Lotus will unveil a new sports car called the Theory 1 on 17 September.

The brand's marketing chief, Qiao Xinyu, made the announcement on Chinese social media and posted a close-up preview image of the car's rear end.

The picture leaves much to the imagination but clearly shows an aggressive-looking rear spoiler, hinting that the new car is more overtly focused on outright performance than the Emeya saloon and Eletre SUV.

Given it is called the Theory 1, it is highly likely that the new model is not a production car but a forward-thinking concept.

With the exception of the track-focused 2-Eleven and 3-Eleven, Lotus's road cars have all been named after words beginning with 'E' since the Elite was introduced in 1958.

It's possible that the Theory 1 will preview the proportions and design cues of the upcoming Type 135, the electric replacement for the Emira – and the spritual successor to the Elise.

That car is due to go on sale in 2027, priced from around £75,000 – although Lotus has hinted that it might be pushed back until smaller, lighter batteries become available.

It will effectively serve as the core model in Lotus's complete electric car line-up, as former Lotus Group commercial chief Mike Johnstone told Autocar earlier this year. He said: “We call it the bullseye. At the very centre [of the brand] always has to be that lightweight sports car. That gives you the credibility to build other products that have sporty characteristics.

"We’re not naive enough to say that the Eletre is going to feel like an Elise. It won’t. But it has a lightweight feeling, and we think it’s the best-handling SUV you can drive.

“We need the bullseye of the brand, which has to be that two-seat sports car. Otherwise we’re just a brand with a Lotus badge. The sports car is an essential part of our future.”