News on Lotus’ forthcoming SUV has become rather thin on the ground of late, but a new report by Car Magazine suggests that not only is the model well on its way towards a 2021 debut, but there will also be a sister model following it. The two cars are tipped to rival the BMW X4 and X6, similar to the two-pronged approach Porsche has made with the Macan and Cayenne.
What’s more, under Geely’s new stewardship, both models are expected to utilise components and powertrains from Volvo, leveraging on the Swedish carmaker’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) and Compact Modular Architecture (CMA). While they won’t be based wholesale on the two platforms, they will share plenty of their individual modules, according to an interview with then-CEO Jean-Marc Gales.
“I wouldn’t talk about a platform; that’s nothing more than a set of components, perhaps 30 to 80 main modules,” said Gales. “These are components Lotus can share, it can be an engine, an autonomous radar system, a wiring harness which can be adapted to the cars.”
Gales said that a Lotus SUV will likely adapt components from SPA and CMA, integrating them into models with unique bodies, interiors and engine tuning. The publication expects the cars to feature Volvo’s familiar 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engines paired with part-electric technology, similar to Gothenburg’s T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid models.
Hethel’s sales are tipped to grow from 1,500 units per year to 3,000 with a new “four-door” (i.e. SUV), said Gales. Given that they’ll share plenty of Volvo components, production will likely be shifted to the latter’s production network, said Car, despite Lotus’ plant in the small Norfolk village still having headroom with an annual capacity of 5,000 units.
As mentioned, the range-topping SUV will target the Cayenne with an estimated price range of between £80,000 (RM420,000) and £100,000 (RM525,000), and even though it will feature Volvo’s electrical systems and semi-autonomous driving technology, it won’t be anything like the XC90, said Gales.
“It would still be lowest in its class, maybe the widest in its class to hold the road well, certainly the lightest, certainly the best on track,” said Gales, who is said to have admired the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. ‘It needs to feel, drive and look like a Lotus.”
Lotus’ first SUV is still in the early stages and about three to four years from production. The company had previously looked to a collaboration with its previous Chinese partner Goldstar to develop the car back in 2015, but Geely’s purchase in a majority stake means that it will go through with the project alone.
GALLERY: Lotus SUV patent drawings
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This Proton/Geely is desperate for attention. Sampai gunakan drawings untuk seek attention.
Incoming game changer for sure.
Not sure if it is game changer but for sure Proton sudah kena game many times.
Your mind is also not high tech and intelligent enough to help Proton turn around.
Your brain sound like a cancer can only comment but cannot contribute ( pain but no cure)
Cheers
Basher memang no cure lor.
I agree with Ioma. Also, Geely and Volvo are doing all the work and Proton just tumpang glamour.
Proton staff should feel ashamed that Geely is doing all the work to improve Proton
Kan? Proton is like a poor country Africa claiming credit of the rich Wakanda.
There’s no such country called Wakanda in the world. Go back to your dreamland and leave this site in peace.
There you go… but Proton is still in dreamland dreaming of selling 200000 junks by 2020.
It is not Proton/Geely desperate to provide sketch attention.
It is you ( Anti Proton) desperate wish to know what is behind the scene of Proton/Geely otherwise you will say the obsolete and boring Toyota is still better which is not.
Geely is all wise. Not many people know, they got Lotus for FREE. Buy 1 get 1 free.
They bought Proton for a mere RM170 million and get Lotus for free.
China is indeed clever.
Geely can do with Lotus what Tata is doing with JLR and make a success out of it.
Lotus Rimau SUV, T5 252ps & T6 324ps.
Why Lotus want to downgrade its brand image of using lower end technology?
You dont seem to know what you are talking about. Lotus is finally going high end with better high tech engines & electronics. They were drag down for years under Proton’s image.
The best thing is under Geely ownership, Lotus will have synergy with Volvo and to some extent, Geely. Lotus can have access to the latest & high quality engine & infotainment technology and parts mainly with Volvo, and of course more resources from the parent company Geely. Couple that with the Lotus famed ride & handling knowhow. We could potentially see new Lotus models that could match the established sportscar players in terms of performance & quality.
You don’t know ka Lotus currently using Toyota’s engine in some of their cars??
At least the powertrain is way better and efficient than lower end technology from Audi/VW and BMW even from Toyota.
So does this mean the Lotus SUVs will have a transverse engine layout, thus be FWD biased? Not exactly the typical Lotus way of doing things. Perhaps they might give more torque distribution to the rear wheels, like how Acura does in the latest RDX SUV with the Super Handling AWD system.
Engine layout can be modified/adapted bro no problem.
Geely bought Lotus & immediately it bore fruit.
Mahathir told Proton to buy Lotus, all they ever managed were versions of Elises.
Lotus Handling stickers ftw!
Lotus, Volvo, Geely > all
I could render something up based on this to see how it actually looks like. This looks really good in my opinion. Maybe it’s just me but the taillights look a lot like the 458/488 taillights they look really good
Lotus, P1, Geely, Mesidis, VolvoCar, Volvotrucks > all
If P1 didn’t own Lotus, Geely would’ve had ZERO interest in Proton.
So Proton buying Lotus wasn’t a bad move after all….
enzo ferrari turned in his grave, now time for colin chapman
Nowadays, everyone want a piece of the lucrative SUV pie. Lotus doesn’t really have much choice. A SUV is the only way for Lotus to increase sales. Porsche wouldn’t be what it is today without the Cayenne.