Lotus is set to invest £100 million in new manufacturing facilities at its Norfolk base to build a new range of sports cars.
The company, owned by Chinese conglomerate Geely and Malaysia-based Etika Automotive, said it would begin production of the new ‘Type 131’ prototype this year.
The Type 131 is part of a refresh of the company’s range of cars with what Lotus described as a “new generation” of vehicles.
An additional 250 staff members will be needed to boost the already almost 1,500 employed by the company, it is understood Lotus will also relocate two sub-assembly plants into a combined site in a bid to boost efficiency.
The news follows the announcement last month Lotus is joining forces with Renault’s Alpine performance marque to develop an electric sports car, the company said this secures the Norfolk factory’s future “into the 2030s”.
In 2019 Lotus announced its all-electric Evija supercar. Priced at £2m and with just 130 planned, it is billed as the most powerful vehicle of its type, capable of more than 200mph and pumping 2,000 horsepower.
Phil Popham, chief executive, said 2021 would be “hugely significant, with new facilities coming on stream, a new sports car entering production and new levels of efficiency and quality that only a new car design and factory can deliver”.
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