F1-Inspired Lotus Evora GTE Special Edition Scooped Ahead of Geneva?

This past Wednesday, Lotus sent us an invitation to take part in the world premiere of a "special edition of a special edition" Evora at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The company's invitation noted that the car would be an F1-inspired version of the limited-edition Lotus Evora GTE first shown at the Frankfurt auto show last year. This
"We're launching a special edition of a special edition, and to make things extra special our Lotus F1 Team driver Kimi Raikkonen will be there to field questions. Now, it doesn’t get more special than that…," read the British automaker's invitation.
Lotus did not release any photos of the car leaving us more or less in the dark, but today, Patrick Garcia from French auto site Caradisiac, sent us these photos of an F1-themed Evora that he discovered at a parking lot during a trip to Jerez to cover the F1 pre-season testing earlier this month.
Garcia was right to assume that what we're looking at is most likely the F1-themed version of the Evora GTE Lotus has been talking about.
We don't know if there are any mechanical improvements over the regular Evora GTE that is lighter and more powerful than the Evora S, but on the outside, it does get the Lotus F1 team's colors and graphics including a large Lotus insignia on the rear wing and gold finish alloy wheels, plus the number "10", which is used by Kimi Räikkönen's team mate, Romain Grosjean this season.
A similar treatment was given to the F1-inspired Evora S, of which only three examples were built.
We'll remind you that the Evora GTE gets a tuned 3.5-liter supercharged V6 delivering 444-horses, up from the 350HP, channeled to the rear wheels via a new sequential AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) racing gearbox, while Lotus engineers also shaved 105kg or 232 pounds over the base model by eliminating certain parts and using carbonfibre throughout the exterior and interior.
The…two times special edition Evora should not be confused with the company's second world debut at the Swiss show, which Lotus said would "blow our top off" hinting at the Evora Convertible.

Merci Beaucoup to Patrick Garcia!

PHOTO GALLERY

Mazda3 Facelift on Sale in the UK with Prices Starting from £13,495

Mazda has released UK pricing for its updated compact hatchback that's available for orders now. The 2012 Mazda3 starts from £13,495 for the 1.6 TS model, however, the price includes a special £2,300 saving that ends on March 31. The regular OTR price will then be £14,795. The revised five-door Mazda3 has improved aerodynamics (Cd 0.29) and is distinguished on the outside by the tweaked front fascia, new rear bumper and twist-spoke alloy wheels.
Inside, you'll find higher quality and a fresh assortment of colours, plus additional standard equipment while Mazda also claims to have made the cabin quieter through the use of better sound absorbing materials.
Under the skin, the Japanese company's engineers have tweaked the suspension and the steering system to improve handling.
Engine options include a 1.6-liter petrol with 105PS (104bhp) and 44.1mpg UK combined, a 2.0-liter petrol with 151PS (149bhp) and 42.2mpg UK, and a 2.3-liter turbo petrol with 260PS (256bhp) and 29.4mpg UK for the MPS hot hatch.
There are also three diesels to choose from including a 1.6L with 115PS (113bhp) and 65.7mpg UK, and a 2.2L with 150PS (148bhp) and 54.2mpg UK and a 2.2L with 185PS (182bhp) and 52.3mpg UK.
In terms of standard features, the entry-level S gets a manual air-conditioning and electric front windows, TS models have dual-zone climate control, and TS2 specification adds a heated windscreen and integrated Bluetooth hands-free system.
The Sport derivatives are equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels and a Bose audio system with 10 speakers, while Sport Nav models have a fully integrated, satellite navigation system.
Mazda is also launching the new Tamura limited edition that features a sports styling pack, front fog lights and bespoke 17-inch black gloss diamond cut alloy wheels.

PHOTO GALLERY

Melkus Presents New RS2000 Black Edition, Priced at a Hefty €149,900

If you've never heard the name Melkus before, we won't blame you. The German company founded by race driver Heinz Melkus started building racing and sports cars in the mid-1950s before closing shop in 1986 only to reopen again in the 1990s by Heinz's son Peter. Currently, the company's sole model is the RS2000, the range of which is being expanded with the addition of the new Black Edition variant.
There's no prize for guessing where it's name comes from. We'll just note that according to Melkus, this is no ordinary black paint job but a special black lacquer finish that requires six layers with each layer being sanded separately. The exterior upgrades also include a carbon-fiber bodykit.
The black color theme continues inside with the leather seats and Alcantara interior roof lining as well as numerous piano lacquer and carbon fiber applications. Melkus has also added a new infotainment system with a navigation function.
Under the sheetmetal, we find a new high-performance braking system, while the VW or Opel sourced 2.0-liter turbo engines (the buyer can choose which one he or she wants) both receive a mild boost from 300PS (296hp) in the regular RS2000 to 325PS (321hp) in the Black Edition.
The increase in power allows for a zero to 100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 270km/h (168mph).
And for all this, Melkus will charge you €149,000, which is equal to US$195,600 or £124,200, which probably explains why the RS200 Black Edition will remain a rare oddity.
Story References: Melkus via Worldcarfans

PHOTO GALLERY