I read the email notification as "donked horse", and wasn't quite sure what expect beyond the following
No 100% of its practicality/driving enjoyment are equal to 25% of CRV practicality/other Lotus models driving enjoyment. For that money, you could get a brand new CRV to carry your family and still have around 10-15K to spend on a fun car. What would you choose: + Or ? Oh, and it's going to be a Volvo in drag.
Uhhh, in the same way the Evora is a Toyota in drag I guess? In that article, they state they are not sharing platforms with Volvo, but are using the engines and media systems. Lotus hasn't built a drivetrain in a long time, all current Lotuses get their engines from Toyota. So getting the SUV engine from Volvo is hardly a big deal. As for entertainment, Lotus has currently been using off the shelf pioneer systems and adding their logo's to the software. So using Volvo's entertainment system doesn't change much either, other than being better integrated and of a higher quality. They also say its going to be the lowest SUV in the segment, possibly the widest, and certainly the lightest. All of which means Lotus are custom designing the platform and chassis, which is the stuff they are renowned for doing well. So it sounds to me like its going to be a proper Lotus.
Lotus says its going to be the lowest SUV in the segment, possibly the widest, and certainly the lightest. Are they planning to make the roomiest and most offroad capable sports coupe next?
At least they are being honest about it, it may be an SUV, but nobody actually takes luxury SUV's off-road (outside of perhaps Range Rover customers, of which a small percentage will). If Lotus were trying to make the most capable off-roading SUV, I would be concerned.
Nobody takes them to the track either. Primary use of crossover SUVs, luxury or not, is city commute with rear seats full of kids and trunk full of groceries.
And Lotus is putting maximum fun into being able to do this. --- Post updated --- I think I'd choose a combination of a fun chassis, sporty looks, practicality and a factory warranty. And I remind the old Audi Quattro was a Passat in drag.