Not really. I want a simple, sensibly powered, lightweight, relatively affordable, perfectly balanced, and great to drive weekend car. This looks extremely expensive, 800+hp, fully electric, and has autonomous drive?! For a sportscars 😂
@@tupo3855 An MX-5 with a V6 swap is always a good choice, but some people just have an unreasonable hate for them regardless. Probably because they've never driven one, or think you need 400HP to have fun. If you can't have fun in an MX-5, you don't belong behind the wheel of a sports car (unless you simply can't fit lol)
@@Ben-Rogue I love MX-5's. I owned a mk1 and dont think theres many better cars purely for driving. But for the money and hassle of putting a v6 in one or taking a chance on an already swapped one, then worrying about reliability you should just get a different car imo.
They'll never be as light as Lotuses back in the day. It's gonna be EV which equates a heavy car. But that wont matter if they can make fun, fast and "feel" light in the corners and under braking
They could had at least made an EV line of compact passengers to get more revenue and keep the primary line of lightweight sports. Now theyre just another generic chinese high performance EV in a sea full of them which arent gonna rack high sales either because people who can dump the money for hypercars and such prefer manuals and exotic IC engines like V12s or at least NA V8s rather than oversized RC cars.
Lotus could actually stay afloat doing that, however they seem to have done some things wrong while making the cars they're known for that leads them to their failure despite trying their hardest to minimize losses and reinvent themselves after being bought out once again. They should've looked at the MX-5 from Mazda and copy or imitate it's idea and reason - that is to just make a good affordable fun car, not because people asked for them, but because you want to give them a good time without having to be asked. They've bled always trying to chase the highest performance. The Elise had survived pretty well because it's a car that at first understand the idea of the MX-5 too, but grew out too much of it's simplicity and initial price range that it died off just like the MX-5's past competitors in the roadster and sports car market. Couple that with issues in miscellaneous parts reliability and quality (such as the recent Emira's transmission issues) makes for a spotty reputation.
@@PlatinumNath You know what people said about the original Miata? "It looks like a Lotus Elan." The Miata has stayed close to that idea. Can Lotus regain it?
@@jimiverson3085 with the current Lotus... Would need a lot of changes in management and needing Geely to realize that doing heavy EVs for Lotus might give them money, but not identity.
And they’re going broke doing this. No one is buying their cars. They were bought by a Chinese company and now make electric SUVs no one buys in the same place that made Covid.
I want Lotus to have similar design in 1000-1100kg sports car with a naturally aspirated engine or even a hybrid to meet the regulations. They really should have a competitor to the Alpine A110, not another car that most can't afford.
Whilst I agree they need an "Elise for the modern age" Having an internal combustion engine hybrid or otherwise is not the way forward. The Hyundai ionic 5n is a hot hatch for the modern age. It has some great features to keep the dinosaur petrol heads happy. Having said that sports cars have no place on modern roads there's too many cars on the road. Too many people getting killed etc etc
Lamborghini itself already became discount Lamborghini. Both the Revuelto and Temerario look like they were styled by a chinese startup and went EV. Lotus have a winner here if they can keep the design mostly intact and get a decent engine
Or perhaps they need to stop doing expensive concepts that won't ever see production, and make some affordable sports cars and maybe some high performance 'passenger' vehicles. You know, the stuff that'll help keep the company afloat
@historychannel8457 I think those days of Lotus Engineering serving the auto industry with innovation are now severely reduced...Dany Bahar pulled the shutters down on so much of their external consultancy work & I don't think it ever fully recovered from that...
I’ve been a lotus owner since 1978 and have owned six different models. i appreciate the push to mainstream cars because they need to sell cars to stay in business and thats not happening on 250 Exiges a year. i even hope to convince the better half to get an eletre in lieu of another land rover. i think this concept car is awesome. lotus has always been about new and different. if you want a retro car get a nice fat porsche 911!
so the Tesla Roadster that weighed only 300kg less than this, only sat 2 people, was 2 seconds slower to 60, half the top speed and only RWD not AWD and probably wouldn't meet any modern safety regulations - not really an apples to apples comparison is it? This is a supercar concept not a sportscar concept
@@filski666obviously it’s better it’s new nobody buys a lotus for a awd car and a lotus is meant to be small this looks like a lambo conespet car they don’t look like lotus
@@filski666 Lotus is a Sportscar brand. This would be a great concept for a Lamborghini or a flagship Toyota or something. But Lotus is known for their light 2 seater RWD cars that are enjoyable to drive over being the best at top trumps like max speed.
@@jackthehatphoto I was going to mention this, also…what does the Tesla roadster’s use of the Lotus underpinnings have to do with a change to Lotus styling over two decades in the future. The original comment really leaves me dumbfounded.
this is a great looking car, but lotus really need to make a light weight electric car circa 1000kg to offer something inherently lotus- something we haven't seen yet from other manufactures
The og lotus chassis equipped tesla roadster from 08-2012 was 1300kgs. Why can't anyone take that formula and make a similarly priced product? The Chinese ssc sc01 ev 2dr coupe with 429hp is awd using dual motors looks killer and is 1380kg for a 41k starting price. 🤔
This is physically impossible. Already here, every possible trick has been used to reduce weight, including a carbon chassis, which gives a weight of 1600 kg.
@@bartomiejmiara8975NO. A Dacia spring EV is under 1100kg. Nothing fancy there. Big power big battery I know. But. Start out small n slim, like a caterham. Add aerodynamics, aluminum, carbon. 750-999kg with 250-350hp electric and decent range should be possible
Congratulations to the design team at Lotus!!! There are a lot of career-long designers there, and it's really remarkable how they've kept their nerve over the years, and can continually come up with clean designs like this, the Theory 1. To me it captures the clarity of a Gandini car as a sculpture, and is as dramatic if not even more so! This is a nice review. It starts off a bit scathing, and pessimistically but the reviewer changes his mind by the end. Great interviews with Ben and Matt, well done guys!
Get a grip Scott, it looks like a Ford GT70 & is total pants inside. Lotus needs to produce what people want, & that is a fun, small, affordable sports car on a global platform(s) that can be adaptable for various incarnations of the type & for on-track use also. Ben & Matt's waffle is both unconvincing & a worrying direction for the future...
