Type 130 - Lotus Evija

[LotusDan]

It'll be a seven figure price tag, so definitely sitting amongst the current group of premium hypercars.

Source

[PAR]

27 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

Surely it all depends on pricing does it not

Not really, no. They have guided to a USD2m+ price tag so this is not really the price area where people are much sensitive to pricing. Any car in that bracket has a global market well defined. Electric hyper car is not a well defined market yet. It sounds like Pininfarina is aiming at 200 which would be a lot of revenues.

If lotus sell 130, this is  USD250m  of revenues to be compared to less than USD 100m in most recent year so 130 would be an awesome amazing success and even 50 would be great for them as it would mean more than doubling revenues.

Edited May 31, 2019 by PAR

[Bravo73]

I’d be amazed if they manage to sell 10 of these. 

[Bee]

Lotus has already confirmed the Type 130 has received several hundred ‘expressions of interest’ from potential customers following the announcement of the project at the Shanghai Motor Show.

 

I imagine they'll shift 50+ just from billionaire collectors, who 'have' to have every interesting high-end model that enters the market. After that, it comes down to how much appeal the car has to the half million, or so, people who have £50m+ going spare - quite a few car enthusiasts in there, some of whom will undoubtedly want the novelty of something unique.

[Bibs]

1 hour ago, Bee said:

Lotus has already confirmed the Type 130 has received several hundred ‘expressions of interest’ from potential customers following the announcement of the project at the Shanghai Motor Show.

They have?

While you are right on the attitude of the demographic who like these sort of cars I'd be interested to know how you know this. 

[Bee]

I was quoting from the AutoExpress link posted yesterday...

 

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/lotus/106596/new-lotus-type-130-hypercar-to-be-revealed-on-16-july

[Bee]

And also now reported on Top Gear, where they also express the opinion that all 130 are likely to accounted for before production begins...

 

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/electric/lotus-will-build-130-versions-its-new-electric-hypercar

[Bibs]

Blimey! 

[Suddabym]

Yeah, I've put my name down for one.  But if they don't throw in some free matts and a tank of electricity, then I'm walking.

[mayevora]

I always wonder how ‘spy shots’ do not get leaked more. Lotus would have to have done some serious testing of this by now surely. Whether it be at Hethel or at secret test tracks it will have been tested to destruction. I know security is incredibly high and cars are camo painted and padded out but it must be so difficult not to get photographed at any time before a launch happens. There can’t be too many places to Test Hypercars pre launch to there full potential without being spotted by anyone with a camera phone.

[Vanya]

It would be tragic if it turned out to be a slightly modded Exige... but something tells me Lotus won't disappoint. 

Can't wait. 

[Bibs]

14 hours ago, mayevora said:

Lotus would have to have done some serious testing of this by now surely

The car as launched isn't usually ready for customers so all of this testing etc is to come. It'll still be in the hands of the designers & engineers right now perfecting the look of the car for launch, that's usually a purely visual affair. Everything else needs to be done for first customer delivery date which is usually some time after the launch. 

[hedgerley]

The guys over on PH have updated their original story and claim to have seen the 'almost finished' model of the 130 in the design studio at Hethel

https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-britishcars/lotus-confirms-type-130-hypercar--update/40006 

[mayevora]

16 minutes ago, Bibs said:

The car as launched isn't usually ready for customers so all of this testing etc is to come. It'll still be in the hands of the designers & engineers right now perfecting the look of the car for launch, that's usually a purely visual affair. Everything else needs to be done for first customer delivery date which is usually some time after the launch. 

That does make sense. Visually I think anyone with any interest in Lotus is hoping/expecting something exceptional with nothing but ‘Wow’ factor looks. 

If others have (and I take a lot of PistonHead comments with a large pinch of salt) When do you get your personal Russel Carr invite for a pre launch peruse?

If as PistonHeads say they’ve seen a nearly finished car - Why? - is this so (from a Lotus PR point of view) PistonHeads can drum up a bit of interest/advertise it and give Lotus free press/awareness of upcoming launch?

[Bibs]

That's exactly it. I was privy to the GT430 a week before the launch and there were certain things I was allowed to share about the car. 

[Barrykearley]

What does it drive like @Bibs

[mayevora]

Where abouts in London will this be? I can only find ‘central London’ on any launch info/details. Only 48 hours after the British Grand Prix so as well as the Motoring Press,  probably plenty of automotive money people around still maybe.

[Advantage]

Is the shop still open?

[Bravo73]

Thankfully, not. 

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

When PH did a story on this back in early December, one of the more respected local posters claimed to have been present at a meeting that day where drawings, pictures and other information was shared. By April PH themselves had seen the finished model. We're only 6 weeks away from official unveil, so they have obviously been putting the hours in to get this car ready in double-quick time. 👍

[Cypriot]

am I the only one not even remotely interested in fully electric hypercars? I do not see the point them.  They become obsolete overnight due to the rapid development of battery and electric tech, and as there is no noise, the only real party piece for cars like this is the performance figures.  Which become obsolete overnight.  There is nothing that would make you want to re-visit this car in years to come once a newer model has been released, as opposed to looking back at cars like the Carrera  GT, Ferrari enzo/F50/F50 etc, which provide something that newer cars do not.

[Vanya]

2 hours ago, Cypriot said:

... the only real party piece for cars like this is the performance figures.  Which become obsolete overnight.  There is nothing that would make you want to re-visit this car in years to come once a newer model has been released, as opposed to looking back at cars like the Carrera  GT, Ferrari enzo/F50/F50 etc, which provide something that newer cars do not.

You mean like any supercar over time? While I love my combustion engines, performance isn't the reason I want a car - it's a bunch of factors and I daresay performance isn't paramount. Styling and desirability are far more important. If I had all the money in the world is be drivingan XJ220 LP5000 Countach and Sport 300 - all of which are now eclipsed by family hatchbacks in terms of handling and overall performance, but ain't nobody gonna be running for an Audi S5 in 20 years time...

 

[NedaSay]

I expect this car to be the most documented Lotus launch ever.  if Pistonheads has seen the car in earlier phase of development, it is safe to assume that one or two of the established big player (Evo, Car, Road and Track...) have had full access to the car story and I wouldn't be surprised if the car gets a full blown documentary à la Discovery Channel Megafactories.  I expect a few of the youtubers (Carfection...) to have be given access to the clay model in the studio already. This car is a statement of intent so they will give the biggest splash they can muster and this time the marketing and PR team should be up to the task.

As to not seeing the car in the wild, I would not be surprised if an "early dynamic mule" has been going around already disguised as something else.  Lotus has always been good at playing hide and seek and now they have access to testing grounds that very far aways from prying eyes. I expect the validation prototype to have a fairly visible life despite the the camo. It would be fun to see the Lotus engineers take their old development trips to the continent and back like they used to.

[C8RKH]

@Cypriot and @Vanya I actually think you are both coming from the same place and saying the same thing and I actually think i agree with you.

To put it into context.

If I had a S1/2/3 NA or Turbo Esprit I would not be in the least bit "bovvered" about the fact that an RS Megane or a Fiesta ST Mountune was quicker.

If I had a DeTomaso Pantera, a Countach, a Diablo, a Miura or a Jalpa and even a 308/328GTB/S or a 348/355 I would not be in the slightest bit concerned that a Fiat Abarth 500 was a more practical and faster point to point car.

A Jag XJ220, a 70's Vantage V12.  A 60's GT40. Etc. Bring it on. Where's the nearest petrol station again?

These cars for me are about the driving. The analogue feel. The effort and in some cases the sheer fear that driving them remotely fast would probably generate. The smell ( I am that guy who gets to the airport, parks next to the terminal and then gets giddy smelling the burnt aerofuel and hearing the roar of the jet engines on take off). The history. The Noise - oh my god the noise!

These new electric hypercars just don't float my boat.  They are just not for me. All silence and whine...... They don't currently have the theatre - the smells, sights and sounds to titillate my senses and stand my hairs on edge.

So, whilst I can appreciate their technical excellence. Marvel at their acceleration and speed. They'll  remain, probably for the rest of my life, just a Prius with a fancy bodykit. A Tamiya RC model car scaled up to 1:1. They just don't excite.

I'm happy being a neanderthal.  My garage is my cave. My analogue cars are my kills from the hunt.

I'm also happy for those out there who want their sterile quiet environments and to marvel in the numbers - as long as they're happy then what the harm. It is just not for me. And they can of course balance out my carbon footprint for me :)

 

[Vanya]

3 hours ago, NedaSay said:

I expect this car to be the most documented Lotus launch ever.  if Pistonheads has seen the car in earlier phase of development, it is safe to assume that one or two of the established big player (Evo, Car, Road and Track...) have had full access to the car story and I wouldn't be surprised if the car gets a full blown documentary à la Discovery Channel Megafactories.  I expect a few of the youtubers (Carfection...) to have be given access to the clay model in the studio already. This car is a statement of intent so they will give the biggest splash they can muster and this time the marketing and PR team should be up to the task.

I'm still expecting it to be compared to a base Cayman.