Jim Dowle, a designer previously involved with the McLaren F1 and SLR models, has begun work on his own car – planned to be a two-seat sports car.Primarily, it must be an affordable, performance-focused coupe, but it is also intended to be a usable touring car, so the design must include decent luggage space and a comfortable cabin.However, with kerb weight predicted to be around 870kg that's not going to be an easy design task. The car will use a mid-mounted engine producing around 200bhp, though no details are available for where the engine is sourced from. Prices are expected to be around £35,000. That Dowle describes this as a competitor to the track oriented Exige, rather than Lotus' own two-seat Europa GT, is testament to the performance expected from this car. It's hoped that a running prototype will be ready within 18 months, so don't expect a production car until 2011 at the earliest.
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Re: Britain's other Lotus Exige
Would you purchase this car if it had 100 percent more horsepower AND a 25 percent lower price? What about the Nurburgring in less than eight minutes? This alternative car seats two and has 620 liters of cargo capacity. It has a targa top fitted as standard. It has a top speed of 186mph, yet returns 38mpg (UK) when cruising on the motorway. The only penalty is about 50 percent more weight. This alternative car is neither a prototype nor a fickle machine of limited production. It is the current C6 Corvette.
Re: Britain's other Lotus Exige
It's sad but true, but I feel that this is maybe due to these cars being niche products. A bit like looking down the binoculars the wrong way round, somewhere at the bottom you have a nucleus of potential buyers who have an abundance of choice in what car to buy.
Re: Britain's other Lotus Exige
Noble.
And you're bang on about small British sportscar manufacturers.