LOTUS

BRAND SUV WILL USE VOLVO SPA PLATFORM
We already know that the first completely new Lotus model will be an SUV. Last October we were able to see the registered and patented sketches of this new SUV of the British brand and now some details of the model come up.So far it was unknown which platform would be used for this model, but Lotus has already revealed that it will turn to Geely's organ bank - the Chinese giant who also owns Volvo, Polestar and Lynk & CO - using some modules of the scalable SPA platform, used by the Swedish brand for its XC60 and XC90.Lotus CEO Jean Marc Gales said that the brand's new Sports SUV will be on the market in less than four years - thus confirming that it is moving ahead with the project and that it has a green light - and has qualified as a model that will rival the Porsche Macan and the Maserati Levante, two models with a large difference in dimensions, since the German shows a length of 4,697 millimeters, while the Italian slightly exceeds the five meters, standing at 5,003 millimeters, no less than a difference of 253 millimeters.Using the architecture of Volvo's larger models does not seem to matter much to Lotus, as its engineering team would make a specific adjustment and adapt the base to the British brand, but mean that the mechanical offer will be limited to inline four-cylinder engines , something that does not seem to be of importance, bearing in mind that Geely has already advanced and pointed out that the Lotus SUV will have at least one hybrid version with high performance, therefore, it is assumed that they must refer to the T8 Twin version Engine of the Volvo XC90.In that sense, Lotus CEO said that his new SUV will have the proportions of the Maserati model, but will weigh less than two tons, offering the highest cornering speed on the market, a challenge difficult to overcome and where Lotus engineers are working hard because the message from Wales was clear: "If we fail, we fail the project."Although technical work has already begun, Wales said the final project is not yet complete and is expected to be in the next two months. He also pointed out that the patented drawings represent only an idea of ​​what the final production model will look like and that many changes will still be possible.
For now it is unknown where it will be manufactured, whether it be in China or the United Kingdom, but the broad shadow over the British islands around Brexit makes it difficult for European territory to be chosen. It is most likely that production for the entire world will be made in the Asian giant, a decision that will be made later.

Autonews