Comms and Expectations

[simonb]

You sure, most journalist reviews seem to be just stating that one car is better than another.  having to drive stick for a proper sportscar is an aging demographic, and the reviews will declare to the readers whether the reviewer believes in i4 or v6.  Given that the i4 is starting with 40 less horsepower in the "back to back markets" (360 in europe, 400 in china) I wonder whether Lotus already know the winner,

 

I cannot believe you plan to launch a second best alternative second

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Can you please confirm an official source for the I4 400bhp in China statement?

[TomE]

It's on the Lotus China website and has been for months.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

OK when that information came out last year, I thought it was just something that had got lost in translation. So China gets a 400bhp I4, whereas ROW gets the same engine turned down from 10 to 9 with only 360bhp. That’s a shame for ROW I4 customers and might become a stick to beat it with when the media get their hands on ROW I4s.

The China spec. car will therefore be the quickest Emira with 400bhp and DCT.

[simonb]

price in China also seems to be about £100K

[Evotion]

3 hours ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

 

The China spec. car will therefore be the quickest Emira with 400bhp and DCT.

Correct - possibly 0.3s quicker 0-60 for that that give a toss.

[Beady]

So at this late stage, with v6 delivery in aug/ sept - if I want to change to an i4 FE do I slot into the queue in a similar early position (based on my first deposit) or do I now go to the back of the queue as punishment for procrastination?

anyone know ?

[TomE]

You're supposed to join the i4 FE queue based on date of your first deposit.  There's a possible extra dimension, as Lotus said potentially people already in the i4 FE queue who had paid second deposit and confirmed spec would not be leap-frogged by people switching from V6 FE to i4 FE after that confirmation.  You certainly don't go to the back of the queue.

[JimH]

I for one hope that the second dimension comes into play, having selected i4 from day 1, 1st deposit 8th July 21 (Goodwood Thursday), 2nd deposit April 12th 22 and will shortly have passed the date for locked in spec for November 2022 build and December 2022 delivery. Words will be had with Lotus CS if I get bumped back as a result of someone else’s indecision….. Anyway, if a wheel or calliper colour change can cause a 3-month+ delay I suspect us early i4 customers will be safe…..

[TomE]

It depends how you look at it. If you’d gone for a V6 then you’d be in the first 500 or so cars, but by choosing i4 you’ve pushed yourself way down the list and delayed delivery by 4-5 months.  If someone with a 7th July deposit switches from V6 to i4 they’re still ahead of you, just now in Nov instead of July.  It shouldn’t push you down the overall list.

[JimH]

 

I understand what you're saying, but I didn't "push myself down the list" - I placed myself towards the top of the i4 list from deposit day 1 as I don't want another V6 and am happy to wait for the start of i4 production.

With a fixed i4 production start date (i.e. you can't have one built for, say, September or October delivery if your V6 slot is then) and build/delivery months already advised to early i4 adopters, changes/slippages to those dates would surely then have to happen in order to facilitate any late changes from V6 to i4 for buyers earlier in the overall deposit list (as you suggest), although the independent i4 "sub-queue" for build and delivery is already forming now as build slots are being allocated and locked in. Granted, it can only be for a short window of a couple of months and likely only a handful of orders. I'll check with Lotus CS.....