Future of Lotus

[Bibs]

Some McLaren news, Geely won't be snapping them up then! 

Michael Leiters Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive Limited

Today we are pleased to confirm that McLaren's long-term strategic shareholder, Mumtalakat has taken full ownership of the McLaren Group following the conversion of all preference shares into ordinary shares. This marks a major step in the ongoing business transformation of our company.

We are delighted at Mumtalakat’s continued commitment to McLaren through this deal, which strengthens our ownership and governance structure. This will further enable us to focus on delivering our long-term business plan, including investment in new products and technologies.

The capital reorganisation also provides a strong platform on which to engage with potential strategic partners in order to expand McLaren’s product portfolio and grow its offering of unique and unrivalled luxury customer experiences. #McLarenAutomotive

[exeterjeep]

Been in to Lotus Exeter this morning and a notice says it's closing  next week. They are still doing test drives etc.

[Bibs]

Have they said a reason?

[exeterjeep]

No, have been in touch with Lotus myself.

The guys at Hendy are not sure what is going on, their Hendy performance stock is getting picked up next week, they are still having customers in/potential customers for test drives etc and you can still book via the Lotus booking site. Don't know what is happening to the Lotus stock as some is owned by Hendy and the rest Lotus.

I suspect that Lotus wanted them to improve their site facilities etc and Hendy were not keen to spend loads of dosh. The Exeter site is a bit rubbish, just tagged on the side of Honda, with a small access road and other businesses also nearby.

There is a load of the new Lotus vehicles on the horizon, not like back in the early 2000's when London Lotus closed. So you would think the future would be good.

@mayevora, @Markindevon and @MPx are all aware. I spoke with the Lotus guys at the big Exeter performance show that was held 2 weeks ago. Lotus had the most obvious presence there, you would hardly have known that Porsche and McLaren had a dealer in the show.

[Dave Eds]

Nearly all the Hendy stock seems to be under Southampton site @exeterjeep

[exeterjeep]

I intend to 'accidentally' drive in to Exeter next Saturday and drop in, to see what has happened. I think the actual removal of the Lotus stock may be a bit later. They still have 3 Emira's waiting parts. in their workshop, so I don't know how they will deal with that.

I was told a story in that they went to get a couple of tanks of petrol for the stock performance cars and they went in the demo Eletre, however one of the cans had a slight split, so the electric Lotus now smells of petrol - could be an opportunity for a new sort of air freshener for petrol heads who have ended up with an EV.

Maybe I can happen to be passing if a contractor is taking down some signs.......

[tim_marra]

Lotus has come full circle! Back in the 60's Lotus often had a whiff of burning electrics about them 

[exeterjeep]

Hendy Lotus Exeter,

Been out for a spot of shopping....

and managed to get in the Hendy car park, even though there was a transporter in front of the Lotus showroom. Looked to have 5 or 6 Emira's loaded up. He had just stowed the loading ramps. There was another empty transporter on the other side of the main road outside - helping to hold the traffic up. Cars were trying to get in/out of the Honda car park as well. Chaos. There was a least 1 Eletre outside.

The next door to the showroom part looked a bit more vacant as we tried to get past the transporter.

Closing date this Saturday.

[C8RKH]

Did you get a "reason" for them closing @exeterjeep?

[exeterjeep]

Nope, only what I speculated about above. Don't think that the guys in Exeter know.

Will be popping in on their last day on Saturday.

[C8RKH]

OK, always a shame to see a dealer leave, as we have precious few as it is.

[exeterjeep]

Have written to a couple of chaps at Lotus - but not holding up much hope.  (none actually)

[exeterjeep]

Lotus Exeter : most of the cars gone, a few Lotus left, one is an Eletre with frontal damage!

Still taking service bookings.

Most of the performance cars have gone (one AM in showroom). 

Today doing a handover of the Bond V6 Exige to a guy who has a LF1 Exige in p/ex. Still customers cars in workshop presumably waiting parts.

The clothes/knick knacks in the showroom have gone. 

No proper closure announcements made yet, maybe  Hendy may just 'forget'. It seems Lotus Eastleigh have a proper showroom now, so it looks like they will be continuing.  

Look to now be in the former Renault showroom.

[jonwat]

Why Chapman Bespoke is right for the times

[mdavies]

I wonder if those running the "Chapman Bespoke" programme, rather than playing about with fancy paints, interior finishes, emblems etc, would produce a bespoke V6 Emira stripped of everything not directly "for the drivers"?  With lighter replacements for essential items that are heavier than necessary for good drivability. Ok, maybe still some basic infotainment - but no heavy speakers etc.

 And the ECU cranked up to 410 bhp.

And, given the consequently lower bill of materials, then surely it should be sold for less than the standard version?

No, of course they wouldn't!  ("Couldn't" would be claimed, together with "ridiculous notion", "silly boy" and similar.)

But surely in the spirit of the programme? Just read the name?

Oh............so better change the name then!

[DarrylV8]

@mdavies 410 surely 430, with carbon panels and an adjustable suspension system 

[mdavies]

Darryl, thought I’d better be realistic!

[Bibs]

That's what the GT4 is! 

[mdavies]

Bibs, did you spot my "lower price" condition!

[Bravo73]

@mdavies Aren’t you aware that lightweight versions of cars (ie CSL, GT3 etc etc) always cost more for less?

[mdavies]

Bravo, indeed, but I hope that the tone of my Chapman Bespoke post, overall, left little doubt that I considered my wishes as just hopeless pie in the sky! 

[C8RKH]

On 31/03/2024 at 11:41, Bibs said:

That's what the GT4 is! 

So where's the "road" version mere mortals can buy and use?

[Bibs]

On the way. 

Ever heard of the sports car company that only released a single model of a car? Or one that released the higher performance ones initially?

We have all seen that there's an S and an R model in the works some time ago. 

[C8RKH]

It's been 2 years and little news @Bibs, and along the way we've had many broken promises, missed deadlines, etc. Forgive my scepticism but Lotus has earned it.

Funny how they have been able to get the ultra high performance electric bread vans out first, which makes your point re the "higher performance ones initially" rather moot.

[Bibs]

They haven't promised any other versions of the Emira other than FE then base but of course, we know they are coming from the chassis numbers and parts manuals. 

Adding them for future revisions isn't a press release with a launch date, it's just top internet sleuthing by whomever it was that found them and it's the only way we know those variants are planned. Not to say that they'll ever happen, but from what we know it looks like they are coming.