New Se7en Coming from LOTUS in 2012

[scannon]

Along with three other new models.

 

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/254983/new_lotus_family_is_coming.html

[twobone]

Hope this does not end up hurting Caterham corp.

[S1Steve]

Hope this does not end up hurting Caterham corp.

 

By the looks of the new Lotus 7, Caterham folks are smiling !!!

[jimrankin]

OK, something new for bankers who fell off their factory built and dealer maintained custom Harley "Choppers".

[slomove]

Is Caterham now going to sue Lotus? I thought they sold the 7 franchise and trade name to Caterham?

[rnr]

I do know that Lotus is going to be have the World Premier of the new Lotus T125 ultimate track/race car during Monterey week. Its possible that the T125 is what Autoweek is calling the Seven successor.

 

More details at: http://gglotus.org/blog/?p=1404

[bsimon]

Looks as though Lotus hired the designers of the B9 Tribeca and Pontiac Aztec to pen this one. Yuck! :ack:

 

And a hybrid? What's the point of a hybrid sports car? If you can afford a sports car, you probably have the means to support it.

Fuel is the least expensive consumable that a sports car requires.

 

Easy-Bake™Lotus... Sheesh!

 

:rant:

[Mondo]

The Miata comes with A/C... I can't imagine people spending that kind of money for a car without a stereo & heating/cooling. It's expected nowadays.

 

We're the lunatic fringe, remember?

[rnr]

I can't imagine people spending that kind of money for a car without a stereo & heating/cooling. It's expected nowadays.

 

It would depend on the market. It strikes me that the luxury market would be the wrong one to go after. They would be much better served going after the trackday audience which is happy to pay $$ for harcore cars such as the Xbow, radical and the existing Lotus 211.

[Mondo]

I think they want higher production numbers, but if they offer a stripped out version for trackdays too...

[supersportsp]

Is Caterham now going to sue Lotus? I thought they sold the 7 franchise and trade name to Caterham?

 

That is an interesting question. Caterham does (or at least did) own the rights to the Seven name. I assume they would be none too pleased with this development.

 

Something like the 340R was close in concept, but definitely different enough in execution for Caterham to not get impacted.

[DeanG]

Those pictures look suspect to me.

 

I want a new 340R type for the street. A new technology 7, having much of the feel of a 7 without being a copy.

[Oyagi]

If it sticks true to the concept, I'd buy one. Heck, I originally wanted something like that (would have bought an Ariel Atom but they are not street legal up here), but I went with one of my all-time favourite cars, the 7.

 

A logical name that trades on the legend of the 7 moniker but does not pander to it would be The 8.

[rnr]

Video and photos of the T125 Exos that I took today: http://gglotus.org/blog/?p=1409

[supersportsp]

Video and photos of the T125 Exos that I took today: http://gglotus.org/blog/?p=1409

 

Not exactly a new Seven. I just submitted your coverage to AutoBlog. Great work!

 

It will be interesting to see how many folks can kill themselves in one of these. You should be able to set the track record at any track that Indycar doesn't run at in the US. How about a 'Ring time in one of these?