REVEALED: LOTUS EVORA GT4 CONCEPT RACER
Lotus revealed the Evora GT4 Concept racer to take on the likes of Aston Martin and AMG recently.
Lotus is enjoying a revival thanks, in no small part, to Geely, who has ambitious plans for the iconic British sports car brand. And, if (Geely-owned) Volvo's resurgence is anything to go by, the new Lotus Evora-based GT4 racer stands an excellent chance of being great once more.
The reason for the GT4 designation is that Lotus plans to compete with the car in various 2020 GT4 championships, hence, this Concept adopts its basic structure and powertrain from its road-going sibling, the Evora GT430.
What we're looking at then is an extruded aluminium structure with altered carbon fibre panels devised to improve cooling, and increase downforce.
Everything about the design is functional, from the front mounted canards, rear diffuser and huge boot-mounted wing for added downforce to the rear quarter panels housing air ducts to cool the brakes, even the supercharged 3.5-litre V6 engine breathes via a snorkel mounted to the new carbon fibre roof.
Like any race car worth its weight in salt, the interior has been stripped out of everything deemed unnecessary. What goes in instead is an eight-point T45 roll-cage, six-point FIA HANS-approved harnesses, racing bucket seats, electrical kill switch and a fire extinguisher. The dash consists of a 6-inch TFT screen that logs data and delivers critical issue alerts and the steering wheel will have Formula 1 drivers drooling. Overall, the Evora GT4 Concept weighs in at just 1200kg with all these changes.
Under Geely's influence, the next Evora GT4 has been tasked with bringing more attention to China’s racing scene. This includes the addition of two Lotus Works drivers and a new Lotus driver training school based in China. Even the striking paint job is a blending between the Chinese flag and the Union Jack.
The British brand is set to release an entire range of sports and supercars over the next few years. They will be based on an all-new carbon fibre chassis with a variety of powertrains, from fossil-burners to electrification, sourced from either within the larger conglomerate to external suppliers too.
The Evora GT4 Concept is just the beginning of a Lotus renaissance and, with the backing of a Chinese colossus like Geely, who already have a successful track record with their Swedish brand of vehicles in Volvo, times are about to get interesting. We wonder what the like of Aston Martin and Mercedes AMG are thinking.