Lotus Cancels New Esprit

[Exploded]

source

Under new management, Lotus may be entering a new era, but we can't say the same for its products.

Lotus is a company dominated by eras. There was the post-war era of Colin Chapman who founded the marque and turned the world on to the concept of "adding lightness". After his death in 1982 the company went through a series of owners (including General Motors and Romano Artioli's Bugatti) before Malaysian automaker Proton took control. Then came the Dany Bahar era.The former Red Bull and Ferrari exec launched an overly-ambitious plan for Lotus at the 2010 Paris Motor Show that entailed a whole raft of new products.

Bahar's era, however, came crashing down when DRB-Hicom took over. Bahar was sacked for misappropriating funds, and with him have gone all his plans.Although DRB-Hicom was initially expected to keep just one of Bahar's planned projects (the new Esprit) on the table, reports now indicate that even that has been axed. As a result, Lotus will carry on with the current Elise, Exige and Evora. Although the Evora arrived in 2008 as a completely new product, the Elise and Exige have been around essentially since 1995 when Romano Artioli named the car after his granddaughter. So while Lotus itself may be entering a new era, its vehicles are not.

Edited October 4, 2012 by Exploded

[Bibs]

Old and incorrect news regurgitated from EVO Gert.

[Exploded]

Fingers crossed you are right

[TBD]

I'm sure we will keep more of these poorly documented rumours until DRB finally does start talking to the press and the public.

Maybe we should stop posting these stupdi stories here and instead send them all directly to DRB.

Can you imagine the impact this is all having on prospective Lotus car buyers?

Edited October 4, 2012 by TBD

[molemot]

Can there be ANY prospective new Lotus purchasers? I can't imagine anyone being prepared to buy as much as a wheelbarrow from any firm that conducts itself in the manner that Lotus has been displaying in recent times. It's been all sensation and no substance....and whatever plans there are for "new models" are being kept so quiet as to be invisible. Some decent leadership and dependable financial backing for a realistic plan is what is needed. Should they go back to the minimalist formula? Or attempt to go for the more upmarket niche....what can be done with restricted funds? Can they trade their way out of their current position with the current line up.....possibly, if only they can keep making them and at a price which shows a profit and which their customers are prepared to pay. All the "investment" during the recent aberration has to be considered as of zero value...but perhaps it is possible to use some of the development done during this time to create something "new" that the company can hang it's hat on. Only those in the know will know!!

[Bibs]

I'll lock this topic as we're already discussing this stuff over here....