Lotus F1 Team Evora GTE: 444 HP and Drenched in Carbon Fiber [Geneva Auto Show]

What would Kimi Räikkönen drive? That may or may not be the burning question of the day, but the Geneva auto show provided an answer: On at least some occasions during 2012, the 2007 Formula 1 world champ will show up in an extensively carbon-fibered limited-edition Lotus Evora GTE. The flying Finn unveiled the car at the show, and enthusiastically told the crowd, "I would love to have this as my company car!" Räikkönen's enthusiasm isn't surprising. Lotus has resurrected his F1 career—for the coming season, at least. He'll team with 2011 GP2 champion Romain Grosjean in the upcoming F1 season, one component in an ambitious 2012 Lotus racing program that also includes the Indy 500 and the World Endurance Championship. Räikkönen's ostensible company car, which also will be available to buyers—no racing credentials required, just bring money—sports unpainted high-gloss carbon fiber body panels, and extensive use of the same material inside, highlighted by copper-trim inlays. The black leather upholstery has gold piping, reminiscent of the livery of the 2012 F1 cars, which in turn pay homage to the John Player Special colors of the cars that carried Mario Andretti to the 1978 world driver's title. Andretti was the last driver to win the championship for Lotus, and that same season was the last time the company claimed the F1 manufacturer's title. The special-edition Evora GTE is more than mere trim. All that carbon fiber contributes to a curb weight that's 220 pounds lighter than the standard car, according to Lotus, and various tuning tweaks help increase the output of its 3.5-liter supercharged V-6 to 444 hp. The company calls it "the most powerful Lotus road car ever." Combine most-ever power with reduced curb weight and you emerge with a strong prescription for quick. Lotus plans to make the limited-edition Evora available to European-market buyers in May. No word on U.S. availability. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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