Future of Lotus

[exeterjeep]

2 minutes ago, duncx said:

Final Edition Elise/Exige cars are due for release on Tuesday 9th I believe

Do you think this also has a final version of the evora as well?

[duncx]

Sorry but I didn't ask about the Evora but you would expect that details of any FE Evora would be released on the same day? Of course I could be wrong about Tuesday, but I'm quietly confident

 

[rallyesax]

Some journos were in Hethel last Monday. It seems like there are different step embargos, a few first informations should come this Monday. Maybe nothing to do with the new models yet but we will see... That's what one journalist said last Monday. 

[exeterjeep]

22 hours ago, rallyesax said:

Some journos were in Hethel last Monday.

Where was Bibs on monday.....

[Techyd]

I bought Autocar this week which had a three page spread on Lotus.  As always, later on in the magazine was a random Porsche article describing the 911 as still the best (the article compare it against a Tacan).  I only say this because I have always always noticed, that anytime Lotus gets some coverage, a Porsche article WILL feature later in the magazine, even when there's not a new model to talk about.  Anyone who still has a copy of EVO (I think it was) back from 2008 when the Evora was covered will see the same tactic happening.  This is what Lotus need to get on top of when it comes to the marketing.

Anyway, off topic I know  sorry!

[jep]

Autocar: front cover tag line is 'Esprit is back!' Story inside then says 'Lotus will use a new nameplate for car.' 

Got to love journalists.

Jesus (my new nameplate) 

 

[DarrylV8]

Lotus media is stating important announcement at 10am today 

[Arregueti]

^ Just realeased:

 

https://media.lotuscars.com/en/news-articles/saving-the-best-‘til-last-the-lotus-elise-and-exige-final-edition-cars.html

 

[Bibs]

https://www.thelotusforums.com/latest-news/lotus-cars-news/saving-the-best-til-last-the-lotus-elise-and-exige-final-edition-cars/

 

[DaveC72]

https://www.lotuscars.com/en-GB/final-editions/

Broken link...🧐

[DaveC72]

Now fixed... just doesn't take you to the right pages when you click through to the model specific pages  ... 

 

[stephenwhyte]

If I’m honest I expected more spec-wise from the look of these final iterations. But the good news is I don’t feel compelled to replace my own Exige....can’t tell you what a bloody relief that is!😰

[hedgerley]

Henry Catchpole's drive of the Elise FE. He was at the factory last week. Looking forward to the next magazine issues....

 

[Peapod]

1 hour ago, stephenwhyte said:

If I’m honest I expected more spec-wise from the look of these final iterations. But the good news is I don’t feel compelled to replace my own Exige....can’t tell you what a bloody relief that is!😰

The same here. Other than the digital dash, not much different to mine. Now if it had been similar to the Cup260, then my bank balance might have taken a hit.

[exeterjeep]

1 hour ago, stephenwhyte said:

But the good news is I don’t feel compelled to replace my own Exige.

But may be the new 131 will empty your wallet instead.

[stephenwhyte]

I’m sticking with owning one of the last Exige models. It was a push to get here.....not needing to restart with another. From a personal point of view I'm secretly hoping it’s ugly!😂......but in truth hope and confident it will do well👍👍👍

[exeterjeep]

26 minutes ago, stephenwhyte said:

view I'm secretly hoping it’s ugly

There aren't many ugly lotus models are there?????  A lot depends on how many versions of the 131  there will be and how much they cost, plus of course the spec.

In terms of ugly lotus models - who wants to nominate one... 

[mg4lotus]

The silence speaks volumes, although it's only been an hour

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Well I may as well put my head above the parapet. I have always found the slab-sided Renault engined Europa and the 1970s Elite to be visually challenging.

In comparison I find the redesigned Twin Cam Europa and Eclat/Excel to have much nicer proportions.

Time to duck back down again...?

[exeterjeep]

I loved the 70's elite that's why it was the 1st lotus i bought.

Agree about the Renault Europa  and would then add the 2007/2008 Europa, seen a few when they were launched, never clicked with me. - sorry to those who have one, they are probably great to drive.

[TdM]

I agree with this, don't like the new Europa... doesn't quite look like all the body parts were supposed to go together

[Bravo73]

10 minutes ago, TdM said:

don't like the new Europa... 

Re the ‘new’ Europa, although it ended up as a Lotus, didn’t it start out life as a Proton?

[mg4lotus]

I have to say the Europa S and the Porsche Cayman have visual similarities. When going out on runs with MLOC I have wondered how did that get in our convoy until it clicked. It's a Lotus and I still like how it looks.

[yeller77]

The late Europa is definitely one of the red-headed step children of the marque (no offence to red-heads or stepchildren), relegated to ignominy in some eyes and even doing duty as a Dodge EV mule. I might have to also nominate the Seven S4 which probably suffered in having one of the toughest acts to follow.

Hard to get too excited over the FEs, mainly since we can't have them in the US, but also that none seem to be particularly earth-shaking as a FE as, say, the 4 cyl Esprit swan song: the Sport 300, which continues to be a rare icon on it's own.

[C8RKH]

4 hours ago, Bravo73 said:

Re the ‘new’ Europa, although it ended up as a Lotus, didn’t it start out life as a Proton?

Wasn't it just a rebodied VX220?  Contrary to what people think the VX and Elise were not the same chassis I believe with the VX being slightly longer/wider than the Elise making it ideal for the Europa's GT purpose.