Lotus is preparing a dramatic return to the world of combustion-powered supercars, with the upcoming Lotus Esprit expected to combine a high-performance V8 engine with hybrid technology, more than 1,000bhp and a target weight of just 1.5 tonnes. A new V6-powered version is also planned, giving the revived Esprit range a lighter and potentially more accessible alternative to the flagship V8.
Codenamed Type 135, the new Lotus supercar is scheduled to launch in 2028 and will sit between the Emira and the all-electric Evija in Lotus’s performance-car lineup. More importantly, it represents a major change in direction for the British sports-car manufacturer, which had previously planned to transition its entire range to electric power by 2028.
Instead, Lotus is embracing a mixed powertrain strategy that combines internal-combustion engines, hybrid technology and fully electric propulsion.
Lotus Esprit V8 Hybrid Targets 1,000bhp
The headline figure for the new Lotus Esprit is expected to be a peak output of more than 1,000bhp. Power will come from a turbocharged V8 engine paired with an electric motor and an 800-volt electrical architecture.
Despite the complexity of the hybrid system, Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng has confirmed that the company is targeting a vehicle weight of approximately 1.5 tonnes for the V8 model.
That is an ambitious goal for a supercar using a V8 engine, hybrid hardware, high-voltage electrical components and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
“Achieving that target with an 800V architecture, a hybrid system, a V8 engine and electric motor in [the car] just is not easy,” Feng said during Lotus’s second-quarter earnings call.
For Lotus, however, reducing weight is more than a technical exercise. It is central to the company’s identity.
The new Esprit is therefore being engineered around the principle that electrification should enhance performance without sacrificing the lightweight, driver-focused character traditionally associated with Lotus.
Formula 1 Technology Could Make the Hybrid System Much Lighter
One of the biggest challenges facing Lotus engineers is the weight of the electric motor.
According to Feng, a conventional 150kW electric motor typically weighs between 75kg and 95kg. Lotus claims it has applied technology derived from Formula 1 development to reduce that figure dramatically.
The company’s target is an electric motor weighing just 20kg.
If achieved, that would represent a substantial reduction in hybrid-system mass and could help Lotus maintain the agility expected from a car carrying a V8 engine and electrification hardware.
The combination of low weight and more than 1,000bhp could also give the new Esprit an exceptional power-to-weight ratio.
That figure may ultimately prove more important to Lotus than outright horsepower, particularly because the company is attempting to differentiate the car from heavier, increasingly electrified supercars.
New Lotus Esprit Will Also Get a V6 Hybrid
The V8 will not be the only engine available for the new generation of Lotus supercars.
Lotus has confirmed that a V6 hybrid powertrain will also be offered, providing a lighter and potentially less expensive version of the car.
The V6 has previously been announced for the next-generation model replacing the Lotus Emira, but its application in the flagship Type 135 marks an important expansion of the combustion-engine strategy.
Both the V6 and V8 engines are being developed by Horse, the powertrain company jointly owned by Geely and Renault.
For buyers who want the Lotus driving experience without the full weight and cost associated with the V8 hybrid system, the V6 could become the more interesting version.
It could also allow Lotus to position the Esprit more effectively against a wider selection of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and McLaren models.
Why Lotus Chose a Hybrid Instead of a Plug-In Hybrid
Perhaps one of the most interesting decisions behind the new Lotus Esprit is the choice of a conventional hybrid system rather than a plug-in hybrid.
Many modern supercars have moved toward plug-in hybrid technology to deliver enormous combined power and meaningful electric-only driving capability. Cars such as the Ferrari 296 GTB, Lamborghini Temerario and Aston Martin Valhalla demonstrate how quickly electrification has become integrated into the supercar segment.
Lotus is taking a different approach.
By avoiding a large plug-in battery, Lotus can reduce battery mass and eliminate some of the additional hardware required for external charging.
The result should be a more compact and lightweight hybrid system.
That fits perfectly with Lotus’s traditional engineering philosophy: use technology where it improves the driving experience, but avoid carrying unnecessary weight.
For a company whose famous philosophy has long revolved around reducing mass rather than simply adding power, the decision makes considerable sense.
Lotus Esprit Design Inspired by the Theory 1
The new Lotus supercar will draw heavily from the Lotus Theory 1 concept unveiled in 2024.
The Theory 1 was designed as an electric supercar concept focused on lightweight construction and driver engagement rather than simply pursuing hypercar-level performance.
Its influence is already visible in Lotus’s preview imagery of the production car.
The rear-end design appears closely related to the Theory 1, although the production version adds a particularly important visual feature: two large exhaust outlets.
That detail provides an unmistakable indication that the upcoming car will have an internal-combustion engine at its heart.
Lotus design chief Ben Payne has confirmed that the Theory 1 received an extremely positive response, making it a logical source of inspiration for the production model.
The Theory 1 measured 4,490mm in length and used a carbonfibre tub to reduce weight.
Lotus previously claimed that approximately 85% of the technology showcased by the concept was ready for production, raising expectations that some of its most radical ideas could appear in the Type 135.
Could the New Lotus Esprit Have Three Seats?
Another potentially controversial feature could be the adoption of a central driving position.
The Theory 1 used a McLaren F1-style three-seat configuration, with the driver positioned centrally and two passenger seats located behind and to either side.
Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng has suggested that the arrangement could be offered on the production car.
There is also a practical reason for considering the configuration.
A centrally positioned driver would eliminate the need to engineer separate left-hand-drive and right-hand-drive driver positions, potentially simplifying production for a global market.
Whether Lotus ultimately adopts the three-seat layout remains to be seen, but it would certainly give the new Esprit a distinctive identity in an increasingly crowded supercar market.
