Dobbin145

Great to see some new and old faces at Thruxton this morning. Now I've worked out how to use this regional bit of the forum we'll pop down to the Mayfly on Tuesday night.

Just out of morbid curiosity what were the issues that the demo car had to warrant 'failing' the PDI? Also do we know if the Emira has finally been UK type approved? I thought this was completed a while back because it appeared in the UK insurance database. (Sorry if this was covered on the other forum only there is so much advertising and screen junk for that forum it's almost unusable on my phone).

Like many I too had a change of circumstances, in January I lost my job. However, I found having a deposit on a new Emira a great motivator to getting a new job rather than trying to make a quick buck. In the meantime I sold my Exige (earlier than planned) and my 2 year old i30N just in case I didn't secure a new job ASAP.

So let me get this right. The only way you can actually test drive one of these cars is to pay £180 for a 20 minute session at Hethel? Does anyone else of of a manufacturer that charges customers for a test drive? Do you get your £180 back when Lotus deliver your car?

It is, I cracked last night and spent way too long dribbling over used F-Type V8 porn on Pistonheads. The only way I could confess my sins was to call Lotus Customer Care. Their soothing voice assured me my Emira would be built next month and delivered the month after. They said it was only natural to look at other cars in a situation like this. It was OK to look, but not OK to touch! It's nice to know that Lotus Customer Care are there for us in these dark hours of need.

When I didn't have a garage I used Specialised Covers Stormshield for both my Elise and Evoras. Given the softness of the pain used on the Elise in particular the fleece lining didn't ever damage it. It wasn't really much of a pain to take on and off onnce you have developed a technique.

Can't think for a moment what the listing error may have been? I wonder if it was the lack of Lotus Emira?

Still love the looks of the F Type. Personally my plan was to defect to a V6 F Type when I could no longer get in to the Exige. By which time I wouldn't look out of place at a National Trust cardigan convention then Project Gamma got in the way and the cardigan is going to have to wait.

Yep, from the people I know that have worked with Schmee (that all say his screen persona is quite different) this video seems to be more like the real Tim. Another great endorsement, I wonder what this will do for the order book?

Thanks @TomE I've not heard anything about customer test drives through anything other than the dealership. Who are these lucky customers that get test drives with a LDA instructor? Mind you if it's Donnerly ......... Which leads me to wonder if he's been let loose on an Emira yet. That must have featured in the destructive test schedule.

Tell us more @TomE why the delay on the LDA cars? Has anyone heard more about the homologation progress? (Not related to the LDA cars) I've asked a couple of times but Lotus are keeping quite tight lipped about this. Unrelated, but I hear that dealer handover training has been scheduled for early next month.

Any idea why? These covers are not cheap, so it would be nice to invest in something that isn't boring black.

Are there going to be any colour options other than black?

Nice of Lotus to share updates on the production delay with those that have saved hard in order to buy an Emira and put down deposits before blowing smoke up Schmee's backside. I guess they think our blind faith is inifite, I for one am getting a little tired of this approach.

Maybe Lotus are making a design statement?

How can you make statements like this when you have not driven the car? (and in differnt conditions on different surfaces). By comparison, having owned an Exige Sport 350 for many years I struggled to catch an Evora GT 410 which has a more 'Touring' focused suspension setup, on track. You may also find that the newer Bosch stability and traction control of the Emira (which the Evora or Exige does not have) changes the dynamics of the car. Oh and then there are the tyres developed specifically with Lotus for the Emira, in partnership with Goodyear, I wonder if they affect that handling of the car?

Made a little easier by the lack of Final Edition Evora perhaps?

Yes it sounds excessive but if NCAP need four cars and about the same for NHTSA then there's Asia and numerous other countries. It soon adds up.

I'm pretty sure these blue cars are homologation vehicles. There are some other post sales cars in other colours as well for training etc.

@yentl Speaking as one of those clueless irresponsible drivers, I started my Lotus journey with an S2 111S about 15 years ago, took it on track and spun it several times over. Then on a damp day spun it on the road and wrapped it round a telegraph pole 🙄 Went back to school, starting with Car Limits (a 'Walshy Day') and progressing through various other course over the years. Best thing I have ever done and continue to do as regularly as my wallet will allow. Most recent was the Lotus Driving Academy at the factory and probably one of the more intense (if you do Bronze, Silver and Gold back to back). Worth every penny and a great way to learn more about the car and drivers capabilities. The S3 Elise being more up to date obviously benefits from ABS, traction and stability control without loosing that special Lotus feeling.

Always wanted to drive at Millbrook heard/read many things about it. I'd be interested. It certainly would be a change from the regular track day 'merry-go-round'.

That's good to hear. I think my confusion may have arisen from the fact that it's going to take a while to complete this tour and that it may not be until October when the car gets to some dealers. The actual schedule of which dealers when does seem a bit vague at the moment.

I think mid Oct, but have to confess I have not verified this with my contacts at Hethel.

Yes they would. Has anyone heard much about Emira production since the middle of last month? Lotus have only just started a significant recruitment drive for production staff. The VP dealer tour has been put back to after the point that deposit holders are supposed to commit.

The main assembly line is, but the production process is quite different to existing models. As such is reliant in the delivery of sub assemblies from other parts of the factory (currently being used to build existing models).