Torque Report
Its now confirmed. Lotus is going to end production of the US-spec Exige and Elise models in August. Lotus is basically being forced to end production of the two models because of an expiration of an airbag exemption and because Toyota has stopped producing the four-cylinder engine that powers the Lotus models.
US Lotus fans will have to wait until the fall of 2014 for the release of the next-generation Elise. In the meantime it looks like Lotus is working on developing a line of its own engines, which could mean that the next Lotus models will not be powered by Toyota engines.
Damn, that sucks. I will say though, the new Elise is sounding damn good:
Low weight remains a key feature of the car, although it has broken the 1-metric-ton barrier with its 2,409-pound curb weight. The price of this new 320-hp Elise is projected at $55,000 — around $15,800 more than today's entry-level Elise — although less expensive versions are expected.
