The next-generation Lotus Esprit will be powered by BMW ’s newly developed 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, according to a new report. The engine will first debut in BMW’s X6 with 420 horsepower, but the version that Lotus will use will likely deliver over 500 horsepower, the report claims.
BMW is expected to use the new engine in several other new models, replacing its 4.8-liter V8 used in the 550i, 650i, and 750i. The company’s CEO, Norbert Reithofer, has also expressed an interest in selling engines to niche automakers.
The new report — by the U.K.’s Autocar magazine — also suggests recent spy photos of a new prototype wearing an old Esprit body is a testbed for the new Esprit powertrain, rather than the much rumored 2+2 coupe called “Project Eagle.”
December 4, 2007
