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THERE have been plenty of times over the past two decades when it’s been hard not to feel sorry for Lotus enthusiasts. Starved of cash, but still a hotbed of engineering talent, the Norfolk firm has struggled on with the same, badly ageing basic models, delivering pure driving thrills. Many of you will remember Lotus’s most recent false dawn: the fabled Paris Motor Show of 2010, when hordes of celebs unveiled six future concepts from the company. Not one of them ever made production. This week’s first all-new Lotus for 11 years might not be exactly the sort of model to get hordes of brand purists excited, either – for the Evija is not an affordable, Porsche-rivalling roadster but rather a 1,972bhp pure-electric hypercar which costs £250,000 just to reserve. You’ll need…

THERE have been plenty of times over the past two decades when it’s been hard not to feel sorry for Lotus enthusiasts. Starved of cash, but still a hotbed of engineering talent, the Norfolk firm has struggled on with the same, badly ageing basic models, delivering pure driving thrills. Many of you will remember Lotus’s most recent false dawn: the fabled Paris Motor Show of 2010, when hordes of celebs unveiled six future concepts from the company. Not one of them ever made production. This week’s first all-new Lotus for 11 years might not be exactly the sort of model to get hordes of brand purists excited, either – for the Evija is not an affordable, Porsche-rivalling roadster but rather a 1,972bhp pure-electric hypercar which costs £250,000 just to reserve.…

Vicky_Parrott@dennis.co.uk @VickyParrott ● Prices expected to start from around £16,000 ● Premium interior borrowed from the 508 exec THE Peugeot 208 doesn’t need much introduction. It’s the bread and butter of the small car world, along with key rivals such as the new Vauxhall Corsa (with which it shares its platform) and the Ford Fiesta. Peugeot is pitching its car as ‘the classy one’ in this crowded market. The chunky but chic styling backs that up, as does a rather executive-looking interior that borrows much of its styling from the larger 508. The 208 is also going to bring electric motoring into the mainstream like never before, since it is offered in pure-electric guise with a 211-mile driving range – more of which you can read about over the page. Here, we’re driving a prototype version of…

Vicky_Parrott@dennis.co.uk @VickyParrott ● Prices expected to start from around £16,000 ● Premium interior borrowed from the 508 exec THE Peugeot 208 doesn’t need much introduction. It’s the bread and butter of the small car world, along with key rivals such as the new Vauxhall Corsa (with which it shares its platform) and the Ford Fiesta. Peugeot is pitching its car as ‘the classy one’ in this crowded market. The chunky but chic styling backs that up, as does a rather executive-looking interior that borrows much of its styling from the larger 508. The 208 is also going to bring electric motoring into the mainstream like never before, since it is offered in pure-electric guise with a 211-mile driving range – more of which you can read about over the page.…

Vicky_Parrott@dennis.co.uk @VickyParrott ● Same styling as the regular 208 supermini ● Official WLTP range of 211 miles ALONG with petrol and diesel versions, the 208 will be offered as an EV. This small car is a big deal. The e-208 Active has a 134bhp electric motor under its bonnet that drives the front wheels. Still, this pure-electric 208 is designed to look just like the rest of the range because Peugeot believes that electric is as normal a choice as petrol (or soon will be). Only a subtle blue-green tinge to the Lion logo on the Peugeot’s nose and rump, and the ‘e-208’ badging, give it away. The official WLTP driving range for the e-208 is 211 miles; the 50kWh lithium-ion battery is charged via the CCS and Type 2 port located where you’d expect a…

Vicky_Parrott@dennis.co.uk @VickyParrott ● Same styling as the regular 208 supermini ● Official WLTP range of 211 miles ALONG with petrol and diesel versions, the 208 will be offered as an EV. This small car is a big deal. The e-208 Active has a 134bhp electric motor under its bonnet that drives the front wheels. Still, this pure-electric 208 is designed to look just like the rest of the range because Peugeot believes that electric is as normal a choice as petrol (or soon will be). Only a subtle blue-green tinge to the Lion logo on the Peugeot’s nose and rump, and the ‘e-208’ badging, give it away. The official WLTP driving range for the e-208 is 211 miles; the 50kWh lithium-ion battery is charged via the CCS and Type 2…