An anonymous tipster to AutoGespot, a car spotting website, has managed to get the best pictures yet of Lotus’ upcoming Esprit supercar. Sources claim that the new Esprit will feature a BMW-sourced engine –there’s still some debate about whether it’ll be 4.4L or 4.8L - developing in the region of 370hp and will be able to take the new Esprit to a top speed of 290km/h.
Lotus has always been about low weight, so don’t be surprised if the new Esprit comes in at around 1200kg thanks to the use of advanced materials like aluminium and carbon fibre. The flagship Lotus is expected to cost around €110,000 and will hit a road near you towards the end of 2009. Now that VW has bought Proton, and by association Lotus, we’re pretty sure they don’t want to be sending money over to BMW for its engines. Could that mean the Esprit may get the RS4’s 420hp V8? We’ll have to wait and see.
