Lotus has officially launched its first branch in Lebanon tonight.
The event, which took place at the MAD nightclub in Nahr el Mot’s seaside, was headlined by 2007 Formula 1 world champion and Lotus F1 team driver Kimi Raikkonen, and many other high personnel and local celebrities.
The company was founded by engineer Colin Chapman in 1952, in England. It successfully raced in Formula 1 between 1958 and 1994, winning the World Contructors’ Championship 5 times.
It recently made its F1 comeback in 2011, with Renault as engine supplier.
The british company is famous for its nippy and lightweight sports cars, with small efficient engines.
Lotus’ current lineup consists of three main models:
Elise – the brand’s smallest model – which is fitted with a 1.8L 4-cylinder engine from Toyota, mated to either a five or six-speed manual gearbox; the car weighs a stunning 910kg.
Evora, the Elise’s bigger sister; weighing 1380kg, it comes with 3.5L engine also from Toyota, developing 276hp and mounted to a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox.
The Evora also comes in GTE trim; the Evora GTE is the fastest production Lotus ever, the engine on the GTE is taken from the standard model and tweaked to produce a staggering 444hp!
And finally the Lotus Exige, a faster version of the Elise, featuring an aerodynamically enhanced body kit providing better downforce, and a more powerful, supercharged version of the 1.8 L unit seen on the Elise.
