The U.S. Government Is Forcing Lotus To Make An Entry Level Evora

Lotus needs to sell cars in the United States to survive, and to sell cars in the United States, it needs cleaner cars. That’s where a simpler, lighter Evora comes in.

Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales talked to Automotive News today, discussing the company’s not-at-all-delusional plans to sell a single half-decade-old car design to rich Americans. The trick is that U.S. emissions regulations require fleet-based limits on pollution, and that’s hard for Lotus, which only has the supercharged Lotus Evora 400 to sell here:

“Over a five-year period in the U.S. we have to show a 3 percent per year reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. One option is remove the supercharger.”

In effect, U.S. emissions regulations would force Lotus to simplify then add lightness to the Evora 400. Colin Chapman must be spinning in his grave.