The Lotus Eletre is a big deal for the British carmaker.
Best known for its iconic sports and racing cars, the Eletre is the first SUV in the company’s 75-year history.
Supercar Blondie’s Sergi Galiano recently got the keys to the Hyper-SUV to see if it was worthy of the badge.
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“In all of the years of reviewing cars, this is one of the cars that has impressed me the most,” Sergi said.
Big words from the big man – but what impressed Sergi the most?
Design
Starting with its exterior, the Lotus Eletre looks as if it’s been carved by air.
Design director Russell Carr said “every design element is to achieve lightness”.
Apparently, over a three-year period, the automaker analyzed air flow through the car, not just over it.
The result is a body with smooth surfaces cut by sharp lines, maximizing the aerodynamics.
The Eletre features an active front grille that opens and closes to optimize drag, cool its electric motors or assist braking when required.
Air is channeled under and through the two exit vents in the bonnet.
Additionally, air vents appear behind the front wheel arches, rear wheels and even at the top of the D-pillars.
At the rear, a unique cantilevered carbon fiber split roof spoiler floats as it adapts to improve performance.
The Lotus Eletre has a dramatic, aggressive and low-to-the-ground stance as it rides on 23-inch rims.
Interior
The Hyper-SUV is offered as either a four-seater with two individual buckets in the rear or as a five-seater with a three-place rear bench.
Its cabin features an interesting mixture of materials inlcuding microfiober, stitched leather, wool-blend fabric, and milled bronze accents.
When put together, it creates a beautifully upscale appearance and feel inside.
This is new for the brand, which is usually known for its stripped-down, lightweight interiors.
Up front, there’s a 15.1-inch touchscreen that dominates the dashboard, running on a version of parent company Geely’s ECARX infotainment system.
Tech
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard, whereas a head-up display and an upgraded audio system with 23 speakers and 1,500 watts are optional extras.
According to Lotus, the Eletre will be capable of driving in a semi-autonomous mode thanks to several LIDAR sensors that are mounted on the roof and front wheel arches.
These sensors rise out of the bodywork and retract when not in use.
Now for the all-important bit – what powers the Lotus Eletre.
Power and price
The Eletre’s base powertrain is a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup making 603 horsepower.
However, the top-spec R – the $150,000-model tested – boasts a whopping 905 horsepower and a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) time of only 2.9 seconds.
Okay, it might not be as agile as the brand’s sports cars, but you can see just how much fun Sergi had driving the Lotus Eletre in the video above!
