Rumors: Industry Report—Lotus Esprit, On Again Off Again

Yesterday, the interwebs were awash with the (unsurprising) news that Lotus had axed its exciting Esprit project that it unveiled back in 2010. With the recent turmoil of lawsuits pummeling the company, the departure of former CEO Danny Bahar, and the persistent rumors of the company being sold, it wasn’t much of a shock to hear that the Esprit wouldn’t see the light of day.

Now, however, Autoevolution is reporting that the Esprit might not be dead after all. A statement from the public relations department at Lotus Cars USA made it clear that until the fat lady actually sings, the Esprit isn’t officially axed. “Until an official of Group Lotus, Lotus Cars Ltd or DRB-Hicom makes any announcement it’s just rumor and supposition.”

In the aftermath of Bahar’s canning, DRB-Hicom has reportedly pulled the plug on Lotus’s ambitious five year plans, of which the new Esprit was a critical part. We can only hope that Lotus finds its footing soon and the Esprit becomes more than a pipe dream.