I admire Tom doing his best with these videos to make these look exciting and interesting. If you're reading this mate - you're wasted trying to bring excitement into unobtainable concept nonsense
Incredible. The ethos and implementation of screens in this car are what all sport car manufacturers should move toward. Not bigger and bigger “iPads” dominating the dashboard, but a well designed, multi-functional, high end display with physical buttons. That to me seems a far more elegant and driver friendly solution.
If Lotus has not yet understood that it must make ultra-light endothermic cars and remain faithful to what was its historical distinctive trait, then we will soon witness its funeral. There is no one worse deaf than those who don't want to hear, not even when faced with the evidence of merciless and unsuccessful sales numbers.
Unfortunately the opposite is true. Look at the Cayenne, that saved Porsche, or the Urus, which is Lambo's biggest seller ever..... the Cullinan... the Bentayga... The list goes on and on... Models that are very alien to the original ethos of the manufacturer but appeal to the masses can often save a niche brand. It's been said a long time ago by Chris Harris, Jeremy Clarkson and others that if you want your favourite sportscar brand to survive, you have to allow them to make cars that keep the ship afloat and fund the actually interesting cars we all like.
@@icantrideslow apparently the eletre isnt doing this for lotus, but i do agree with the sentiment of letting them make the SUVs for the normies that can afford it so the companies would have more funds to make cool stuff
The idea of Lotus as a "lifestyle brand" seems doomed to fail. Lotus has traditionally been an engineering and racing organization that also made road cars. Those cars proximity to leading edge engineering and competition -- that they were almost impossibly light and rapid -- *is* their identity. The EV version of this legacy would be cracking the code to a light, responsive EV that is ready for a track day. Nobody offers that yet -- a Lotus that did would be very on-brand. Instead they are offering a very generic take on a "lifestyle" EV range. Literally everyone is doing this to get the margins required to see expensive EVs. Other than the name, what is Lotus bringing to the table here?
"It's very recycled. You get the idea." - pretty much sums it up. The people just want small, lightweight, petrol hybrids. It baffles me that "experts" on the inside of the bubble are unable to gauge this.
Don't get me wrong. The concept is always looking ahead. But, I'm afraid that Lotus that we have known and loved all these years is moving away from what made them great. Does Lotus, for example, realize that after Ferrari, their brand value is top!? They are ONLY known for a very specific kind of car and that is something...
The market for such cars is dying. EVs are the future, whether we like it or not. I remember how there were complaints about the abandonment of traditional bulbs in favor of LEDs. Now no one remembers them.
@@bartomiejmiara8975 that's not what the sports car market is saying it wants. Have you checked the prices of sporting EVs in the secondhand market? It's worryingly low. No one wants them. They're for the rich who have a lot of disposable income. It's an experiment that is failing and needs to slow down and react to what the market actually wants - which is, light, efficient hybrids that have mild EV capability to get out of town gently without making a fuss. People are just spouting nonsense because they're being fed a materialistic propaganda. EVs are the future. Distant future. When they're exciting in all the ways petrol cars are today and don't need 60 min stops every 300 km. The analogy is completely unfair. No one builds a relationship with their light bulb but they do with their cars. No one spend time with their light bulb but they do with their car, enthusiast or not. There is an emotional connection which is ever so important.
Its globalists... the politics of Europe is insisting on EV only even though the people dont want it. If Lotus was a small company they'd understand it but it's a 'corporate brand' now. Lotus died with the Elise.
@@bartomiejmiara8975 Firstly, the used EV market is worrying. No one wants EV sports cars (have you checked used Porsche Taycan and SF90 prices?). Secondly, not a great analogy. You don't get attached to light bulbs or develop an emotional connection. You do with cars, as you continue to own them and use them every day, however utilitarian they might be. The sporting market wants light, mild EVs that can get out of town without making a fuss. Not 2-3 ton e-tractors that cannot hide their mass.
They should focus on optimizing the Emira and selling it in more markets with a better dealer/service network. The Emira is a legitimate Cayman/Supra alternative, they should be able to do a better job selling it.
It is very sad how they are not pushing that car...the opportunities remain endless... They should have also created a factory-based team to race the GT model...Team Lotus 3.0...
That isn't a light or fast car though... It's an overly & unnecessarily complex design study only, that will look old-fashioned & outdated in 2 years time... Ben Payne needs a serious dose of reality, this isn't the direction Lotus should be heading style-wise. Take the existing cues from the Emira, Evija, add a touch of Elise GT1, 340R, Type 62, M250 & previous pre-Bahar concept Esprits & you have the perfect Lotus...👌
With demand for EVs dropping significantly, a company like lotus that wasn't too solid with ICE cars, going all in for EV might be a mistake they might suffer heavily for
@@4literv6 of course there was an uptick in sales. EVs went from being novelties to being viable... And then people got them and realized the infrastructure around them suck. So now they are opting out until further notice. Funny how you didn't mention that there has been a downtrend btwn this time last year and now or the fact that companies are pushing for govts to push back their EV ultimatums. Companies are in it for the money, you think if there was solid demand for EVs now, they would be complaining as much? Of course not. The 2030 goal is looking like 2035 now and this is a best case scenario. People rather have hybrids that EVs. They get the convenience of ICE cars with the potential of electric.
@@0LLy796 Evs are taking over whatever some petrol heads might wish... The old-style car firms are losing out to the Chinese, Koreans and Tesla because they haven't sorted out their EV production...
I think Lotus has proven that it’s easy to build a concept car, but extremely difficult to produce the car for sale to the consumer. The Lotus Eletre is downright dangerous as shown by CarWow and the Evija is vaporware at this point so why are they already showing their next take on the hypercar? Look at the performance Tesla has delivered for the price point they fall into and all the very successful number of cars they have on the road and they too still have not released their hypercar…it ain’t easy folks!
Seeing a company switch to EVs from some of the best handling NA cars is like watching the most premium watch brand you can think of switch to making all digital watches. Are they usually better? In most measurable ways, yes. But suddenly I don't feel like aspiring to own one.
Nice to see you Ben,, it's been a long time. I like the car but I'm not surprised you always were a talented guy. Great work and great to see you succeed at Lotus. All the best mate.
If they wanna do it right, they should make light weight EVs, now that they’re committed to them. Back to basics, but with Evs. Smaller battery in exchange for drivers fun and so on. Also, the Evija looked waaaaay better. I don’t get why they would change up their design language so much. Lotus design was all about hard lines with organic integration for me, this looks like a huracan and the back does not make sense for me.
