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Developed by Lotus Engineering and licensed to Harman International, Halosonic is also capable of generating flat six, V8 and V12 sounds—but care must be taken to avoid these at all costs. They are freakishly wrong. Better stick with variations of “Futuristic”.

The system itself is rather more complex than a simple Star Trek gimmick. The video depicts only one of four pillars of Halosonic, namely EESS: external electronic sound synthesis. A technical explanation is available at Lotus’s R&D department, complete with decibel charts and a sea of TLA’s. If you’re prepared for an onslaught of EOC, RNC, IESS and EESS, documentation awaits here.

Photo Credit: Pedro Moura Pinheiro/Flickr, Lotus Engineering. Hat tip to Máté Petrány.

Here's the press release:

2010 Lotus Evora Pricing Will Start at $73,500 in the US

In preparation for the arrival of the all-new 2010 Evora into the US market during the first quarter of 2010, two Evoras are set to begin a 44 dealer Open House Tour. Following are the Evora's US market product content, option packages, pricing details and the full Open House Tour schedule.

All-New 2010 Lotus Evora Prepares for Launch
While Evora production for the UK and European markets has been ramping up for months to begin fulfilling their orders, production for the US and Canadian markets has yet to begin. Though the Evora has only been shown on a few occasions thus far in the US and Canada, approximately the first two months of production are already pre-sold. To enable more sports car aficionados an opportunity to see the Evora in person, starting Friday, November 13 two Evoras will embark on a 44 dealer Open House Tour of the US.

The Lotus Evora in Summary
The Lotus Evora will enter the sports car market as the only mid-engine 2+2 in production. Evora is designed for people who desire the exotic sports car characteristics of stunning design, exclusivity, dramatic proportions and performance. However, it offers real-world usability, surprising efficiency and a unique sense of occasion as well.

Powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 producing 276 hp at 6,400 rpm and 258 lb./ft. of torque at 4,700 rpm, the Evora employs innovative lightweight chassis technology to ensure all-around exceptional dynamic performance, in keeping with the great Lotus tradition. From its beginning over 60 years ago, Lotus' consistent guiding principle has been to achieve ‘performance through lightweight' and that's always meant all facets of performance including efficiency. The Evora provides unassailable proof of this ethos as the only regular production car in the world capable of accelerating from 0 – 60 mph in under 5 seconds (4.9), on up to a top speed over 160 mph (162) while also delivering 30+ miles per gallon on the highway.

Inside the Evora simplicity meets sophistication in an exquisite combination of detailing and hand-built craftsmanship. By using only the finest leather from renowned experts Muirhead, the interior is hand-trimmed and twin-stitched to create a beautifully tactile and visually striking environment. Genuine aluminum instrument and center console surfaces contain ergonomically positioned controls providing a purposeful drivers' cockpit. The leather wrapped steering wheel is tilt and telescopically adjustable, flat-bottomed to ease entry and exit and made from ultra-lightweight magnesium to provide super-precise feel through the wheel. The adjustable Recaro seats cradle the occupants and, along with the perfectly placed aluminum pedals, complete the optimum connection between driver - Evora - and the road. The rear seat area is cleverly hidden within the exotic, mid-engine profile of the Evora. An Alpine audio system with available touch-screen navigation, iPod™ (and other MP3 player) connectivity, Bluetooth and other amenities make the journey all the more pleasant. The Evora is a pure sports car that you can happily, comfortably enjoy every day.

For peace of mind, the 2010 Lotus Evora has a 3-year/36,000-mile limited vehicle warranty with an 8-year chassis perforation warranty.

Most of us could go a lifetime and never see a Europa outside of a car show or vintage race, but Plecostomus found a nice one in El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río de Porciúncula, otherwise known as Los Angeles. Here's what he had to say:

I found a DOTS Lotus Europa today. I'd never even SEEN one in person. And it follows the rules— it was parked on the street (Los Alamitos Blvd— why anyone would park a Europa on Los Alamitos BLVD is beyond me... it's like asking for the car to get destroyed)

It was some kind of commemorative edition with badging that said Constructor's Championship and several years (likely referring to F1)

The full-size replica normally sits outside the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, but sustained significant damage when it was flipped over by wind during a storm last year. Lotus intends to repair the body, re-attach the wings and convert the plane from a Mark IX to a Mark II - the model that flew during the battle - by removing the cannon pods. The plane will then be displayed in London's Trafalgar Square as part of a series of events planned to commemorate the historic battle.

The Battle of Britain was the first major war campaign to be fought entirely in the air and marked a turning point in WWII, preventing a German invasion of England which seemed incredibly likely after British soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk. Lasting from 10 July to 31 October, 1940 it was also Germany's first major defeat during the war.

