Lotus in the post DB era

[Bibs]

The press release saying that the first 'production' Exige is built was back in late July. I've just called to find out an expected date but if they aren't paying suppliers and the factory is shut down as reported I don't think it's going to be soon.

[ramjet]

If these reports are true, it makes the prospect of hanging onto an esprit a bit alarming as well.

[Bibs]

TVR's seem to be doing ok since their demise?

[ramjet]

Who looks after parts for TVR's?

[Bibs]

Lots of companies.

Lotus are unlikely to go bust, the more likely option IMO is that they are sold and ASO is a profitable part of the business and should continue.

If that wasn't the case however, aftermarket suppliers would take up the mantle, as they do with every other car company whose cars are still on the road but the manufacturer is gone.

[DarrylV8]

Someone must have faith in Lotus cars, big advert on Lotus website for 0% finance deals for new Evora & Elise models; which would intimate that Lotus don't have any issue selling the Exige V6

[Bibs]

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.

I've just been sold by the sales support team that dealers will be getting their cars in the next few weeks. DRB are keen to deliver an A1 quality product rather than ongoing project so want it to be perfect, hence the delays. When a part isn't up to their high standards, being a relatively small company they can't turn around an alternative immediately, tools need to be made and parts fitted, tested and tested again. Soon!

[Gus82]

If the delays are purely just about getting quality 100% its a good thing.

Reading all these reports from a range of sources is worrying though. I get that they don't want to get into updating everyone constantly on their future plans etc. but I do think they need to explain what Lotus in the DRB era will stand for - are they intending to be a manufacturer of niche track day cars, do they have ambitions to broaden the appeal of the cars at the current end of the market or are their plans to aim at something more like McLaren with the Esprit and some closely related spin offs being sold in relatively limited numbers for six figure prices. If the Esprit project is dead then they would be better off just saying so and getting it all over and done with so buyers aren't disappointed later or start questioning DRBs commitment again in a few months time.

Also what are they doing to raise the profile of the current models as has been claimed? The Evora is invisible to most people and if I was in the market for one at the moment with all the uncertainty it would probably persuade me to buy an F-Type instead.

[Stirling_Villeneuve]

I couldn't agree with you more on DRB's lack of regard for PR, I understand 'Silence is Golden' but if right now it's turning a nasty shade of brown. DRB need to be putting statements out there and NOW before the rumour mill runs riot and becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

[Bibs]

DRB will not be issuing any press releases in the near future as far as I'm aware. It's not their thing.

[douglasgdmw]

I can understand not responding to ever comment that goes out from the media but it must be really annoying customers who have an early allocation of the Exige S.

Ours is due for March delivery (at present) but all this silence makes me wonder whether it will be there on time. 1st time Sandra and I have discussed whether we need to look at something else with all this news, not good from Lotus if we are getting concerned (considering this is going to be our 4th Lotus since 2001).

The management must at least update people who have put their order down otherwise people wil start looking at alternatives. Which is not good news for Lotus.

George

[Stirling_Villeneuve]

DRB will not be issuing any press releases in the near future as far as I'm aware. It's not their thing.

Interesting business model, I'm sure it's one that's been very successful for some car companies... I can't think of any though because I've probably never heard of them!

Edited September 25, 2012 by Stirling_Villeneuve

[Bibs]

That's the thing. DRB aren't a car company, they don't sell cars. They have subsidiaries that do in Malaysia but from what I can gather (and is evident from this thread) they've no idea about Lotus or their market.

[Stirling_Villeneuve]

Which begs the question.... why didn't sell the company off instead of supposedly ploughing money into it?

I can understand the austerity measures, ( although IMHO it won't work any better than it has in the UK as a whole! ), but I don't get why they won't spend 5 minutes scrawling the occasional press release in an attempt to hold onto whatever goodwill the company still has? It'll cost them next to nothing and could potentially make or break Lotus.

BTW... do they ever take a look about here?

[tcs_ahp@yahoo.com]

That's the thing. DRB aren't a car company, they don't sell cars.

Then maybe they need to think about selling the car company they bought. This is a tough business even for experts, but it's a lot tougher if you don't know what you're doing.

[Mark Blanchard]

So we've gone from a PR Monster (DB) to no PR at all (DRB). They need to release a solid plan, however small it may be.

