Upcoming Lotus SUV leaked in patent drawings

The upcoming Lotus SUV is said to enter production sometime in 2019.

The patent drawings of the upcoming Lotus SUV have leaked online, giving the world a good idea of what the offbeat model from the British sportscar maker could look like.

The leaked images clearly show that the front end of the new SUV will retain the signature Lotus grille, which is already seen on the Evora and Elise sportscars. The overall profile of the car is quite coupe-like, with exaggerated creases adding a dash of character. It's quite evident that this model will be positioned towards the crossover-coupe side of the SUV spectrum.

While Lotus has been hinting on a potential SUV launch for quite some time, the entire development process of the vehicle is said to have accelerated after Geely, the Chinese auto giant which also owns Volvo cars, took a controlling stake in the company in mid-2017.

Industry rumours previously suggested that Geely will shift some of Lotus’ production from Britain to China, and it is now speculated that the upcoming SUV could be completely produced in China.

It looks like even a carmaker like Lotus, which has only produced raw sportscars since its inception, could not save itself from the ongoing SUV frenzy. This phenomenon is definitely huge, with even the big guns of supercar world, Ferrari and Lamborghini, set to launch their crossovers in the forthcoming years.