The twin-turbo 4.0-liter engine will pair with a hybrid system, and the duo will make nearly 1000 horsepower combined.
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.
See all results for new 2029 Lotus Esprit for sale near 115280
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.
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