Lotus Will Build An SUV
It seems that Lotus will finally have to relent and build mass-appeal vehicles: in a recent interview, Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Lotus, confirmed that the English automaker was indeed working on a crossover.
That shuffling sound you just heard? That was Colin Chapman rolling over in his grave.
So far, there are no specifics on this new vehicle, but Lotus’ president announced that their crossover would be the very first lightweight SUV (their objective is to be around 200 kg lighter than the Porsche Macan) and that it would proudly wear the brand’s badge.
Considering that Lotus was founded on the principles of lightweight and simplicity, we are skeptical about the idea of a lightweight SUV, but time will tell if Mr. Gales’ bet will pay off.
The vehicle would probably be built in China, since Lotus recently signed an agreement with Proton and Goldstar Heavy Industrial, two car manufacturers. It’s also possible that this vehicle would only be sold in China.
On one side, the cash influx that an SUV could bring to Lotus is a good thing; on the other, the very idea of a crossover wearing the Lotus badge is an insult to the brands tenets.
