Lotus is developing a hybrid V6 version of its upcoming Type 135 supercar alongside the previously confirmed 1,000-horsepower hybrid V8.
The V6 should give Lotus a lighter and potentially less expensive version of its new mid-engine flagship when the car arrives in 2028. It may also bring the Type 135 closer to the philosophy that originally made Lotus important: reduce mass, sharpen response and avoid solving every performance problem by installing another 400 horsepower.
The Type 135 is widely expected to revive the Lotus Esprit name, although Lotus has not formally confirmed the production badge.
That distinction matters. The V6 powertrain is real. The 2028 timing is real. “Esprit” remains the extremely logical name everyone is using while waiting for Lotus to stop pretending there is another reasonable option.
New Lotus Type 135: Confirmed Details
| Specification | Confirmed or reported information |
|---|---|
| Internal name | Lotus Type 135 |
| Expected production name | Lotus Esprit, not officially confirmed |
| Vehicle layout | Mid-engine supercar |
| Confirmed flagship engine | Hybrid V8 |
| Flagship output | More than 1,000 PS |
| Additional powertrain | Hybrid V6 |
| Planned reveal | 2028 |
| Planned launch | 2028 |
| V6 displacement | Not announced |
| V6 horsepower | Not announced |
| Transmission | Not officially specified for each version |
| Curb weight | Not announced |
| Production price | Not announced |
Lotus announced the Type 135 in May as part of its Focus 2030 business strategy. The company confirmed an all-new V8 hybrid supercar producing more than 1,000 PS, equivalent to at least approximately 986 mechanical horsepower.
The important update is that the V8 will not be the only choice.
According to Car and Driver, Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng disclosed the hybrid V6 during an investor call. CarBuzz also reports that the smaller powertrain will join the V8 in the Type 135 lineup.
Lotus has not published the V6’s displacement, output, hybrid-motor arrangement or transmission specifications.
That means anyone currently presenting an exact horsepower figure has either received confidential engineering documents or discovered that numerals remain free to type.
Why Is Lotus Adding a Hybrid V6?
The hybrid V6 gives Lotus greater flexibility in weight, price, emissions and vehicle positioning.
Lotus says the smaller powertrain will help preserve the company’s emphasis on lightweight engineering and extreme track-focused dynamics. That does not mean the V6 version will be inexpensive or genuinely light by historical Lotus standards, but it should create more room for engineers to prioritize chassis response over headline output.
A V6 could potentially offer:
- Lower engine mass
- A shorter or more compact powertrain package
- Reduced cooling demand
- Less rear-axle weight
- Improved directional response
- Lower fuel consumption and emissions
- A lower entry price
- Reduced stress on the transmission and hybrid system
- More usable performance on public roads
The final outcome depends on the V6 design and hybrid equipment Lotus selects. A complex plug-in system carrying a large battery could erase much of the engine’s weight advantage.
“V6” does not automatically mean “light.” It simply gives Lotus a better starting point than a twin-turbo V8, multiple electric motors and enough cooling hardware to air-condition a medium-sized office building.
Lotus Esprit V6 vs. Hybrid V8
The two Type 135 powertrains appear designed for different buyers.
| Type 135 version | Expected priority |
|---|---|
| Hybrid V6 | Lower mass, accessibility, balance and broader global availability |
| Hybrid V8 | Maximum output, flagship performance and four-figure-horsepower bragging rights |
The V8 will serve as the halo model. With more than 1,000 PS, it should compete against hybrid supercars from Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren.
The V6 could become the driver-focused sweet spot.
A less powerful Type 135 may offer better:
- Steering feel
- Braking consistency
- Tire life
- Suspension control
- Weight transfer
- Thermal management
- Track-session durability
- Usable throttle progression
That does not guarantee the V6 will be better. It explains why fewer cylinders can improve the complete car even when they produce a less exciting number for the press release.
Enthusiasts have been trained to treat horsepower rankings as a complete vehicle review. This is convenient because it eliminates all the difficult work involving corners.
Could the V6 Version Be the Better Lotus?
Possibly.
Lotus built its reputation around lightweight cars that made modest power feel significant. The Elise, Exige, Elan and early Esprit did not need four-figure output because they avoided carrying several hundred pounds of equipment dedicated to compensating for several hundred pounds of other equipment.
Modern safety, emissions and customer expectations make that simplicity difficult to reproduce. The Type 135 will require:
- Hybrid hardware
- High-voltage safety systems
- Structural crash protection
- Modern emissions controls
- Active electronic systems
- Luxury equipment
- Advanced cooling
- Large brakes and tires
Even the V6 version will not be an Elise with two extra cylinders.
However, a lighter Type 135 could still preserve the important parts of Lotus engineering:
- Low polar moment
- Accurate steering
- Controlled body movement
- Strong brake feel
- Predictable weight transfer
- Responsive power delivery
- Driver-focused ergonomics
The V8 may be the version people photograph at auto shows. The V6 could be the one drivers actually prefer on a technical road or during a long track session.
The Hybrid System Matters More Than the Cylinder Count
Lotus has not explained how the V6 hybrid system will operate.
