Lotus Ponders an SUV

Group Lotus tells Reuters the next addition to its all-sports-car lineup will probably be a crossover/SUV.

CEO Jean-Marc Gales says the British company's board may approve the project this year. Like other recent luxury and performance car makers, he vows the Lotus entry will "redefine" the segment. He notes that Lotus' product design philosophy dictates light weight, exceptional speed and excellent race-track handling.

Gales tells Reuters the company, which sells about 2,000 vehicles annually, hopes to achieve some 3,500 deliveries per year by fiscal 2016-2017. Earlier this week the company used the Geneva auto show to unveil an updated, 72,000 ($109,700) version of its flagship Evora sports car.