The Lotus Etna is a one-off concept car designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who also designed the Lotus Esprit. It premiered at the 1984 British International Motor Show and was powered by a 4.0-litre Lotus-designed V8 codenamed the Type 909.
Lotus Etna at a glance
| Shown | 1984 British International Motor Show, Birmingham |
|---|---|
| Designer | Giorgetto Giugiaro (Italdesign) |
| Engine | 4.0-litre Lotus Type 909 V8 |
| Power | 335 bhp, 295 lb ft |
| Engine brief | at least 320 bhp and 300 lb ft, sharing much with the slant-four |
| Engines built | two (the other kept by Lotus for display) |
| Promised technology | active suspension, traction control, ABS, noise cancelling |
| Fate | cancelled after General Motors bought Lotus in 1986 |
Based on one source (English Wikipedia); the English article is short, so this page is shorter than usual.
History of the Lotus Etna
The Etna was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and premiered at the 1984 British International Motor Show in Birmingham. It was powered by a 4.0-litre V8 of Lotus design, codenamed the Type 909. In 1978 Colin Chapman had asked the engineer Tony Rudd to build a new V8 that should have as much in common as possible with the slant-four still used across the Lotus range, while producing at least 320 bhp and 300 lb ft.
Meanwhile other Lotus engineers were working on an active suspension system for the company’s Formula One cars that would eventually reach the road cars. Lotus sent an Esprit chassis to Italdesign with the new engine and gearbox to help Giugiaro package his creation.
When the Etna was revealed, it was promised as the first road-going Lotus to receive this sophisticated suspension, along with traction control, ABS and noise cancelling, and of course Rudd’s 4.0-litre Type 909 engine, which ultimately produced 335 bhp and 295 lb ft. Only two Type 909s were built; the other was retained by Lotus for display.
General Motors bought Lotus in 1986 and the Etna and Type 909 were put on ice and eventually killed as the company changed direction towards an inexpensive sports car, which appeared in 1989 as the front-wheel-drive Elan. The spirit of the Etna lived on in Peter Stevens’s 1987 Esprit restyle, but a new Lotus V8 had to wait until 1996, and that engine was completely unrelated to the Type 909.
Design and features
- Giugiaro body: a one-off design by the man behind the Esprit.
- Type 909 V8: 4.0 litres, 335 bhp and 295 lb ft.
- Promised technology: active suspension, traction control, ABS and noise cancelling.
- Only one car: a show concept that never reached production.
Lotus Etna versions
- Lotus Etna (1984): the single concept car.
The Etna shared its designer with the Lotus Esprit and promised technology later seen on the Lotus 99T. More cars are in the Lotus collection.
Sources
- Lotus Etna, English Wikipedia: design, engine, promised technology, cancellation
