Yahoo Autos Here's Our First Look at the Next All-New Lotus
Even with a confusing name like "Theory 1," we at Road & Track would be lying to say we’re not excited to at least see what the newest member of the Lotus sports car lineup looks like. And we won’t have to wait long, either — as the Lotus Theory 1 is set to be released on September 17, according to the brand's marketing chief, Qiao Xinyu.
The only crumb of information we have so far about the Theory 1 comes from a photo posted to Xinyu’s social media, depicting a low-slung rear wing above a “Lotus” badge. Given that the brand has promised to pivot entirely to electric vehicles, and has already revealed an EV supercar (the Evija), an EV SUV (the Eletre) and an EV sedan (the Emeya) but has yet to showcase a proper electric successor to the gasoline-powered Emira, it seems quite likely that the Theory 1 will previews Lotus’s bread-and-butter sports car — though given the brand's love of names that start with E, a name change along the way seems likely.
In a briefing earlier this year, Lotus teased an all-electric successor to the Emira and Elise lineup called the Type 135. The Theory 1 could be the first iteration of this sporty EV. According to an Autocar interview with Mike Johnstone, the Lotus Group’s chief commercial officer, the electric Type 135 coupe isn't meant to be sold in high volumes; the English brand is reportedly aiming for annual sales of 10,000–15,000 units.
The launch of the Eletre sport-utility vehicle left some Lotus purists feeling like the company has abandoned its lightweight, no-frills ethos, but Johnstone says otherwise.“We’re not naive enough to say that the Eletre is going to feel like an Elise,” Johnstone said to Autocar. “We need the bullseye of the brand, which has to be that two-seat sports car. Otherwise, we’re just a brand with a Lotus badge. The sports car is an essential part of our future.”
Pricing has been a significant focus of this sports car revitalization, Johnstone said. Though initial reports about Lotus’s Type 135 hinted that the model wouldn’t go on sale until 2027, the target price of £75,000 ($98,000 at current exhange rates) was firm. That’s not particularly affordable by most standards; that said, the sports car market has continued to drive upwards in price in recent years, with a base Porsche Boxster now starting at $72,000.
Official details on the Theory 1 remain sparse, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated as we approach the official announcement on Tuesday, September 17.
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