Latest news with #LotusEletre
Top Gear
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
The Acura RSX Prototype is a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive performance SUV
First Look And this yellow speed merchant will morph into a production car in 2026 Skip 6 photos in the image carousel and continue reading All your coupe heroes are dead. This is the Acura RSX Prototype. As the name suggests, it's merely a precursor, a dual-motor premonition of what to expect when a production car bearing this exact badge emerges from the factory floor in 2026. And as you can see, that badge won't be on the back of a brilliant-to-drive, handsome, US-spec coupe. It's another SUV. A fast one, too. We have but a few design and powertrain details to digest, so, design first. Smart looking thing, if a little like a Lotus Eletre. Giant, squared-off jawline, too. Should be useful for clearing the snow come winter, if we ever see snow again. Advertisement - Page continues below Acura reckons the 'dramatic fastback roofline' and 'powerful proportions' are a good way of showing off Honda's new bespoke, 'next-gen' EV platform, which this RSX will be spun off. So naturally, it needs massive rimz. This one gets 21in multi-spoke items, hiding 'large' Brembos, sitting in each corner of a 'long' wheelbase. Interestingly, the rear lightbar is apparently a nod to the second-gen NSX supercar, because of course this one's a performance SUV. Acura hasn't mentioned power, only that it gets a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup, and 'sport-tuned' double wishbone front suspension. You might like 'RSX promises to deliver a fun to drive and engaging driving experience,' said Acura. It'll also showcase 'top-of-the-class' assistance tech. Nobody likes an apple-polisher, Acura. It'll sit at the top of Acura's new tree when it does arrive. 'Starting from this all-new RSX, we will redefine the Acura brand around timeless beauty and a high-tech feel that is essential for a performance and unique brand,' said Yasutake Tsuchida, Acura's creative director and VP of R&D. Advertisement - Page continues below Looking for more from the USA? Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Straits Times
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
What's in a fob? The surprising complexity of designing car keys
The key fob for Bentley vehicles is likened to a business card for the luxury car brand. With 905 horsepower and a 0-100kmh sprint time under three seconds, the Lotus Eletre is more powerful than a Lamborghini Huracan and faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera. The US $230,000 (S$296,000) sport utility vehicle (SUV) is also the foundation of Lotus' plan to electrify its line-up. So, designing the right key fob for it was… well, key. It is an interesting subject – the fob. The way a consumer first interacts with a car is also one of the least relevant details of the driving experience. Yet, it serves as a handshake: A good design will communicate brand values, even status. A lot more thought goes into creating a fob than drivers may realise. 'We didn't want an over-featured key that becomes a big, bulky thing,' says Mr Mat Hill, head of interior design at Lotus. BMW's oversized 'display key' from 2015 was a cautionary tale: A US$670 option with so many functions that it required a touchscreen, the gadget was discontinued in 2022 because of low consumer interest. 'It's not about technology for technology's sake,' Mr Hill says. 'It's about, 'Does it actually make my life better?' ' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 30% of aviation jobs could be redesigned due to AI, automation; $200m fund to support workers: CAAS Singapore Residents in South West District get help to improve employability, find career opportunities Singapore Alleged Kpod peddler filmed trying to flee raid in Bishan charged with 6 offences Singapore UOB awarded $17.7m in civil suit against Lippo Marina Collection over inflated housing loans Life Kinokuniya opens third bookstore in Raffles City, weeks ahead of schedule Business DBS shares rally to a new record as STI clocks yet another high Singapore 5 foreigners charged over scheme to deliberately get arrested in S'pore to sell sex drugs Asia Lightning strikes kill 33 people in eastern India For the Eletre, designers spent six months developing a smooth ceramic fob that resembles a guitar pick, also the shape of the Lotus logo. The grey device has one button, which locks and unlocks the vehicle. They nicknamed it 'the pebble'. It is ingeniously simple, handsome and – crucially, at less than 7.6cm across – small. 'If you've got a nice suit on, it doesn't spoil the line when it's in your pocket,' Mr Hill says. That less-is-more sensibility is a rarity in the automotive world. Fobs can now start a car as you approach; unlock the front door (and rear, separately, if you want); open the boot to varying heights; adjust the temperature; tell you if the windows are up; and give you the battery life and fuel range. With the rise of push-button ignitions, fobs are also functionally the keys too. Things have come a long way since Cadillac introduced a radio-based keyless entry for the Allante in the 1980s. A modern fob generally consists of an electronic circuit board, a battery and a switch pack that receives signals from sensors. Sometimes, a metal emergency key is hidden inside. The key fob of the BMW 750Li xDrive (2015) came with a display. PHOTO: BMW The design can speak volumes. Porsche 911 fobs evoke the silhouette of the cars themselves. So do the soft lines of the Mercedes-Benz smart keys that unlock E-classes. Volvo's rectangular fobs recall the brand's historically brick-shaped fleet. And at Audi, Ford, Subaru and Toyota, they have merged into a softly rounded coffin-like shape. Still, others denote serious status, such as the ovoid disks from Bentley. The company spent two years and €1.5 million (S$2.37 million) developing the Continental GT's fob to feel like the interior of the car. The key has a knurling pattern along its edges, just like the interior controls, and shiny chrome accents. 'We see the key fob like a business card for Bentley,' says Mr Darren Day, head of interior design. The brand's 'B' badging went on the top of the key because that is how people see it when it is left on a table or a bar. 'It's that first impression,' he adds. A key that does not match the excellence of the vehicle works against it. In 2025 , when Cadillac premiered its Rolls-Royce competitor, the US$360,000 Celestiq, it included the same plastic fob found across the General Motors line-up, albeit in a leather sheath with stitches like a baseball mitt. Compared with the slinky lines of the hatchback itself, it was woefully incongruous. Conversely, while the credit card-like 'keys' for Rivian Automotive's R1T and Tesla's Cybertruck may repel Luddites, they match the high-tech feel of those electric vehicles. They also signal an inflection point. 'In the future, the key fob will be obsolete,' says Ms Rebecca Lindland, managing director of automotive at Allison Worldwide, a marketing consulting firm. Hyundai put fingerprint sensors in its SUVs as far back as 2019, while Ford is developing facial recognition. Ms Lindland operates her Alfa Romeo Stelvio almost exclusively via the smartphone app. 'The whole ecosystem needs to feel like an extension of my phone,' she says. A low battery does not faze her the way losing an actual key does. It is always easier, quicker and cheaper to charge a dead mobile phone than to order a new fob. 'At least with the app, there's a support system,' Ms Lindland says. In fact, Lotus' Mr Hill says half of Eletre buyers do not even care how cool the pebble looks. 'Early adopters are heavy users of the app,' he says. 'A key can be a nuisance.' His father-in-law, however, still wants to feel something in his pocket when he leaves the car. 'It's that bit of cognitive recognition,' Mr Hill says. And the pebble holds one clear advantage over his phone: With its tough ceramic shell, it will fare better if he drops it. Bloomberg
Bloomberg
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
What's in a Fob? The Surprising Complexity of Designing Car Keys
With 905 horsepower and a zero-to-60 mph sprint time under three seconds, the Lotus Eletre is more powerful than a Lamborghini Huracán and faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera. The $230,000 SUV is also the foundation of Lotus' plan to electrify its lineup. So designing the right key fob for it was … well, key.
