mdavies

EGTE, thank you for the Emira/Evora price depreciation video that you posted above, titled: "Emira Prices are Tumbling". I'm surprised that it has attracted so little attention so far. It's surely of wider interest here than discussion of some specific car on the market, given the details about Evora models (V6 and 400 up) that it contains. Perhaps the title could have been better chosen to reflect that. A key point about the GT410 Sport - yes, I'm interested naturally! - as the only Evora to be appreciating in the context addressed, is glossed over too briefly in the video. That is that it and the Emira are distinctly different cars for different buyers. A matter now beyond debate I believe. Anyway, as an owner who, 12 months ago, specifically chose a GT410 Sport over a SH V6 Emira, I'm in no way surprised at the GT410 Sport's appreciation. Long may it continue!

Seen frequently 2024 in and around the town. Don't expect too many Evoras here, but I'm another owner. Send a PM?

Bravo, indeed, but I hope that the tone of my Chapman Bespoke post, overall, left little doubt that I considered my wishes as just hopeless pie in the sky!

Indeed, explicit appreciation as a future classic is great to see but, re the 2/4(opt) seating, I for one, having tried the V6 Emira against my particular Evora - just to make sure - my personal choice of Evora was obvious and immediate - no explicit decision process needed. And, from reading across forums, I believe that I have plenty of company. Also, I chose the 2-seat version. Think of the weight saving! (Well, re the lighter wheels and no rear belts anyway!)

https://www.hagerty.co.uk/articles/future-classic/future-classic-lotus-evora/?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_content=23_MED_UN_UK_EML_UN_UN_UKNews_DrivetimeWeekend Glad to read this - I share that view.

Bibs, did you spot my "lower price" condition!

Darryl, thought I’d better be realistic!

I wonder if those running the "Chapman Bespoke" programme, rather than playing about with fancy paints, interior finishes, emblems etc, would produce a bespoke V6 Emira stripped of everything not directly "for the drivers"? With lighter replacements for essential items that are heavier than necessary for good drivability. Ok, maybe still some basic infotainment - but no heavy speakers etc. And the ECU cranked up to 410 bhp. And, given the consequently lower bill of materials, then surely it should be sold for less than the standard version? No, of course they wouldn't! ("Couldn't" would be claimed, together with "ridiculous notion", "silly boy" and similar.) But surely in the spirit of the programme? Just read the name? Oh............so better change the name then!

Giving the Sparco seats a made-to-measure fitting for slim people is easy enough in principle with side pads. I use carpet underlay offcuts. For covering that in different versions on various cars I’ve used both Alcantara and strong plastic from robust bags intended for garden rubbish. The challenge is fixing the pads firmly to the seat without risking any adhesive like double sided sticky tape in contact with the actual seat - or the unknown effects of chemical glue removers. (A mistake made only once!) Equally as important is being able to make adjustments during trials of prototypes. The photo shows my solution for the Sparco seat on my GT410 Sport. The red seat belt webbing is all a single length. It is looped around each side of the seat and runs low down across the back. Each end is glued – very effectively – back to the bottom of the main loops by a 2 inch square patch of double sided sticky tape. The arrangement keeps the loops firmly in place at the bottom of the seat. (Held at the top in the harness recesses.) The sides of the seat pads are then fixed by – initially small – patches of the same double sided sticky tape to the backs of the main loops. Larger patches after positioning trials. Works well for me.

I didn't actually "choose" a Lotus. Rather, one forced itself upon me. I'd gone to a Caterham showroom to pick one but being long of leg and quite large of foot found that there were issues. Leaving to mull over second thoughts I walked past a traded-in Series 1 Elise. Tried a sit in, then a test drive. My decision was obvious very quickly - and still the case after now lots of Lotuses and failed trials of alternatives.

Wrong name on mine too. Perhaps Lotus trying AI now.

Now Special Offers from Silverstone: "Lotus UK and Lotus Silverstone are excited to announce exclusive limited-time offers and incentives on the new Emira Turbo and Eletre R models. Make an appointment to visit our dealership between 14th and 16th March to take advantage of these special deals."

A bad sign? Wonder if I'm the only one "chosen by Lotus and B&C" to receive "special offers" in the last week or so? (0% finance deals/3 year servicing plan/home chargers & cheap charging). For two days only. Persistent: two recent emails and today a phone call as I'd not booked yet! Learnt that the scheme is being managed by a subcontractor, so I guess it's fairly large scale. [Mods, please delete if discussed already.]

