Future of Lotus

[Bibs]

I think the deal with Toyota is that Lotus have to warranty the engines themselves, Toyota sell them 'as is' to Lotus and then they're on their own. 

Do we really think people don't buy an evora as it's got a camry engine ? 

 

I think people do buy the Evora as it has a very reliable Toyota engine in it... 

[Khyber73]

true..was a factor in me buying my evora and my exige s2. my exige s2 was the most reliable car i ever owned

[NedaSay]

I think more and more people will buy Lotuses. Because JMG and his staff are getting the job done in terms of dealer network expansion ; I just saw the dealer map for France, and I'm speechless it has tripled, from 4 to 12 and counting in a matter of months. The company now has 11 dealers in Germany, 5 in Italy, 1 in Spain (Barcelona and second one coming in Madrid before this year's end)... The dealer list seem to be updated weekly if not daily with new franchises. And the 14 UK dealers are to be joined by a few more I read with a flagship dealer to open in central London soon. That's a much healthier dealers' list than the one from the DB, so a lot more potential to sell cars.  And even here in the North Lotus is opening new dealers, with the Calgary outlet opening this spring finally!!! Weissach is going to get some... Lots of PetCo money in the area... Ottawa should be next. I did count 9 dealers in mainland China up from 4 until recently. And there are a lot of stuff in the works in Russia, Brazil... 

 

Even being cautiously optimistic I don't see how Lotus would not manage to shift the 3500 cars they are targeting this year and by the time Evora roadster is out and about they should be able to had another 5 to 700 units to that. And with both Elise and Exige getting revamped numbers should get even higher.

Edited March 16, 2015 by NedaSay

[derekhill]

I would love a full dealership to open here in jersey (channel islands ) is there any chance of it happening bibs?

[Bibs]

You'd be their only customer mate! 

 

Seriously, aren't the islands blanketed in 30mph limits, it's not great Lotus territory. How many Lotus's are there on Jersey, enough to keep a workshop busy?

[derekhill]

Hi bibs I had the same chat about this with Scott walker when I came across to the hedge end open weekend we need something over here as you would be surprised by the amount of lotus cars are here there is a lovely s1 esprit in the guys workshop who looks after my car ,we still have Ron hick man's elan and elite,also Leo man sell has a black evora...I have seen 2 more evora s also.just to name a few....hehe

[The Pits]

Actually there are loads of fast cars in Jersey, more exotics per head than London I bet.

 

No VAT either and right next to France where the fast stuff can stretch their legs. We have relatives over there and they've had all kinds of fast cars in their garage. I guess it's still better to do 30mph in a Ferrari than a Mondeo!

 

They would sell a few Lotus cars. In fact an Elise would be one of the few fast cars you could really enjoy on the roads in Jersey. The only issue is it might not be flash and expensive enough...

[derekhill]

Thanks for that pits....I do take my elise to France to track it we did have a full dealership here but was very poorly run...on my travels around the island I have come across else's exige evora elan and plus 2 europa excel I can go on and on.....

[Bibs]

Fair enough. It's up to Scott to be honest, pop him an email

[derekhill]

Thanks bibs have you a contact number or email for scott many thanks

[Bibs]

swalker@lotuscars.com | 01953 608689 

[NedaSay]

Wait a sec! Notoriously unreliable Jalopnik saying that 3-11 is coming to tracktoys' stores near you, lucky europeans, as early as Frankfurt next fall! So I browse around to slightly more reputable car sites and they state the same rumor, road legal, 420bhp, 890kg, Frankfurt.. And Auto Motor und Sport originates the story.  With testing to be done to reach a seriously impressive 7'09" on the Nurburgring at some point this summer in order to milk it by the launch date. That would probably make it a cheap way to reach seriously impressive speed even though it will be the most expensive Lotus to date until the Evora Lightweight which will probably use the same engine tune. I expected the car to come soon just not quite that soon as it also means Exige 400 could also be around the corner. It also means Lotus would attend Frankfurt and Geneva on the same calendar year.

 

 

420 bhp for 890 kg... So how far deep into the 3" territory can Lotus push the thing? it's not going to be a top speed car they are mentioning 280-290 kph, so how fierce will it be of the line and around the curves?

Edited March 19, 2015 by NedaSay

[Bibs]

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/lotus_spreads_its_wings_with_vision_for_mass_market_car_1_4099205

 

20-30,000 cars

 

Very good news about the new jobs though

[Mark Blanchard]

So the Esprit was canned for the SUV.  It makes good business sense but can't help feeling I'd prefer a new Esprit.

[kunstenaar]

Chinese made, Lotus branded SUV?!?! Makes Bahars stupid overweight lotus car ideas look intellegent. Colin must be rolling in his grave. :/

[atlasapl]

No offence, but I suspect you may take some anyway, but comments like that make me wonder if you have been living in a cave for the past fifteen years. Its Bahars stupidity in thinking a fat overweight sports car would have succeeded simply because it looked good and carried a legendary name. OK, let's scrap the SUV idea and release the canned Esprit. We can all then sit back and bask in the glory of the car that finally kills Lotus for good and sullies the great Esprit name. 

 

As for Colin Chapman would be rolling in his grave, how do you know? did you know him? I suspect you didn’t. Chapman was a genius, an engineer, a pioneer, sometimes a maverick, but also a businessman, and he would have looked on at Porsche with interest at how they recovered from near death by building an SUV. I suspect he would not have hesitated in doing the same if he thought it could have brought in the money to allow him to have designed and built some of the greatest sports cars on the planet. 

