Lotus 2000-2009: Type 111 to 122

The first year of the new millennium saw Lotus building more cars than ever before in its 53 year history. As Proton acquired the remaining shares in Lotus and became 100 percent owners of Lotus Group International Ltd., the company was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, recognising their contribution to International Trade. Late 2003 saw the last Lotus Esprit roll off the assembly line, marking the end of over 27 years of production, and the following year, prior to the announcement of a new Federalised Elise/Exige model, the 20,000th Elise emerged from the Hethel works. At the end of the decade, the Evora was unveiled – the first all-new car to be launched by Lotus since the revolutionary Elise had made its debut in 1995.

Images © Lotus Cars Plc., William Taylor