Lotus is starting to feel like the "potential company". As fascinating as all of this is.. it all feels a bit void pointless. Especially after they couldn't properly deliver with the Evija. The Emira was great. The other cars need to build on that and feel less like the pre-production appliances that they do now.
@@bartomiejmiara8975 You're missing the point. This isn't a real design study...it's an advertising piece for Lotus to whomever buys them out (which is going to happen). So yes, this will end up being owned by China, India, Russia or any Arab state.
Can this save Lotus? Short answer: No. Long answer: Heck no it will not. Lotus is beyond saving. Also, don't you fucking dare mentioning Roger Becker in your marketing guffaw, he'd be livid seeing what you have done to Lotus. No wonder Matt Becker quits Lotus.
This is what Lotus should be building and doing lightweight proper sports cars, Geely has other brands that can make heavy electric SUVs and sedans and should let Lotus be a niche sportscar producer. Tom great video keep it up :)
This video proves people running Lotus dont understand what the people want...... We want lightweight, ICE/hybrid, manuals with a name staring the letter E
@@marktickle8480 That's the nature of their brand though. A semi-expensive car that is really hard to live with day-to-day. The Elise was a step too far for 95% of drivers. Lotus doesn't need to make a race car which is roadworthy...but a road car which is capable on the track. The Elise and most Lotus (Lotii?) have always been extremely niche.
@@marktickle8480 the old one was rough, add some creature comforts and some usability that its bearable and people will buy it, just like the Exige and the Evora
@@oskar6661 I would say some have been niche (340R, 2-Eleven, 3- Eleven), but there is a long history of more livable Lotus. Excel, Elite, Carlton (pushing it on its Lotus'ness), even the Esprit was quite plush inside. Evora and Emira are hardly stripped out racers. Granted, I wouldn't use my Elise S1 for daily duties!
@@petersafwat8228 I honestly think sports cars are not the big market they once was. Everyone who wants an Elise has one (myself included 10+ years). There are lots for sale, hanging around, again, if anyone wanted one they'd get it. Mazda offers a small, light, affordable sports car and that's not selling as it used to.
sounds like a hodgepodge of ideas thrown together by a committee. most of the explanations were marketing mumbojumbo. Lotus going full EV by 2028 is a rather bad idea btw.
The philosophy seems spot on, EV + Sustainable + Lightness is a winning formula. I hope to see the trickle down of this tech in 10 years to price points accessible by mere mortals.
10 years...???? You'll be lucky if Hethel isn't a self-storage warehouse complex & the test track is a Sunday market venue by then...Lotus needs to produce & sell cars people want &/or aspire to & forget the technology. Simple as.
They could easily make a lightweight Lotus with a/c motor power but the range would be short if they chopped the battery size in half. With a 30kWh battery, it could be a fast charging, reliable, insane hole shot autocrossing beast with 100mi range.
Love the design, it's beautiful, but it just seems too pretty to use daily. What people love about Lotus is the lightness, the great handling, how nimble they are. This isn't that, but should be admired for pushing design forward.
Please Lotus! build this car! Lotus was off my list since they started building overweight cars. But this Theory changes everything! Personally, for me, there could be fewer features. Otherwise a wonderful car. I love the 3 seats and their position. The interior and exterior are phenomenal!
nobody is a "driver" sat in traffic on a congested motorway though are they? It isn't compulsory to use it, it's an option that is there there when the roads mean the driving sucks and you'd rather let the computer take over
Cool to see Yolk and Seat Haptics, like in my sim racing rig. Life imitates art. One day they’ll eliminate the windshield and windows because AR headsets will make the entire car translucent to the driver and passengers.
One of the most beautiful supercars I’ve ever seen. Brilliant! Who was the lead designer? Is everything for Lotus handled in China or are they using English designers? I love the absence of multiple fins, flaps and vents! Truly magnificent👊
I'm going to be the odd one out in this comment section and say I really like the design. I like the lines and the way the windshield blends into the body so seamlessly. The doors are an awesome show piece and the three seat arrangement is really cool.
Obviously its not going to look like this in production form. But yes lotus does in fact have an all electric super car coming that won't be as expensive as the Evija hypercar
I purchased the Emeya and had a bad experience with the dealer in Thailand. Lotus’s sole dealer here is very unethical. When I contacted Lotus, their response was unhelpful. After this experience, I will definitely choose Porsche or Aston Martin instead. It seems to me that while Lotus has a great design and engineering team, their operations team is very poor.
This new "Lotus" is basically like Concord, existed in a thoroughly saturated market with barely any unique character, it even sprinkled itself with the tasty batrayal on its legacy. Perfection.
I say this as recovering Graphic Designer, it's too heavy visually. The old Esprit was not a light car but was visually quite light. The Theory 1 feels heavy everywhere you look. My thoughts on electrification are that it's not the silver bullet of an idea that was promised. Hybrid engines seam to be the best option now. My thoughts on what a halo Lotus driveline should be would be a low displacement v10 with hybrid power.
It looks great, the central position three seating, yes please, the head rest, too. I've tried similiar seats to these in a 4D cinema, and no thank you for poking in the back or moving about. I believe it'll be really distracting. Instead have different seat modes connected to the drive modes, where the seat tightens the grip on driver and passengers when in the more extreme modes, but relaxes them when the driving is more relaxed.
The whole ethos of lotus was a fun, lightweight and reliable sports car that was quite affordable. This is a cool looking electeict vehicle that isn't made for enthusiasts at all.
Echoes of Lamborghini in the use of forged composites and a front end that is reminiscent of the Terzo Millennio. 3-seater wackiness like early 70s concept cars. Roger Becker and Gavan Kershaw handling magic. And the see-through headlights and seat haptics are amazing. I hope we see some of the concepts trialled here in a new, all-electric Lotus Esprit (hints of which I can see in the white body panels), possibly called the Espoir. But I have to ask, whatever happened to the Evija?
Promising concept. They could produce a handful and sell them out pretty easily. Ditch the front motor for weight, delete that rear wing, and give it a fan system like the McMurtry. Winner.