Breathe easier? (In a few years.) Volvo is placing a bet on it: https://www.hl.co.uk/news/volvo-invests-in-taps-breathe-battery-tech-for-30-faster-ev-charging?utm_campaign=Newsroom&utm_source=AdobeCampaign&utm_medium=email&theSource=EONRM&e_cti=481268&e_ct=T&Override=1&deliveryName=DM159826

If you see the mag., The Spectator has what seems to me (no EV expert) a pretty good article about the realities of "newbies" in the current EV scene. It covers more than Apples' exit from their speculative EV venture. That failed even apart from the nonsense "Self-Driving" aspect. (That I've been posting about here for years.) "As Tripp Mickle— who reported in the project in his excellent book, After Steve — wrote in the New York Times, the project has been a total disaster for years, and employees knew it. Over time, they called it ‘the Titanic disaster’. The project started in 2014, when Google’s self-driving car prototypes appeared to be a big deal, self-driving tech looked like the near future and Apple had many incentives to jump into the pond." https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-apple-killed-its-electric-car/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=CampaignMonitor_Editorial&utm_campaign=LIFE 20240310 SG+CID_0c41731ee0e8f7acabab7a2a23fcb527 The Spec. used to offer a few articles free to try and entice non-subscribers - might still do if start on their general site.

For those that do not subscribe to EVO - and including those who “Positively prefer not to see it!” – I strongly suggest that, when the news-shelf issue No. 390, April edition, appears in WH Smith or wherever, to have a glance at the “Letter of The Week” on page 37. It is not an letter as such, but a miniature short story. (Not by me, although I would have been more than happy to put my name to it.) I assure people here that the “Future of Lotus” is indeed the perfect thread for this post.

.............. and replacing: L O T U S with: E V O R A In the same Georgia text, naturally. I feel strongly that how the Lotus name is now being used by Geely, in advertising, in PR, at their style centre locations, eveywhere, does not represent the ethos, the engineering, the ACBC spirit, or indeed much at all to do with what I am proud to drive. At the same time I prefer that people who see the car have some name to recall - and perhaps recount. Comments welcomed.

After seeing that video I'm wondering how easy it would be to remove the word "Lotus" from the rear of my car.

You may not have seen the final closing price. Up 2% not brilliant but better than being down. ( I had to paste the link below into a new tab for it to work.) https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/ev-maker-lotus-tech-closes-212228520.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHBlLXQQ1UQ6S3sVtNm3UJxi-mLjcPtESKYfK2sMrTGI-CEvD96RyVhx3GQqQeQpsRUwHSI-SFpdHH_KIVAIPUl_ZU7udHMfv7KwptOPr8N6pzq2mslskhKVM-rQho-wMPiE7hmebNoS-Y0Z8eMspgFwrnW4fQr0NQmB_ViXO9wq

FTFY? - Yes, as you say, indeed for me! Needs vs wants quite a debating topic for some though perhaps! I don't rule out an Emira for me either, but only a future version, not either present one whatever Stuart G thinks of them.

A view widely shared by most TLF users I suspect – but also more generally. Stuart Gallagher, the EVO chief – author of the substantial review in the September issue that assessed the Emira I4 as “an inspiring last petrol-powered Lotus and a great sports car” – devotes his editorial in the current (March) issue to Lotus. He concludes: "….. I worry that the Lotus Geely has saved won’t be the Lotus that we need.” And if now potentially even a self-driving aspect, I believe he could and should have expressed himself far more strongly. My “Lotus future” is parked in my garage already.

Phil, I see from your garage wall that Porsche has been knocked sideways by your lovely new Lotus!

Not to plan. If this report - from SEetc - reflects reality, it doesn't appear to be good reading for those who placed the future of Lotus in the expensive, luxury, EV market. https://www.yicaiglobal.com/news/geely-owned-luxury-carmaker-lotus-china-revival-falls-short

.................... hope I'm not duplicating, but today's Telegraph has a substantial article too. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/02/04/lotus-china-geely-electric-sports-cars-evija-ev-fast-lane/ Now read both, and IMO, The Telegraph article is far better. Includes comment on the Eletre's handing around bends and battery positioning in the 135! PS: Now re-read the Tel one, and repeat that's really pretty good for a newspaper!

Lotus clearly in PR mode ahead of the float. Only scanned the posts above and hope I'm not duplicating, but today's Telegraph has a substantial article too. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/02/04/lotus-china-geely-electric-sports-cars-evija-ev-fast-lane/ Given that it's PR, pretty decent as far as I can judge. Strongly positive tone re Hethel, current and future, and openess about potential future issues in the West about cars made in China. Worth a read.