Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Lotus secures more funding, but five-year plan is dead

The five-car, five-year plan for Lotus developed under Dany Bahar is dead, according to an Autocar report. But rumor has it that the sexy Esprit concept could be revived at a low cost. Tan Sri Mohd Khamil Jamil, managing director of the company that owns Lotus parent company Proton, DRB, confirmed that the company sold 70 cars in the U.K.

Lotus's glimmer of hope: Proton stands by Hethel

After another painful year of sales for Lotus in the UK – down 58% on 2011 - Norfolk's beleagured sports car brand has kicked off the New Year with the grand unveiling of its new flagship Malaysian showroom, and the thumbs-up from senior Proton company suits that Lotus isn't on its last legs. The announcement comes in the same week Lotus’s sales figures were released for 2012. Showing a substantial 58% decrease in sales and selling just 137 vehicles, Lotus Cars was the worst performer in the UK with a woeful 0.01% share of the market.  Are Lotus's Malaysian owners sticking by the company?

Caterham Cars offers free 40-year anniversary package

Caterham Cars, the U.K.-based maker of lightweight track-day vehicles, will celebrate 40 years building the legendary Seven with a free option package for the open-wheel roadster. The package is available starting today, but only for the first 40 orders of the Seven or its variants. Rights to the Seven were acquired by Graham Nearn from Lotus legend Colin Chapman in 1973.