Autocar October 23, 2019

FOR SO LONG, no one made better hot hatches than Renault Sport. Even now, any ‘greatest hot hatch of all time’ list would have multiple 1990s and 2000s RS models vying for the podium, if not outright honours. But that list would not contain any of Renault Sport’s current offerings. This week, we road test Renault’s response to it being knocked off the top spot: the Mégane RS Trophy-R (p34). This car is Renault Sport at its most extreme and hardcore, aiming to show the world it can still create a hot hatch that is considered the ultimate among its peers. Yet while brilliant in parts, it merely raises more questions for Renault Sport in other areas. The Trophy-R has a sublime chassis, but not an engine to match, and certainly not…

“The Elan would be positioned above the Elise with more space and creature comforts” Lotus is considering reintroducing the Elan name on a new drop-top sports car, as well as other models in a back catalogue that includes the Elite, the Europa and the Esprit. The Elan name is said by sources at the Hethel-based firm to have a strong possibility of being revived in the next few years. Few of the details are known at this stage but insiders are said to be “very excited” by the proposed configuration of this car, which is expected to be positioned above the Elise as a two-seat convertible with more refinement, space and creature comforts to take on the Porsche Boxster. Despite this, the new car should stick to the classic Lotus traits of…

FOR SO LONG, no one made better hot hatches than Renault Sport. Even now, any ‘greatest hot hatch of all time’ list would have multiple 1990s and 2000s RS models vying for the podium, if not outright honours. But that list would not contain any of Renault Sport’s current offerings. This week, we road test Renault’s response to it being knocked off the top spot: the Mégane RS Trophy-R (p34). This car is Renault Sport at its most extreme and hardcore, aiming to show the world it can still create a hot hatch that is considered the ultimate among its peers. Yet while brilliant in parts, it merely raises more questions for Renault Sport in other areas. The Trophy-R has a sublime chassis, but not an engine to match, and…

Hard to think of a good reason why Lotus wouldn’t bring back the Elan, what with the cachet of that great name and the ambition of the company’s new Geely-led management, which among other assets has access to an enticing collection of Volvo/Geely/Lynk&Co running gear. Lotus’s sibling companies have already conquered many of the problems that might have deterred others thinking of a lowish-volume roadster for global sale. As well as access to major components, Lotus already knows what kind of chassis to use. It has an enviable understanding of bonded riveted aluminium structures and has even put recent time into defeating the system’s biggest problem as demonstrated on the Elise: awkward ingress and egress. Bigger doors and lower sills are now pretty simple to provide. Lotus lovers – and the company’s…

“The Elan would be positioned above the Elise with more space and creature comforts” Lotus is considering reintroducing the Elan name on a new drop-top sports car, as well as other models in a back catalogue that includes the Elite, the Europa and the Esprit. The Elan name is said by sources at the Hethel-based firm to have a strong possibility of being revived in the next few years. Few of the details are known at this stage but insiders are said to be “very excited” by the proposed configuration of this car, which is expected to be positioned above the Elise as a two-seat convertible with more refinement, space and creature comforts to take on the Porsche Boxster. Despite this, the new car should stick to the classic Lotus…

Hard to think of a good reason why Lotus wouldn’t bring back the Elan, what with the cachet of that great name and the ambition of the company’s new Geely-led management, which among other assets has access to an enticing collection of Volvo/Geely/Lynk&Co running gear. Lotus’s sibling companies have already conquered many of the problems that might have deterred others thinking of a lowish-volume roadster for global sale. As well as access to major components, Lotus already knows what kind of chassis to use. It has an enviable understanding of bonded riveted aluminium structures and has even put recent time into defeating the system’s biggest problem as demonstrated on the Elise: awkward ingress and egress. Bigger doors and lower sills are now pretty simple to provide. Lotus lovers – and…