(Motorsport-Total.com/Motor1) – The year is 1991 when Bertone presented a concept car at the Detroit Motor Show that attracted attention with its unconventional style. It was named Emotion and was a prototype based on the technical foundation of the then already 15-year-old Lotus Esprit. Lotus was part of the General Motors group at the time.
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The project confirmed an already established collaboration between Bertone and the US group, after the concept cars Ramarro (1984) and Nivola (1990) had been presented, both powered by the engine of the Chevrolet Corvette.
The Bertone Emotion was technically fully based on the chassis of the then current Lotus Esprit. Although the concept car had the identical wheelbase of 2.45 meters, the proportions differed significantly from the base model. With an overall length of only 4.06 meters, the Emotion was designed to be extremely compact and had very short overhangs.
In its design dimensions, the mid-engine coupe recalled historic Bertone classics such as the Lancia Stratos or the Lamborghini Bravo. The design was characterized by a deliberate departure from the then popular “biodesign” and instead relied on a strict, minimalist line without stylistic excesses.
Photo gallery: Bertone Emotion Concept (1991)
An almost horizontal beltline, flush glazing, and a wedge-shaped front defined the appearance. A special design feature was the window graphic: the side windows narrowed sharply towards the rear, resulting in a pointed rear window and giving the roof a distinctive triangular shape. In addition, the study featured a speed-dependent, retractable rear spoiler.
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Behind the scenes of the development, there were persistent rumors regarding the design’s origin. It was speculated that the design was originally submitted by Nuccio Bertone as a design proposal for the upcoming supercar Bugatti EB110 but was rejected there. The studio then adapted the design language for the Lotus chassis, hoping to excite Lotus for a potential successor to the Esprit.
In reality, the exhibit shown in Detroit was a purely static model without function. Theoretically, however, the concept was intended for the installation of the Lotus production engine. This was the proven 2.2-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with turbocharging and charge cooling (“chargecooler”), delivering a power output of 268 hp and a maximum torque of 354 Newton meters.
The power was to be transmitted to the rear wheels via a manual five-speed gearbox. On paper, sporty performance figures were calculated for the lightweight coupe: the sprint from zero to 100 kilometers per hour was to take exactly five seconds, while the theoretical top speed was specified as 273 kilometers per hour. However, the concept never went into series production or further development.
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