Rumormill Lotus Esprit to use LFA V10 V8 in lesser spec

Now this is a rumor. According to the crafty crew at Inside Line, Lotus is set to release details on its planned resurrection of the long-dead Esprit at this year’s Paris Motor Show. Even better? There’s some indication that the top-of-the-line model may pack the same heavenly V10 found in the current Lexus LFA. Oh yes, we’re excited. Inside Line spoke with someone at Lexus who’s cozy with the deal who hinted that the 552-horsepower 10-pot would find its way into the car in order to help it better compete with the likes of Ferrari. That’s right, kids; Lotus is movin’ on up.

There’s also word that lower-rung trims will receive the same 5.0-liter V8 found in the Lexus IS-F. With 416 horsepower, that lump is no slouch. Both engine choices would seem to dovetail with the close partnership we’ve seen between Lotus and Lexus parent company Toyota in the past, and with new Lotus CEO Dany Bahar (formerly of Ferrari) clamoring for ever more powerful, upscale models, all of the puzzle pieces seem to be falling into place.

Still, that’s almost way too much awesome for most manufacturers to handle. Fortunately, the Paris show is just a handful of weeks away, so we should know which parts of this rumor are solid in short order.

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Prodrive develops supercharged Ford V8 for Falcon

The latest news from Oz comes courtesy of Prodrive, which has a close relationship with Ford Performance Vehicles. Starting with a Coyote V8 engine block, Prodrive has created a supercharged V8 that’s lighter and more powerful than the naturally-aspirated unit it started with.

Known as the “Miami” engine, the supercharged V8 generates 449 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 420 pound-feet of torque from 2,200 rpm up to 5,500 rpm. By altering the boost levels, Prodrive offers a less powerful version that produces 422 horsepower.

Both versions are planned for use in various trim levels of the Ford Falcon four-door. The 315kw (422 hp) unit will be available in the Falcon GS while the 335 kW (449 hp) engine is offered with the Falcon GT, GT-E and GT-P. The Falcons will wear the Boss name on the fenders and both versions provide yet another reason to book a flight on Qantas.

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Range Rover Facelift with new 510HP Supercharged V8

These are the first official photographs of the redesigned Range Rover that will be making its premiere along with its facelifted Range Rover Sport sibling and the Discovery / LR3 at the New York International Auto Show. Land Rover’s premium SUV has received mild styling tweaks in and out along with a series of mechanical upgrades that include the addition of a new 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine.

The design enhancements to the 2010 Range Rover include subtle exterior revisions with changes to the headlights, grille and bumper as well as the new ‘three-stripe’ LED indicators and redesigned three-section fender vents.

The SUV’s interior benefits from new leather trim for the headlining, pillar and door casings while the facia buttons now feature a satin chrome-plated finish. Moreover, the 2010 model features a new dual view touch screen infotainment system plus what Land Rover claims to be the world’s largest configurable 12-in. Thin Film Transistor (TFT) screen which is found in the instrument cluster.

The most important news under the hood concerns the replacement of the 4.2-liter Supercharged V8 with a new 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engine which is the same one used in the Jaguar XFR. It develops an output of 510HP and a peak torque of 625Nm.

Land Rover supports that despite the significant hike in both power (29 percent) and torque (+12 percent), the new supercharged V8 improves fuel consumption by 7.3 percent to 19mpg UK (14.8 lt/100km or 15.6mpg US) on the EU cycle and CO2 emissions by 7.4 percent to 348g/km, compared with its 4.2-litre Supercharged predecessor.

Other improvements for the 2010 Range Rover include the more powerful braking system, the updated Terrain Response and Stability Control systems and the new surround camera system which helps make parking easier.

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Coyote Cobra Superformance MKIII roadster powered by the Mustang’s 5 0L V8

We were smitten with the Coyote 5.0-liter V8 the second we got behind the wheel of the 2011 Ford Mustang GT. We described the 412 horsepower engine as “a pot of pure honey” as well as “intoxicating,” and said that the “5.0-liter V8 pulls like a jet airliner.” With a curb weight of just over 3,600 pounds, the Mustang GT is not as bloated as the Camaro, but by no means a lightweight. Would we like the 5.0L even more if it had less mass to push around?

That’s what Superformance had in mind with its latest creation. The maker of Shelby-licensed Cobra replicas has installed a Coyote 5.0-liter crate motor into one of its MKIII Roadsters, creating a combination of classic styling with the best of Ford’s modern powertrains. The engine wedges snugly into the front of the car, and only a custom air intake and headers are all that are needed to make everything fit.

We stopped by Superformance to get a closer look at the car, and came away with some photos and even some video of it in action. Check out the high-res gallery of the car below, and follow the jump to watch the video and hear what the Coyote 5.0-liter V8 sounds like without mufflers.

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