"When you say model it conjures up images of a little toy, but it turns out it's rather bigger than that," said Lotus's Neil turner. "The level of detail on it is really good, it's very realistic." The model includes genuine Spitfire parts like the wheels and canopy. There are only 44 complete and original Spitfires left in the world. Lotus hopes to finish repairs by the new year. [via Evening News 24]

This car is currently available in RHD drive mode only, purely for the Japanese market, but it provides an interesting alternative to the Elise in the world of featherweight sports cars.

Lotus' most sinister new Exige, the Scura takes all the things we'd commit crimes to get and adds an entire new level of evil with a fully blacked out paint job, mixing up the matte and gloss finish with a dash of carbon fiber in the splitters and spoilers. Inside the Scura has carbon fibers seats, center console, E-brake and other baubles. Let's just say it's lighter and prettier.

It's not just show though, with launch control, tunable traction control and fully adjustable Ohlins dampers, the car can make a sprint to 62 MPH with limited tire spin in a scant 4.1 seconds. Limited to just 35 cars, the Exige Scura will most certainly be a feather in the cap for the most fanatical of the Lotus aficionado.

Contrasting a matte black finish triple high-gloss "Phantom Menace Black" stripes that run from the back all the way to its carbon fiber lip. But this Sith lord's more than just a new appearance package. It's lighter — although we're not told by home much — and faster, with the little Toyota 1.8-liter engine generating 256 HP, the Exige Scura achieves a top speed of around 152 MPH and has a 0-to-62 of just 4.1 seconds.

We'll see the Stealth version of this new track-day tie fighter live later this week here in Tokyo.

The Lotus force has a dark side: Revealed - the exclusive 'Exige Scura'

Lotus Cars unveils its latest special edition - the Exige Scura, so called due to its dramatic matt black and carbon fibre theme, at the Tokyo International Motorshow on 21st of October 2009.

Translated as 'dark' from Italian, the name 'Scura' reflects the stealth character of this already fierce looking Lotus and its stunning soft-feel matt black paint finish. Limited to just 35 cars globally, this Exige evokes a desire to 'indulge your dark side'. This is a serious looking car and enhancements to performance and a reduction in weight from the production level Exige S means that the Exige Scura demands to be driven by a serious driver.

Contrasting high gloss 'Phantom Black' triple stripes run the length of the car and a carbon fibre front splitter, oil cooler inlet vanes, side airscoops and rear spoiler enhance the stunning distinction between the different textures and exaggerate the tactile quality of the velvety touch to the matt black paint finish.

Luke Bennett, Director of Lotus Cars said, "The Exige Scura is a stunning vehicle which offers an adrenaline fuelled experience and is a real head-turner! Our Exige customers choose Lotus because we deliver thrilling performance and dynamic design and this special edition fits the bill on both counts."

Continuing the dark 'Scura' appearance into the interior, carbon fibre is used extensively to compliment the exterior theme and reduce weight. The seats and centre console are crafted from carbon fibre and the handbrake and gear knob have a special anodized treatment which leaves the metal with an anthracite colour finish. All carbon fibre components have been beautifully finished in high-gloss clear lacquer allowing the weave to remain exposed which gives the cabin a raw and racy ambiance.

Whilst there is no doubt that this is a visually stunning car, the Exige Scura is not just about its looks – it begs to be taken on track, and its racing character encompasses poise, power and technology to make it a serious contender. Equipped with the most powerful engine in the Exige range and generating 260PS, the Exige Scura achieves a top speed of around 245 km/h and reaches 0-100 kmh in just 4.1 seconds.

Other equipment fitted as standard to boost the Exige Scura's track credentials include:
Launch control to ensure optimum performance from a standing start
Variable slip traction control, enabling the driver to tune the car to track surface conditions and their own driving style
Ohlins 2-way adjustable dampers for personalised ride and handling characteristics
Roger Becker, Vehicle Engineering Director, highlighted the performance of the Exige Scura, "There are very few cars in the world that turn in the performance of the Exige Scura without the penalty of very high fuel consumption and emissions. As with all Lotus sportscars we offer the best of both worlds – a zero to 100 km/h time of just over 4 seconds and a CO2 figure of 199 g/km; all this is down to light weight and a strict adherence to Lotus' core brand values."

Considering the performance on offer, the Exige Scura boasts impressive all round fuel economy with an Official European Combined Cycle figure of 8.5 litres/100 km and 6.5 litres/100 km on the Official European Extra Urban Cycle and emissions of 199 g/km of CO2.

Orders for the 'Lotus Exige Scura' will be accepted from 21 October 2009 in Europe, South Korea, Australia, South Africa, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Indonesia and Malaysia. This special edition will be available on the same basis in Japan known as the 'Lotus Exige Stealth'.