My last 2 cars were a Tesla M3P and a Taycan but I’ve just switched to a new Emira and it’s an absolute joy to have actual real buttons and noise again! Obviously EVs will be only option in the near future and tbh I don’t have a major problem with that. It’s the fact all the current offerings look like Chinese clones and there’s no drama about them. This Emira has made me realise that it’s all the ‘touchscreen to open the glovebox or turn on the wipers‘ crap that they need to knock on the head. I’m really hoping that by the time I’m bored with this one, someone will have made an affordable, go-kart like replacement even if it is battery powered
I didn’t realise that Lotus was in financial trouble. I thought under Chinese ownership they were doing well. Is this title click bait by the BBC & Topgear? Are they telling lies?
Those seats look really comfy ! What is Lotus trying to do anyway ? In their current line-up only Emira looks like a real Lotus. The other two are big, heavy four door EV's and now this.
Small 3 door EVs seem like a no brainer to me. You can seat three people in relative comfort in something as small as a smart car. The central driving position means that you don't have to worry about manufacturing for different markets, and would give a balanced feel to driving. Retractable cameras to replace all mirrors seems so obvious. Mirrors are often damaged or vandalized when the car is parked, This fixes that, and it also means the central position doesn't have to worry about being able to see out of the back. The benefits of rearview cameras are huge. The car doesn't need to be designed around the rear view mirror. I think this can lead to better, safer, more aerodynamic and robust spatially economic vehicles. The use of recycled materials seems obvious too. I don't think cars should go or need to accelerate as fast as this concept. It's like being the bullet of a gun. Sure, it's important to be able to speed up to traffic, and if all vehicles had super acceleration then slip roads could be shorter, but I wouldn't trust a lot of drivers with that amount of acceleration.
This is a beautiful car. However, when there is a serious change in the design language of a car company, it is usually because there is a new CEO, or new Design Director.
I am more sympathetic than the consensus, here. Lotus can claim a victorious heritage of innovative, but raw and basic. This is not that far off from the tradition. I invite Lotus to keep moving forward. Raw and basic can still honor Chapman and embrace Q Branch!
Nice concept, but it will stay as a concept. For Lotus survival, they need to make cars for the masses with their ethos. Make a coupe, sedan, wagon, and a shopping utility vehicle for average folk please. Also make manual available. Thank you.
Would you like to see this concept become reality?
YES
No.
Not really. I want a simple, sensibly powered, lightweight, relatively affordable, perfectly balanced, and great to drive weekend car.
This looks extremely expensive, 800+hp, fully electric, and has autonomous drive?! For a sportscars 😂
I'd like to know how much it weights? Seeing as they have gone to lengths to slim it down so much.
Meh
All I want from Lotus is a lightweight sports car that handles well. The less tech the better
Just buy an elise. Cars like that arent coming back
@@tupo3855 An MX-5 with a V6 swap is always a good choice, but some people just have an unreasonable hate for them regardless. Probably because they've never driven one, or think you need 400HP to have fun. If you can't have fun in an MX-5, you don't belong behind the wheel of a sports car (unless you simply can't fit lol)
@@Ben-Rogue I love MX-5's. I owned a mk1 and dont think theres many better cars purely for driving. But for the money and hassle of putting a v6 in one or taking a chance on an already swapped one, then worrying about reliability you should just get a different car imo.
They'll never be as light as Lotuses back in the day. It's gonna be EV which equates a heavy car. But that wont matter if they can make fun, fast and "feel" light in the corners and under braking
@@brent9369Electric cars don't have to be heavy. The OG Tesla Roadster is lighter than the Emira
Everyone: Go back to selling low-volume light-weight cars.
Lotus: Yeah, we went broke doing that.
They could had at least made an EV line of compact passengers to get more revenue and keep the primary line of lightweight sports.
Now theyre just another generic chinese high performance EV in a sea full of them which arent gonna rack high sales either because people who can dump the money for hypercars and such prefer manuals and exotic IC engines like V12s or at least NA V8s rather than oversized RC cars.
Lotus could actually stay afloat doing that, however they seem to have done some things wrong while making the cars they're known for that leads them to their failure despite trying their hardest to minimize losses and reinvent themselves after being bought out once again.
They should've looked at the MX-5 from Mazda and copy or imitate it's idea and reason - that is to just make a good affordable fun car, not because people asked for them, but because you want to give them a good time without having to be asked. They've bled always trying to chase the highest performance. The Elise had survived pretty well because it's a car that at first understand the idea of the MX-5 too, but grew out too much of it's simplicity and initial price range that it died off just like the MX-5's past competitors in the roadster and sports car market. Couple that with issues in miscellaneous parts reliability and quality (such as the recent Emira's transmission issues) makes for a spotty reputation.
@@PlatinumNath
You know what people said about the original Miata? "It looks like a Lotus Elan." The Miata has stayed close to that idea. Can Lotus regain it?
@@jimiverson3085 with the current Lotus... Would need a lot of changes in management and needing Geely to realize that doing heavy EVs for Lotus might give them money, but not identity.
And they’re going broke doing this. No one is buying their cars. They were bought by a Chinese company and now make electric SUVs no one buys in the same place that made Covid.
Lotus has to get the old chap back who did the naming schemes. This shit sounds like a physics course
What Lotus idiot? U mean Geely??
Lmao
And it's a "Payne" to look at!😜
You mean Colin?... bad news about him
its a concept though. their production cars follow the same kind of naming convention that theyve always had
I want Lotus to have similar design in 1000-1100kg sports car with a naturally aspirated engine or even a hybrid to meet the regulations.
They really should have a competitor to the Alpine A110, not another car that most can't afford.
Whilst I agree they need an "Elise for the modern age"
Having an internal combustion engine hybrid or otherwise is not the way forward.
The Hyundai ionic 5n is a hot hatch for the modern age. It has some great features to keep the dinosaur petrol heads happy.
Having said that sports cars have no place on modern roads there's too many cars on the road. Too many people getting killed etc etc
@@Woodbang.parametric New Elise with GR Yaris running gears & RWD/Emira RX500h would be epic
Absolutely! We need a new real lightweight carbon Sportscar, not this electric sh*t! This car is a true "Payne"!😜
@@einautofan6685 guys.. internal combustion is dead... Deal with it.
@@DorsetSaferRoads No it's not! Nobody buys electric sh*it and all car companies dealing with it make huge losses with it! Like VW for example...😜
Felt the weight just watching that door mechanism
And the electric steering wheel.
If only you hadn't squandered your car industry, huh? Now you're bitter and powerless
...& all the water dripping in on a rainy day...💦💦💦
Except for the badge I see no Lotus.
