Tauranga streets will be thrumming with the sound of high-performance engines when Lotus Car Club members roll into town today.

Around a dozen enthusiasts, mainly from the Auckland region, will convoy down on May 27-28 to park up in central Mount Maunganui around lunchtime Saturday.

'They're known for their lightweight build, great performance and superb handling and are magnificent machines,” says Tauranga Lotus Car Club member John Mallard.

'They tend to attract a fair bit of attention, especially when you get a number of them together.”

Lotus sports cars date back to the early-1950s and have a true racing heritage. Team Lotus won the Formula 1 world championship seven times.

There are only a handful of the low-slung sports cars in the Bay of Plenty, so John says it's a unique opportunity for locals to get a close up look at the rare English cars.

'They're handmade which keeps production low,” says John.

'We don't tend to park and leave them because they really are precious and potentially irreplaceable. We're more than happy to chat about them, though, with people who are interested.”

The Lotus cars will be at Te Papa O Nga Manu Porotakataka in the Mount CBD from midday on Saturday, May 27.