When Norwich City announced Lotus as its primary sponsor many said it was a match made in heaven.

However, it seems the two organisations might be more in sync than anyone imagined.

Norwich Evening News: Teemu Pukki models the new Norwich City away kit for the 2021-22 seasonTeemu Pukki models the new Norwich City away kit for the 2021-22 season (Image: Norwich City FC)

These two pictures show just how much in common the two Norfolk powerhouses have in common.

One shows Norwich City's new away strip, a sleek black number with trendy neon turquoise piping.

And the other shows the new Lotus Evija supercar - a sleek black number with trendy neon turquoise piping.

Norwich Evening News: The Lotus Evija, which was painted in the 'Tron' style for Top Gear magazine earlier this yearThe Lotus Evija, which was painted in the 'Tron' style for Top Gear magazine earlier this year (Image: Lotus)

While this could easily have been a carefully marketed collaboration between the Canaries and the club's main partner, it is actually a pure coincidence.

The change strip has already proven a huge hit with City fans, with all male adult replicas of the shirt completely sold out on the club's website.

But the design, the first away kit launched by new supplier Joma, is not a homage to its four-wheeled lookalike.

Norwich Evening News: The Lotus Evija, sporting the same colour scheme as Norwich City's away kitThe Lotus Evija, sporting the same colour scheme as Norwich City's away kit (Image: Lotus)

And likewise, the bodywork of the car was not done to reflect the kit design.

Sources at the Hethel-based motoring company have confirmed that the similarities were purely a happy coincidence.

The colour scheme was applied to the car in the early Spring, months before the kit launched - and before the sponsorship deal was nailed down.

Instead, it was designed by Top Gear magazine as part of its 2021 awards edition, which saw the model named 'one to watch' by the publication.

Norwich Evening News: The Lotus Evija supercar was named 'one to watch' by Top Gear magazineThe Lotus Evija supercar was named 'one to watch' by Top Gear magazine (Image: Lotus)

And in describing its motivation, the magazine wrote: "The body panels are wrapped in a Tron-style livery of Top Gear’s own design."

Likewise, the club made no reference to the supercar in its statement describing the design when it was launched.

It is not, however, the first time Norwich City shirts have had striking resemblances to Lotus vehicles.

On these occasions though, it very much was intentional.

Norwich Evening News: Iwan Roberts and Gary Holt model the 2003/04 kits after the announcement that Proton and Lotus cars would be the shirt sponsorIwan Roberts and Gary Holt model the 2003/04 kits after the announcement that Proton and Lotus cars would be the shirt sponsor (Image: EASTERN DAILY PRESS©2003)

When Lotus first partnered up with the Canaries, for the 2003/04 season, kit manufacturer at the time Xara deliberately decked the club's away kit in British racing green - a homage to the classic Lotus racing colours.

And the following season the shirt had black stripes inspired by tyre tracks.

Norwich Evening News: Norwich City players model the Lotus 2004-06 away shirtNorwich City players model the Lotus 2004-06 away shirt (Image: Eastern Daily Press © 2004)

  • Autumn Lewis: It's sleek, it's stylish - it's premier

Autumn Lewis, the Evening News' resident fashion guru, said the kit was entirely fitting of the new era.

She said: "It's sleek, it's stylish. it's premier league.

"Let's be honest, a team walking out in that kit clearly didn't come to mess around.

"Lotus is a supercar manufacturer. Manufacturing-wise they produce the best of the best and their design is no different.

"So to see these two high-profile Norwich brands coming to similar design choices - entirely by accident - is very interesting.

"It says to me that both brands are ready to level up and move on to a new era. Neither of these designs are like anything we've seen from them before, and it's quite a marked departure.

"If this is the new trajectory for both businesses I can't wait to see where they go next."