Since the introduction of the Lotus L5 sedan at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2011, within a short span of less than half a year, the two-box hatchback model followed closely and was launched at the Guangzhou Auto Show in September. This shows that Youth Lotus Motors has an unstoppable momentum for the two-box version of the L5. However, the actual market sales performance of the L5 (including both the two-box and three-box versions) is not very optimistic. Perhaps it's because Youth Lotus lacks a long history in automobile culture domestically, or perhaps the sales channels have not been fully opened yet, or perhaps... But does poor sales mean that the L5 has poor quality and no competitiveness? The truth is quite the opposite.
Design background: The Lotus L5 was designed by the British Lotus car design team specifically for Youth Lotus over a period of five years. Its design elements are derived from the currently popular hatchback style. Therefore, on the exterior of the L5, apart from the fashionable hatchback shape, one can also see its British style. The L5 Sportback (two-box) is market positioned as an "Urban Fashion Coupe". The further segmentation of the models provides more choices for young people who like coupes.
In terms of appearance: Although the design of the Lotus L5 comes from British Lotus cars, and we can indeed see some British style on the L5, whether this British style can be accepted by domestic consumers remains to be seen. If the answer is yes, then at least it hasn't been achieved so far, and it will still take some time. On the exterior of the L5, we can see many shapes similar to willow leaves, such as headlights, grilles, and taillights. However, there is a difference between this willow leaf style and the aesthetic preferences of domestic consumers.
The metal grille in the shape of a willow leaf deserves high praise in terms of craftsmanship. We can also see such metal grille designs on some handcrafted sports cars. However, the combination of the willow leaf-shaped grille with the willow leaf-shaped headlights seems somewhat contrary to the domestic design style. The Little Prince of Lotus, indeed very unique, offers a 50% discount flash sale on Lotus cars. However, the configuration is very generous, with LED daytime running lights and blackened headlights with lenses as standard across all models.
Compared to the front face, I think the side hatchback shape of the L5 two-box is easier for consumers to accept. The transition of the rear hatchback shape is very natural, and the design of the rear is quite successful. Let's take a look at the rims and tires. The tires used are Dunlop SP3 sports tires, with dimensions of 205/50 R16, and the spare tire is also a full-size spare tire, and it's standard across all models! It's hard to find another car so generous among domestically produced cars that emphasize high configurations.
The hatchback shape not only makes the "rear end" more full and stylish but also greatly enhances the storage space of the trunk. In daily household use, you can fold down the rear seats, and you can put whatever you want, as long as you dare to imagine! The designer considered the inconvenience caused by the hatchback shape when opening and closing the trunk, and carefully designed a handle. If you want an electric tailgate, then you can check out Audi or BMW. You won't find an electric tailgate on a car priced around 100,000 yuan.