After taking a year off from offering the Lotus Evora in the US, the automaker will be returning to America with an entry level variant of the sports car. Talking with Automotive News, Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales revealed the automaker plans to relaunch the Evora 2+2 in the US in May of this year with a 400-hp engine. The Evora utilizes Toyota's 3.5-liter V6 engine with a supercharger, but the upcoming de-tuned version will ditch the supercharger for improved fuel economy. Count this as good news and bad news.

"Over a five-year period in the US we have to show a 3 percent per year reduction in carbon dioxide emissions," Gales said. "One option is to remove the supercharger." This would reduce the Evora's performance, but it's all in the name of emissions now. However, Gales is not willing to completely alter the Evora's characteristics by going with a smaller engine. "I don't believe a four-cylinder fits there. We'll do what McLaren does with the 570S by fitting an engine that already fits into the car." Gales is most likely referring to the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 that is used throughout McLaren's entire lineup. The CEO expects to sell 400 units of the Evora in the US every year and says 250 orders have already been placed.