New Lotus hybrid V8 supercar to arrive in 2028
The Lotus Esprit could return as a new hybrid V8 supercar arriving in two years' time...
On sale 2028 Price from £400,000 (est)
Lotus will make a return to combustion-powered supercars in 2028 with the arrival of a new hybrid V8 model to rival the Ferrari Testarossa.
Teased in an image released by Lotus on Tuesday, the new supercar is codenamed Type 135, and it’ll use a new hybrid V8 engine with a power output of more than 986bhp. This new set-up is likely to be supplied by the engine producer Horse – a joint venture between Renault and Lotus’s parent company Geely.
Lotus confirmed the new supercar is expected to be manufactured in Europe, meaning it could be produced alongside the combustion-engined Lotus Emira at the firm’s factory in Hethel, Norfolk.
Originally, the Emira was supposed to be Lotus’s final combustion car before the brand went fully-electric – but these plans were reversed in 2024, with Lotus deciding to put combustion-engined cars back at the forefront. As such, the Emira will remain on sale alongside the new hybrid model, and it’ll be updated in the coming weeks as “the most powerful and lightest Emira built”.
The Lotus Eletre SUV was recently updated with new plug-in hybrid power, featuring a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors. However, Lotus has only confirmed regular hybrid power for the new Type 135, likely in an attempt to keep the battery weight to a minimum.
An image of the Type 135’s rear was teased by Lotus on Tuesday, bearing striking resemblance to the electric Theory 1 concept revealed in 2024 (pictured above). Both have a wide, minimalistic design, with slim, horizontal rear lights and simple Lotus badging stretched in between. The Type 135, however, adds two large exhaust pipes in the centre.
Inside, the Theory 1 concept featured a three-seater set-up with a motorsport-inspired central driving position, similar to that used in the McLaren F1. It’s unclear whether this will make it to any production version of the Type 135, but might not be completely out of the question.
While the Type 135’s official badge hasn’t yet been revealed, our sister title Autocar was told there’s a good chance it could carry the ‘Esprit’ name into production. The original Esprit, which went off sale in 2004, also used a V8 engine.
Further details of the new Type 135 will be revealed later this year, ahead of its official arrival in 2028. Prices have yet to be confirmed, but the rival Ferrari 849 Testarossa starts at £407,617.
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