This Is The Lightweight Hypercar Lotus Needs To Build

An exciting new era for Lotus is about to begin. Soon, the current Exige, Evora, and Elise will be discontinued to make way for a new generation of lightweight sports cars, starting with the Type 131. This will be an entry-level sports car designed to take on the likes of the Porsche 718 Cayman.

On the other side of the spectrum, we have the Lotus Evija, an electric hypercar with a top speed of over 200 mph. This is new territory for Lotus as the British automaker has never developed an electric hypercar. Only 130 will be built, but Lotus hasn’t said if it intends to build any other hypercars slotting below the Evija. If it does, we hope it will look as good as this.

Dutch artist Sabino Leerentveld has envisioned a hypothetical Lotus hypercar that could be sold alongside the Evija, and the result is spectacular. The striking design looks unlike any car in Lotus’s current roster, incorporating slim LED headlights and massive front air intakes. Small cutouts adorn the bulging fenders containing massive wheels, while the windshield stretches back into the roof.

At the back, the rendered hypercar sports a prominent fixed rear-wing and an aggressive rear diffuser. Being a Lotus, you can be assured the hypercar will be as light as a feather, combined with optimized aerodynamics. As a homage to Lotus racing cars, the hypercar concept is finished in a green and gold paintjob.

Unlike the Evija, the hypercar appears to be combustion-powered judging by the side exhausts. It appears to adopt a mid-engine layout, with the engine visible behind the glass at the back.

The artist hasn’t said which engine he imagines would power his creation, however. Currently, the Lotus Evora 400 is powered by a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 producing 400 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque. Needless to say, this hypercar would be considerably more powerful if it entered production while slotting below the Evija halo car, which generates 1,972 horsepower and 1,253 lb-ft of torque from two electric motors powered by a 2,000-kW battery.