If you have just bought a Evora, you must be gutted as it will be another ‘Europa’ where production will end shortly after it begun. If you have an Evora on order, I suspect you’ll probably be cancelling your order. Which can’t be good for the Lotus order books next year.

Okay, so where to start?

Lotus Esprit

Lotus Esprit

Lotus Esprit

The first on the roads will be the Lotus Esprit, which will be out in Spring 2013. We’ve been waiting a long time for the ‘Esprit’ name to come back – there have been many concepts before, but this one seems the most likely to happen. The ultimate Lotus supercar, which will be going toe-to-toe with the Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Gallardo (replacement) and the McLaren MP4-12C. Except this car is likely to be £50,000 cheaper than those.

Powered by a 5.0 litre V8 pressure charged engine delivering up to 620 PS, the Esprit will be no slouch. Weighing less than 1,500 kg and having 720 Nm of torque, the claimed 3.4 second 0-100km/h seems pretty accurate. You will also be able to specify the optional KERS hybrid technology too.

Will we see an amphibious version for the new Bond? I hope so. Do we like it? Absolutely.

Basic Stats:

Price: £110,000

Delivery: Spring 2013

0-100km/h: 3.4 seconds

Lotus Elan

Lotus Elan

Lotus Elan

Next to be found on the road will be the Lotus Elan. Lotus is not content with taking on the best from Italy, they are also taking on German marques, Porsche, Audi and BMW. A tough ask.

The car will be available as a 2-seater and a 2 plus 2. Mid engined, rear wheel drive and weighing in at just 1,295 kg. 450 PS and 465 Nm of torque will propel this little gem to 100km/h in just 3.5 seconds.  Scheiße. As Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus says, “The Elan will convert people to Lotus, I would challenge people not to become addicted to driving it. It will also go a long way towards dispelling the old misconceptions about this class, that in order to have high performance you must sacrifice usability – those days are gone.”

Basic Stats:

Price: £75,000

Delivery: Summer 2013

0-100km/h: 3.5 seconds

Lotus Elite

Lotus Elite

Lotus Elite

Okay, we’re now moving away from mid-mounted sports cars and on to the ultimate expression in elegant front/mid engined gran tourers. The Elite is absolutely beautiful.

With a 5.0 litre V8 under the hood and KERS technology available, it will perform with some urgency. 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 315km/h – Monte Carlo, here I come. Whilst Lotus does not really have too much history producing sector leading GT’s this one will certainly be one that Maserati and Aston Martin will pay attention to.

Dany Bahar, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus, said: “There’s no denying that the Elite is breathtakingly beautiful to look at but it’s so much more than that, it’s a car that over delivers in all other aspects as well. One could say it’s a car of perfect contradictions, it’s compact yet spacious, high performing yet low emitting, lightweight yet still reassuringly solid. It’s a car that we are exceptionally proud of at Lotus and we truly believe that there is nothing else like it out there both in terms of styling and performance.

Basic Stats:

Price: £115,000

Delivery: Spring 2014

0-100km/h: 3.7 seconds

Lotus Elise

Lotus Elise interior

Lotus Elise

The Elise is the car that saved Lotus in the 1990’s. The S1 was a revelation when it came out – a chassis that eclipses anything the Italians could produce, so the S3 version we see here has very large Sparco boots to fill. Out of all the cars Lotus has shown in Paris, this is the one I’m least convinced by – it’s proportions seem a little heavy in comparison to the S2 or S1 versions.

That said, the stat sheet does add up – a smidge over 1,000 kg in weight with 320 PS and 330 Nm of torque will ensure a 0-100km/h sprint of 4.3 seconds.

This car is still 5 years away, but Dany Bahar says; “The Elise you can buy now is still a fantastic car, make no mistake, Lotus remain very proud of it, but this is a natural progression for us moving forward. The Elise 2015 will also be class-leading in terms of performance and efficiency but it will do more than that it will take the Elise model to the forefront of its class across the board.”

