AN iconic British sportscar driven by 007 has been selling at record speed as drivers snap up thousands – but it’s not the brand you’d think.
Motorists have rushed to get their hands on the latest model from the beloved manufacturer, which is the heir to the sports car driven by the nation’s most famous spy nearly 50 years ago.
MES FILMThe Lotus Emira, heir to the iconic Esprit driven by James Bond, has been selling at record pace[/caption]
However, while James Bond was best known for his long-time love affair with Aston Martins, it is actually the newly-revived Lotus that has been flying out of showrooms.
Drenched in racing and celebrity pedigree and headquartered in rural Norfolk, the brand faded into the background of the luxury market this century until it was bought by Chinese company Geely in 2017.
Now, it is on track to enjoy record success through the release of it’s latest sporty offering, the Lotus Emira, last year.
The spiritual descendant of the generational Lotus Esprit driven by Bond in 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me and 1981’s For Your Eyes Only, the Emira has already sold by the thousands.
Sales are on course to hit a brand record of 5,000 by the end of the year.
Powered by a chunky, Toyota-designed 3,456cc V6, the Emira generates plenty of oomph with a 0-60mph time of just 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 180mph.
Starting at around £60,000 it’s not what you’d call cheap and cheerful, but it has burst back onto the radar for the performance-seeking petrolhead.
Lotus’ chief commercial officer, Mike Johnstone, told The Times: “We are seeing significant numbers of new customers that may not have considered the brand before.
“The Emira is attractive to Lotus loyalists, but is also attracting customers from other brands like Porsche.”
However, it will be the last petrol-powered release from the company’s Norfolk plant as the dash to net zero continues.
A new electric sports car, codenamed Type 135, is in the works, with production expected to begin in the next five years.
Meanwhile, majority owners Geely has opened up a new factory in Wuhan, China, where they are producing a line of beefed-up SUVs in a break with Lotus’ traditional high-performance output.
LotusIts chunky V6 puts out 400 horsepower, giving it a top speed of 180mph[/caption] Read More