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2008 geneva motor show, 2008 lotus europa, 2008 lotus europa se, europa, geneva motor show, lotus, lotus europa, lotus europa se, se

The Lotus Europa is the Elise for people with bags to carry. Though not quite as light as the Elise, or as fast as the Exige, the Europa is a car you might be able to live with as your daily driver. Despite the addition of a bit of room and some creature comforts, the new Europa is still good for a 0-60 mph trot of 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph, thanks to a 25 horsepower boost to its 2.0 Liter turbocharged I4. The new base model comes in at a cheap $55,500 with the range topping Europa SE adding another $10,000. Despite being mostly an Elise, the Europa SE manages to distinguish itself with a unique look. Press release below the jump.

Press Release Group Lotus plc unveils a new updated and significantly enhanced range of Europa’s at the 78th annual Geneva International Motor Show. The new entry level Europa is priced at £27,950 MSRP / 37,500, with the range topping Europa SE available for a competitive £32,995 MSRP / 41,500 (Euro prices are without taxes, delivery & other related costs). These new Europa variants have been designed and developed especially for European customers and will be sold exclusively across Europe from June 2008. The Europa is now available to a larger target audience with the entry level car providing a more accessible way to own a Europa and the SE designed to appeal to those who are even more style conscious and want increased levels of performance. Mike Kimberley, CEO of Group Lotus plc commented: “As the true driver will know, this Europa range, offers access to Lotus’ unique DNA for those who perceive the Elise and Exige as a little too uncompromising for everyday use. The new Europa SE sits at the more refined end of the Lotus spectrum, providing a terrific mix of performance, agility and style, but incorporates Lotus’s values and heritage”. The Europa has a mid-mounted 2 litre turbo charged engine, tuned in the SE with an all new calibration to 225 PS and with 300 Nm of torque to offer effortless cruising capability. Even though the Europa is engineered with more relaxed driving characteristics it provides amazing performance, with 0-60 mph in the SE dispatched in 5.5s (0-100 km/h in 5.7s estimated) and the sprint to 100 mph (160 km/h) taking just 13.0s (estimated). Given the legal opportunity to stretch its legs, the Europa SE will hit a top speed of 143 mph (estimated). The Europa now offers increased levels of comfort over the Elise and Exige whilst enhancing the focused driving experience that you would expect from a Lotus. These models are both equipped with race car derived double wishbone suspension to give an exceptional driving feel with Lotus DNA. The sleek Europa body work, together with the assistance of the flat underbody, generates positive downforce to provide balanced handling at speed. The Europa SE has attractive and light weight new wheels, which are shod with wider, high performance tyres, for increased levels of grip. These new high performance wheels are larger with 17″ rims up front, and larger 18″ rims on the rear. The new wheels house high performance AP Racing four pot brakes and larger (308 mm) diameter discs. The SE interior has been updated by Lotus Design with a stylish new design that works in harmony with the premium avant-garde Ice White of the Geneva Show car. The interior is finished using 4 hides of soft, lightweight high-grade leather, to ensure that every surface has a luxuriant tactile feel. As with all 2008 Lotus road cars, the Europa and Europa SE come with driver and passenger airbags and an engine start button as standard. The Europa interior is furnished with leather sports seats and comes as standard with a high quality stereo system.

[Lotus via World Car Fans]

Aftermarket, Tuners, Sedans/Saloons, Mazda, Misc. Auto Shows

The 2008 Tokyo Auto Salon is right around the corner and despite rumblings that Mazda isn’t considering making a ‘Speed version of the Atenza/Mazda6, it’s trotting out a concept to Japan’s premier tuner expo to gauge consumer interest.

What’s being dubbed the “Mazda Atenza Mazdaspeed Concept” found its way onto the Web, but information about the body kit-equipped concept is sorely lacking. We know it’ll be coming to the show with new front and rear bumpers and some mild aero modifications, along with new side skirts, a lower ride height and a set of 18-inch 10-spoke wheels. Beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess as to what’s powering the new 6 and how that power is finding its way down to the road.

Regardless, we’ve been able to source a couple of good photos of the concept and are hoping to have more information about all of Mazda’s concepts bound for 2008 TAS soon.

[Source: Autocar]

The second of three concepts that Chrysler LLC has planned for the 2007 Detroit Auto Show is the Dodge ZEO Concept. It’s eco-friendly credentials come via its all-EV powertrain, which consists of a lithium-ion battery pack capable of an impressive 250-mile range. That’s theoretical and on-paper we presume, but it’s nice to dream. The ZEO is a 2+2, four-passenger sport wagon that features the familiar cross-hair grille up front with a design that looks more Japanese than American to us. The hatchback profile looks like something we’ve seen on recent Mazda and Honda concepts, though the haunchy fender flares are all Dodge. Unfortunately, that’s all we know about the ZEO until January when Dodge debuts the concept in Detroit.

[Source: Dodge]

This is not just rumormill, this is rumors of hints and suggestions made by anonymous people. Just last week we wondered whether Mitsubishi’s Concept-RA would lead to a new — and proper — Eclipse. What Car? went further, and although citing nothing more than “insiders,” said that the red zinger “could be a forerunner for a new Eclipse coupe, which could go on sale in Europe.”

True, that’s a lot of coulds. But it wasn’t so long ago that the Eclipse was an object of desire, and there can’t be any doubt that Mitsubishi would love to see those days return — especially after watching rival Nissan revive brand lust by slowly reinjecting its products with feeling.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, SUVs, Porsche

Well, ‘08 Porsche Cayenne owners hankering for that TechArt Magnum look can now achieve their goal, thanks to the newly-released TechArt SUV package, which gives non-turbo Cayennes a suite of body mods providing a Magnum-ish look, but none of the 620-horsepower punch. If you have a Cayenne Turbo, TechArt can make the power thing happen for you as well (with or without the aero kit, presumably). They’re also more than happy to trick out your interior and modify your Cayenne’s active suspension (on trucks so equipped) to drop the lowest ride height an additional 30 mm. It’s all business as usual at TechArt, where the only real constraint is the size of your child’s college fund.

[Source: Techart]