Basic Stats:

Price: £35,000

Delivery: Spring 2015

0-100km/h: 4.3 seconds

Lotus Eterne

Lotus Eterne

Lotus Eterne

Okay, the GT theme culminates here with the 4-seater, 4-door Lotus Eterne. Not content with taking on every major sportscar manufacturer in every sector, they are now going up against the Rapide, Panamera and Quattroporte. It certainly has similarities to the Rapide based on these renderings, but it will still be one of the most beautiful 4-door cars on the market.

The Eterne will use a variation of the Lotus V8 5.0 litre packing 720 Nm of Torque and will have options to spec KERS and all-wheel drive if you want to tick all of the option boxes. 0-100km/h is reached in 4.0 seconds dead and it will only run out of steam at 315km/h

The design is beautiful – the attention to detail is sublime, particularly around the rear. We’re big fans here – power and grace, performance and elegance, beauty and strength all in one package.

Basic Stats:

Price: £120,000

Delivery: Spring 2015

0-100km/h: 4.0 seconds

Jaguar C-X75

Jaguar C-X75

Jaguar C-X75

Jaguar has revealed a truly stunning range-extended electric supercar concept car. The C-X75 has been designed to celebrate 75 years of the marque and provide a glimpse into the future of Jaguar and its commitment to producing beautiful, fast cars powered by sustainable means.

The C-X75 hints at an exciting evolution of Jaguar’s design language while paying homage to some of its most admired cars of years gone by. Advanced design features such as a ground-breaking propulsion system and active aerodynamics allow for an elegantly simple fuselage section that remains stable at very high speeds.

The C-X75 is finished in Jetstream Silver, its designers staying true to the long-held Jaguar design philosophy of natural, flowing lines and simple, elegant forms. Where inspiration from the past was found is in the innovative engineering and functional design elements of cars like the 1950s C-Type and D-Type racers and unique 1966 XJ13 Le Mans prototype – a car described by Callum as, “arguably the most beautiful Jaguar ever made”.

Shorter and lower than the current crop of supercars, its exterior design is about pure performance with a simple central fuselage surrounded by prominent wheel arches. Thanks to the packaging efficiencies provided by the absence of a conventional piston engine, the car’s designers had maximum freedom in placing the mechanical components and creating the most elegant engineering package available.

“The C-X75 is everything a Jaguar should be. It possesses remarkable poise and grace yet at the same time has the excitement and potency of a true supercar. You could argue this is as close to a pure art form as a concept car can get and we believe it is a worthy homage to 75 years of iconic Jaguar design.” Ian Callum, Design Director, Jaguar Cars.

• Stunning range-extended electric supercar concept
• A celebration of 75 years of beautiful, fast Jaguars, points the way to a new design language
• Capable of reaching 330km/h (205mph), sprinting from 0-100km/h (62mph) in just 3.4 seconds and blistering acceleration from 80-145km/h (50-90mph) in just 2.3 seconds
• Four powerful 145kW (195bhp) electric motors – one for each wheel – produce 780bhp and an astonishing total torque output of 1600Nm (1180lb ft)
• Two micro gas-turbines, spinning at 80,000 rpm, can generate enough electricity to extend the range to a remarkable 560 miles; and produce just 28 grams of CO₂ per kilometre from the car’s plug-in charge capability
• A zero tailpipe emissions range of 110km (68 miles) while running solely on battery power

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento launch at Paris

If you are going to the Paris Motor Show in 2010, you will see that Lamborghini is redefining the future of the super sports car with a unique technology demonstrator.

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

Boasting an extremely lightweight construction thanks to advanced carbon-fiber technology, the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento has an overall curb weight of just 999 kilograms (2,202 lb) – including V10 power unit and permanent all-wheel drive. Innovative carbon-fibre technologies are being used here for the first time in an automotive application. As a 100 percent subsidiary of AUDI AG, the Italian carmaker also benefits from the undisputed expertise of the German manufacturer when it comes to lightweight construction.

