Remember that promise of a Lotus SUV? Company president and CEO Jean-Marc Gales recently told Automotive News Europe that Lotus plans to build its first-ever SUV in China and export it to Europe and possibly in the U.S. as well.
A Lotus SUV may hit the market by 2019 and rival the likes of the Porsche Macan. A prototype will see the light of day sometime in the next 12 months through a joint venture with China's Goldstar Heavy Industrial.
Jean-Marc Gales also said that the future Lotus SUV will be true to the brand's tradition of offering super-lightweight, high-performance cars. It will feature a steel and aluminum platform and weight around 1,500-1,600kg. That would make this SUV some 100-200kg lighter than the Macan and Audi Q5.
Pricing is expected to undercut the Porsche, too. A hybrid powertrain may also be offered.
Sales of the Lotus SUV are projected to reach 5,000 units annually. North American availability could be announced between now and then.