Lotus is a car company that most enthusiasts want to see succeed, but it seems constantly plagued by financial issues. The British company has produced some of the finest driving machines over the last 50 years and now it embarks on a new chapter with the Lotus Type 130.

Embracing change

The company has announced that it will produce its first all-new product in over a decade. The Lotus Type 130 (the company’s internal code) will become the first all-electric hypercar from a British manufacturer. A few months ago we brought you a story on the Dendrobium electric hypercar. We are not sure if Lotus has not heard of its rival, or it plans to beat the start-up company to market.

You can read more about the dramatic-looking Dendrobium D1 by clicking here.

Lotus believes that the Type 130 will continue a proud tradition of innovation from the Norfolk, UK based brand in both motorsport and sportscars. The all-new car will be revealed, together with the full details and specification in London later this year. Until then, we’ll have to make do with this CFD image of the Type 130.

Lineage

Lotus game-changers over the years have included several firsts, including, the Type 14, that became the Elite of 1957, which was the world’s first composite monocoque production road car. The Type 25 that was the world’s first fully-stressed monocoque F1 car and the first Lotus to win an F1 world championship in 1963. The Type 88, world’s first carbon-fibre F1 car (1981), and the Type 111, that eventually became the Elise in 1995, which was the world’s first aluminium and bonded extrusion construction production car.

In his own words

Lotus Cars CEO Phil Popham said: “Type 130 will be the most dynamically accomplished Lotus in our history. It marks a turning point for our brand and is a showcase of what we are capable of and what is to come from Lotus.”