Looks like a futuristic lambo
The only thing that remains of Lotus is the branding since they were bought up by geely. It looks like none of the lotus team is left
It’s a concept car it won’t look like there normal cars
Something about this design makes me think of the Esprit.
@@almac9203sesto elemento I see
The Theory they are testing here is if Lotus will survive if they identify themselves as (discount) Lamborghini.
fr lmao
Have you ever heard about the Lotus Esprit?
Lotus espirit
Lamborghini itself already became discount Lamborghini. Both the Revuelto and Temerario look like they were styled by a chinese startup and went EV. Lotus have a winner here if they can keep the design mostly intact and get a decent engine
@@axelmogr engine? This is a full ev, those modern lambos that you mentioned are hybrids
Or perhaps they need to stop doing expensive concepts that won't ever see production, and make some affordable sports cars and maybe some high performance 'passenger' vehicles. You know, the stuff that'll help keep the company afloat
They do need stuff like this to show off to whatever Chinese/Russia/Arab company ends up buying them out.
They will sell these products to other manufacturers. Better cash flow…
They Already are owned by a Chinese company@@oskar6661
@historychannel8457 I think those days of Lotus Engineering serving the auto industry with innovation are now severely reduced...Dany Bahar pulled the shutters down on so much of their external consultancy work & I don't think it ever fully recovered from that...
That Huracan looks sick!
fr
Have you ever heard about the Lotus Esprit?
@@CarlosAndCars ever heard of sarcasm?
* More like an electric Sesto Elemento
when a Terzo Millenio & Egoista had a baby
I’ve been a lotus owner since 1978 and have owned six different models. i appreciate the push to mainstream cars because they need to sell cars to stay in business and thats not happening on 250 Exiges a year. i even hope to convince the better half to get an eletre in lieu of another land rover. i think this concept car is awesome. lotus has always been about new and different. if you want a retro car get a nice fat porsche 911!
The original tesla roadster was basically just a lightweight lotus. So why do actual lotus EVs look like they're becoming nothing like a Lotus?
so the Tesla Roadster that weighed only 300kg less than this, only sat 2 people, was 2 seconds slower to 60, half the top speed and only RWD not AWD and probably wouldn't meet any modern safety regulations - not really an apples to apples comparison is it? This is a supercar concept not a sportscar concept
@@filski666obviously it’s better it’s new nobody buys a lotus for a awd car and a lotus is meant to be small this looks like a lambo conespet car they don’t look like lotus
@@filski666 Lotus is a Sportscar brand. This would be a great concept for a Lamborghini or a flagship Toyota or something. But Lotus is known for their light 2 seater RWD cars that are enjoyable to drive over being the best at top trumps like max speed.
The original Tesla Roadster was a HEAVYWEIGHT Lotus.
@@jackthehatphoto I was going to mention this, also…what does the Tesla roadster’s use of the Lotus underpinnings have to do with a change to Lotus styling over two decades in the future. The original comment really leaves me dumbfounded.
this is a great looking car, but lotus really need to make a light weight electric car circa 1000kg to offer something inherently lotus- something we haven't seen yet from other manufactures
The og lotus chassis equipped tesla roadster from 08-2012 was 1300kgs. Why can't anyone take that formula and make a similarly priced product? The Chinese ssc sc01 ev 2dr coupe with 429hp is awd using dual motors looks killer and is 1380kg for a 41k starting price. 🤔
This is physically impossible. Already here, every possible trick has been used to reduce weight, including a carbon chassis, which gives a weight of 1600 kg.
They need to build what Caterham are proposing for their EV. They already have the advantage of having the tech available.
@@4literv6 cuz the range would be sh1t....needs solid state batteries
@@bartomiejmiara8975NO. A Dacia spring EV is under 1100kg. Nothing fancy there. Big power big battery I know. But. Start out small n slim, like a caterham. Add aerodynamics, aluminum, carbon. 750-999kg with 250-350hp electric and decent range should be possible
Congratulations to the design team at Lotus!!! There are a lot of career-long designers there, and it's really remarkable how they've kept their nerve over the years, and can continually come up with clean designs like this, the Theory 1. To me it captures the clarity of a Gandini car as a sculpture, and is as dramatic if not even more so! This is a nice review. It starts off a bit scathing, and pessimistically but the reviewer changes his mind by the end. Great interviews with Ben and Matt, well done guys!
Get a grip Scott, it looks like a Ford GT70 & is total pants inside. Lotus needs to produce what people want, & that is a fun, small, affordable sports car on a global platform(s) that can be adaptable for various incarnations of the type & for on-track use also. Ben & Matt's waffle is both unconvincing & a worrying direction for the future...
They forgot to make the seats appear anything close to comfortable.
This is a 1+2 configuration, i.e. driver + two very slim passengers, over a short distance.
This kind of car they build the interior around the driver. The seat padding in the driver seats are molded to your body.
I admire Tom doing his best with these videos to make these look exciting and interesting. If you're reading this mate - you're wasted trying to bring excitement into unobtainable concept nonsense
Incredible. The ethos and implementation of screens in this car are what all sport car manufacturers should move toward. Not bigger and bigger “iPads” dominating the dashboard, but a well designed, multi-functional, high end display with physical buttons. That to me seems a far more elegant and driver friendly solution.
If the “PR and Marketing Team” was a car
If Lotus has not yet understood that it must make ultra-light endothermic cars and remain faithful to what was its historical distinctive trait, then we will soon witness its funeral. There is no one worse deaf than those who don't want to hear, not even when faced with the evidence of merciless and unsuccessful sales numbers.
They have to do this to survive...
Unfortunately the opposite is true. Look at the Cayenne, that saved Porsche, or the Urus, which is Lambo's biggest seller ever..... the Cullinan... the Bentayga... The list goes on and on... Models that are very alien to the original ethos of the manufacturer but appeal to the masses can often save a niche brand. It's been said a long time ago by Chris Harris, Jeremy Clarkson and others that if you want your favourite sportscar brand to survive, you have to allow them to make cars that keep the ship afloat and fund the actually interesting cars we all like.
@@splendore78 "endothermic"? Hahaha...
Wouldn't a combustion car be better described as exothermic?