Several layouts are possible:
- An electric motor integrated with the transmission
- A motor positioned between the engine and gearbox
- Separate electric assistance for the front axle
- A plug-in hybrid battery
- A compact, performance-focused hybrid system
- Multiple motors providing torque vectoring
Each configuration creates different compromises.
A front electric axle could add all-wheel-drive traction and torque vectoring, but it would increase mass and complexity. A single transmission-mounted motor could be lighter while providing torque fill, regenerative braking and low-speed assistance.
Battery size will also matter. A large plug-in battery may improve electric range and regulatory compliance but make the car heavier. A smaller performance battery could prioritize rapid charge and discharge during acceleration and braking.
Toyota faces similar decisions with its forthcoming hybrid flagship. The Toyota GR GT shares approximately 80 percent of its hardware with its GT3 racing counterpart while combining a twin-turbo V8 with a rear-mounted hybrid transaxle.
Both projects demonstrate the same modern problem: manufacturers want combustion-engine character, electric torque and regulatory compliance without producing a supercar that handles like a luxury apartment experiencing structural movement.
Will the Lotus Esprit V6 Be All-Wheel Drive?
Lotus has not confirmed the drivetrain layout.
The V8 version could potentially use electric assistance at one or both axles, but no complete production specification has been released. The V6 may use the same hybrid architecture or adopt a simpler arrangement.
All-wheel drive would provide:
- Improved launch traction
- Greater low-speed acceleration
- Torque-vectoring capability
- Better stability in poor conditions
Rear-wheel drive would generally offer:
- Lower mass
- Less front-axle complexity
- More natural steering
- Simpler cooling and packaging
- More traditional Lotus behavior
The correct choice depends on the Type 135’s mission.
If Lotus wants to compete primarily through acceleration numbers, all-wheel drive becomes difficult to avoid. If it wants the V6 to provide a purer and lighter alternative, rear-wheel drive would make more sense.
For now, neither outcome is confirmed.
What Engine Will the Lotus Esprit V6 Use?
Lotus has not identified the production V6.
Reports connect the Type 135’s combustion powertrains with Horse Powertrain, the joint powertrain company backed by Geely and Renault. That relationship does not yet provide enough information to identify the V6’s displacement, cylinder-bank angle, induction system or internal architecture.
Unconfirmed possibilities include:
- A turbocharged V6
- A twin-turbocharged V6
- A V6 developed specifically for hybrid integration
- A modular engine shared with a future Lotus model
- An externally supplied engine extensively recalibrated by Lotus
The current Emira V6 SE uses a supercharged 3.5-liter Toyota-derived V6 with a six-speed manual transmission. There is no confirmation that the Type 135 will use that engine.
In fact, the Type 135’s expected performance, hybrid integration and emissions requirements make a new turbocharged architecture more likely than a continuation of the existing supercharged engine.
Likely is not confirmed, however. Until Lotus publishes the specifications, the correct engine description remains “hybrid V6.”
It is less satisfying than inventing a displacement, but considerably easier to correct later.
Will the New Lotus Esprit Have a Manual Transmission?
A manual Type 135 appears unlikely, although Lotus has not announced every transmission option.
Integrating a manual gearbox with a high-output hybrid system is possible, but difficult. The control system must coordinate:
- Engine torque
- Electric-motor assistance
- Clutch operation
- Gear changes
- Regenerative braking
- Battery charging
- Traction control
- Emissions strategy
A dual-clutch transmission can manage these functions with much greater consistency. It can also handle extremely fast shifts while maintaining hybrid torque delivery.
The V8 version’s output will place enormous demands on its transmission. A conventional manual capable of surviving approximately 1,000 horsepower would add weight, require a heavy clutch and make hybrid integration more complicated.
The V6 version could theoretically support a manual more easily, but nothing released so far indicates Lotus plans to offer one.
We can still want it. Engineering reality is not legally allowed to prevent optimism.
How Light Could the Lotus Type 135 Be?
Lotus has not announced a production curb weight.
Reports suggest the company wants to hold the V8 hybrid near 1.5 metric tons, or approximately 3,307 pounds. That would be remarkably light for a 1,000-horsepower hybrid supercar, but it should remain a target rather than a finished specification until Lotus confirms it.
The V6 could potentially weigh less because of:
- A smaller engine
- Reduced cooling requirements
- A lighter transmission
- Smaller brakes and tires
- A less powerful hybrid system
- Reduced structural demand around the powertrain
- A smaller battery
Lotus must avoid allowing the V6’s lower output to become an excuse for adding more comfort equipment. A lighter engine does not accomplish much if the saved mass returns as powered cupholders, additional screens and a seat-adjustment motor capable of moving agricultural equipment.
The New Esprit Will Not Be an Electric Supercar
The Type 135 was originally expected to become an electric successor to the Emira.
Lotus changed direction.
Its Focus 2030 strategy replaced the proposed battery-electric sports car with a combustion-hybrid flagship. The decision reflects changing supercar demand and the difficulty of reconciling large EV batteries with Lotus’ lightweight identity.
