Next-Gen Lotus Esprit Packs A 986+ HP Twin-Turbo V8 Hybrid Punch
Lotus is resurrecting the iconic Esprit with a wild new twin-turbo V8 hybrid powertrain
As we've seen from other automakers recently, Lotus has stepped away from its commitment to an all-EV lineup. Earlier in the year, we learned Lotus will add a combustion-powered supercar in 2028, and today we learned a little about the engine destined for the Type 135, which is widely expected to resurrect the Esprit badge. It's a V8 from Horse Powertrain, the joint venture formed by Renault and China's Geely, which makes even more sense when you remember that Lotus is also owned by Geely.
The Horse W40 is a 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 with a hot vee, meaning the turbochargers are nestled in the engine's vee, just like on AMG's V8s. This keeps the engine compact and lightweight — it weighs just 441 pounds (200 kg) — and the intake paths short, improving engine response. Output is "over" 671 horsepower (680 PS), and it develops a maximum of 590 pound-feet (800 Nm), Horse says. But that's just the combustion part of the story.
Horse designed the W40 specifically for hybrid applications, meaning Lotus could potentially deliver a total powertrain output of over 986 hp (1,000 PS) with some electrical assistance. That's a figure Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng touted when confirming the Type 135 in May.
Horse hasn't said whether the engine has a cross-plane crank, as used by the V8s in most luxury cars, or a higher revving flat plane crank design employed by supercar brands like Ferrari and McLaren. Since its bound for the Type 135, we'd expect a flat-plane design. But it's possible Horse has engineered both types, like Mercedes has with its latest V8s. We also got a look at the Horse 8LDCT eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox that will be bolted to the W40, but there's no mention of a manual option.
Base cars get a hybrid V6
Lotus isn't just lining up one Horse engine for the Type 135. While top-spec 135s will get the W40 hybrid V8 powertrain, base cars are scheduled to get a W30 V6, again developed by Horse and featuring hybrid assistance. The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 generates 536 hp (544 PS) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque, and again, that's before you've added any hybrid assistance. That's not quite as impressive as the 654 hp (663 PS) Ferrari's 296 GTB pumps out before you add in its electrical boost, but the V6 Esprit will be much more affordable, and Lotus can upsell power hungry buyers to the V8 version. And even if the V6 Esprit isn't quite as potent as it's big brother, it could be even better in the bends. The V6 engine weighs just 353 lbs (160 kg), or 88 lbs (40 kg) less than the already light V8.
We've yet to see any spy shots of the Type 135 testing, so our best ideas of what the first Esprit since 2002 could look like come from a single teaser image Lotus dropped in May. That showed the rear of a supercar with two round exhaust tailpipes, and the word Lotus spelled out between four slim LED taillights. But the teaser bore a strong resemblance to the Theory 1 concept Lotus revealed in 2024.
The Theory 1 (shown above) claimed to be all electric, which fitted in with Lotus's plan to go EV-only by 2030. But weak battery-electric sales forced a change of heart, Lotus now saying it's targeting a mix of 60% hybrids, 40% EVs. The Type 135 is a hybrid as a result, but it might retain much of the Theory 1 concept's design language.