Sesto Elemento from above

With its amazing output of 570 hp, sensational power-to-weight ratio of only 1.75 kilograms per hp and 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration of only 2.5 seconds, the Sesto Elemento guarantees unparalleled driving fun. At the same time, fuel consumption also drops because of the extreme lightweight engineering applied throughout.

“The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento shows how the future of the super sports car can look – extreme lightweight engineering, combined with extreme performance results in extreme driving fun. We put all of our technological competence into one stunning form to create the Sesto Elemento,” comments Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “It is our abilities in carbon-fiber technology that have facilitated such a forward-thinking concept, and we of course also benefit from the undisputed lightweight expertise of AUDI AG. Systematic lightweight engineering is crucial for future super sports cars: for the most dynamic performance, as well as for low emissions. We will apply this technological advantage right across our model range. Every future Lamborghini will be touched by the spirit of the Sesto Elemento.”

For me it is a little bit bonkers, but that’s what you want from a show car. Especially a Lamborghini show car. If they can’t push the limits, who can?

Goodwood Revival - GDC Member, Kilian is driving the No.14

Over 134,000 motor sport enthusiasts and retro-fashion fans flocked to this weekend’s Goodwood Revival (17-19 September) to join in the fun and celebrations at the world’s largest historic motor race meeting.

Whilst several Gentleman Drivers Club members were enjoying a few days away in Nürburg driving the Nordschleife, one of our members was competing at the Revival in Ferrari 250 SWB Competizione – Kilian drove in the Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration. Up against some very special cars, Kilian managed to bring their Ferrari home ahead of the likes of Jochen Mass, Lord Paul Drayson and Tiff Needell to name but a few. Well-done Kilian!

Elsewhere on the track, John Surtees – the first and only World Champion on two and four wheels – was honoured 50 years after his very first race in a car, which took place at Goodwood in March 1960.  A stunning collection of more than 25 vehicles associated with his racing career paraded in his honour, led by the great man driving and riding a variety of cars and motorcycles from his racing past.

On the track, the quality of motor racing was exceptional throughout the Revival weekend, with many nail-biting races and some thrills and spills along the way. Racing highlights included the thrilling St Mary’s Trophy for 1950s saloon cars, with Derek Bell and Grant Williams taking hard-fought victory.  The £150 million car grid for the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy Celebration also made for exciting competition, with Jean-Marc Gounon and Peter Hardman taking the victory in Anthony Bamford’s Ferrari 250 GTO 64.

Back in time at the Rivival...

Some great period fashions, including a sea of colourful mini skirts on Ladies Day (Saturday), helped seal the unique, fun atmosphere of the 2010 Revival.  On the Richmond Lawn a 1950s-style circus with clowns, wrestlers, a Hall of Mirrors, and even a bearded lady, also helped the great vibe, as did the live bands, dancing and comic film sets and 1950s holiday camp.  The recreation of a typical early 1960s British street scene, with a bus depot, car park and Tesco supermarket, proved to be hugely popular, with Revival shoppers coming over ‘all nostalgic’ at the sight of period packaging and house hold brands that had long been forgotten.  Opal Fruits and Marmite in the correct period packaging proved to be in great demand.

In all, the 2010 Goodwood Revival was a great success, with Revival-goers already talking with excitement and anticipation about next year’s event.  Confirmed dates for the 2011 Goodwood Revival and Festival of Speed have yet to be finalised.  These will be announced in the coming weeks though, with 2011 tickets going on sale on November.

Ferrari World

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi unveils today its attractions, designed to tell the Ferrari story, passion, excellence, performance and technical innovation to families and fans of all ages. More than 20 rides will offer thrills and amusement for a complete Ferrari experience.

