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As the 76th Annual Geneva Motor Show makes evident, the designers and engineers at Lotus have been busy. In addition to the world debut of the Europa S, a 2+2 mid-engine coupe aimed squarely at the likes of Audi TT, Porsche Boxster, and Nissan 350Z, Lotus Engineering is showing its APX Crossover (see our featured concept of the week, "Can This Lotus Blossom?").
APX is Lotus-speak for "Aluminum Performance Crossover," and the car serves as a demonstration of the company's Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA). All of which is a fancy way of saying that Lotus Engineering has developed a new platform, and is trying to gauge public reactions. Designed to reflect the company's stated core value of "Performance through Light Weight," the car boasts a new V6 engine and an innovative use of aluminum for structural components.
Lotus is a fascinating company with a rich racing heritage and a flair for cutting-edge engineering and manufacturing practices. The company's founder, the late Colin Chapman, was unshakable in his commitment to a minimalist design philosophy in all of his racing and road-going cars. But what he left out in material substance he replaced with ingenuity. To Chapman, the vehicle's physical existence seemed to have little importance, only performance mattered. Get behind the wheel of a 2006 Lotus Elise (which weighs in at roughly 1,970 pounds) and you will understand the method behind Chapman's madness.
FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE. Still considered one of the world's premier automotive consultancies, Lotus Engineering has centers in Asia, North America, and Europe, and works with many of the worlds' major car manufacturers. For instance, the company aided in the development of Aston Martin's crash-structure technology, which allowed the line to meet the rigorous worldwide safety requirements of Ford (F), which now owns the storied brand. Lotus is especially known for developing lightweight structures -- generally recognized as the most promising approach to improvements in performance and fuel economy.
All the significant components and structural items on the APX concept car are made from aluminum, in keeping with the core brand promise of the Lotus: "Performance through Light Weight." That might not seem like much of an innovation, since the Jaguar XJ8 and Audi A8 have been using aluminum space frames for years.
What's new is Lotus' design of the expensive castings that aluminum cars need at key stress points, like suspension towers and joints between beams. Lotus claims it can use the same castings and some other structural parts for a variety of layouts (front-engine/rear-drive, front/front, or mid/rear). This flexible architecture, the company says, could help auto makers launch a series of niche cars at a relatively low cost.
"JEKYLL & HYDE CAR." The APX concept car also offers a preview of a new, supercharged, 3.0-liter, 300-hp, V6 engine developed by Lotus Engineering's test lab, that will most likely be available soon to any carmaker wanting a high-output, gas V6.
The APX weighs in at about 3,454 pounds, which may not seem light by super-car standards, but remember that the car is a sizeable crossover. In comparison, the Chrysler Pacifica Crossover Vehicle is roughly the same length, but weighs over 1,100 pounds more than the APX. Amazing!
According to the official press release from Lotus, the brief for APX Design was to create a "visually arresting Jekyll & Hyde car that fulfilled the needs of practical and flexible everyday transport but also provided the enthusiast with a focused driving machine." Lotus design chief Russell Carr explains: "We saw the customer as a sports-car enthusiast who, with a typical family of two young children, occasionally wants to carry four or five adults in addition to their
children." That means APX designers had to accommodate parents, friends, and kids, while maintaining the look and feel of a sports car. Quite a challenge.
FLOWING LINES. The APX is attractive -- in a Mercedes R-Class meets Edward Scissorhands kind of way. With its extreme cab rearward design, the roof gradually slopes lower and lower as it reaches the C-Pillar. The tear-drop-shaped body looks mean and firmly planted, with its flared wheel arches and big double-five spoke wheels.
"We wanted the design to communicate the driving experience of the car, which is characterized by extreme power, performance, and grip", says Carr. That means they wanted APX to look fast while standing still. With the exception of the prominent hood line that graces the front of the car, the APX definitely looks flowing and symmetrical in its dimensions.
The verdict: Lotus continues to shine in the realm of engineering, but a crossover might not have been the best application of their latest platform technology.
Stuart Schwartzapfel, a certified car freak, writes Business Week Online’s Concept of the Week column. He has spent his young life studying the automotive marketplace, and has worked as an advertising/marketing strategist for many major automotive manufacturers. He does not write about any car brands that he currently works for.
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