Lotus M250

What is it?
Lotus M250

What's special about it?
The Lotus M250 concept car first appeared at the 1999 Frankfurt Auto Show. With little changed, this near-production M250 showed up at the 2000 Geneva Auto Show. A lightweight aluminum chassis keeps the M250's curb weight around 2,000 pounds. Power comes from a 250-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 engine. Lotus says the rear-wheel-drive M250 should accelerate from zero-to-60 mph in less than five seconds. In typical Lotus fashion, handling, responsiveness and agility were all top design priorities.

Why should you care?
The current Lotus lineup (one car -- the Esprit) in America is more stale than a year-old piece of Wonder Bread. We would guess that American Lotus dealerships can't wait to get their hands on the M250. Sports car enthusiasts probably can't wait either, as the M250's specs suggest a worthy competitor to the Porsche Boxster S. Lotus hasn't given an official date for the U.S. introduction, but it does say the car is coming. The M250 will be priced below the Esprit, with an approximate tag of $65,000.