 

If I have to wait for ten or fifteen years before I see a new Esprit then so be it. But under the current management I know they won't build one until they can do it right, and do the Esprit name the justice it deserves.

[kunstenaar]

It's down to different ideas and takes on how Lotus should proceed in its future.

I'd rather Lotus focus on the lightweight British built sports cars they've been making since the 1950s. Be the small/mid size manufacturer they've always been. Be the maverick company Chapman started. Stay alive and thrive doing what they do best despite the modern trends of consolidation & mass market production in vast numbers. I believe it's possible with focus and good management.

If it can't do that, end the company with honour. Death is better than disgrace. eg: Team Lotus.

The maylasian owners and others might disagree.

[Advantage]

The lightweight British built sports cars have made the square root of stuff all in profit margin over the past 60+ years.

Either the naysayers each write out a cheque to Hethel for £10m every year or they quietly realise that selling "something" at a profit is better than selling "nothing" but at a loss.

[hedgerley]

I don't think Lotus will ever lose their focus on lightweight sportscars but they need financing and the low volumes don't cut it in this day and age. A cash generating SUV will at least give them a fighting chance. JMG has his head screwed on and has made the right calls so far IMHO. I know the jury is still out but the numbers are heading in the right direction - production, revenue, reduced losses and increased jobs.

 

Besides, this new stealth ad campaign #FOS seems to me to be all about the 311 and if that's not Lotus DNA I don't know what is. Its going to be awesome.

 

https://www.facebook.com/LotusCars?fref=photo

[ChrisJ]

The current target market for cars that Lotus currently make is limited, so hence the ability to make serious money must also be limited.

 

I looked at an Evora last year, however, my two kids (10 and 7) could not get in the back of the +2 version, so there is not one current model that I would buy. If Lotus made an SUV, I would be seriously interested in it.

 

I feel that there are lot of other people in the same situation as me who would consider an SUV from Lotus - although they probably wouldn't go and buy a 25+ year old car instead of a nice shiny new one.

[Barrykearley]

If lotus build an suv - I'd never ever buy it - even when they are £1500.

However - I'd never buy a Peugeot either........

There will be plenty of folks that would buy a lotus suv I'm sure - would be far more fashionable than the normal Porsche,bmw,Audi,rubbish at the Chelsea school gates.........

A nice revenue stream no doubt that will help lotus in the long term financial security........ Is that really a bad thing? Even if it's a compromise on lotus roots......

[auRouge]

It's down to different ideas and takes on how Lotus should proceed in its future.

I'd rather Lotus focus on the lightweight British built sports cars they've been making since the 1950s. Be the small/mid size manufacturer they've always been. Be the maverick company Chapman started. Stay alive and thrive doing what they do best despite the modern trends of consolidation & mass market production in vast numbers. I believe it's possible with focus and good management.

If it can't do that, end the company with honour. Death is better than disgrace. eg: Team Lotus.

The maylasian owners and others might disagree.

The ultimate example is Lexus with the LFA. It's the car that Clarkson reckoned was the best car he's ever driven.. Everyone is sold at a loss. But they make it because they want to build the ultimate performance car for them, you and me! They can afford to.

The goal post has moved and Lotus thankfully are finally moving and avoiding becoming extinct!

They will make the cars we want (albeit a bit diluted by sharing platforms) but have to make money in order to continue doing so by making SUV's or compromises is one way or another.

Why is this such a bad thing? You don't have to buy the SUV!

[auRouge]

If lotus build an suv - I'd never ever buy it - There will be plenty of folks that would buy a lotus suv I'm sure - would be far more fashionable than the normal Porsche,bmw,Audi,rubbish at the Chelsea school gates........

You won't but if you did drive a Macan or X5 you'd appreciate they are far from rubbish.

Modern, efficient and very fast but not rubbish. Karting around childern doesn't have to be old fashioned, compromised and boring anymore no matter where you live or what the weather! Politically correct? Maybe not but neither is driving a sports car getting less than 20mpg like most of us on here!!

[Barrykearley]

Fair one - I don't like Jimmy choo or Louis Vuitton either!!!!!

Just don't get the big flash suv thing at all...........might as well be diamonte encrusted false teeth........

It's all about lotus selling what the market will buy......there is no doubt the market - so they need to grab some of it.....

[NedaSay]

It's down to different ideas and takes on how Lotus should proceed in its future.

I'd rather Lotus focus on the lightweight British built sports cars they've been making since the 1950s. Be the small/mid size manufacturer they've always been. Be the maverick company Chapman started. Stay alive and thrive doing what they do best despite the modern trends of consolidation & mass market production in vast numbers. I believe it's possible with focus and good management.

If it can't do that, end the company with honour. Death is better than disgrace. eg: Team Lotus.

The maylasian owners and others might disagree.

Wow this is completely out of touch with the reality, we are not in the 60's anymore.

 

Lotus is  pretty much a stand alone entity  that cannot truly rely on its parent company to codevelop products. The rulebooks to manufacture cars to be sold globally is so stringent that even groups like FCA are looking for new partnership in order to lower the cost.  Lotus at their own scale are doing their utmost to ensure the company survival by bringing to market a product that could broaden their appeal in order to ensure survival.

 

"end the company with honour..." WTF! What about the soon to be 1000 staff whose livelyhood does depend on the company survival not to mention small their suppliers.

Edited June 5, 2015 by NedaSay