Last week we told you about the new Lotus 2+2 project, developed under the codename Eagle. Today, I'm reporting from the London Motor Show, where Lotus has confirmed that the name of the new two-seater will be Evora.

The 2009 Lotus Evora, like the smaller two-seat Elise, uses a blend of Lotus-developed chassis pieces and powertrain and technology elements borrowed from other automakers. The Evora is powered by a modified Toyota 3.5-liter V-6 engine, mounted mid-ship and modified to produce 280 horsepower. Anti-lock braking, traction and stability controls have been developed with Bosch.

Lotus says the Evora began in October 2006 as a clean sheet of paper, and to date, 19 pre-production versions have already rolled off their lines as the prepare for the begin of production.

The Evora also shows the direction of the (very long-anticipated) new Esprit, which will follow it to market in 2010. Both vehicles will use Lotus’ new Versatile Vehicle Architecture, with aluminum construction and other lightweight chassis components. Lotus promises three all-new vehicles in the next five years, so it's probable that a smaller version of this architecture will replace for the Elise before too long. With all three models on sale, Lotus plans to sell no more than 5,000 to 6,000 vehicles total a year, to keep its exclusivity and to keep its cars for "the few who know the difference," as execs said at the London show.

Stay with us for more details on the Evora and the London show; in the meantime, see these first pics of the Evora from the show floor, along with the latest handout pics from Lotus.

Lotus has released a teaser picture and some information on its long-anticipated 2+2, mid-engine sports car, termed Project Eagle. The model, which has been otherwise termed the GT, will get an official name when Lotus pulls the official wraps off at the British Motorshow in London next week.

The new sports car, which mixes a sleek form with sharper sheetmetal nips and tucks, introduces more sharply creased sheetmetal, borrows some cues from the Elise but is clearly oriented toward minimizing aerodynamic turbulence, reducing the coefficient of drag, and increasing down force, and thus stability, at triple-digit speeds. The ‘cab forward’ proportions lend it a supercar silhouette, at least from this first picture. Especially of note are the air intakes alongside the rear fender flanks—a very functional yet stylish necessity for its mid-engine design.

As with the Elise, Lotus looked outside for its powertrain and technology elements. Project Eagle is powered by a modified Toyota 3.5-liter V-6 engine, mounted mid-ship and modified to produce 280 horsepower. Anti-lock braking, traction and stability controls have been developed with Bosch.

In addition to the production vehicle that the Project Eagle previews, it also shows the direction of the (very long-anticipated) new Esprit, which will follow the Project Eagle sports car in 2010. Both vehicles will use Lotus’ new Versatile Vehicle Architecture, with aluminum construction and other lightweight chassis componentry.

Inside, expect a level of interior appointments not previously seen in a product from the small-scale Britich maker, including a sweeping instrument panel with contrasting color band, aluminum inserts, leather trim with contrast stitching, aggressively bolstered sport seats, and a flat-bottom steering wheel. Blue LED lighting and a heavily styled gauge cluster are also part of the package, which should serve to help push the old Esprit’s plasticky, rattle-trap interior out of memory.

Interior comforts and conveniences will include a touch-screen navigation system with hard-drive audio storage, high-end from Alpine, Bluetooth and iPod integration, and a ‘progressive’ air conditioning system—which we take as meaning adequate and effective, as opposed to those systems in several other low-volume vehicles we can think of. And if you’re still having doubts, cupholders and storage bins are also included.

Lotus says that the cargo area adjacent to the engine bay will provide space for a set of golf clubs; a two-seater with an expanded cargo compartment is also planned.

Pricing hasn’t yet been announced, but we expect the Project Eagle car—which would take on the Porsche 911—to be priced well under the $100k mark. Lotus plans to sell only 2000 per year, with deliveries beginning in Spring 2009.

Although performance figures haven’t yet been finalized either, Lotus cites a preliminary top speed of 160 mph and a 0-60 time of less than five seconds. —Bengt Halvorson

It's the first new Lotus to appear since the Elise--and the "Project Eagle" mid-engined roadster has been confirmed for a world debut at the British Motor Show on July 22.

The new car is the first to come from the new Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA) that appeared in the Lotus APX concept vehicle a few years back. Powering the new machine--which will likely replace the Esprit in the Lotus lineup until a V-8 supercar can be developed--will be a Toyota-sourced V-6 engine that could produce more than 300 horsepower in turbocharged form.

This is the first teaser image to be liberated from the Lotus folks (kudos to Carscoop), though Lotus has shown bits and pieces of the Project Eagle's chassis and suspension.

We'll bring you more information on the new Lotus as the British show approaches in a month.

If you listen to press releases, you’ll gladly accept that this sketch will one day become the ZAP-X crossover vehicle, a joint venture of California’s ZAP and Lotus Engineering.

Perhaps a rundown of the proposed mechanicals will jade up those notions. ZAP says four in-hub motors—like those Toyota has been tinkering with for a few years—will spin out 644 horsepower. The ZAP-X’s aluminum space frame, so costly at Audi, will be mounted with these motors in the ZAP crossover. And batteries will provide a 350-mile driving range and a 10-minute recharge time, something we can’t even get from our damned T-Mobile Dash.

“We believe that the ZAP-X will become the most advanced, most practical and most appealing flagship electric vehicle to date and will
revolutionize the industry providing the driver with the enjoyment of a
sports car and the practicality of an SUV," ZAP CEO Steve Schneider said in a release.

Believe at your own risk.

ZAP Sketches Crossover with Lotus—TheCarConnection.com