The Exige Scura in more detail Performance and enhancements;
0-100 kmh in 4.1 seconds and 199 g/km CO2
Lotus Launch Control and Lotus Traction Control as standard

The Lotus Exige Scura uses the 1.8 litre supercharged and intercooled 260 PS engine from the range topping Exige Cup 260, including the lightweight flywheel and lightweight supercharger pipework. Coupled with Ohlins 2 way adjustable dampers and Eibach Springs with variable height spring platforms, unique matt black lightweight forged wheels and super sticky Yokohama 048 LTS tyres, ride and handling is as expected for a Lotus!

Lightweight carbon fibre components, including sports seats, interior centre console, front splitter, oil cooler inlet vanes, side airscoops and rear spoiler help to keep the weight to 10kg less than the Lotus Exige S (at just 925 kg). Lotus Launch Control and Lotus Traction Control – additions recommended for track driving

Lotus Launch Control and Lotus Traction Control were originally developed for the Lotus Exige GT3 racing programme.

The launch control allows the driver to determine the number of revs they wish to use during a standing start. Having programmed that limit, the driver then holds the throttle pedal down fully and sidesteps the clutch pedal for a very quick departure from the line. The clutch damper cushions the severity of the clutch to transmission engagement to minimise the stresses to the drivetrain. The launch control allows wheel-spin until 10 km/h (6 mph) to further reduce drivetrain stress, after which the traction control assumes its duties at the defined level set by the driver.

As with launch control, the amount of traction control required can be dialled in from the driver's seat and altered on the move to suit the characteristics of particular corners. The amount of traction control can be varied in over 30 increments from an optimum 7 percent tyre slip to completely inactive. The message display in the new instrument pack displays what degree of traction control is being currently utilised.

Suspension
To suit individual driving styles and road conditions, drivers will now be able to tune the Exige suspension with the Ohlins two-way adjustable dampers (which have 60 compression and 22 rebound settings) and ride height adjustment to reduce the ride height from 130 mm to 120 mm.

Performance, Economy and Emissions
The Lotus Exige Scura is capable of incredible track performance which and at the heart of its success is the aerodynamic package, which produces 42 kg of downforce at 160 km/h (100 mph) increasing grip and stability at higher speeds. This downforce, coupled with a top speed of around 245 km/h (152 mph) and a zero to 160 km/h (100 mph) in circa 9.9 seconds, 0 to 100 km/h in circa 4.1 seconds (0 to 60 mph in around 4 seconds), means that the Exige Scura is not only stunning to look at but a phenomenal performer too. Combined cycle fuel consumption is 8.5 l/100km and the CO2 emissions of 199 g/km.

Engine
The supercharged and intercooled engine in the Exige Scura has a maximum power output of 260 PS (257 hp) at 8000 rpm and a torque figure of 236 Nm (174 lbft) at 6000 rpm. This significant amount of extra power and torque over the production level Exige S together with the VVTL-i variable cam system ensures that there is a smooth and linear delivery of power from low engine speeds all the way to the maximum 8000 rpm (8500 rpm transient for 2 seconds). The supercharger (with a sealed-for-life internal mechanism meaning that it does not require the use of the engine's oil) is run from the crankshaft and has an integral bypass valve for part load operation. Charge air (air under pressure from the supercharger) is cooled through an air-to-air intercooler (the air enters via the enhanced roof scoop) before being fed into the engine itself. All charge air ducting has been kept as short as possible with large diameter pipes to minimise restriction and maximise throttle response and efficiency. Four high capacity injectors and an uprated fuel pump add additional fuel under hard acceleration or continuous high speed driving – only on the track, of course!

A lightweight flywheel is fitted (giving even greater flexibility and response to the gear change), a sports-type clutch plate and heavy duty clutch cover transfer the engine power and torque to the lightweight C64 six-speed gearbox (with an aluminium casing) – with the same perfectly spaced ratios as the Exige S. An Accusump (engine oil accumulator unit) is included in the whole package as an oil reservoir back-up for extreme track use ensuring that, under those conditions, the engine oil pressure remains constant.

Recommended retail prices of the standard road specification Lotus Exige Scura
UK (MSRP)
Recommended retail price (including VAT) is £45,000 (an additional £950 is charged for on the road costs. These include delivery, PDI, first service, number plates, first registration fee, valet, 12 months Road Fund Licence and a full tank of fuel.)

