After two years of development the first motorcycle to bear the Lotus marque is now road registered.
German racing team, Kodewa, has been licensed to produce the C-01, which combines a V-twin engine with a very distinctive carbon fibre, titanium and aerospace-quality steel body, designed by TRON Light Cycle designer Daniel Simon.
The C-01 motorcycle is not designed, engineered or produced by Group Lotus PLC, but is the result of a collaboration between motorsport veterans under the leadership of Kodewa, led by Dr Colin Kolles.
The development on the C-01 was carried out with the support of Holzer Group (co-owners of Kalex) and design guru Daniel Simon. Drawing on their wealth of motorsport experience, the team of engineers has designed a unique high performance superbike.
The C-01 will be launched with a range of liveries, some of which pay clear homage to Lotus’ sporting pedigree. A customisation service is also available, limited only by the imagination of the client. With an exclusive production run of just 100 units, superbike collectors and fans of the Lotus brand will need some serious speed to procure the new bike.
“Together we have found that delicate balance between raw, aggressive power and breath-taking handling. The team has created something very special, it looks incredible, it sounds fantastic but above all, the ride is sensational. I’m very happy,” said Günther Holzer, CEO of Holzer Group.
Designer Daniel Simon, who also devised Tom Cruise’s ‘bubbleship’, seen in Oblivion, added: “The design process of the C-01 was a labour of love, there were many challenges, ensuring that the bike not only touches your visual senses with its timeless blend of classic appeal and modern execution, but that is safe and ergonomically sound was critical to me.
“We have worked hard to create a motorcycle with very distinctive features such as a clean main body, an extremely low side profile, a bold stance, a unique air intake, logical partline solutions and clean graphics,” he continued.
The price tag of US $137,450, the C-01′s is the equivalent of two Lotus Elise sports cars or four Ducati1199 Panigale R superbikes. First deliveries are set for August.
Construction: 2-cylinder 4-stroke engine, 75° V-style