No more Elise, Exige and Evora. Lotus gambles on one model: the Type 131

The UK brand is changing, which means a complete overhaul of the offer. Instead of the three known models, there will be one, “whole”, currently known as type 131. Along with it, time for investment and new employees.

1995. Lotus Elise appears on the road, according to Colin Chapman’s principle of “simplify and reduce”. The use of aluminum and composites allows a car that fights in the featherweight category. Five years later, Exige was presented to guests, which was a real performance car for the road. For those looking for something more civilized, the brand has prepared eight years later Evora. Now the days of these models are coming to an end.

To survive, however, you need to adapt, which Lotus’s Chinese owner, Geely, knows all too well. It is this collection that is responsible for Volvo’s last fat years. Same with Lotus. We know that an SUV (!) is planned, but at the moment the British inform about a model hiding under the code “type 131”.

This is most likely a board with a V6 engine working with a hybrid system developed by Lotus engineers. £100 million has been invested in the Hethel factory, where the all-electric Evija will also be built. It is also planned to hire about 250 new employees, working not only on the assembly line, but also at the University of Warwick, in the development center.

Interestingly, the UK has decided to ban the sale of combustion engine cars from 2030. This means that the Type 131 could be the last Lotus with such a propulsion system. Will that happen? Well, not hope.