Huh, I don't want to be rude, but uh, you seem to have your head shoved farther up your ass than I do if you think you would ever be accepted as an automotive designer with those kind of skills. Before any of that could ever happen you need to develop a feel for design physics, perspective, proportions, aerodynamics, did I mention physics? There is a lot that goes into design and production than just a sketch of what you think looks cool.
You're also going to need mechanical skills. A lot of the designers also participate in the production of the cast of the prototype. A friendly letter from Lotus, of all companies, doesn't mean anything. Its a polite rejection letter which they are instructed to send by thier lawyers. You need a hefty portfolio and resume to even get accepted.
Like I said before, I don't want to be rude, but there are MANY competitors out there with skills beyond many professional artists, I mean, these are top designers with various degrees of expertise. So what I'm saying is, set your goals on something realistic, because this job may not seem like much more than drawing, but there is so much more than just that. So if you're actually going to pursue this goal, you really need to focus, go to MIT, and seriously brush up on your art skills.
Sorry if I offended you, I'm just a realist.
Good luck, and sorry for some of my obvious sarcastic remarks.