Since its launch at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2011, after the introduction of the Lotus L5 three-box sedan, it took less than half a year for the two-box hatchback model to be launched at the Guangzhou Auto Show in September. This shows that Youngman Lotus Cars had an unstoppable momentum for the two-box version of the L5, with group-buying promotions offered by Lotus cars. However, the actual market sales performance of the L5 (including both two-box and three-box versions) was not very optimistic. Perhaps this is due to Youngman Lotus's relatively short automotive culture history in China, or perhaps because their sales channels have not yet been fully opened up, or maybe... But does poor sales mean that the L5 lacks quality and competitiveness? The fact is quite the opposite.
Design Background: The Lotus L5 was designed over five years by the British Lotus car design team specifically for Youngman Lotus cars. The design elements are derived from the currently popular hatchback style. Therefore, on the exterior of the L5, besides the fashionable hatchback shape, one can also see its British style in the L5 Sportback. The market positioning of the L5 Sportback (two-box) is as an "urban stylish coupe," with further segmentation of models providing more choices for fashionable young people who like coupes.
Appearance: Although the design of the Lotus L5 comes from British Lotus cars, and we can indeed see some British style in the L5, whether this British style can be accepted by domestic consumers remains questionable. If the answer is yes, then at least so far, it hasn't been achieved yet, and it will still take some time. On the exterior of the L5, similar to the Lotus L3 three-box sedan, we can see many willow-leaf shapes, such as headlights, grilles, taillights, etc. However, this willow-leaf style has some discrepancies with the aesthetic preferences of domestic consumers during Christmas group-buying promotions.
The metal grille in the willow-leaf shape deserves high praise for its craftsmanship. In some handcrafted sports cars, we can also see this type of metal grille. However, the combination of the willow-leaf grille and willow-leaf headlights seems somewhat contrary to domestic design styles, although it is indeed unique. Nevertheless, the configuration is generous, with LED daytime running lights and blackened headlights with lenses standard across all models.
Compared to the front face, I believe the side hatchback shape of the L5 two-box version 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 sport tires, with a size of 205/50 R16. The spare tire is also full-size and standard across all models! It is hard to find another car with such generous configurations among domestically produced cars.
Besides making the "rear end" fuller and more stylish, the hatchback shape greatly enhances the storage space of the trunk. In daily household use, when the rear seats are folded down, you can store whatever you want, as long as you dare to imagine, Lotus Cars! The designer considered the inconvenience caused by the hatchback shape when opening and closing the trunk, so they carefully designed a handle. If you want an electric tailgate, then you should check out Audi or BMW, as there are no electric tailgates available in cars around 100,000 yuan.