The New Lotus Esprit Supercar Will Be Powered by a 670-HP V-8

There’s a new V-8-powered Lotus on the way, and we’ve just got our first proper look at the powertrain. While the supercar uses the codename Type 135, most of the world expects it to resurrect the British brand’s legendary Espirt nameplate, and now we know that it’ll have a brand-new 4.0-liter V-8. The engine will team up with a dual-clutch automatic transmission, and both will be built by a company called Horse Powertrain.

The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, called the Horse W40, will come in a hot-V configuration, meaning it’ll store its turbos between the cylinder banks, rather than on either side of them. Horse says the combustion half of the powertrain will be responsible for generating 670 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, though it’ll be part of a larger hybrid system that Lotus promises will combine for at least 986 horsepower. With the engine weighing just 441 pounds, that’s quite a power-dense mill.

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Horse also says the engine was designed from the ground up with the hybrid configuration in mind, which required special consideration. Rather than pair it with another company’s transmission, Horse built its own eight-speed dual-clutch automatic called the Horse 8LDCT. The gearbox features a sports car-grade wet dual clutch, which is claimed to enable sub-20-millisecond shift responses, along with a silicon-carbide control system and a variable-displacement mechanical pump.

Horse’s new powertrain components will make their debut on what’s expected to be the upcoming Lotus Esprit. Unfortunately, the car’s production is still some time away, with Lotus planning to reveal and launch the model in 2028.

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Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.

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