Lotus returns to profit, confirms new Elise

Lotus Cars has announced that it had a positive cash flow in August for the first time since 2000.

Following the influx of cash, the British car-maker has announced that work has recommenced on introducing a new range of products that would begin in 2020 with the launch of the long-awaited replacement for the Elise.

According Lotus boss Jean-Marc Gales, speaking to Autocar magazine, the next-generation Elise will be based a new version of the bonded and extruded aluminium chassis that the current car is underpinned by.

Lotus' boss said it was inevitable the replacement for the current car would be larger but the new Elise would still weigh less than 1000kg, he claims.

The reason for the larger dimensions was to pass stricter crash tests. Larger interior dimensions will also help sell the in markets like the US where the current car is considered too small.

Confirmed an on-sale date of "before 2020" the Elise roadster will be followed shortly after by the more track-focused Exige roadster and coupe.

The new models, Gales says, will help push Lotus' annual volumes from today's 1700-1800 units to more than 4000 cars by 2020.

An all-new Evora, based on a larger still version of the new Elise platform will then follow in 2022.

Once the Evora is on sale Lotus will then launch its fourth still-to-be-decided model.

Work has already begun on a prototype based around the concept of an SUV, but a decision will be made at a much later date on whether this will be the firm's fourth offering.

In the meantime, the next model due towards the end of 2017 is a convertible version based on the Evora that's claimed to get its own individual design.