It seems as though there will be plenty to do there (if you’re a kid), but they could do with some decent renders to sell it! Formula Rossa and G-Force sound fun and the Junior Grand Prix will be a highlight for the kids…

RIDES & ATTRACTIONS:

• FORMULA ROSSA. The world’s fastest roller coaster, reaching speeds of 240 km/h.
• SPEED OF MAGIC. A fantasy 4-D journey following the adventures of a young boy as he travels through a kaleidoscopic dreamscape of natural and phenomenal environments, where no Ferrari has gone before.
• MADE IN MARANELLO. A virtual trip behind the walls of the famous Ferrari factory in Maranello, taking guests through the process of making a Ferrari.
• V12. An exciting flume ride to the heart of a 12 cylinder engine.
• G-FORCE. A thrilling tower ride that will shoot thrill-seekers through the red roof and 62 metres in the air before plummeting back to Earth, experiencing the actual G-force of a Ferrari, in a seat directly inspired by the Ferrari Enzo.
• SCUDERIA CHALLENGE. Cutting edge racing simulators similar to those used by the drivers of the Scuderia Ferrari in training.
• VIAGGIO IN ITALIA. A virtual aerial voyage over Italy’s cities and main monuments, mountains and coasts pursuing a Ferrari.
• FIORANO GT CHALLENGE. A unique duelling rollercoaster with Ferrari F430 Spiders twisting and turning through tight corners on a sprint to the finish line.
• BELL’ITALIA. A miniature recreation of Italy’s most famous locations, from the picturesque Portofino and the Amalfi Coast to Monza racetrack, the Colosseum in Roma, Venezia and Maranello, the heartland and home of Ferrari.
• PADDOCK. A re-creation of the Ferrari motor home including garages, transporters & hospitality suites with interactive shows offering fans a taste of the true action behind the scenes on a Grand Prix race day.
• THE PIT WALL. An interactive theatre that allows guests to test their judgment in realistic racing scenarios.
• GALLERIA FERRARI. The world’s largest Ferrari gallery outside Maranello, showcasing the most exclusive range of classic and contemporary Ferrari’s from all over the world.
• JUNIOR GT. A driving school for children with expert instruction where they will drive reduced scale F430 GT Spiders on an equipped driving course.
• JUNIOR GRAND PRIX. After the Junior GT driving experience, budding F1™ drivers can enjoy the race track in scaled down Ferrari F1™ racers.
• THE RACING LEGENDS. A ride through Ferrari’s greatest racing moments starting from the first races all the way to today’s F1 victories.
• DRIVING WITH CHAMPIONS. An interactive 3-D show which follows the adventures of a young engineer who is taken on the ride of a lifetime with a racing champion on his first day working at the Ferrari factory
• CINEMA MARANELLO. Ferrari World’s own theatre showing ‘Coppa di Sicilia’, a short film that tells one of the many inspiring stories from the life of the legendary Enzo Ferrari.
• JUNIOR TRAINING CAMP. An interactive play area for children where they can engage with a waterless car wash, become custom ‘constructors’, climb up the grandstand, pilot remote cars, paddle their own miniature Ferrari and play with an F1™ car made of soft, guest-friendly foam.
• CAROUSEL. Featuring never-before-seen Ferrari prototypes based on winning designs from a Ferrari competition.
• DINING & SHOPPING. A range of concept restaurants and cafes offering authentic Italian dining experiences, in addition to unique shopping locations.

Artist Jeff Koons with the BMW M3b GT2 Art Car

Historic BMW Art Cars. I'll take the M1 please...

The revered BMW Art Cars are some of the most desirable models around – and 2010 will see a new ‘commission’ by BMW. As reposted in the GDC News page here, BMW have given American artist Jeff Koons a new BMW M3 GT2 to create a piece of moving automotive art.

As the Bavarian company did with the 1977 Roy Lichtenstein 320 Le Mans, BMW chose the Pompidou Centre to ‘exhibit’ this latest Art Car. The 500bhp, V8-engined coupé will be driven by Andy Priaulx (GB), Dirk Müller (DE) and Dirk Werner (DE) at the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours, to be held over the weekend of 12/13 June. It will be joined by another, more traditionally finished works BMW driven by Jörg Müller (DE), Augusto Farfus (BR) and Uwe Alzen (DE).