Recommended retail prices of the standard road specification Lotus Exige Scura for the following markets (MSRP) (including transport, delivery, local taxes and first service but excluding registration, license plates and or a full tank
of fuel):
Belgium € 61.820,—
France € 61.200,—
Italy € 61.885,—
Switzerland CHF 90.225,—
Recommended retail prices of the standard road specification Lotus Exige Scura for the following markets (MSRP) (including local taxes but excluding transport, registration, license plates and or a full tank of fuel):
Germany € 60.000,—
Recommended retail prices for other Euro Zone Countries (MSRP) (excluding local taxes, transport, registration, license plates and or a full tank of fuel):
Euro Zone € 50.420,—

Paint Warranty
The Lotus Exige Scura is painted in a 'soft feel' water borne matt black paint finish that is resistant to most normal forms of atmospheric attack provided the special cleaning and maintenance requirements as specified by Lotus are strictly adhered
to. However due to the textured matt finish, fading or discolouration of all or part of the matt paint finish may occur during the early life of the vehicle and this is considered normal and is specifically excluded from any warranty given by Lotus.
The special matt paint finish utilised on the Lotus Scura is provided with a limited warranty of the earlier of 12 months or 12,000 miles/20,000 km from the date of first registration of the vehicle. Please consult your Authorised Lotus Dealer for full details.

Official European Combined Cycle = 8.5 litres / 100 km (33.2 mpg)
Official European Extra Urban Cycle = 6.5 litres/100 km (43.5 mpg)
Official European Urban Cycle = 11.9 litre/100 km (23.7 mpg)
CO2 emissions = 199 g/km

Although far from finished, the F1 racer's been fitted with newly mandated skinnier front tires and a bigger gas tank and it's just finished wind tunnel testing.

The team at Lotus got a late start on their entry and as such are working overtime to complete the car by February 2010 for early testing in March. It's been validated in the wind tunnel, but the parts actually need to be built, complete with all machining, carbon fiber work and assembly. The Lotus will be powered by a Cosworth engine and an Xtrac transmission. [Automobile]

Those dampers are part of the optional track pack, replacing the one-way adjustable Bilsteins and building on the standard adjustable anti-roll bars and traction control sensitivity to tailor the S240 to a specific driver's needs.

Here's the press release:

Introducing the New 2010 Lotus Exige S240

The exciting new 2010 Lotus Exige S240 enters the United States and Canadian markets in the fall of 2009 with new front styling, a new rear wing and the same rare combination of exceptional performance and high efficiency.

The Lotus Exige is a renowned high performance coupe that has a well earned reputation as the choice for drivers who demand uncompromised performance, both on the road and on the track.

The 2010 Exige S240 introduces a few key enhancements to update the appearance and improve aerodynamic performance.

A restyled front end and new larger, low drag rear wing, not only reduces drag, but also gives a more muscular stance enhancing the lightweight shrink-wrapped look of the whole car.

The restyled front end includes a larger, more angular air intake to help funnel more air through the radiator to improve the efficiency of the engine. Ahead of the front wheels, on either side of the central aperture, two additional intakes feed airflow to the twin oil coolers. Horizontal vanes bisect these oil cooler air-intakes to stabilize the airflow and further increase the cooling efficiency.

Mounted below the three new air intakes, is a new aerodynamic splitter for the 2010 Exige S240. Made from a lightweight composite, the splitter is now extended to wrap around the whole front end and chiseled side lips are raised to deflect air around the tires to reduce drag.

The composite rear wing is based on the design from the Exige GT3 road car concept shown at the Geneva Motorshow in 2007. Compared to the 2009 Lotus Exige's tailgate mounted wing it is 7.1 inches wider and mounted 1.8 inches higher and 2.4 inches further back. The new rear wing is mounted to the rear body-shell clam via end plates which not only increases the stiffness of the whole structure but also ensures that as much of the airflow as possible passes over the rear wing. This careful airflow management increases stability, reduces drag and, most importantly, maintains the impressive downforce figure of 93 pounds at 100 mph.

The light weight Exige S240 has one of the highest specific power outputs of any globally emissions certified car at 133 hp per liter and is a perfect demonstration of Colin Chapman's philosophy of performance through light weight and of Lotus' relentless pursuit of efficiency. The same technology that makes a light weight car a high performer also makes it efficient. How many cars available on the market today can rocket from 0 – 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, continue on up to a top speed of 150 mph and yet return an EPA rated 26 mpg in highway driving?"

Like all Lotus cars, the functional components of the car are also beautifully designed as Russell Carr, Chief of Lotus Design, explains, "For 2010 we have taken the already visually extreme Exige and given it even more visual drama. The changes we have integrated to the front and rear of the Exige signal an even clearer and purposeful intent. The functional rear wing is race-inspired, the new angular air intakes and full width splitter give a more hard-edged and aggressive look. Overall, the Exige appears more planted and gives the illusion that both the front and rear of the car are wider than they really are, yet without losing its agile and sleek character."

Roger Becker, Director of Vehicle Engineering said, "The changes we have made to the 2010 Exige are quite subtle when taken individually, but taken as a complete package they make significant improvements to aerodynamics and the overall look of the car. The Exige is a classic fit-for-purpose performance machine. The design tweaks we have made have reduced the drag by cleaning up the airflow around the front and rear of the car while retaining the impressive balanced downforce figures. The end result is an exciting high performance driving experience."

