Rumors Suggest Revised Lotus Esprit Will Have A Hybrid V6

For many car guys and gals of a certain age, the car that comes to mind when you think of James Bond isn't an Aston Martin, it's a Lotus Esprit. Roger Moore famously drove a Lotus Esprit as James Bond that turned into a submarine and made the car an icon in its day. The Lotus Esprit has been off the market for several years, but rumors suggest that Lotus is working to bring the car back.According to these rumors, a new hybrid Lotus Esprit with a V6 powertrain is expected to be seen in the first half of 2021 and go on sale in the following months. Lotus is said to be aiming the new Esprit at Ferrari with the price set in the low six-figure range. The rumor also suggests that while the revived Esprit will offer the famed Lotus driving dynamics, it will offer increased everyday usability and refinement compared to existing Lotus models.

While rumors suggest the Esprit name, the car could be called something else. There has also been a suggestion that Lotus might revive the Elan, another storied Lotus car that has been defunct for multiple years. A refreshed Esprit isn't expected to replace the current Evora; rather, it will sit above it as a separate model.

Autocar says that whatever the car is called, it has learned that the vehicle uses a V6 powertrain that is related to the current Toyota-sourced unit. Lotus has developed a new hybrid system to supplement the V6. There is no indication of the power output for the hybrid powertrain at this time. The assumption is it will produce more power than the Evora 410, speculation suggests over 500 horsepower.

As for styling, the wedge-shape of the original Esprit isn't expected. What is expected is a shrunken Evija style. The car is also tipped to be a two-seat ride with plenty of storage. The revised Esprit, or whatever it ends up being called, is part of the Lotus five-year plan that came with its new Geely ownership.