“These race cars are like life, they are powerful and there is a lot of energy,” said Koons. “You can participate with it, add to it and let yourself ‘transcend with its energy’. There is a lot of power under that hood and I want to let my ideas transcend with the car – it’s really to connect with that power.”

This car will certainly look good at La Sarthe, and Gentleman Drivers Club Members will be able to see this car up close next weekend with our fabulous VIP Club at Le Mans. We’ll post some Le Mans images on the Gallery page as soon as we can.

Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa designed by Zagato

Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa designed by Zagato

The second notable automotive showcase at Concorso d’Eleganza, Ville d’Este, was the Zagato-designed Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa, which also won the award for best concept car at the event.

Created by Zagato in Milan it is a tribute celebrating Alfa’s 100th anniversary. The concept is equipped with Alfa 8C Competizione’s V8 with manually adjustable engine calibration and linked to a six-speed sequential gearbox.

The setup is a combination between a carbon fibre body and a rear wheel drive tubular structure. The whole vehicle weighs only 850kg.

The racer is outfitted with 18 inch wheels with 245/645/R18 Pirelli PZero tires at the front and 285/645/R18 at the rear. The TZ3 Corsa sprints from 0 to 100km/h in less than 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of over 300km/h.

I am a big fan of Zagato, but whilst this design brings back memories from its 60s-era predecessors (TZ1 and TZ2) it is not, in my opinion, as beautiful as the car that donated the power plant – the 8C Competizione. A missed opportunity maybe?

BMW 328 Mille Miglia Coupé Concept

BMW 328 Mille Miglia Coupé Concept

BMW has unveiled its BMW 328 Mille Miglia Coupé Concept to the world near Lake Como, Italy. The 2010 Concorso d’Eleganza at the beautiful Ville d’Este hotel was the venue where the car showed its true identity.

The concept celebrates the 70th anniversary of the victory of BMW in the Mille Miglia and is inspired by the original car that won the race in 1940. The original car – the BMW 328 Kamm Coupé – returned to Italy just ten days ahead of the start of this year’s Mille Miglia.

The concept is a fabulous piece of PR for Concorso d’Eleganza sponsors, BMW, to promote the Mille Miglia and it really does look stunning…

Members cars on display at Luton Hoo

Easter Weekend was more than just fluffy bunnies and chocolate eggs for Gentleman Drivers Club members. The luxurious Luton Hoo hotel in Bedfordshire played host to our very first Supercar Sunday breakfast event.

Being Easter weekend, we were a little short of numbers, but we still had a good turnout of cars. Martyn left his AC Cobra at home due to the poor weather, but he did bring along his limited edition model of the Le Mans winning 009 DBR9 race car for DT to sign…

GT3, V12 Vantage, 612 Scaglietti...

A full selection of images from the weekend is available in the new Gallery area of the website. We’ll be in touch regarding the next Supercar Sunday event, I will take this opportunity to remind members that we are closing our Le Mans tour booking THIS FRIDAY, so contact us this week to confirm your place.

James Blunt with Lamborghini LP670-4 at the Pirelli Calendar Premiere in London

Automobili Lamborghini and Pirelli, once again in partnership: the House of the Raging Bull’s super sportscars were among the luxury vehicles chosen by the tyre manufacturer for the new 2010 Pirelli calendar presentation, which took place in London.

A Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce and two Gallardos – an LP 560-4 Spyder and the latest limited edition, rear-wheel drive LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni – chauffeured some of the best known celebrities from music and show business to the event, including English model and socialite Lady Victoria Hervey, and songwriter, singer and twice Brit Award winner James Blunt and his companion. Blunt’s album ‘Back to Bedlam’ has sold 11 million copies worldwide and topped the charts in 18 countries.

For the occasion, all three Lamborghinis sported a special feature: hidden LED lights which, positioned under the wheel arches, illuminated the tyres in homage to the Milan-based tyre company.