Lotus will develop new generations of the Elise and Exige, but they won’t be introduced before the beginning of the next decade.
Speaking to Top Gear, Lotus boss, Jean-Marc Gales, said that the two models still have a lot of life in them: “Believe it or not there is still a lot to come from the current platform. There is at least another four years to go before we replace Elise and Exige,” said Gales.
The Lotus official said that they will use an “extruded aluminum tub” for the two models, unlike the Alfa Romeo 4C and its carbon tub, which is said to be expensive and limit the car’s possibilities.
“We will stick with an extruded aluminum tub. I know Alfa Romeo have the 4C and the carbon tub, but it cannot be extended like aluminum extrusions, so it limits what you can do with the car. And it’s expensive.”
Lotus has the Porsche Cayman GT4 in mind, as a rival for the Exige Sport 350, but Gales mentions the “power-to-weight ratio of a 911 GT3“, the cheaper price and the fact that “we can supply a customer with a car“, since the GT4 is not available anymore.
The redesigned Elise and Exige will be federalized for US sale too, just like the Evora 400, which will reach dealerships nationwide next year, in April. 2016 is also when the automaker will launch a roadster version of the Evora, “which is a good fit for the US market“.
Note: Lotus Exige Sport 350 pictured
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