Rumors are swirling that the upcoming Lotus Esprit is going to be powered by a version of the 4.8-liter 1LR-GUE 552-horsepower V10 currently sitting only in the Lexus LFA.
This shouldn't come as a big a surprise as it is. After all, Lotus and Toyota have been in bed together for more than 25 years. Look at the new Evora. When Lotus decided that customers really want an automatic, they didn't call Ricardo or Borg-Warner to build them a twin-clutch super-duper seventy-speed; they went with what -- and who -- they knew and picked a Toyota six-speed conventional automatic. The only transmission offered for the LF-A is a six-speed single-clutch auto-clutch manual.
Not only does this stand to be a major boon for Lotus and its new Esprit, but it should, at some level, help Toyota recoup some of the investment it made on this new V10.
The 1LR-GUE equipped Esprit is expected to be the top of the line model with a base Esprit rocking the 5.0-liter V8 that makes 416 hp in the Lexus IS F.
johnnyr3 says:
11:59 AM, 08/27/10
This is very good news. The motor makes a wonderful noise.
santiagofdz says:
02:10 PM, 08/27/10
HELL YEAH!
lexusaddict says:
05:39 PM, 08/27/10
OOOh boy...2500lbs curb weight with all that power will be one hell of a juicy car. but imagine the price...
firstwagon says:
05:25 PM, 08/29/10
bet it's cheaper then the LFA