Daily Mirror
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
King Charles shows off brand new £170k BMW as he overhauls fleet of royal cars
King Charles was seen riding in a new top-of-the-range black BMW i7 M70 xDrive as he was driven to a service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate The King has been spotted in a brand new £170,000 electric BMW as he continues to swap his fleet of royal cars for greener alternatives. Charles was seen riding in the back of his new top-of-the-range black BMW i7 M70 xDrive after buying the vehicle earlier this year. It was his first outing in the new motor, with the monarch opting to use it to be taken to a Sunday service at St Mary Magdalene Church on t he Sandringham estate at the weekend. The eco-conscious King has long been a champion of nature and green causes and previously spent years as Prince of Wales trying to drive action on environmental issues. The green BMW is the latest electric car to be added to the King's fleet, which is now said to include a £160,000 Electric Lotus. It is believed Charles has ordered the Lotus Eletre painted in the traditional Royal Claret livery, which is seen on other royal and state cars, to be used at one of his country estates. He first purchased an electric car back in 2018, when he splashed out on an EV400 HSE Jaguar I-Pace. He has since revealed that his cherished vintage Aston Martin DB6, a 21st birthday present from the late Queen, has also been converted to run on biofuel. In a 2021 interview, when asked if he was a "bit of a Clarkson" and a "petrol head", Charles replied: "Yes, but that was before we knew what the problems were. "But my old Aston Martin, which I've had for 51 years, I've managed to convert. I hardly have a chance to drive it now, but that now runs on waste products, can you believe this, surplus English white wine and whey from the cheese process." Meanwhile, last year at the annual review of the royal household's finances, Sir Michael Stevens, keeper of the privy purse, revealed the two existing state Bentleys would also be refurbished to run on biofuel, with fully electric state cars a possibility for the future. It comes as other steps the King has taken to reduce his carbon footprint have included installing solar panels on Clarence House and at Highgrove and Windsor Castle, turning down the heat at the Buckingham Palace swimming pool and using biomass boilers that use wood chippings to heat his Birkhall estate. The King once explored his passion for environmental causes in his 2010 book called Harmony: A New Way of Looking At Our World, which called for a shift in how we interact with nature. However, the King previously admitted that he was becoming "a frustrated old man" with his attitude towards the global climate emergency. He said the world must rely on the younger generation if it wants to avert an environmental catastrophe in the next few years. Get Royal Family updates straight to your WhatsApp!
NDTV
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
King Charles Goes Green With Lotus Eletre Electric SUV: Report
King Charles III is going to add a brand new electric vehicle to his collection of cars in the form of the Lotus Eletre. Based on reports of multiple media outlets, the British monarch is settling for the performance EV, despite old Land Rovers being his preferred choice of wheels. For many, this might not come as a surprise, considering His Majesty's vocal support for environmental causes. Furthermore, this is not the first electric vehicle in the royal garage. His Majesty owned a Jaguar I-Pace, which was sold in an auction in 2024 with 35,000 miles (56327 km) on the odometer. Talking about alternative fuel vehicles, his garage also had an Aston Martin DB6 Volante, which uses bioethanol as a fuel. The latest in the list will be Eletre. However, it is not confirmed if it is the Eletre, Eletre S, or Eletre R. The Eletre and Eletre S are equipped with a 603 hp dual-motor system, offering a range of 600km. In contrast, the Eletre R boasts a 905 hp dual-motor configuration with a 2-speed transmission, achieving a maximum range of 490 km. The torque figures stand at 710 Nm for the former and 985 Nm for the latter, with acceleration from 0 to 100 kmph in 4.5 seconds for the Eletre and Eletre S, and in just 2.95 seconds for the high-performance R model. All variants come with all-wheel drive and active air suspension as standard features. Additionally, there's a selection of five driving modes along with a torque vectoring system. The Eletre R also includes a handling pack, carbon fibre components, gloss black wheels, and high-performance tires as standard. Each of the three versions is powered by a 112kWh battery that can be charged from 10% to 80% in just 20 minutes when using a rapid charger. A 22kWh AC charger is also included as standard equipment. The SUV was launched in the Indian market in 2023 with a starting price of Rs 2.55 crore (ex-showroom).
