After years of financial turmoil, Lotus is going all in on electric cars. We tested the new Eletre to find out whether the actions match the words. The first time I saw a Lotus was on Top Gear, in about 2004, when an Exige took on an Apache helicopter at Dunsfold Aerodrome.
The idea was simple. Could this tiny, stocky, sportscar nimbly evade missile lock from the Apache, one of the most advanced weapons systems of its day? The answer was a resounding yes. If you are being chased by an Apache, a Lotus Exige is a handy vehicle to have if you want to carry on living.
The Exige was the very embodiment of what Lotus was supposed to be. A stiff, stocky chassis that was light and extremely sporty. It could accelerate like a bullet, was very good in the corners and looked quite evil.
It was, by every definition, a fun little sports car. That’s what Lotus made, and has always made, since its founding by Colin and Hazel Chapman in 1952. You know the names of all the classics: the Elise, the Elan, the Esprit.
Designed in Britain and made in Britain. Chapman didn’t stop there. Team Lotus became one of the most recognised names in Formula One, winning seven constructors’ championships and six drivers’ championships.
Again, you know the names: Senna, Andretti, Fittipaldi, Mansell, Clark and Hill. You would recognise the cars: the black-and-gold livery, the ‘John Player’ sponsorship. Red Bull’s Adrian Newey is considered the finest designer in the history of Formula One; his f.