Lotus in the post DB era

[fmxa]

Petition for temporary exemption from an advanced airbag requirement of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FVMVSS) No. 208,1 from Group Lotus Plc. (Lotus) for its Evora line of vehicles. 2 Specifically, Lotus requests a 31 month exemption from subsection S.14.7 of FMVSS No. 208, “which requires vehicles manufactured on or after September 12, 2012 to meet the higher maximum speed (56 kilometers per hour (km/h) or 35 miles per hour (mph)) belted test requirement using the 5th percentile adult female dummy.”

Google NHTSA-2012-0086 and the PDF below makes for grim reading - I hope they get this figured out.

09000064810c01bc.pdf

[benjamincalleja]

Thanks Bibs I prefer reading that!

thank god. (Re Bibs comment that its all still going ahead -ish)

Edited September 13, 2012 by benjamincalleja

[NedaSay]

^^Well even if not true I prefer reading that!

Edited September 13, 2012 by NedaSay

[Bibs]

Petition for temporary exemption from an advanced airbag requirement of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FVMVSS) No. 208,1 from Group Lotus Plc. (Lotus) for its Evora line of vehicles. 2 Specifically, Lotus requests a 31 month exemption from subsection S.14.7 of FMVSS No. 208, “which requires vehicles manufactured on or after September 12, 2012 to meet the higher maximum speed (56 kilometers per hour (km/h) or 35 miles per hour (mph)) belted test requirement using the 5th percentile adult female dummy.”

Google NHTSA-2012-0086 and the PDF below makes for grim reading - I hope they get this figured out.

09000064810c01bc.pdf

That's being looked into, I'm sure there will have been an extension granted.

[NedaSay]

Petition for temporary exemption from an advanced airbag requirement of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FVMVSS) No. 208,1 from Group Lotus Plc. (Lotus) for its Evora line of vehicles. 2 Specifically, Lotus requests a 31 month exemption from subsection S.14.7 of FMVSS No. 208, “which requires vehicles manufactured on or after September 12, 2012 to meet the higher maximum speed (56 kilometers per hour (km/h) or 35 miles per hour (mph)) belted test requirement using the 5th percentile adult female dummy.”

Google NHTSA-2012-0086 and the PDF below makes for grim reading - I hope they get this figured out.

09000064810c01bc.pdf

$4.3m!!! Would be the cost of making the car fully compliant with US NHTSA! That's about what, 50/60 Evoras sold on US soil!

The cost of these new airbags could possibly be spread on Elise Exige and Evora... They use the same airbag design don't they?! I 'm sure it has to be looked into!

And indicating that the company would realize a profit regardless of the solution being implemented or not is just genius. Way to shoot oneself in the foot!

Edited September 13, 2012 by NedaSay

[Stirling_Villeneuve]

They really should do it.... I see quite a few Elises in LA and the marque is really highly regarded. A lot of people I spoken with would put Lotus firmly in the 'exotic' category, most of them are aware of the heritage and they love all that good British knights in armour, tea and scones, big red bus malarky over there!

It's interesting to see how well Jaguar are doing over there, ( Jags don't have the 'old man's car' tag in the US! ), people buy them to stand out from the Merc/BMW/Audi crowd, the Evora would do well, as would the Exige S.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Stirling_Villeneuve

[Iconic Ride]

I love LA, Stirling, but it's more an "exception to the rule" than a microcosm of the U.S. And while granting that an enormous number of "exotics" are sold there, due to a congenial climate and a huge population base supporting more than its fair share of deep pocketed car fanatics, Lotus must consider the U.S. market as a whole. The state of California may or may not provide enough sales to justify the expenditures necessary to meet federal (and state, as California is the most stringent of all in that regard) requirements. The very fact that they (Lotus) have been given a temporary exemption in the first place might well be attributed to the relatively small number of vehicles sold when compared to more typical marques. The entire situation is a classic "rock and a hard place" conundrum for Lotus. Sell a limited number of cars under a "waiver" environment, or expend large sums on meeting the federal requirements hoping that sufficiently greater numbers of cars are sold (at a profit one presumes) to exceed the break even costs. It's a "cost benefit analysis" worthy of a next-gen supercomputer.

[NedaSay]

I'd tend to agree with you John but there is a huge but! The US were the number one market for the Elise/Exige combo.

Then the number of cars sold in California alone would not be insignificant. Same must be true for the Evora if they sell 50 cars in California which cannot be that hard!! California is stringent when it comes to car safety and this makes California relevant. You get a waiver you can be sure that you'll need another one before your product reach midpoint in its life cycle, develop the car properly in the first place and the problem is solved. We are talking airbags here a product that Lotus buys from a third party at a spec, well the new spec has a cost and it may require some reengineering and it would cost $4.3m to get it done, it's not nothing but it makes the car relevant in this day and age! And they can make a profit after they are done with it!