@@icantrideslow apparently the eletre isnt doing this for lotus, but i do agree with the sentiment of letting them make the SUVs for the normies that can afford it so the companies would have more funds to make cool stuff
The idea of Lotus as a "lifestyle brand" seems doomed to fail.
Lotus has traditionally been an engineering and racing organization that also made road cars. Those cars proximity to leading edge engineering and competition -- that they were almost impossibly light and rapid -- *is* their identity.
The EV version of this legacy would be cracking the code to a light, responsive EV that is ready for a track day. Nobody offers that yet -- a Lotus that did would be very on-brand.
Instead they are offering a very generic take on a "lifestyle" EV range. Literally everyone is doing this to get the margins required to see expensive EVs. Other than the name, what is Lotus bringing to the table here?
How are people not more excited by this. Utter brilliance and embracing the future. Fully excited over here to add this to our Eletre R
I'm with you !
"It's very recycled. You get the idea." - pretty much sums it up. The people just want small, lightweight, petrol hybrids. It baffles me that "experts" on the inside of the bubble are unable to gauge this.
Don't get me wrong. The concept is always looking ahead. But, I'm afraid that Lotus that we have known and loved all these years is moving away from what made them great. Does Lotus, for example, realize that after Ferrari, their brand value is top!? They are ONLY known for a very specific kind of car and that is something...
The market for such cars is dying. EVs are the future, whether we like it or not.
I remember how there were complaints about the abandonment of traditional bulbs in favor of LEDs. Now no one remembers them.
@@bartomiejmiara8975 that's not what the sports car market is saying it wants. Have you checked the prices of sporting EVs in the secondhand market? It's worryingly low. No one wants them. They're for the rich who have a lot of disposable income. It's an experiment that is failing and needs to slow down and react to what the market actually wants - which is, light, efficient hybrids that have mild EV capability to get out of town gently without making a fuss.
People are just spouting nonsense because they're being fed a materialistic propaganda. EVs are the future. Distant future. When they're exciting in all the ways petrol cars are today and don't need 60 min stops every 300 km.
The analogy is completely unfair. No one builds a relationship with their light bulb but they do with their cars. No one spend time with their light bulb but they do with their car, enthusiast or not. There is an emotional connection which is ever so important.
Its globalists... the politics of Europe is insisting on EV only even though the people dont want it. If Lotus was a small company they'd understand it but it's a 'corporate brand' now. Lotus died with the Elise.
@@bartomiejmiara8975 Firstly, the used EV market is worrying. No one wants EV sports cars (have you checked used Porsche Taycan and SF90 prices?). Secondly, not a great analogy. You don't get attached to light bulbs or develop an emotional connection. You do with cars, as you continue to own them and use them every day, however utilitarian they might be.
The sporting market wants light, mild EVs that can get out of town without making a fuss. Not 2-3 ton e-tractors that cannot hide their mass.
It looks like an electric Gallardo. I love it.
They should focus on optimizing the Emira and selling it in more markets with a better dealer/service network. The Emira is a legitimate Cayman/Supra alternative, they should be able to do a better job selling it.
It is very sad how they are not pushing that car...the opportunities remain endless...
They should have also created a factory-based team to race the GT model...Team Lotus 3.0...
so, lambo said " yeah you can copy us, but change it up a bit"
They already did it years ago with the Esprite
12:06 those seats and steering wheel just blew my mind 🤯
They'll numb your butt & crunch your shoulders also... doesn't look the most ergonomic or comfortable of concept vehicles...
Or they won't, and they'll be comfortable.
If someone can make a lightweight and fun electric car it should be lotus but the new management doesn’t seem to align with the old ways.
But what are you really after? They've presented a light and fast electric super sports car. What more could you expect? A miracle?
That isn't a light or fast car though... It's an overly & unnecessarily complex design study only, that will look old-fashioned & outdated in 2 years time...
Ben Payne needs a serious dose of reality, this isn't the direction Lotus should be heading style-wise.
Take the existing cues from the Emira, Evija, add a touch of Elise GT1, 340R, Type 62, M250 & previous pre-Bahar concept Esprits & you have the perfect Lotus...👌
@@bartomiejmiara8975Light my ass. Talk to me when it’s under 2800 pounds (and even then that’s pushing it for a lotus)
As an Lotus owner, I repel this concept with every fiber of my body.
With demand for EVs dropping significantly, a company like lotus that wasn't too solid with ICE cars, going all in for EV might be a mistake they might suffer heavily for
Demand for EVs is not dropping, you're just reading press reports sponsored by oil companies. Look at the actual figures, instead of news stories.
Ev&phev sales have 18x just since 2017 genius smh and ytd yoy globally are up 28% vs to this point in 2023! 😅
@@4literv6 of course there was an uptick in sales. EVs went from being novelties to being viable... And then people got them and realized the infrastructure around them suck. So now they are opting out until further notice. Funny how you didn't mention that there has been a downtrend btwn this time last year and now or the fact that companies are pushing for govts to push back their EV ultimatums. Companies are in it for the money, you think if there was solid demand for EVs now, they would be complaining as much? Of course not. The 2030 goal is looking like 2035 now and this is a best case scenario. People rather have hybrids that EVs. They get the convenience of ICE cars with the potential of electric.
@@0LLy796 Evs are taking over whatever some petrol heads might wish... The old-style car firms are losing out to the Chinese, Koreans and Tesla because they haven't sorted out their EV production...
@@alexmckenna1171 okay
So the production version will be called Eory😂😂
Lotus needs a lightweight exige hybrid, small footprint, genius engineering, best handling , low cost to buy and to own , well executed ,robust ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Sure. And that we all be rich, happy and forever young. That's as real as your wish.
@@bartomiejmiara8975 🤣
May be the best looking Lotus since the original Elise was released. Just gorgeous.
I think Lotus has proven that it’s easy to build a concept car, but extremely difficult to produce the car for sale to the consumer. The Lotus Eletre is downright dangerous as shown by CarWow and the Evija is vaporware at this point so why are they already showing their next take on the hypercar? Look at the performance Tesla has delivered for the price point they fall into and all the very successful number of cars they have on the road and they too still have not released their hypercar…it ain’t easy folks!
Most beautiful electric supercar yet. I love it!
Seeing a company switch to EVs from some of the best handling NA cars is like watching the most premium watch brand you can think of switch to making all digital watches. Are they usually better? In most measurable ways, yes. But suddenly I don't feel like aspiring to own one.
