Lotus Building New LMP2 for 2013; LMP1 for 2014

With LolaLolaUnited Kingdom, 1958 > 195938 models
113 photos
1 video
going out of business, it leaves a major vaccum in the customer race car market. LotusLotusUnited Kingdom, 1952 > present68 models
951 photos
7 videos
has announced that it will build a new LMP2 chassis for 2013 and have an LMP1 version ready for either 2013 or 2014. The LMP2 version will be called the Lotus T-128. The car will take its first real world testing laps in January. 

First, to clarify, although called a Lotus, this car is not actually being built by Lotus in the same way that the Lotus-sponsored cars racing in LMP2 now are actually Lolas. Kodewa, a German company who contractually holds the rights to the name Lotus for prototype racing, will be building and selling the cars, but they will be badged as a Lotus. 

The company says that it has been designing the car since 2011 but wanted to go racing this season, and that is why they used Lola chassis. The team is relatively new and wanted to use the Lotus name to give it name recognition. The company is made up of former PescaroloPescaroloFrance, 2000 > present5 models
3 photos
1 video
, Peugeot SportPeugeotFrance, 1882 > present120 models
3839 photos
7 videos
and ToyotaToyotaJapan, 1937 > present155 models
4570 photos
10 videos
F1 employees, and the car has been designed by just 15 people. The company is using the Mercedes F1 wind tunnel to fine tune the aerodyamics. 

Two cars will be run by Kodewa as part of the Lotus team in the World Endurance Championship for 2013, but it is taking orders from WEC, ELMS, Asian Le Mans Series and ALMS teams. The Lotus team will run the car with a Lotus-Judd V8, but it will also be designed to accept NissanNissanJapan, 1932 > present159 models
6957 photos
12 videos
's LMP2 engine. Later, the team says that it will be able to use HondaHondaJapan, 1948 > present102 models
2419 photos
10 videos
and MazdaMazdaJapan, 1920 > present80 models
2325 photos
7 videos
diesel LMP2 engines. 

Kodewa says that it will begin development of an LMP1 version of the chassis in the next two weeks. This version will meet the new 2014 regulations, and the team says that it may be available for 2013 but will definitely be on sale to teams for 2014. 

Source: Lemans.org