Lotus news - Lotus goes long - 2009

Time to slip on the Top Gear lab coat and get a bit sciencey.

Lotus Engineering will reveal a new ‘range extender' engine at the Frankfurt show. It's a teeny 1.2-litre, three-cylinder with 47bhp and it's designed to slot into a petrol-electric hybrid alongside a bigger engine. The 56kg range extender will then power the electric motor directly or charge the battery packs, so the main, much bigger petrol engine can be rested for longer.

It's being developed with Jaguar and some other important people with the target of producing a ‘large, prestigious exec saloon with CO2 emissions below 120g/km'.
 
With various rumours bouncing around about a hybrid XJ, anyone with some basic logic would assume this is the tech it will carry.
 
A Lotus-developed Jag with a 1.2-litre and a V8 and electric motor and batteries? With CO2 below 120g/km?
 
If only Jeremy's Switzerland-to-Blackpool car had that...