The heart of Exige S 240

The roof integrated air intake scoop feeds air through the air-to-air intercooled and supercharged 1.8 liter Lotus-tuned and Toyota-sourced 2ZZ-GE engine with Intelligent Variable Valve Timing (VVT-i) to provide 240hp at 8,000 rpm and 170 ft.-lbs. of torque at 5,500. Weighing just 2,077 pounds, the Exige S240 sprints to 60 mph in a blistering 4.1 seconds and the 100 mph barrier sails by in approximately 10 seconds. Despite its supercar-like acceleration and 150 mph top speed, fuel economy is a rather un-supercar-like 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway thanks, in part, to the aluminum six-speed manual gearbox and proprietary Lotus T4e Engine Control System which includes variable rpm cam switching.

Lotus Launch Control and Lotus Traction Control:

Passing along lessons learned on the track with the Exige GT3 racing program, Lotus Sport has contributed another important technology – variable launch control combined with variable traction control.

The launch control allows the driver to determine the number of revs they wish to use during a standing start. Having programmed that limit, the driver then holds their foot down fully on the throttle pedal and sidesteps the clutch pedal for a very quick departure from the line. The clutch damper cushions the severity of the clutch to transmission engagement to minimize the stresses to the drivetrain. The launch control also keeps wheel-spin at bay until 6 mph, after which the traction control assumes its duties.

As with launch control, the driver can adjust the amount of traction control desired from the driver's seat, altering it on the move to suit the characteristics of particular corners. The amount of traction control can be varied in over 30 increments from 0 to 7 percent tire slip, or completely off. The information center within the instrument cluster displays what degree of traction control you have currently dialled in.

Chassis, Suspension and Braking:

At the Exige's core is a revolutionary chassis comprised of extruded and sheet aluminum and constructed with aerospace epoxy bonding techniques, the first of its kind in the world. The chassis weighs a mere 150 pounds, which enables the U.S. spec Exige to tip the scales at an incredibly svelte 2,077 pounds including standard air conditioning, ABS, power windows, dual airbags, audio system and other amenities that make driving the Exige a pleasure. Despite meeting Lotus founder Colin Chapman's mandate of extremely light weight, the Exige's structure is tough enough to meet all U.S. government crash standards. The suspension tuning and effectiveness in any car is only as good as the 'bracket' it's all attached to. The epoxy-bonded extruded and sheet aluminum chassis structure of the Exige has high torsional rigidity providing a strong base that enables very precise tuning of the dampers and springs to strike the perfect balance between exceptional handling capabilities and grip while still providing a comfortable ride.

The 2010 Exige S240 will continue to have a fully independent suspension with unequal length wishbones, Eibach springs and one-way adjustable Bilstein gas dampers along with an adjustable front anti-roll bar to allow customers to tailor the handling characteristics of the car to their own requirements.

New for 2010, the optional Track Package will include adjustable Ohlins dampers with threaded spring perches and remote oil reservoirs front and rear.

The brake system includes large diameter 308 mm cross-drilled and ventilated front and 282 mm cross-drilled and ventilated rear discs with AP Racing 4-piston front and Brembo single-piston rear calipers. The Lotus track-tuned, servo-assisted, four-channel ABS system enhances braking performance and minimizes stopping distance without taking over from the skill of the driver.

The 2010 Exige S240 in more detail:

There are several other enhancements that make the Exige range more sophisticated and a better value than ever before. As with the 2009 model year Exige range, driver and passenger airbags are standard on all models and an on-board Tire Pressure Monitoring System is standard in North American cars.

The instrument pack in the Exige contains so much more than just a pair of stylishly back-lit dials. It also features a high-definition LCD message panel that can display a scrolling text message with vehicle systems information.

The instrument pack always displays the fuel gauge, engine temperature and odometer, however you can select to display the time, trip distance or a digital read-out of your speed in the opposite calibration to that of your speedometer dial – if your dial is in mph, the readout is in km/h.

Warning symbols are 'hidden until lit', keeping the instrumentation free from visual clutter and distraction until necessary and then providing the warning information on a 'need to know' basis. Gear change 'shift' lights similarly remain hidden until required. There are three shift up lights, cumulatively lighting when the driver is getting closer to the rev limiter and when all three are illuminated, they flash to indicate that you're almost on the rev limiter so it's time to change up a gear!

A "key" issue

The Exige has a "Thatcham approved" alarm/immobiliser system and the key incorporates the controls for the alarm/immobiliser and central locking functions. This key features three buttons, the one which locks the doors and sets the alarm/immobiliser is stylishly crowned with the famous Lotus roundel. The second button unlocks the doors and de-activates the alarm/immobiliser, and the final button is a panic button to sound the alarm in case the driver needs to call attention to the car for any reason.