Electric motors can provide tremendous acceleration. Batteries capable of repeatedly supporting that performance remain heavy.
A hybrid arrangement allows Lotus to use:
- A combustion engine for sustained power
- Electric motors for torque fill
- Regenerative braking
- A smaller battery
- More familiar refueling
- Mechanical engine character
- Lower mass than a comparable long-range EV
The company has not abandoned electrification. It has decided that its flagship sports car needs an engine.
For a brand built around lightness and driver involvement, this seems less like retreat and more like remembering what business it is in.
Where the Type 135 Fits Against Other Hybrid Supercars
The upcoming Lotus will enter an increasingly crowded group of electrified performance cars.
Potential rivals include:
- Ferrari 296 GTB successors
- Lamborghini Temerario
- McLaren Artura
- Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray and future variants
- Toyota GR GT
- Other limited-production European hybrid supercars
The V8 Type 135 will compete through outright output. The V6 needs a different argument.
If Lotus attempts to match every rival’s equipment, electric range and luxury content, it risks producing another powerful hybrid supercar distinguished mainly by its badge.
If it prioritizes weight and feedback, the V6 could occupy a more interesting position: less powerful than the fastest competitors but more responsive, communicative and usable.
The reported Toyota MR2 revival explores the same idea at a lower price and performance level. Both cars reflect renewed manufacturer interest in mid-engine combustion performance, although Toyota has not confirmed the reported MR2 specifications or production program.
What Lotus Still Needs to Confirm
Several important questions remain unanswered:
- Will the production car officially use the Esprit name?
- What engine will power the V6 version?
- How much horsepower will each version produce?
- Will the V6 and V8 use the same hybrid system?
- Will either version use all-wheel drive?
- What transmission will Lotus install?
- How large will the battery be?
- Will the hybrid system require external charging?
- What will each version weigh?
- Where will Type 135 production take place?
- How much will the V6 cost?
- Will the V6 arrive alongside the V8?
- Will the car be sold throughout the United States?
- How much hardware will the two versions share?
Until Lotus answers those questions, the Type 135 remains a confirmed vehicle surrounded by unfinished specifications.
That is normal for a car still two years from its planned launch. Unfortunately, normal development schedules have never prevented the internet from publishing a complete comparison test.
Why the Lotus Esprit V6 Matters
The V6 changes the Type 135 from a single extravagant halo car into a broader performance platform.
A 1,000-horsepower hybrid V8 will earn attention. A lighter V6 could better demonstrate what Lotus contributes to the segment.
The most encouraging part of the announcement is not that Lotus found another engine. It is that the company appears to recognize the limits of solving performance with escalating output.
More power requires:
- More cooling
- More tire
- More brake
- More transmission capacity
- More battery support
- More structural strength
- More weight
That cycle can produce staggering acceleration while steadily removing the qualities that make a sports car satisfying below 150 mph.
The V6 gives Lotus an opportunity to interrupt that process.
Final Verdict
The Lotus Type 135 will offer a hybrid V6 alongside its confirmed 1,000-PS hybrid V8 when the new mid-engine flagship arrives, currently planned for 2028.
The V8 will provide the headline performance. The V6 could provide the better Lotus.
Its smaller engine may reduce weight, cooling demand and cost while allowing engineers to concentrate on balance and driver response. Whether Lotus actually achieves that depends on the hybrid architecture, battery size and final equipment list.
For now, the V6 is the most encouraging Type 135 development yet.
Lotus has apparently discovered that its 1,000-horsepower flagship might benefit from a lighter alternative. Colin Chapman’s “simplify, then add lightness” philosophy survives—now with an electric motor, several control modules and approximately fourteen lawyers supervising it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lotus bringing back the Esprit?
Lotus has confirmed the Type 135 mid-engine hybrid supercar for 2028. It is widely expected to use the Esprit name, but Lotus has not officially confirmed the production badge.
What engine will the new Lotus Esprit use?
The Type 135 will offer a hybrid V8 producing more than 1,000 PS and an additional hybrid V6 powertrain. Lotus has not announced the V6’s displacement or output.
How much horsepower will the Lotus Esprit V6 have?
Lotus has not released a horsepower figure for the V6 version. Any exact output currently circulating is unconfirmed.
Will the Lotus Esprit V6 be lighter than the V8?
Lotus intends the V6 to support its lightweight engineering goals, so it should be lighter than the V8 version. Official curb weights have not been published.
When will the Lotus Type 135 arrive?
Lotus currently plans to reveal and launch the Type 135 in 2028. It may be sold as a 2029 model in the United States.
Will the new Lotus Esprit be electric?
No. Lotus replaced the previously planned electric Type 135 with combustion-hybrid V6 and V8 powertrains.
Will the Lotus Esprit have a manual transmission?
Lotus has not announced the complete transmission lineup. A manual appears unlikely because of the complexity and output of the hybrid powertrain, but it has not been formally ruled out.
How much will the Lotus Esprit cost?
Lotus has not announced pricing. The V8 will be positioned as a high-output flagship, while the V6 may provide a lower entry point.