Lotus and Proton approve production of the Ethos

The Ethos, the city car that was being developed between Lotus and its Malaysian partner Proton, will arrive in 2013, according to the confirmation released by Lotus. The first unit is expected to be ready by early next year and would be shown at a mid-year motor show.

Following the public unveiling of this extended-range hybrid, which promises 500 km of range and will feature a 1.2-litre three-cylinder flex-fuel engine, there will be two variants produced by Proton for its local market and by Lotus for the rest of Europe. Apparently, both variants will be manufactured in Malaysia.