After the launch of the Lotus L5 sedan at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2011, within less than half a year, the two-door hatchback version followed and was launched at the Guangzhou Auto Show in September. This clearly shows that Youngman Lotus Automobile had an unstoppable momentum regarding the two-door version of the L5. However, the actual market sales performance of the L5 (including both the two-door and sedan versions) was not very optimistic. Perhaps it's because Youngman Lotus has not been around long enough in China's car culture, or perhaps its sales channels have not yet fully opened up... 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 by the British Lotus Engineering team for Youngman 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, besides the fashionable hatchback styling, one can also see its British influence. The L5 Sportback (two-door) is positioned in the market as an "urban fashion coupe". Further segmentation of the model provides more choices for the trendy youth who love coupes.
Exterior Design: Although the design of the Lotus L5 comes from British Lotus Engineering and we can indeed see some British influence 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, we can see many shapes similar to willow leaves, such as the headlights, grille, and taillights. There is still some discrepancy between this willow-leaf style and the aesthetic preferences of domestic consumers.
The willow-leaf shaped metal grille deserves high praise in terms of craftsmanship. We can also see this type of metal grille 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, although it is indeed unique. Nevertheless, the configuration is generous, with LED daytime running lights and blackened headlights with lenses being standard across the entire series.
Compared to the front face, I think the side hatchback styling of the L5 two-door is more likely to be accepted by consumers. The rear hatchback styling transitions naturally, and the rear design is quite successful. Let's take a look at the wheels and tires. The tires used are Dunlop SP3 sport tires, with dimensions of 205/50 R16. The spare tire is also a full-size one, and it is standard across the entire series! It's hard to find another car among domestically produced vehicles that boasts such rich configurations.
Besides making the "rear end" more full and stylish, the hatchback design also greatly enhances the storage space of the trunk. In daily use, you can fold down the rear seats, allowing you to store whatever you want, as long as you dare to imagine! The designer considered the inconvenience caused by the hatchback design when opening and closing the trunk, so they 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 cars priced around 100,000 yuan.