[hedgerley]

DRB have not been totally silent but the problem is they are always in reactive mode and this I think is the PR problem. But when they have spoken they have been consistent, saying many times that Lotus is not for sale, that they continue to invest, that they are developing a revised business plan which will need the approval of the banks and so on.

This is their reaction to DB's writ just placed before the courts - again their response is consistent with what they have been saying for months. Note the last paragraph in the latest report;

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

As pointed out, Lotus has gone from one extreme to the other. DRB just seem to be very conservative (with a small c)

[ChrisG]

I can understand not responding to ever comment that goes out from the media but it must be really annoying customers who have an early allocation of the Exige S.

Ours is due for March delivery (at present) but all this silence makes me wonder whether it will be there on time. 1st time Sandra and I have discussed whether we need to look at something else with all this news, not good from Lotus if we are getting concerned (considering this is going to be our 4th Lotus since 2001).

The management must at least update people who have put their order down otherwise people wil start looking at alternatives. Which is not good news for Lotus.

George

I was originally due to have an October build which moved out to November a few weeks back, latest update yesterday was essentially they don't have an accurate build date to give. Others in my position must be considering pulling out (as I am) which will not help the overall situation however Lotus are doing nothing to keep us engaged and manage our expecations in the interim. I still want my car however it can't be open ended.

[gt111]

You can't imagine the delays are purely about getting the quality 100%

If I was lucky enough to be in a position to have a deposit I would be reluctantly be looking to dip out as well, but a bit of feedback to the customers would surely reassure people and possibly stop them cancelling.

[basalte]

I can`t help noticing that the terms "unfair dismissal" and "wrongful dismissal" have been used interchangeably above by the media in respect of DB,but they mean different things .

I can only assume that DB is suing for wrongful dismissal ie. contesting his summary dismissal in breach of his contractual entitlement to notice and the pay that goes with it. (Unfair dismissal is a statutorily-regulated scheme that operates to enforce general employment rights through the Industrial Tribunal (a bit lese majeste for DB !)-Its powers to interact with individual employment contracts can be complex and crucially, damages are limited).

Time to inspect my unique parking ticket collection......

[TBD]

That's the thing. DRB aren't a car company, they don't sell cars. They have subsidiaries that do in Malaysia but from what I can gather (and is evident from this thread) they've no idea about Lotus or their market.

Unfortunately, Bibs, you summed it up very well. The only thing keeping me hopefull is the conviction that DRB will sell Lotus as soon as they can. Obviously selling right now would cost DRB a major writeoff on the bank loans Proton took on to finance the DB plans.

[Gus82]

Interesting article in todays Autocar about Alpine. In an interview with Renault boss Charles Tavares, its stated that the search for a partner to create the new Alpine has progressed ahead of schedule and could be announced as early as the Paris Motorshow (main press day tomorrow). There is no hint in the article that the partner would be Lotus, but the logic is compelling and after all the negative press over the last few days and on the 2nd anniversary of the doomed relaunch I would be overjoyed if it was the case.

It does say the partner will need to invest money in the project (Renault suggest they might have tried to develop the car for 50,000,000 euros but it would have been too little to do it successfully), but the partner whose management has a similar view of the market will launch a version of the chassis with different styling and tuning. It also says while the car will be quite low it won't be as low as the original car as "convenience is an important part of modern packaging, but we are not inclined to compromise too much. This is a car that must appeal to the emotions. If you refine such a car too much, it loses its special character".

I just hope the partner is Lotus and not Caterham......

[arbell9]

From August 16th

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/08/lotus-rumored-to-build-new-renault.html

And from piston heads a few days earlier

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=26166

[Gus82]

Theres also this article about Kimi Raikkonen potentially being a development driver:

http://www.autoevolu...lery-49182.html

However this French article names Mercedes AMG and Caterham, as well as Lotus:

http://www.caradisia...rsche-81233.htm

?

Edited September 26, 2012 by Gus82

[Stirling_Villeneuve]

Interesting, it would certainly cash in nicely on the Lotus/Renault F1 situation. I'd like to think out of that bunch Lotus would be the best fit, Merc lack the image and specialist expertise Lotus could give to the project and Caterham haven't really made anything other than shopping trollies for the past 40 years.

Either way it would be amazing to see some cash pumped into Lotus, or just to hear some good news!