We want to see them add lightness to an SUV.
After being acquired by Chinese conglomerate Geely, British sports car specialists Lotus are hard at work on their SUV, with the new high-riding performance car set to grace showrooms within the next 4-years. It also promises to set new benchmarks in terms of performance and drivability, or at least that’s what the CEO wants.
“It will go around bends like nothing else in the segment. If we fail on that, we fail the project.” — Jean-Marc Gales, CEO, Lotus Cars
It’s evident that for the SUV project, Lotus will be rummaging extensively through the Geely parts bin, with Volvo being the most likely candidate for proliferation. However, we expect to see Lotus engineers going to town with their large-car platform, SPA (or Scaleable Product Architecture) before fitting the Lotus-designed body on top.
What is evident is that the Lotus SUV will use Volvo’s electronic systems extensively. Not just because they’re available in the Geely parts bin, but also because Gales is a huge fan:
“I love the new Volvo interiors because they are so simple. And the screen is great.” — Jean-Marc Gales, CEO, Lotus Cars
The design of the SUV has yet to be finalised, but Gales said to Autocar that the design will be finalised within the next couple of months. One thing that Gales is very keen on is ensuring that Lotus’ design language is translated efficiently and seamlessly onto the SUV, without having to go too far in aping one of its existing products. Gales used the Alfa Romeo Stelvio as an example, saying how without the badging, it would still be clear to even casual onlookers that it’s an Alfa Romeo.
Production of the Lotus SUV is likely to be based in China, though they won’t rule out the possibility of building the car in Norfolk. The final decision on that matter will come after Brexit negotiations conclude, though. Prices are expected to sit between £60k-£70k ($110k-$130k) when it arrives.
For more information on Lotus, check out our Showroom.
