Forget a reborn Lotus Esprit or any of the other concepts first displayed back in 2011 in Paris. The way to expand the appeal of the UK sports car maker apparently lies with the Evora. We already know that a heavily refreshed Evora will arrive in 2015 and that it'll be sold in the US as well. Beyond that tidbit, nothing else was known about Lotus' future plans. Until now. According to Car Magazine, Lotus is planning both an Evora convertible (no surprise) along with an Evora-based crossover (definitely a surprise).

The goal is to attract new customers in the US and China. If this crossover comes to fruition, it'll retain its rear-wheel-drive setup but will have an increased ride height and unique styling. Think of what Audi did with the TT Offroad concept. For Lotus purists who will likely be pissed off by a crossover, the company plans to also develop a hardcore successor to the 2-Eleven track special from 2009. We'll hopefully get more details in the months ahead as we get closer to Geneva where hopefully new concepts will be shown.