Lotus UK and Lotus Technology (the Chinese side of the business focusing on NEVs) will be merged into a single entity later this year, with the goal of “unifying the brand, streamlining governance, reducing costs and accelerating engineering integration for next-generation performance vehicles.”
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