The new 2010 Lotus Exige S240 is scheduled to launch in the US and Canada in the Fall of 2009. Pricing for the 2010 Exige S240 will remain consistent with the 2009 model year cars starting at $65,690 without destination charges.

Some of my oversights were really obvious head-clutchers (e.g., Trabant, Saab 96, De Tomaso Pantera), while others required making all sorts of crypto-arbitrary judgment calls. In order to prevent the flood of hate mails I got from Land Rover, Jeep, and Toyota FJ freaks with Part I, we're going to make one seemingly obvious point even more obvious:
NO TRUCKS! NO TRUCKS! CARS ONLY!
Got it? And, once again, we're denying the Ford Fox and Panther platforms and the Volvo 140/240 entrance to this list. That doesn't mean we don't love those cars (in fact, I've owned at least one of each), but each underwent a major chassis redesign before it hit the magical 20-year mark. I'm still not convinced that the C2 and C3 Corvettes are the same car, and Ford's nostalgic reissue of a handful of ceremonial Model Ts doesn't add another year of production to the T's scorecard. Feel free to debate the merits of these decisions in your comments, but try to keep the venom level at or below rattlesnake level. OK, here we go, in order of years of seniority:

Morgan 4/4
54 years (1955-present)
When Morgan redesigned the suspension for the 4/4 Series II in 1955, they figured there wouldn't be much need to change anything after that. Engine suppliers come and go, so they've had to change powerplants every so often (the current 4/4 comes with a Ford Duratec four), but otherwise the Morgan remains pretty much the same wood-framed machine our grandparents knew and loved.
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Lotus / Caterham Seven
52 years (1957-present)
You don't see Sevens on the street very often, since the racetrack is this car's natural habitat, but they are road-legal motor vehicles and thus qualify for this series. Lotus built the Seven until 1972, and Caterham (and about 500 million others) have kept the production lines going since then.
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Hongqi CA770
40 years (1958-1998)
Even the Great Helmsman himself needed a car, for those occasions when he had to inspect the progress of the Great Leap Forward, and there was no way that the People's Republic Of China was going to let the running dogs of imperialism outdo them when it came to classy luxury rides for important government officials. Thus was the Hongqi CA770 limousine born. It appears to have ZIS ancestry, but the Bamboo Curtain keeps such sensitive state secrets from our hands.
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Nissan President 150/250
24 years (1965-1989)
Until replaced by a stretched version of the car we know as the Infiniti Q45, Nissan's luxury flagship was the mighty President. The styling appears to have hints of Mercedes-Benz W123 and Plymouth Volaré, and power came courtesy of the President-only Nissan Y OHV V8.
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Trabant
34 years (1957-1991)
There's not much to say about the most famous Warsaw Pact vehicle of all: two pistons, two strokes, plastic body, and more than three million made. Primitive by any standard, but it put East Germany on wheels!
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Bristol Type 603
33 years (1976-present)
The case could be made that the 603 was really just a warmed-over version of the 1946 Bristol line, but we're setting the 1976 body redesign as the cutoff. You could get a 603 with a Chrysler 318 or 360, and some even came with factory turbocharging!
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Lada Niva
32 years (1979-present)
I dismissed the Lada Niva for its truckishness the first time around, but Unicmanest has convinced me that it's no more a truck than was the AMC Eagle or Subaru Outback. And no, there's no possible way to convince me that the Land Rover was really a car.
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Toyota Century
30 years (1967-1997)
The first generation of the Toyota Century limo, which was based on the Crown luxury car, stayed pretty much the same for 30 years. Why tinker with a successful formula? The "Toyota Hemi" V series V8 powered this perennial zaibatsu favorite.
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Lotus Esprit
28 years (1976-2004)
This was a really tough one, but I'm going to say that the endless series of minor mutations in the Esprit kept it essentially the same car for its run.
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Shanghai SC760
27 years (1964-1991)
It's tough to get good information about Chinese cars designed before Nixon's 1972 trip, but it appears that the Shanghai SC760 was an all-Chinese design and remained virtually unchanged throughout its production run.
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Studebaker Avanti / Avanti II
25 years (1962-1987)
I wanted to stay away from the slippery slope of replica cars, if only to avoid the nightmare of dealing with Cobra replicas, but the Avanti II was built using the original Studebaker frames and tooling and thus qualifies. The engines were small-block Chevrolets (proper Studebaker V8s being unavailable), but otherwise we're dealing with genuine Avantis.
Suzuki Alto / Maruti 800
25 years (1984-present)
The Maruti 800, still in production in India today, is based on the second-gen Alto. It has a long way to go in order to match the Hillman Hunter/Hindustan Ambassador, but 25 years is a good start!
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Rolls-Royce Corniche
24 years (1971-1995)
There's not much you need to change on a car like this, so Rolls-Royce stuck with a winning formula.
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Rolls-Royce Phantom VI
23 years (1968-1991)
374 were made. The Queen got two of them. Any questions?
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Wartburg 353
23 years (1965-1988)
With only seven moving parts in the engine, there wasn't much to go wrong with this East German machine.
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Audi 100 C3 / FAW Hongqi CA7200/CA7300
(21 years) 1982-2003
FAW (or some copycat) might still be making Audi C3-based cars in China now, but we can't be sure. We are sure, however, that the production run lasted at least 20 years.
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Jaguar XJS
21 years (1975-1996)
Should this car be lumped in with the XJ6, just because the chassis is pretty much the same? Blasphemy!
De Tomaso Pantera
21 years (1970-1991)
Can we write about the Pantera without mentioning Vince Neill and his ill-fated 3-block trip to the liquor store? Apparently not! Anyway, the Ford Cleveland-powered Pantera stayed more or less the same for the entirety of its production run, and we all want one!
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Reliant Regal
21 years (1951-1972)
Yes, three-wheelers with closed bodies count as cars. The Reliant Robin nearly qualified as well, but missed by a couple of years.
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Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
20 years (1955-1975)
I left the Karmann Ghia out the first time because it's just a Beetle pan with a sporty body, but that wasn't fair. The Karmann Ghia was a distinct model! Too bad the Brazilians didn't keep making it for an extra 30 years.
Reliant Scimitar
20 years (1964-1984)
The first few generations of Scimitar were pretty much the same car under the skin.
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Saab 96
20 years (1960-1980)
How did I miss this car the first time around? Its ancestry stretches well beyond 20 years, but a couple of decades as perhaps the best two-stroke car ever made is accomplishment enough.
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Cadillac D Body
20 years (1977-1997)
I was very skeptical about including this car in the list, but Cadillac ice-racer William sold me on it. He also came up with some exhaustingly comprehensive rules for determining eligibility for the All-Time Survivors list, and I'll post them pretty soon, but for now I'll just share what he had to say about the Caddy D:
Of course it's the downsized Cadillac Rear Wheel Drive Fleetwood/de Ville ("D" Body), introduced on Cadillac's 75th anniversary for '77. Built from August 1976 until July 1997, the new "Right-Sized" Caddie (and GM's first full metric car) came in a variety flavors (de Ville sedan and two door, Brougham & Fleetwood) and a litany of engines: The program started with the L33 425, last of the "big iron" Caddie V-8's (down from the glory days 500 CID and nearly the same digits in torque), and soldiered on with the most diverse/bizzare collection of engines ever to grace a motor car: 368 Cadillac "Sleever," LF9 Buick diesel V-8, 253 Buick V-6 (the first non-V-8 for a Cadillac), the "8-6-4" disaster variant of the 363, an Oldsmobile 5.6, and finally the Cadillac "GM Corporate V-8 engine of Tomorrow" (forgotten the next day) the All-Aluminum cam eating 4.1 HT. And that's just the first ten years. Sure the de Ville and Fleetwood nameplates bailed to the dark side going front wheel drive in 1985 but the Brougham soldiered on in venerable "D" body glory for another decade and more.

