Lotus Unveils V8 Hybrid Hypercar Type 135 for 2028, Marking Return to V8 Market After 22 Years

Lotus plans to launch a new V8-powered hybrid supercar in 2028, internally codenamed Type 135. Originally conceived as the all-electric successor to the Emira, the pure-electric project has now been scrapped. This will mark Lotus’s return to V8-powered supercars after a 22-year hiatus since the discontinuation of the Esprit in 2004. A rear teaser image reveals that the car’s design draws inspiration from the Theory 1 electric hypercar concept unveiled in 2024 and features two large-diameter exhaust pipes. In pursuit of extreme lightweighting, Lotus has opted for a non-plug-in hybrid system instead of the plug-in hybrid approach currently favored by most supercar manufacturers. Lotus has not disclosed the specific supplier of the V8 engine. However, given that the Emira currently uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine supplied by Mercedes-AMG, there are indications that the Type 135 could be powered by AMG’s M177 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8—already used in models like the Aston Martin. Recently re-engineered with race-derived flat-plane crankshaft technology, this engine produces 530 hp and 750 Nm of torque in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and AMG engineers are reportedly pushing its output beyond 650 hp for the Lotus application. The new model is expected to be produced in Europe, though it remains unconfirmed whether it will share the Hethel, Norfolk production line with the Emira and Evija. Design work was carried out at Lotus’s Coventry design center—the same team behind the Theory 1 concept. If the production car inherits more elements from the Theory 1, it might adopt a McLaren F1-style three-seat layout. Measuring 4,490 mm in length, the Theory 1 is positioned as a more accessible supercar, with its carbon-fiber monocoque chassis and 85% of its technology already ready for series production. Additionally, Lotus will unveil a mid-cycle update for the combustion-engine Emira within the next few weeks, describing it as “the most powerful and lightest Emira ever.” The company previously indicated that to comply with the Euro 7 emissions regulations taking effect in 2027, the updated Emira could adopt a plug-in hybrid system. As part of its strategic realignment, while advancing the mass production of the Eletre SUV, Lotus aims to increase plug-in hybrid vehicle sales to 60% of its global total in the near term.