2029 Lotus Esprit to Offer V-6 Option Alongside Hybrid V-8, CEO Confirms

We already knew about the nearly 1000-hp hybrid V-8 Lotus is planning, but a new report suggests it’ll be paired with a V-6 option.

• Lotus is planning to give the upcoming Esprit supercar (codenamed Type 135) a V-6 option, the automaker’s CEO said during a call, Autocar reported.
• The V-6 option will join the planned hybrid V-8, which is expected to produce roughly 1000 horsepower and serve to fulfil the brand’s commitment to lightness.
• The reveal and launch of the revived Esprit are both planned for 2028, with more details of the model expected soon.

Few founders have left such a strong mark on their company that their ethos remains the driving force of the company even decades after their death, but if such a list exists, Colin Chapman can certainly be counted among its ranks. In the spirit of building lightweight cars—something Chapman famously approved of—Lotus will add a V-6 option to its upcoming Esprit, internally known as Type 135, the brand’s CEO said during a recent earnings call, Autocar reported.

The hybrid V-6 option will allow Lotus to comply with tightening global emissions regulations, “while preserving essential Lotus DNA of lightweight engineering and extreme track-focused driving dynamics,” Feng Qingfeng, the brand’s CEO, said during a recent investor relations call. It will join the previously confirmed V-8 hybrid that Lotus is planning for the new flagship model.

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While not confirmed by Lotus, the Esprit’s V-6 will almost certainly be the same hybrid V-6 the brand has planned for the updated Emira. In that car, the powertrain consists of a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, paired with an automatic transmission and an integrated electric motor. In the Emira’s case, the powertrain is reportedly good for up to 536 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, though we wouldn’t be shocked to see larger figures for the Esprit.

Like the hybrid V-8, the new V-6 is being produced by Horse, the joint venture company owned by Renault and Lotus's parent company, Geely. The larger engine is poised to produce a combined output of at least 986 horsepower and will pair with an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. And, despite its higher cylinder count, Lotus is putting considerable effort into keeping the powertrain’s weight down.

The Type 135 was originally planned as an electric successor to the Emira before changing market conditions forced Lotus to alter its plans. The full reveal and start of production for the revived Esprit are both planned for 2028. We expect more information about the model to be drip-fed in the coming months until the car’s eventual arrival.

“The Type 135 will fill the gap between the Emira and Evija, preserving the emotional connection Emira owners have with the Lotus mechanical handling, while leveraging V-8 hybrid technology to approach the technical benchmark set by the Evija,” Qingfeng reportedly told Autocar.

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Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.

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