The engine-of-the-week theme continued with an Oldsmobile 307 LG8, Chevy 5.0L and finally the Chevy 5.7. With the beginning of the Republican power shift, production packed up and moved to Texas to be closer to oil millionaires who would soon rule/ruin the world. The 1994 re-deux took the "D" body into the world of suppository-based styling complete with Corvette-derived LT-1 350, but in reality it was just a re-skin with the same frame and underbody of Grandpa's car. GM corporate greed and America's thirst for pickup trucks finally made the plant more desirable for more profitable mobile gun rack production and the last GM rear wheel drive passenger car was retired, but only after Elvis and 1.7 million examples had left the building for the last time.

20 years? The (separate) frame, main body structure (more steel alone than most complete cars) is the same from the first to the last. Panel for panel all are the same until '93, when the got out the hasp and rounded out the edges. But nothing else built by Detroit comes even close, so I think we have a strong candidate for the something that was truly Big Three built "big iron" and didn't finish out its production life in exile in Argentina (though likely this was the car exiles in Argentina where driving)..

"We have taken color schemes from our past, used on the Elite and Elan in the 1960s, and cleverly brought them up to date with a modern feel to the interior. The whole design package is modern with a classic twist," says Lotus director Luke Bennet.

In addition to white, there's also Elite Yellow, Carbon Grey and Sky Blue. Those colors continue into the interior on the transmission tunnel and the microfiber bucket seats. The club racer also gets grey 6-spoke alloys, Yokohama AD07 LTS tires, a grey shift knob and an anodized aluminum floor. The Elise S reaches 60 MPH in 5.7 seconds.