EMIRA
@@scottandrouse3971 You can't even get an Emira. I've been on the waitlist forever and it's been nothing but radio silence from Lotus.
Nice to see you Ben,, it's been a long time. I like the car but I'm not surprised you always were a talented guy. Great work and great to see you succeed at Lotus. All the best mate.
I totally understand the extremely hard work motoring journalists have nowadays to put on an enthusiasmic face for today’s cars.
If they wanna do it right, they should make light weight EVs, now that they’re committed to them. Back to basics, but with Evs. Smaller battery in exchange for drivers fun and so on.
Also, the Evija looked waaaaay better. I don’t get why they would change up their design language so much. Lotus design was all about hard lines with organic integration for me, this looks like a huracan and the back does not make sense for me.
Lotus is starting to feel like the "potential company". As fascinating as all of this is.. it all feels a bit void pointless. Especially after they couldn't properly deliver with the Evija. The Emira was great. The other cars need to build on that and feel less like the pre-production appliances that they do now.
When I saw the thumbnail, I got reminded of a 🇮🇹 *old Italian car* ...
Aka
*Lamborghini sesto elemento* 😌
Oh so this is why my Lotus Evora delivery has been delayed for 3 years 😂
This just another chinese electric super car like the Yangwang but with a Lotus badge on it. Lotus is now just another MG, the soul has gone.
Nonsense. This car was neither designed in China (only in the UK), nor will it be manufactured there (if it is manufactured, it will be in the UK).
@@bartomiejmiara8975 You're missing the point. This isn't a real design study...it's an advertising piece for Lotus to whomever buys them out (which is going to happen). So yes, this will end up being owned by China, India, Russia or any Arab state.
@@oskar6661 Nobody will buy Lotus because it has been owned by the Chinese Geely for years.
Can this save Lotus?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Heck no it will not. Lotus is beyond saving.
Also, don't you fucking dare mentioning Roger Becker in your marketing guffaw, he'd be livid seeing what you have done to Lotus. No wonder Matt Becker quits Lotus.
This is what Lotus should be building and doing lightweight proper sports cars, Geely has other brands that can make heavy electric SUVs and sedans and should let Lotus be a niche sportscar producer.
Tom great video keep it up :)
This video proves people running Lotus dont understand what the people want...... We want lightweight, ICE/hybrid, manuals with a name staring the letter E
Yet hardly anyone bought an Elise that was full ICE
@@marktickle8480 That's the nature of their brand though. A semi-expensive car that is really hard to live with day-to-day. The Elise was a step too far for 95% of drivers. Lotus doesn't need to make a race car which is roadworthy...but a road car which is capable on the track. The Elise and most Lotus (Lotii?) have always been extremely niche.
@@marktickle8480 the old one was rough, add some creature comforts and some usability that its bearable and people will buy it, just like the Exige and the Evora
@@oskar6661 I would say some have been niche (340R, 2-Eleven, 3- Eleven), but there is a long history of more livable Lotus. Excel, Elite, Carlton (pushing it on its Lotus'ness), even the Esprit was quite plush inside. Evora and Emira are hardly stripped out racers. Granted, I wouldn't use my Elise S1 for daily duties!
@@petersafwat8228 I honestly think sports cars are not the big market they once was. Everyone who wants an Elise has one (myself included 10+ years). There are lots for sale, hanging around, again, if anyone wanted one they'd get it. Mazda offers a small, light, affordable sports car and that's not selling as it used to.
I watched it just because of Tom, he's great.
Well it's better than whatever the Eletre was trying to do.
Absolutely love it. Stunning. Shame they don’t make this the new Elise or esprit even if just a limited run
sounds like a hodgepodge of ideas thrown together by a committee.
most of the explanations were marketing mumbojumbo.
Lotus going full EV by 2028 is a rather bad idea btw.
Well, my first thought was that it was the most Esprit looking thing they've done in ages. But, good god, that interior is just so fascinating!
why does this look so much like sesto elemento?
They both have four wheels?
@@fullyleaded lfmo
Probably because that car weights less than a tone, and it's not the first a lotus has looked like a Lambo, with the Esprite.
@@leehenry5764 could be.
The philosophy seems spot on, EV + Sustainable + Lightness is a winning formula. I hope to see the trickle down of this tech in 10 years to price points accessible by mere mortals.
10 years...???? You'll be lucky if Hethel isn't a self-storage warehouse complex & the test track is a Sunday market venue by then...Lotus needs to produce & sell cars people want &/or aspire to & forget the technology. Simple as.
@@_Ben4810 but I never said from Lotus, seeing this like a 2035 CRZ
>Can This New Supercar Save Lotus?
No
They could easily make a lightweight Lotus with a/c motor power but the range would be short if they chopped the battery size in half. With a 30kWh battery, it could be a fast charging, reliable, insane hole shot autocrossing beast with 100mi range.
if the bugatti centodieci and a Lamborghini Huracan had a baby lookin ahh car
"What are MotorSkins?" Couldn't have explained it better! Glad you liked it, Tom.
1:18 lost interest.
Agreed
Ain't that the truth
Cry about it 👍
@@Hoffboy9 ROFL
Love the design, it's beautiful, but it just seems too pretty to use daily. What people love about Lotus is the lightness, the great handling, how nimble they are. This isn't that, but should be admired for pushing design forward.
The front end is perhaps the best looking on any car ever.
If you're a Matchbox car designer and the year is 1989, I'd agree with you.
@@oskar6661 no matchbox friend, 6:30 is perfection
i really love the design and the far-out vision of the design team and for the lotus company as a whole👌🏼💯🔥✨
this model will not only not save Lotus, but will sink even further. RIP Lotus.
Please Lotus! build this car!
Lotus was off my list since they started building overweight cars. But this Theory changes everything!
Personally, for me, there could be fewer features.
Otherwise a wonderful car. I love the 3 seats and their position. The interior and exterior are phenomenal!
It looks less of a lotus and more Lamborghini
Most people here can't afford a working Elise, yet complain like they're the target audience for these cars
No, no, not a LiDAR... This was supposed to be for the drivers, not the passengers...
nobody is a "driver" sat in traffic on a congested motorway though are they? It isn't compulsory to use it, it's an option that is there there when the roads mean the driving sucks and you'd rather let the computer take over
@@filski666Yes, but bringing such a huge focus on it and calling it autonomous rather than "driving assist" doesn't fit with Lotus's DNA.
