Lotus Type 131 Teaser Previews Three New Sports Cars

We already knew that, alongside the all-electric Evija hypercar, Lotus was developing a new sports car, the Type 131, to sit above the Evora, with considerable historical significance. Several rumours suggest it will be the final Lotus powered by an internal-combustion engine.

Now, the first teaser for the new model has appeared - and there is a surprise. Rather than one car, it previews three models. Their overall shapes appear identical, although they are distinguished by their lighting signatures.

According to the brand’s official statement, the Type 131 will be a “new series of sports cars” - in the plural. Could these take the place of the three Lotus models currently on sale? Or will they be three separate new models? We will have to wait a few more months to find out.

Lotus Type 131: three sports cars in prospect

At the same time as unveiling the Type 131, Lotus confirmed that production of every model currently on sale - the Elise, Exige and Evora - will end later this year. Few announcements signal the close of an era quite as clearly as discontinuing an entire range at once.

Beyond the image, Lotus has revealed very little else about the Type 131. Its final name is expected to begin with an “E”, in keeping with the marque’s tradition. What is known comes only from rumours and sightings of camouflaged development prototypes on public roads.

The new sports car, or cars, will retain the architecture familiar from today’s Lotus models, meaning the engine will remain in a mid-rear position. However, they will introduce a new platform, still using an aluminium space frame design - a technology first introduced with the original Elise in 1995.

Engines remain a matter of speculation

Which engine will it use? For now, this remains purely speculative. Early rumours pointed to a hybrid model positioned above the Evora, combining a V6 - perhaps still sourced from Toyota - with an electric motor. However, the appearance of three models means that, if they directly replace the Elise, Exige and Evora, they will occupy different positions and therefore use different powertrains.

Vision80

The development and launch of the Type 131 - or Type 131 models - is just one element of the Vision80 plan, drawn up in 2018 after Geely acquired Lotus Cars and Lotus Engineering in 2017. Geely also owns Volvo, Polestar and Lynk & Co, and will develop and manufacture the next generation of Smart vehicles.

In addition to the Type 131 and the already familiar Evija, the Vision80 plan includes investment of more than €112 million in Lotus’s Hethel facilities, where the new sports cars will be built. This will give the British manufacturer the capacity to handle greater production volumes. A further 250 employees will be recruited, joining the 670 already hired since September 2017.

Farewell to the Elise, Exige and Evora

Finally, the plan also confirms the end of production for the Lotus Elise, Exige and Evora. Although they remain exceptionally capable at delivering a unique driving experience and are still regarded as benchmarks in several respects, they are outdated for the challenges facing the motor industry during this period of transformation.

By the time production ends, Lotus expects the three models to reach a combined total of 55,000 units produced since launch. Throughout this year, the marque will hold several activities to celebrate all three cars, beginning, as Lotus puts it, with the “oldest, the iconic Lotus Elise”.