Lotus Evora returns to U.S. at year's end; U.S. HQ moving to Mich.

A scaled-down Lotus is preparing to leave the pits after sitting out the 2015 model year. The boutique British sports car maker said today that it will launch a fully compliant Evora coupe at the end of the year.The automaker signaled its plans earlier this year, but didn’t disclose a time frame.Lotus ceased sales of the Evora for the 2015 model year because the vehicle did not comply with U.S. safety regulations requiring smart airbags. The few cars Lotus has sold this year were leftover 2014 models.In March at the Geneva auto show, Lotus unveiled a revamped Evora 400 with a 3.5-liter, V-6 engine and a 0-to-60-mph time of 4.1 seconds. In a statement issued in England today, Lotus says that car will be available in the United States as a 2017 model-year vehicle. The statement does not say whether it has the smart airbag system.The company also announced plans to move its U.S. headquarters from Lawrenceville, Ga., to Ann Arbor, Mich., into a facility occupied by Lotus Engineering Inc., another branch of the company.The move will be completed by the end of July. It is not clear how many Lotus employees in Georgia will transfer to Michigan. Calls and emails to Lotus’ headquarters in England and in the U.S. were not answered today.Lotus faces tougher competition this time around.Alfa Romeo has returned to the U.S. with coupe and convertible versions of the 4C -- a low-slung, lightweight two-seater with similar performance. And Jaguar has added a manual gearbox option to its F-Type sports car. No prices for the 2017 Evora were announced, but the 2014 model sold for $69,995, including shipping.Lotus’ North American dealer count now stands at 47.

Lotus Evora returns to U.S. at year's end; U.S. HQ moving to Mich.

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