Set for release during the second half of 2013, the Lotus Elan Concept Power is provided by a mid-mounted 4.0-liter V6 engine with 450 PS (331 kW / 444 hp) and 465 Nm (343 lb-ft) of toque. It is backed up by a seven-speed DCT transmission, which enables the 1,295 kg (2,855 lb) car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 310 km/h (193 mph).

It's not enough to simply provide performance and exceptional looks, innovation is also integral to the Lotus Elan's appeal. In keeping with the rest of the new Lotus range, the Elan features optional hybrid technology with KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) similar to those seen in F1 a season ago.

  Elan Lotus Concept Car

Presented at the 2010 Paris Motor Show together with the Elite, Esprit, Elise and Eterne concepts, the Elan is a 2-seater coupé that will be positioned between the Elise and the Esprit in the brand’s future model line-up.

From a styling perspective, the Lotus Elan is built like an athlete with a muscular physique and perfect poise. It's a thoroughbred, rigid with tension, ambitious and addictive, nothing but best in class will suffice for this car.

Dany Bahar, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus, said: "If there was ever a car to make you drive the long way home, it's the Lotus Elan. Perfect for both road and track, the Lotus Elan not only ticks all the boxes, it creates new ones too."

  Elan Lotus Concept Car

"The Elan will convert people to Lotus, I would challenge people not to become addicted to driving it. It will also go a long way towards dispelling the old misconceptions about this class, that in order to have high performance you must sacrifice usability - those days are gone."

"Once you drive an Elan you won't look back, it will give you things you didn't even realise you were missing - that's the essence of Lotus and the Elan perfectly captures that spirit."

Like the Evora, the Lotus Elan features 2+2 seating, suggesting that the new Evora may not really have a long life at Lotus. Prices for the production Elan are estimated to start around $118,500.