Lotus recently announced its intention to build an in-house V8 engine for its upcoming line of exotic sports cars. Making as much as 570-hp from a displacement of just 4.8-liters the sophisticated powerplant may be joined by an equally high-tech automatic transmission.
Back in January of last year it was revealed that Lotus was working on a 7-speed dual clutch transmission and now, according to Lotus Cars USA PR Boss Kevin Smith, there’s a very good chance the Esprit will be the first model to use the unit. “We’d like to do a manual and a dual-clutch transmission for the Esprit,” he remarked during the recent launch of the Evora S in the US, “and now that we’re dong our own engines there’s a better chance.”
Adding to the possibility is the fact that Lotus has delayed the Esprit by one year as it develops its own engine for the car. Look for the production model to arrive, likely at the Geneva Auto Show in 2013, with an on-sale date later that year or early in 2014.
By Colum Wood
source : Auto Guide
