Heard a rumor... can confirm later...

they will start sharing grid girls.

but seriously...no, haven't heard anything.

 

I have not heard this.

 

F1 or road car relationship? Or both?

 

Hmm, Lotus could add some lightness to Ferrari. Haven't heard anything about some deal between the two.

 

If you think about it, it could make sense. Lotus products really don't seem to overlap with Ferrari or other Fiat products. In F1 Ferrari could supply engine for 2011-on, who knows.

Imagine the next Exige using a turbo 2.4L Ferrari V6 engine that revved to 8500 rpm and made 320 hp. The car would be light and very fast, and almost affordable at $85k or so. I also doubt it would steal any 458 Italia sales away from Ferrari.

 

Not actually "breaking" news, but...

Lotus appoints Ferrari designer Donato Coco as new design director

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/15/lotus-appoints-ferrari-designer-donato-coco-as-new-design-direct/


Dany Bahar Bolts Ferrari To Become Lotus CEO

http://www.insideline.com/ferrari/dany-bahar-bolts-ferrari-to-become-lotus-ceo.html

 

The (English) company building the Lotus street cars has nothing to do with the (Malaysian= Lotus F1 team!

 

Not quite true Lotus cars is also Malaysian owned by Proton, and the Evora racer was tested by Jarno Trulli, and the F1 team is also based in Norfolk. your right they are not jointly owned but they are connected.

As to Ferrari/ Lotus relationship, Dany Bahar seemed to have poached a few engineers and other people from Ferrari but that's about it

 

The reality is that Proton and the F1 team are both Malaysian government "subsidiaries". There is private ownership involvement as well but the gov't calls the shots.

They are connected as closely as the Mercedes F1 team and the Daimler-Benz car company. Just different operating subsidiaries of the same corporate owner.

 

And in the old days, Lotus the car manufacturer was a separate entity from the F1 team, both under the same owner, too . . .

 

No way. The chassis would need to be strengthened and the entire drivetrain updated (gearbox, etc) as well as the brakes. For comparison, the 260 cup car, which uses mostly the same parts as the street version, is roughly $95k.

 

Lotus is much better with the reliable Toyota engine than it would be with a temperamental Ferrari engine...