Lotus Type 131 to be previewed today with AMG and Toyota power - report

Lotus will today be unveiling its first new sportscar in nearly ten years, according to a leaked web invitation.

First reported by Korean website autospy.net, the invitation doesn’t show much other than the new sportscar’s headlight design and its prototype codename.

Dubbed the Type 131 for now, the new mid-engined sportscar is understood to be based on a brand new bonded all-aluminium chassis created from Lotus’s existing manufacturing hardware.

The new chassis has been designed from the outset to cater for internal combustion engines, hybrid powertrains and eventually all-electric applications.

The Type 131 will have the difficult task of replacing all three of the Hethel firm’s soon-to-be-ceased performance car models – the Elise, Exige, and Evora.

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The leaked Lotus Type 131 event invitation

According to reports from French website automobile-sportive, the new sportscar will have two powertrains available from launch.

Firstly, and most surprisingly, the new Type 131 will be powered by a Mercedes-AMG-sourced 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder motor, with power rumoured to be in the region of 275-300kW.

Given the speculated power output, this could indicate the Type 131 will most likely be powered by the same M139 turbo four-pot found in Mercedes-AMG’s ballistic A45 S.

While there’s no word yet on its gearbox, there’s a strong possibility the Type 131 could also use the A45 S’s eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.

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Mercedes-AMG's M139 turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine

The second expected powertrain for the new sportscar is Toyota’s 2GR-FE 3.5-litre supercharged V6 found in both the current Evora and Exige.

The blown bent-six motor is rumoured to churn out 335kW, and will be mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

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Toyota’s 2GR-FE 3.5-litre supercharged V6

Automobile-sportive also reports the new Lotus Type 131 will be globally premiered at 2021’s running of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which is due to kick-off from July 8 through to July 11.

Styling for the Type 131 is said to be quite similar to that of Lotus’s all-electric hypercar, the Evija, with smooth lines and a sleek overall profile.

Be sure to watch this space as WhichCar brings you all the latest updates on Lotus’s all-new sportscar.