Youngman Lotus L5
A Chinese compact sedan from the Lotus-Youngman joint venture.
The Youngman Lotus L5 is a compact sedan and liftback saloon built by Europestar, a Chinese brand under the British Lotus Group plc. This brand came from a joint venture with Chinese firm Jinhua Youngman Vehicle Co., Ltd. It was first revealed at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show in April 2010, positioned as a slightly larger compact model above the Youngman Lotus L3. The L5 shares its platform with the Proton Gen2-based Youngman Lotus L3.
Production versions went on sale in September 2011, priced between RMB 99,800 and RMB 121,800. Power came from a 1.6-liter engine producing 123 hp and 149 Nm, paired with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission.
For the 2012 model year, a facelift arrived on the Chinese market in May 2012. It replaced the 1.6-liter engine with a Mitsubishi-sourced 1.8-liter unit making 147 hp and 171 Nm, still mated to the same five-speed manual or four-speed automatic.
The Youngman Lotus L5 GT, a sportier variant, launched in 2013. It was originally set to debut at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show in April 2013, but had first appeared as a concept at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show in April 2012. The GT uses the same Mitsubishi 1.8-liter engine as the post-facelift L5, with identical power output.
Quick Facts
- Manufacturer
- Europestar
- Class
- Compact car (C)
- Production
- 2010–2015
- Assembly
- Jinhua, Zhejiang (Youngman)
- Engine
- 1.6 L CamPro S4PH I4 / 1.8 L Mitsubishi I4 (Gasoline)
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual / 4-speed automatic
- Layout
- Front-engine, front-wheel drive
- Wheelbase
- 2670 mm
- Length
- 4640 mm
- Height
- 1466 mm
- Weight
- 1170 –
- Related
- Proton Persona (CM) / Proton GEN•2 / Youngman Europestar L3
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Youngman Lotus L5 was first shown during the 2010 Beijing Auto Show in April 2010 as a slightly larger compact sedan positioned above the Youngman Lotus L3 sedan and hatchback. It is based on the same platform as the Proton Gen2-based Youngman Lotus L3. The production version was listed in September 2011, priced from RMB 99,800 yuan to RMB 121,800 yuan. Power initially came from a 1.6 liter engine with 123 hp and 149 Nm, mated to a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission.
The L5 received a facelift for the 2012 model year, launched on the Chinese car market in May 2012. A Mitsubishi-sourced 1.8-liter engine with 147 hp and 171 Nm of torque replaced the 1.6-liter engine, while the transmissions remained the same. The Youngman Lotus L5 GT, a sporty variant, debuted as a concept at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show in April 2012 and was launched on the Chinese auto market in 2013, powered by the same Mitsubishi-sourced 1.8-liter engine producing the same power.
Reader's Guide
The Youngman Lotus L5 represents a notable chapter in the history of Chinese-British automotive collaboration under the Europestar brand, a joint venture between the British Lotus Group plc and Jinhua Youngman Vehicle Co., Ltd. Its positioning above the L3 sedan and hatchback marked an attempt to offer a slightly larger compact option in the Chinese market. The L5's platform sharing with the Proton Gen2-based L3 underscores the technical lineage within the partnership. The 2012 facelift, which introduced a Mitsubishi-sourced 1.8-liter engine, and the subsequent L5 GT variant, show an effort to refresh and diversify the model line. The L5 GT, first shown as a concept at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show before its 2013 launch, aimed to add a sportier dimension to the range. The L5's production and pricing, from RMB 99,800 to RMB 121,800 yuan, placed it within a specific segment of the Chinese automotive market during its production run.
More in Touring Cars, Part 2 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced