elite

You have to admire the ambition of Dany Bahar and his team at Lotus, despite doubts over the scale and achievability of their New Era strategy, they've certainly raised the brand's profile during the two months since their Paris Motorshow bombshell.

Turning the small Norfolk car maker into a worthy Aston Martin, Ferrari and Porsche rival is on a par with Red Bull winning the F1 World Championship - an unlikely ambition and yet we've just witnessed the Austrian drinks company achieving just that.

Ten days ahead of the official unveil at the Paris Motor Show, Lotus have unveiled the next step in their journey. The Elite promises to redefine a “modern classic".