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.

The $70,000 2009 Nissan GT-R is just about here.

Nissan says this morning that the official on-sale date for the Nurburging-raging sportscar is July 7. The better news: Only 70 percent of the first year's allotment has been sold, so there's still a chance for you to sign up for the GT-R's first-year run of about 2,500 copies.

Pricing for the GT-R is set at $69,850 for the base model, but there's a $1,000 delivery charge on top of that. The GT-R Premium goes for $71,900 plus delivery. Only 671 of Nissan's dealers are being supplied with the sportscar, but details on where those dealers are can be found at the Nissan Web site.

The 2009 Nissan GT-R, as you know well by now, turned in a 7-minute, 29-second lap time at the Nordschliefe, thanks to its 480-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-6. The GT-R also sports 430 pound-feet of torque, a paddle-shifted dual-clutch transmission, and all-wheel drive.

Lamborghini is getting Sirius about satellite radio--at least when it comes to the Murcielago--and today at TheCarConnection.com, we're getting serious about the Gallardo LP560-4.

First, the easy stuff. Lamborghini's hooking up with Audi's BFFs in satellite radio, Sirius. The Sirius service will now be free for all buyers of Murcielagos, some of whom might have the funds to actually buy the whole radio network. A lifetime subscription comes with the mean-looking Murc.

In the slightly slower lane, TheCarConnection.com's finally with the Gallardo program with a full review of the hot rod. I've blogged before to let you know about the Gallardo's new details, extra cache of horsepower, and the track time Lambo gave us at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Now you can get our full review--the consensus of opinions from around the Web, along with TheCarConnection.com's expert assessment of the LP560-4 and some information on pricing, too, if you're really brave.

Take a spin over to the 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 review; you can get a quick take on the newest Lambo in the Bottom Line, along with a real-world rating of the LP560-4--and see how it stacks up against the competition, too.

Stay tuned this week: We have more words on the new Chevrolet Traverse, full reviews of the Honda Element and Lexus SC 430, and more on the 2008 Hyundai Genesis sedan.

Where else on Earth where you can walk into a dealership, plunk down $72,125, and drive away in a car capable of 12-second quarter-miles and mid-24+ mpg on the highway when you pedal softly?

Nowhere, that's where. Is this is a great country or what?

It's no secret that I like Corvettes and am amazed by what an effective, affordable (relatively), and easy-to-use tool they are. (I wrote as much in the review you'll find here.) Driving the new 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 only affirms everything I feel about Chevy's plastic wonder.

While my mileage estimate was unscientific (observing the average mpg function on the trip computer), it was clear that in the flatlands of southeast Michigan, with the speedometer under 70 mph, the loafing seven-liter LS7 V-8 consumes little fuel relative to its size. On the way to Milan Dragway, an hour west of Detroit, my highway economy was better than 25 mpg.

Of course, once at the drag strip, mileage dropped to near single digits, but the Corvette was consuming quarter-mile chunks of pavement in bursts of 505 horsepower. The car was impressively consistent, with nearly a dozen runs scattered within a few hundredths of 12.1 seconds at 122 mph.

The runs weren't perfectly smooth, however, as my Z06 coupe didn't take kindly to powershifting. While I banged out quick 1-2 shifts, there was always some wheel hop from the passenger side. More disturbing was the reticence of this car to approve of 2-3 powershifts. Discretion being the better part of avoiding flatbed trailers, I made the 2-3 shift with a distinct throttle lift. (Saving your equipment to ensure you have a ride home is worth giving up a couple tenths if you're not racing for fame and fortune.)

Chevrolet PR puts the Z06's quarter-mile times at 11.7 seconds with a terminal velocity of 125 mph. I consider this completely reasonable from an example with a few more miles (mine had only 1,200) and less recalcitrant gearbox linkage.

The performance of 2008 Z06 Corvette at Milan Dragway further proves that this 'Vette is an impressive piece of performance hardware that provides a rare combination of explosive performance with fuel economy a nonmillionaire can live with.--Rex Roy

You've been fighting, scrapping, waiting, and drooling for every detail on the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Well, brace yourself for a biggie: The ZR1's base price tag will be $103,000. Add the $1,700 gas-guzzler tax and you're looking at $104,700.

Now that you've stopped swooning, I'll go ahead and let you know the other vital specs for the stunning V-8-powered coupe. The ZR1's supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 will push it to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, 0.3 second faster than the Corvette Z06. It'll hit 100 mph in 7.0, turn in quarter-mile times of 11.3 seconds at 131 mph, and charge to a claimed top speed of 205 mph.

It's the fastest Corvette ever, GM says--and it'll get 14 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway, too. That, Chevrolet says, is better than the Lambo Murcielago and Aston V8 Vantage, and on a par with the Dodge Viper and Porsche 911 GT3.

The ZR1 will come with the features found on the Z06 'Vette. A $10,000 option package throws in power leather seats; side airbags; a navigation system; Bluetooth; a power telescoping steering colum; leather interior trim in a choice of four colors; and Bose premium audio. The only standalone option is chromed wheels, at $2,000.

Stay tuned as we bring you more details on the ZR1.