Blending design with technology

Norfolk sports car manufacturer Lotus has built its name with cars that perform brilliantly on track but here’s one that can make tracks, across the snow. The Concept Ice Vehicle (CIV) was developed by Lotus engineers in 2008 for the Moon Regan TransAntarctic Expedition, which travelled to the geographic south pole and back in 2010.

It’s a propeller-driven ski car with fully independent suspension and ice-penetrating radar for detecting crevasses. Advanced weight-saving technology means it’s light enough to be pulled by hand over difficult terrain. It also opens the interesting possibility of a two-Lotus garage, a CIV for when it’s snowing and an Evora S for when it isn’t.