This broken Bentley...
This broken Bentley is also a record breaker! Although badly damaged, the Continental GTC (above) has beaten the previous best sale figure for the marque at salvage firm Bluecycle. It received 700 online bids for the cabrio, which had less than 300 miles on the clock when it came a cropper.
Project Eagle has finally...
Project Eagle has finally landed - and it has a new name! This is the Lotus Evora, the first brand-new model to emerge from firm for more than 13 years.
Making its world debut at ExCeL, the 2+2 coupe sits on an all-aluminium chassis and features a cutting-edge lightweight aluminium suspension set-up, which, according to bosses, makes it "the best car to come from Lotus so far".
Lotus is pitching the 1,350kg four-seater coupe as the "logical next step" for Elise drivers looking for more space without compromising on that famed Lotus handling finesse - and as a result, the new car is 2.5 times stiffer than the Elise!
Yet for a Lotus, the cabin is a feast of luxury, with leather upholstery, touchscreen sat-nav, plus Bluetooth and iPod connectivity. It"s even relatively easy to get in and out of - not a typical Lotus trait!
The Evora took 21 months to develop from scratch, and is the worldò€™s only mid-engined 2+2. As you can see, it takes styling inspiration from the Elise and Europa, with a short rear overhang and a squat "nose down" stance. Heavily sculpted flanks and a strong shoulder line flowing into wide rear wheelarches add to the aggressive look, making the car appear more like a two seater than a four.
Power comes from a modified versiobn of Toyota"s 3.5-litre V6 VVTi engine developing 276bhp, and though there"s no word on exact performance yet, Lotus claims the 0-60mph sprint will be covered in less than five seconds. However, CO2 emissions will stay below 225g/km and 30mpg economy will be possible. A traction and stability control system developed specifically for the car in conjunction with Bosch comes as standard.
The Evora is the first of a trio of new models due to emerge as part of a five-year plan at Lotus. This began on October 2006, and will see a mid-engined supercar flagship appear in 2010. A supercharged Evora is also expected in 2010, as well as a two-seater version.
To maintain exclusivity, Lotus will cap Evora production at 2,000 cars per year. Expect a price in the region of Ò£45,000 when the new model hits showrooms in Spring 2009.
FOR OUR EXCLUSIVE BRITISH MOTOR SHOW 2008 VIDEO OF THE EVORA CLICK HERE!
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