Time for Lotus to do the right thing and give the cars what's needed in order to be sold worldwide.

Besides I'm pretty sure DB waisted that kind of money on PR and useless marketing ploy or racing stunt to to get in bed with all the Baldwins.

If there's any money left, it has to go to things like these and if there's no money left, then it's time for the shareholders to make a decision which is either sell it or dump it! And dumping the Evora would be realistically the End of it!

[fmxa]

Fingers crossed they get it sorted

[simonb]

How many other manufacturers go the exemption route. Is the choice over there to buy fully compliant German or Italian exotica, or a cheap fully compliant home produced muscle car, or a British sportscar with a reputation for poor build quality, and not up to current safety standards. Build quality and compliance woud not have been a bad place to spend squandered millions

[Iconic Ride]

True, but what would then become of "the poor man's Ferrari" demographic? The perceived (and, yes, in some cases actual) "poor build quality" aspect is an "acceptable losses" parameter for those seeking entry into the world of exotics without having to resort to armed robbery prior to purchase, or hope their ship comes in before they are too old to find the keys. Build quality or federal exemption waiver status issues are easily overshadowed by the equally perceived (and most certainly "actual") performance capabilities of the Lotus marque, manufacturing imperfections notwithstanding.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

[rogerch]

I was just reading a rather nice tribute to Sid Watkins, by none other than Joe Saward, and reflecting he was pretty much on the money about Lotus and DB.

I would also love to hear what Clive Chapman has to say in relation both to DB's management and his personality.

[Cathalm]

Saward right. You have got to be joking. I'll concede he was right that Tony would pay his wages if he did as he was told.

[DarrylV8]

They've not been canned but. as the development teams have been reduced in size, some of the engineers have been re-deployed on using their new-found knowledge to make current product even better.

Nice to have the focus restored on what we can sell today rather than what we might be able to sell tomorrow although tomorrow may never come without the new product, of course.

So when do you dealers start taking deposits for the new Esprit?

I was just reading a rather nice tribute to Sid Watkins, by none other than Joe Saward, and reflecting he was pretty much on the money about Lotus and DB.

I would also love to hear what Clive Chapman has to say in relation both to DB's management and his personality.

Roger why would Clive want to get involved in the politics game, think plenty has been said on here without dragging the Chapman's into the pit?

[rogerch]

I don't / didn't, it was DB who did, back in the early days if you recall. Clive put out a statement, endorsing DB, that at the time I commented seemed to demonstrate all the hallmarks of "Under Pressure". (arm twisted around back)

Just wondered if he still felt the same.

[LotusX180R]

Hasn't been a lot in ht enews from DRB-Hicom since the takeover, but this was included in an article on DRB's goals for Proton in the immediate future:

On Proton’s loss-making sports car unit, Lotus, Mohd Khamil said DRB-Hicom has completed the operational review of the British sports car maker, and the conglomerate has laid out an immediate plans for Lotus.

“It will be far different from the plans that Lotus had before. The new plan will ensure Lotus will sustain for the next three years.

“We have to now present the plans to the bankers. We are hoping to finalise negotations with the bankers by the end of this year,” he added.

http://www.freemalay...ales-this-year/

Edited September 20, 2012 by LotusX180R

[chandrew]

Good find Kyle. That makes sense: the reason that we haven't heard sounds like because it needs approval from the bankers and therefore they're staying quiet until they are in a position to make an announcement that they think they can honour.

[TBD]

I believe we read the same message back in July.

[DanyBaharFan]

Apologies if this request is in the wrong sub-forum, yet is anybody able to kindly point me in the direction of the video clip on you tube of Gino Rosato taking Dany's coat at the Hethel Originals store opening please? Much obliged to you all

[hedgerley]

It would appear Dany is not the only one suing Lotus for wrongful dismissal. The claims seems rather disturbing -

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/fresh-legal-troubles-add-to-turmoil-at-lotus

[Bibs]

Funny. Do you think they're taking the pee as it was the head of legal and HR that are suing them?

From ft.com - Regarding the claims by the dismissed employees, Lotus declined to comment on what it said was “clearly a legal and HR matter”.

[Bibs]

http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/former_lotus_chief_claims_he_was_axed_to_make_way_for_firm_s_sale_1_1527745

DRB can't sell Lotus for 12 months from the purchase date under Malayasian law.

[Bibs]

More bad news from Top Gear...

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/problems-at-lotus-2012-9-25

[Junks]

Very worrying

[Stirling_Villeneuve]

Not good at all.... so where's the new Exige S ? I understood Lotus had taken quite a few orders for what is an amazing car.