Eight-Speed Dual-Clutch Gearbox for the Lotus Supercar
Power will be transmitted through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission designed specifically to cope with the enormous torque generated by the hybrid V8.
Lotus says the gearbox will be engineered to handle high torque while keeping weight as low as possible.
This focus on transmission mass is another indication that Lotus is approaching the Type 135 differently from manufacturers that have accepted significant weight increases in pursuit of electrification.
The combination of a high-output V8, electric assistance and a lightweight dual-clutch transmission could produce extremely rapid acceleration while retaining the mechanical character Lotus believes its customers value.
Lotus Is Reconsidering the Future of the Internal-Combustion Engine
The Esprit is more than a new model for Lotus. It is a symbol of the company’s strategic reversal.
Geely originally intended Lotus to become an electric-only manufacturer by 2028. However, that strategy was abandoned in 2024 as the transition to EVs proved more difficult than expected, particularly in the luxury and performance segments.
According to Feng, customers in the luxury market continue to value the emotional character of large combustion engines.
The result is a new Lotus strategy based on multiple powertrain technologies rather than a single solution.
That means Lotus can continue developing electric cars while simultaneously investing in combustion engines and hybrid systems.
The upcoming Esprit sits at the centre of that strategy.
The Esprit Will Become Lotus’s New Combustion Halo Car
The new Type 135 will effectively become Lotus’s flagship internal-combustion sports car.
The all-electric Evija remains an extraordinary technical showcase, but production volumes are extremely limited, with only around eight to 10 examples reportedly being produced each year.
The Esprit is intended to occupy a much more commercially significant position.
Feng described the Type 135 as a model that will bridge the gap between the Emira and Evija, combining the mechanical driving character associated with the Emira with technology capable of challenging the performance benchmark established by the Evija.
It will also be built at Hethel in Norfolk alongside the Lotus Emira, strengthening the role of the company’s historic British manufacturing site.
The Lotus Emira Will Continue With Combustion Power
The arrival of the new Esprit does not mean the end of the Emira.
Lotus has confirmed that the current combustion-powered sports car will receive further development.
An updated Emira is expected next year, with Lotus promising that it will be the most powerful and lightest version of the model yet.
A more substantial update will follow later in the decade, with the Emira expected to adopt the Horse V6 engine.
This gives Lotus an increasingly clear hierarchy: the Emira as the more accessible sports car and the Esprit as the company’s flagship combustion-powered supercar.
Lotus Wants Sports Cars to Drive Future Growth
The new strategy also has a significant commercial objective.
Lotus is targeting annual sales of approximately 30,000 vehicles, with sports cars expected to account for around one-third of that volume.
That represents a major shift from the company’s historical sales profile and demonstrates why the continued development of combustion-powered sports cars remains strategically important.
Lotus reportedly sold 6,520 vehicles last year, meaning the company is targeting substantial growth as it expands its lineup across electric SUVs, hybrids and sports cars.
The Esprit will therefore need to be more than an engineering statement. It will have to play an important role in rebuilding Lotus as a globally recognized performance brand.
How Much Will the New Lotus Esprit Cost?
Lotus has not yet announced an official price for the Type 135.
However, Feng has identified the Ferrari 849 Testarossa as a key rival, suggesting that the new Lotus Esprit could enter the market at a price approaching the Ferrari’s £407,617 starting point.
If Lotus can deliver more than 1,000bhp while keeping the V8 model around 1.5 tonnes, the Esprit could offer a compelling alternative to considerably heavier hybrid supercars.
The V6 version should provide a lower entry point, although pricing and final specifications have not yet been revealed.
2028 Lotus Esprit: What We Know So Far
The key specifications and details currently associated with the upcoming Lotus Type 135 include:
- Expected launch: 2028
- Model: Lotus Type 135
- Expected name: Lotus Esprit
- Powertrain: V8 hybrid and V6 hybrid
- V8 output: More than 1,000bhp
- Target weight: Approximately 1,500kg for the V8
- Electrical architecture: 800 volts
- Electric motor: Approximately 20kg target
- Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox
- Construction: Lightweight architecture with extensive use of advanced materials
- Design inspiration: Lotus Theory 1 concept
- Possible seating: Three-seat, central-driving-position layout
- Production location: Hethel, Norfolk, UK
- Key rivals: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and McLaren
- Indicative positioning: Between the Emira and Evija
- Expected starting price: Potentially around £400,000 for the flagship version
The New Lotus Esprit Could Be the Ultimate Expression of Lotus’s Philosophy
The return of the Esprit name would be significant on its own. The original Lotus Esprit became one of Britain’s most recognizable sports cars and eventually gained a V8 engine before production ended in 2004.
More than two decades later, Lotus appears ready to revive that formula for a radically different era.
Instead of choosing between combustion and electric power, the new Esprit will attempt to combine the two. The V8 will provide the emotional soundtrack and instant performance expected from a traditional supercar, while hybrid assistance will deliver additional power and help Lotus meet increasingly demanding emissions regulations.
The real engineering challenge will be keeping everything light.
A 1,500kg target for a 1,000bhp-plus V8 hybrid supercar would be an impressive achievement, particularly when the industry is moving toward increasingly complex electrified drivetrains.
If Lotus succeeds, the 2028 Esprit could become one of the most interesting performance cars of the decade: a supercar that embraces modern hybrid technology without abandoning the lightweight engineering and driver-focused dynamics that made Lotus famous.
And perhaps that is the most important part of the Esprit’s comeback. Lotus is no longer trying to decide whether its future should be electric or combustion-powered. Instead, it is betting that the future of performance cars will be about using the right technology while keeping the driver at the centre of the experience.
Source: Autocar