This seven-seat sports minivan concept is not named or badged Lotus and has no place in the future Lotus model line. It is a technology demonstrator for Lotus Engineering, which sells its services to the auto industry worldwide. The APX (aluminum performance crossover) is intended to show the company's expertise in lightweight body construction, engine development, and styling. Its VVA (versatile vehicle architecture) system using aluminum die-cast corner nodes, stampings and extrusions, joined by bonding and self-piercing rivets, is adaptable to a wide range of vehicle types and sizes. The 300-hp supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine is a prototype from the NEF (new engine family) that Lotus hopes to sell to a major car manufacturer but doesn't have the resources to build on its own. The first Lotus model to make use of the VVA system is the replacement for the Esprit scheduled to appear at the end of 2007.
Lotus APX Concept
The APX won't ever be produced, but its platform will underpin the next Esprit.
RAY HUTTON
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