It’s no secret that Lotus is working on a crossover, but a new report is suggesting the company is already considering a second one.
Details are limited, but Car Magazine is reporting the company is planning competitors for the BMW X4 and Porsche Macan as well as the larger BMW X6 and Porsche Cayenne. It’s unclear which model would arrive first, but one of the crossovers is slated to be launched in 2020. The second could arrive approximately one year later.
The original plan called for Lotus to work with China’s Goldstar Heavy Industrial, but it has been abandoned now that Lotus is owned by Geely. This will play a huge role in the development and construction of the crossovers as former Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales told the publication the models could share components – such as engines, autonomous driving systems and wiring harnesses – with Volvo models.
Despite the component sharing, the crossovers won’t be based on the SPA platform and Gales said the models wouldn’t be anything like the XC90. Instead, they will have unique styling inside and out.
There’s no word on performance specifications, but the publication says the crossovers should have a Volvo-sourced four-cylinder engine and hybrid system. However, the powertrains will be tuned for more performance.
Speaking of the latter, Gales promised one of the crossovers will be the “lowest in its class” and “maybe the widest in its class to hold the road well.” He went on to say the model will certainly be lightest crossover in its segment and will also be the best on track.