Cool to see Yolk and Seat Haptics, like in my sim racing rig.
Life imitates art.
One day they’ll eliminate the windshield and windows because AR headsets will make the entire car translucent to the driver and passengers.
One of the most beautiful supercars I’ve ever seen. Brilliant! Who was the lead designer? Is everything for Lotus handled in China or are they using English designers?
I love the absence of multiple fins, flaps and vents! Truly magnificent👊
I'm going to be the odd one out in this comment section and say I really like the design. I like the lines and the way the windshield blends into the body so seamlessly. The doors are an awesome show piece and the three seat arrangement is really cool.
Obviously its not going to look like this in production form. But yes lotus does in fact have an all electric super car coming that won't be as expensive as the Evija hypercar
I purchased the Emeya and had a bad experience with the dealer in Thailand. Lotus’s sole dealer here is very unethical. When I contacted Lotus, their response was unhelpful. After this experience, I will definitely choose Porsche or Aston Martin instead. It seems to me that while Lotus has a great design and engineering team, their operations team is very poor.
This new "Lotus" is basically like Concord, existed in a thoroughly saturated market with barely any unique character, it even sprinkled itself with the tasty batrayal on its legacy.
Perfection.
Stunning stuff! Looks Lotos: light, simple, modern, focused!
I think it's brilliant (from a 3 time Elise/Exige owner). It's a great theory will a lot of practical application
I say this as recovering Graphic Designer, it's too heavy visually. The old Esprit was not a light car but was visually quite light. The Theory 1 feels heavy everywhere you look.
My thoughts on electrification are that it's not the silver bullet of an idea that was promised. Hybrid engines seam to be the best option now. My thoughts on what a halo Lotus driveline should be would be a low displacement v10 with hybrid power.
It looks great, the central position three seating, yes please, the head rest, too. I've tried similiar seats to these in a 4D cinema, and no thank you for poking in the back or moving about. I believe it'll be really distracting. Instead have different seat modes connected to the drive modes, where the seat tightens the grip on driver and passengers when in the more extreme modes, but relaxes them when the driving is more relaxed.
It reminds me so much of the Sesto Elemento when the rear wing is up and honestly I love it
The whole ethos of lotus was a fun, lightweight and reliable sports car that was quite affordable.
This is a cool looking electeict vehicle that isn't made for enthusiasts at all.
Funny how we've been hearing this same shit for decades and no concept car of this extreme has even touched the road ever.
Echoes of Lamborghini in the use of forged composites and a front end that is reminiscent of the Terzo Millennio. 3-seater wackiness like early 70s concept cars. Roger Becker and Gavan Kershaw handling magic. And the see-through headlights and seat haptics are amazing. I hope we see some of the concepts trialled here in a new, all-electric Lotus Esprit (hints of which I can see in the white body panels), possibly called the Espoir. But I have to ask, whatever happened to the Evija?
Love Matt’s choice of timepiece, very cool!
Promising concept. They could produce a handful and sell them out pretty easily.
Ditch the front motor for weight, delete that rear wing, and give it a fan system like the McMurtry. Winner.
Genius design. If it handles great and is lightweight is 🔥🔥🔥🔥
My last 2 cars were a Tesla M3P and a Taycan but I’ve just switched to a new Emira and it’s an absolute joy to have actual real buttons and noise again!
Obviously EVs will be only option in the near future and tbh I don’t have a major problem with that. It’s the fact all the current offerings look like Chinese clones and there’s no drama about them. This Emira has made me realise that it’s all the ‘touchscreen to open the glovebox or turn on the wipers‘ crap that they need to knock on the head.
I’m really hoping that by the time I’m bored with this one, someone will have made an affordable, go-kart like replacement even if it is battery powered
I didn’t realise that Lotus was in financial trouble. I thought under Chinese ownership they were doing well. Is this title click bait by the BBC & Topgear? Are they telling lies?
I think it's great, bring back the wedge look! I always like it when it was in style and I still like it now!
Those seats look really comfy !
What is Lotus trying to do anyway ? In their current line-up only Emira looks like a real Lotus. The other two are big, heavy four door EV's and now this.
Loving the design maybe this one will see the light of day
Small 3 door EVs seem like a no brainer to me. You can seat three people in relative comfort in something as small as a smart car. The central driving position means that you don't have to worry about manufacturing for different markets, and would give a balanced feel to driving. Retractable cameras to replace all mirrors seems so obvious. Mirrors are often damaged or vandalized when the car is parked, This fixes that, and it also means the central position doesn't have to worry about being able to see out of the back. The benefits of rearview cameras are huge. The car doesn't need to be designed around the rear view mirror. I think this can lead to better, safer, more aerodynamic and robust spatially economic vehicles. The use of recycled materials seems obvious too. I don't think cars should go or need to accelerate as fast as this concept. It's like being the bullet of a gun. Sure, it's important to be able to speed up to traffic, and if all vehicles had super acceleration then slip roads could be shorter, but I wouldn't trust a lot of drivers with that amount of acceleration.
This is a beautiful car. However, when there is a serious change in the design language of a car company, it is usually because there is a new CEO, or new Design Director.
That lotus guy talks with alot of confidence n knowledge remindes me of matte Rimac if a so him name spell
Battery & motor stress bearing components. Very Lotus. Well done, looks hot.
Side profile of an electric Lamborghini Sesto Elemento if there were ever one.
Don’t know if it’s a Lotus but it’s certainly an epic design
Not sure about the name either but the car is very cool and a central driving seat is the coolness of cool!
The new Lotus Sesto Elemento looks good!
I am more sympathetic than the consensus, here. Lotus can claim a victorious heritage of innovative, but raw and basic. This is not that far off from the tradition. I invite Lotus to keep moving forward. Raw and basic can still honor Chapman and embrace Q Branch!
Nice concept, but it will stay as a concept. For Lotus survival, they need to make cars for the masses with their ethos. Make a coupe, sedan, wagon, and a shopping utility vehicle for average folk please. Also make manual available. Thank you.
The Pegasus Doors!! ❤ I've been dreaming of a car that has those...
Great visual designers. Engineers im 100% sure are capable of doing a lot. The management though… who approved electric cars in Lotus?
Lotus is making Supercars I’d expect the future to look like. Just less tech tho and more real buttons. Not sure how much I like these designs tho: