Delivery schedule

[EmiraSi]

13 minutes ago, James DG said:

Hi All

Just in case it's helpful...

B&C deposit for a V6 FE on the 28th of April. Lotus deposit on the 7th of July.

Call today from Lotus confirming June delivery, taking B&C deposit into account. "One of the very first Emiras...".

Followed up with the email below.

Thank you for your time on the phone today. 

As discussed, we can confirm that your Emira V6 First Edition has been scheduled for build and will be available for you in June.

From January you will be able to go online and view your finance and payment options and see the list of Lotus agents who will be ready to hand over your car. If you are interested in trading in a car, you’ll be able to get an indicative valuation online.

Then up to 30 days before your car is due to be ready for delivery, we will invite you to complete your payment, sign your contract and make a final decision about where you will collect your car, or if you would like it delivered to your home address.

Please let me know if you have any questions or queries in the meantime. If not, please do have a merry Christmas on behalf of Lotus. 

All dependent on if Omicron allows anyone to actually go into work over the coming months, of course.

Merry Christmas!

 

I've missed the call in the last hour and had the same email as a follow up. Deposit place on the website around 10pm on the 6th July

[Pugwash]

I’m fairly early on the list and had the same conversation and an identical email.

[Woodman]

I was early April via B&C and got a call today. Very little room for spec change to keep a June slot.

[TomE]

It must be "call B&C depositers day"!  I'm 27 April deposit at B&C and around 8 July by the time they sorted out converting to central Lotus deposit - I was way down the list for Sept/Oct 2nd calls but keep being told I'm in the first 50 or 100 cars.  Missed the call today at 1pm but got the generic email soon after.  I'll call them tomorrow to see if they can clarify a few things.

[KJD]

Yep, me too. 
 

B&C deposit 23rd June. 
 

Biggest thing was no more deposits (refundable or not) until final, full payment 30 days before delivery. 
 

And still no coloured stitch steering wheels… 😤

Edited December 16, 2021 by KJD

[PhilCP]

1 hour ago, Woodman said:

I was early April via B&C and got a call today. Very little room for spec change to keep a June slot.

How much room?

I'm undecided whether to change the interior material from leather to alcantara.

[Evotion]

19 hours ago, James DG said:

All dependent on if Omicron allows anyone to actually go into work over the coming months, of course.

Of course.  

🙈

It only takes one decision by the Government, backed by the health authorities, and the V6 Emira moves into Autumn.  Please no.

[TomE]

Rather than the government or health authorities, it's a higher risk that Omicron itself hits Lotus.  It only needs a few staff to catch it or test positive and they'll have to isolate larger groups of people.  Many of us can work from home if we catch it or are in contact with a positive case, or if we go into another lockdown, but not the folks building the Emira.

I hope the validation and approval programmes are done or nearly done, as any tightening of travel restrictions could scupper anything that has to be done outside the UK.  As an example, we saw yesterday that Evija high speed testing is currently taking place at Nardo. 

[Graham Ridgway]

I'm waiting for the call then.  I paid my deposit on July 7th, not a pre-lotus cars deposit though

[Emiralust]

Just had my call, I'm 7th July around 3pm deposit

Two key points from my call were that the 3rd deposit we thought was coming in January is not happening (might still change), and the order only becomes nonrefundable when you sign the contract which is 30 days before delivery. IE if you are 29th June delivery, you can still cancel up to 29th May.

Apparently a few of us have asked about factory collection 😅 So they have put that forward to the powers at be and it's possible it might be an option

Of course I asked where I was in the queue, and she said along the lines of they are not giving out queue positions or dates to avoid upset or expectations etc. Which I can understand, they're still saying you're one of the first cars, I think that's just a nicety of big picture you're in the first 30 days, relax.

I asked to add a tracker and potentially change my alloy colour. She said that's fine and the process is she will speak to the factory planner and relay back whether the spec amendment will cause a delay then the decision is mine whether to make that change.

 

 

[MJON]

Just to make all feel better re any potential delays. If you order today a regular 911 Carrera S, Porsche GB are quoting delivery Q4 2023. A great car indeed, but then add to that it’s first year depreciation and you’ve just dumped a shed load of cash. Makes Emira even more attractive even if my anticipated FE i4 moves into 23 👍

[hml_xy]

The process over here in Germany is slightly different. My dealer reached out to me last week to get a final signature under the contract (no deposits, just pure legal commitment on paper).

Contract says: delivery in June.

The dealer promised me the first car he's getting. 
 

But we have to be realistic, there is a massive shortage of electronic parts on the world market and freight shipping is a mess. Oh and then the pandemic. Let's hope she arrives in 2022... 🙈

[Badger77]

On 17/12/2021 at 16:09, Emiralust said:I asked to add a tracker and potentially change my alloy colour. She said that's fine and the process is she will speak to the factory planner and relay back whether the spec amendment will cause a delay then the decision is mine whether to make that change.

@Emiralust what colour alloys are you considering changing from/to out of interest?

 

 

[Emiralust]

Diamond cut to black. I’ve specced yellow and couldn’t decide between the black or diamond cut alloys at the time of speccing. When I saw the show car with the matte finish diamond cuts in person i decided on them, but if the recent Shanghai pictures mean the diamond cut alloys are not the same as the show car I will be switching to black

[TomE]

I've already asked Lotus to confirm the details of the diamond cut wheel colouring, as I've specified them and may review if they're very different.

As you say, the Hethel Yellow car in Shanghai and the Seneca Blue show car have very different DC wheels and the pictures on the Lotus website and on the configurator are different again.  So there are 4 variants and no clarity on which is production.

I suspect it's the Shanghai version, as those wheels have apparently come from the production wheel supplier.

[Evotion]

8 minutes ago, TomE said:

as I've specified them and may review if they're very different.

Not if it puts you into July!

I have black wheels specced on the Emiras at 2nd deposit stage but have since changed my mind and want silver but will have to see if it causes a delay. I am happy to keep black wheels really.

 

[TomE]

This is the problem Lotus are creating for themselves.  They can't provide clear, accurate, consistent information on items that affect people's configuration choices and then are threatening people with delays if they change - having told deposit holders in Oct/Nov that they could change configuration up until commit in January.

Still no sign of the promised pictures of painted cars and Customer Care have been telling people this week they may not be available until after the Jan commit date for the June batch.  Now ambiguity about wheel colouring.  No pictures yet of production seats, which might influence people changing between leather and alcantara.

I know a few people who are saying "I'd like to change some things but I guess I'll stick with what I said before, as I don't want a delay".  That's not a great customer experience for a group of early adopters.  OK, there are always going to be some unknowns and we accept we won't get to see finished cars in person or have test drives, but there's some easily-provided information that's not being made available.

[PhilCP]

I totally agree Tom. I've got the DC wheels spec'd and much prefer the version on the Senaca Blue show car. Likewise I've currently chosen Ice Grey leather, but am debating if alcantara would be a better. Hard to know with such little info. Even a half decent rendering would help - the configurator isn't much use.

[Badger77]

ta Emiralust.
 

Also agree with all of the above, I have spec’d yellow decided on black wheels flipping a coin between silver and specifically asked can I/if I swap would be there be any delay/change in position when I had my 2nd call.  Which was directly answered no problem until lock-in and only likely then if major changes, such as body colour or transmission! Plus I’m still not sure between yellow (spec’d) or black callipers 😣

Starting to annoy me that deposit holders are not getting first look at these production updates regardless of what country they are being launched in.

DC with gloss black is also a dramatic different looking wheel 😡

[bbpxbbpx]

I have always selected the silver wheel. Diamond cut by nature is shiny at the cut section. The wheel on the blue show car didn't look as shiny as a normal diamond cut. Perhaps it was a painted finish? 

My current car has diamond cut wheel. The shiny section does get dull pretty quickly with brake dust and English weather. 😁

Edited December 23, 2021 by bbpxbbpx

[Evotion]

Yes, more confusion which may not be cleared up by the time we have locked the car specs in for good. Of course, it would be best if we knew we were  getting exactly what we wish for but we don't really know how the final finishes will actually work in combination.

However, I have one HUGE comforting thought that I always fall back on which leaves me smiling.

.

.

.

 Don't panic.

Any car, in any colour, with any wheel, with any pack, with any interior will look, feel and be EPIC.

If things do not pan out as we ideally want them then all will still be good.

[Wake]

2 hours ago, Evotion said:

Don't panic.

Any car, in any colour, with any wheel, with any pack, with any interior will look, feel and be EPIC.

If things do not pan out as we ideally want them then all will still be good.

I understand and agree with the sentiment that the cars will be epic, I would, however counter with this is probably the only time in my life I will be able to afford to buy a car like this brand new. If I’m spending £85k(ish) on a car then I kinda want to be able to make informed decisions.
 

I don’t think it’s too much to ask to have detailed, defined specs on what is being offered before being asked to commit. 

[duncx]

6 minutes ago, Wake said:

I don’t think it’s too much to ask to have detailed, defined specs on what is being offered before being asked to commit. 

I agree, but it looks like Lotus won't be asking us to pay any further deposit or legally 'sign up' until just a month before delivery (so May at the earliest). Hopefully that gives us some time to see lots more photos and maybe even some working demonstrators at main dealers. If something really doesn't work for us we can make a spec change (no doubt with a big hit to the delivery date ) or even back out at no cost.

[Evotion]

15 hours ago, duncx said:

but it looks like Lotus won't be asking us to pay any further deposit or legally 'sign up' until just a month before delivery

Sounds good to me.

Again, some inconsistent information flying around. 

Plus, as we know, what we know may change at a moments notice.

[TomE]

I'm happy to have to make an early commitment to help Lotus scheduling.  I just want decently accurate info and the promises previously made to be kept.  I know there are some compromises, like not being able to get a test drive, but I know what those compromises are and have accepted them.

If I don't have to pay a 3rd deposit and can back out up to 30 days before delivery that's nice but actually of no benefit to me.  Providing the information too late in the process and then telling me I can change my spec but get my car later is ridiculous and frustrating a lot of people.  All the necessary information already exists (including the pictures of painted cars - they've been taken), but Lotus have just chosen not to publish it.  The overall approach is production-driven not customer-driven.