If all that's a bit girly for you or, perhaps you are actually a large scale consumer of Olde English, then Lotus is also showing the 2010 Lotus Exige Cup 260, which makes the same 257 HP as before, but is now lighter, stiffer and more nimble than before, largely thanks to shedding 26 pounds through the use of even lighter components and ditching the rearview mirror, sun visors and carpets. All that ads up to just 1,958 Lbs of total weight, meaning it weighs half of what a Camaro does and will hit 60 MPH in 4.0 seconds.

There's been a lot of bellyaching about the Evora since it's initial debut. A more comfortable Lotus will do that. However, this Type 124 version proves just because Lotus has softened the inside of their latest model doesn't mean they've gone soft. It's outfitted to meet all FIA safety standards and has a fully integrated roll cage, race buckets and harnesses, 6-piston calipers, adjustable dampers and anti-rollbars, a massaged Toyota V6 hooked up to an paddle shift transmission, and a total weight of 2,645 lbs.

The car will be put to the test at the ADAC Nurburgring 24H endurance race, hopefully the legendary British reliability has also been taken out of the car.

EREVs like the exhaustively-publicized 2011 Chevy Volt don't operate from an internal combustion engine, they are basically electric cars with their own on-board generator for when the batteries die. That generator is a key part of the equation though, as it has to strike a balance between power generation, weight, expense, and fuel efficiency — we are still talking about the point of all this being more miles with less fuel.

The Lotus unit is an all-aluminum 1.2 liter inline three cylinder which operates in a relatively narrow rev-band to optimize efficiency, developing a maximum of 35 kW. The engine has some very interesting design choices as well. Lotus has gone retro, and cast the head, block, and exhaust manifold in one piece, just like old-timey engines. The design improves durability, eliminates a host of gaskets and other parts, and reduces engine weight, in fact the whole unit clocks in at an impressive 123 lbs. Guess Lotus is still in the business of adding lightness.

But what will it be used in? Vaporware for now. It's part of a British Government-funded program called 'Limo-Green,' which is a technology collaboration project between Lotus, Jaguar and Caparo to develop an executive limo demonstrator that's Earth-friendly. Boring if you ask us. Give us a lightweight electrically-motivated Exige.

[Lotus]

The Lotus driver apparently lost control around a corner, over-corrected and slammed straight into a BMW X5. The passengers of the BMW suffered only minor injuries, but the passengers in the Lotus were trapped for 30 minutes and had to be cut out of the roof. The 14-year-old boy was life-flighted to the hospital while the father was well enough to be taken by ambulance.

And the driver of the Porsche, of course, fled the scene until he was later stopped by deputies. The D.A. is still trying to determine what charges will be filed. (Hat Tip to Jo Schmo!)

[Photos/Story: KSL]

The Esprit’s status in underwater history was cemented in the wonderful chase scene from The Spy Who Loved Me, where Roger Moore drives his Lotus into the water where it promptly turns into a submarine:

The NSX is known more for being fast. Very fast. If you need to not only beat the clock but beat even your expectations of beating the clock, look no further than Harvey Keitel’s stepping on the stage of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, a movie only slightly younger than the 19-year-old NSX:

Nine minutes and thirty-seven seconds. But what if you’re not in sunny Southern California but in a region affected by torrential downpours, like the Western Ghats in India—or Orange Park, Florida? It turns out the NSX has another trick up its sleeve as you'll see from this video:

Starting in 1953, the Climax firepump engine made its way into vast numbers of European race cars, including the Jalopnik Fantasy Garage-honored Lotus Eleven, but it wasn't just about moving pallets around warehouses and racing in Formulas One And Two. By 1963, the 874cc FWMA version of the Climax became the powerplant of the Rootes Group's answer to the Mini: the Hillman Imp. The twin-cam FP version grew to a massive 2.75 liters of displacement by 1961, and V8 versions won the Formula One World Championship in 1963 and 1965.
[Wikipedia]

Chrysler's been adamant that the Circuit EV program wasn't killed back in May and Car and Driver has now uncovered a few more details of the program. They sat down with Chrysler ENVI president Lou Rhodes to discuss various details of the ENVI program is progressing.

In a similar move to Tesla, and one that makes perfect sense; Lotus will produce the Circuit EV in the UK and then ship it to the U.S. for installation of Chrysler's electric powertrain. That powertrain has yet to reach a final build spec as they are undergoing constant modifications including a recent advancement that has cut the 0-60 mph time by nearly half a second.

Chrysler has stated a sales target of 100,000 for their full range of ENVI vehicles, enough to make a decent return on all the costly technology in place. With those numbers, Chrysler could potentially undercut the theoretically similar Tesla Roadster by "tens of thousands" of dollars.

We've been slightly suspicious of the Circuit EV ever since its initial debut, but if Chrysler can pull it off along with the rest of the ENVI program then color us impressed. [Car and Driver via All Cars Electric via Autoblog]