GT2, LMP2, IndyCar… Lotus is everywhere!

Protos, GT2, GT4, IndyCar, GP2, GP3? The Lotus Cars brand, which has been discreet recently in motorsport, has announced an impressive number of projects for the years to come.

“Motorsport and racing are in Lotus’s genes, says Claudio Berro, Director of the brand's sports department. We occupy a special place in the world of motorsports. Now that we're revealing the beginnings of our future plans, it's important that people realize how much it means to us to honor this legacy. There's no better way to transfer our technology from the track to production cars than having a comprehensive sports program, so we've ticked all the boxes. Our new range will soon be presented at the Paris Motor Show. We are entering a new era for Lotus Motorsport. There's plenty to come, and believe me, there will be something for every motorsport fan. »

As was the case this year, Lotus Cars will continue to collaborate with KV Racing in IndyCar, providing technological and engineering support. But unlike this season, these are two cars which should be lined up next year. Work for 2012, where everyone will be able to bring their own aero package onto Dallara chassis, should also begin shortly.

Announced last week, Lotus Cars will also be present in GP2 and GP3, through a collaboration, of at least three years, with the French ART Grand Prix team of Frédéric Vasseur and Nicolas Todt.

If the GT4 program had already been revealed earlier in the season, the Evora will also be available in GT2 and GT3 versions. Concerning the GT4 model, 20 orders have already been placed, with the first customer due to be delivered in October.

Lotus Cars is also said to be developing a new GT2, based on one of the new production models which should be unveiled this week at Porte de Versailles.

But the big surprise certainly comes from the manufacture of an LMP2 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2012. The design of the car was entrusted to Paolo Catone, to whom we owe in particular the Peugeot 908. The car will be a closed prototype, and will make its first rounds at the end of 2011.

Also including the Lotus Driving Academy, the Lotus Cup, the Exos Experience program - which allows the general public to acquire and develop on the most beautiful tracks in Europe, a car named Lotus 125, powered by a 8 liter Cosworth V3.5 of 640 horsepower (see AUTOhebdo n°1767) -, the famous firm dear to Colin Chapman will be omnipresent on all the circuits of the world?