2009 Lexus LF-A Nürburgring 24 livery
EVO is reporting the next Esprit may source a high-revving 500 hp V10 engine from the upcoming Lexus LF-A supercar. The £100K-plus V10 Esprit would be poised for battle with the Lamborghini Gallardo, and a lower-priced 417 hp V8 model (sourced from the Lexus IS-F) and 300 hp Toyota V6 model would round out the lineup. As Lotus has forged a close relationship with Toyota, the V10 rumor seems plausible if the LF-A ever reaches production.
Whether the LF-A will ever reach production has been a topic of debate since the debut of the LF-A at the 2005 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). While it was widely rumored last year that the production LF-A project had been canceled, Auto Express is reporting today that the production LF-A is well on track and will debut at this October’s Tokyo Motor Show. As we reported earlier, that same show has seen almost all foreign automakers pull out leaving just Lotus and two other foreign automakers to accent the domestic Japanese displays.
Auto Express reports LF-A production will be limited to just 500 cars, which increases the likelihood of a partnership with Lotus on a V10 Esprit. Toyota will certainly want to spread production costs of the V10, especially once the LF-A is out of production. The report goes on to say the motor will output 550 hp (unlike EVO’s claim of 500 hp) through a six-speed semi-automatic transmission and rocket the LF-A to a top speed of more than 218 MPH.
Previous speculation had indicated BMW and Aston Martin as potential engine donors. A recent report had also indicated the 381 hp V8 motor from the Toyota Tundra pickup.
An alternatively-powered “Eco Esprit” may be in the cards as well. This may mean another collaboration with Tesla or propulsion from Toyota electric hybrid power.
The next Esprit will be based on an extended version of the Evora’s bonded and extruded aluminum chassis, with the rear section able to accommodate transverse or longitudinal powerplants. While the development of the Evora from concept to production took just 27 months, expect the Esprit to take more time as Lotus evaluates the success of the Evora. Profits from a successful Evora are critical for Lotus to move forward with Esprit development. A target launch date of 2012 has been set.
