Future of Lotus

[NedaSay]

There's nothing new in this piece, mostly the same stuff published by Autocar months ago. The only thing is they are behind in their sales target or choose to put the focus on being cashflow positive with only 1800 cars sold over the course of a year, bear in mind lotus financial years ends in march. The goal was to reach 2000 car in this financial year. No doubt the US Evora delay played a part in that. As for the Evora roadster, there's a game of smoke and mirror there... This is all I would say, if you remember the timeframe for the 3 Eleven, it came out  out of the blue barely six months after Geneva when JMG said that it was a year or two away at first.

 

There's not much JMG can commit to with the company being in the process of being sold. The SUV development is probably at a stand till. Even with the company now being in the black hence more likely to get a credit line without outside guarantees. There can't be that much money to develop the next Elise. I just hope they phase out the small platform in favour of the VVA platform as it offers more potential for development and personnalisation as shows the Exige 380. They could only shave 10mm = 1 cm away from the sills while the VVA had no issue getting the sills much lower and narrower. And the body with its separate front and rear bumpers do allow for more personnalisation from a variant to another...

Edited November 24, 2016 by NedaSay

[mawheele]

On 23/11/2016 at 20:52, DarrylV8 said:

More likely first time since DB moved on

DB had no aim for a cash flow positive financial plan - and why would you?  His was an approved 700m investment strategy by Proton that was put on stop by DRB.

JMG's is not a clever claim. His message is for the business illiterate. In simple terms, he's saying "I've no R&D. I've cut costs to the bone and I've taken as much cost out of every product I possibly can (in the name of weight.) As a result, I'm saving Lotus." Meanwhile, I have people around me programmed to only give me good news, so that when I speak to the press I can say "warranty claims on the Evora 400 are at an all-time low." Really?

Meanwhile top line revenues decline. 

You've got to invest in product development...

[NedaSay]

From CAR magazine no Geneva in 2017 for Lotus : http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/spy-shots/lotus/what-is-lotus-up-to-in-2017-and-beyond/

That would mean Goodwood 2017 for Evora roadster intro with a ready to market car in the fall as 2018 MY. Please note the side airbags would now be in the door card and not in the seat...

The Exige would have no more evo and but probably a cup model with 10hp thanks to exhaust to come in 2018.

A less edgy 4-Eleven would be what a roofless exige? With 350/380 bhp a proper interior?  doors? a windshield? 

[NW76]

Glad I own an Exige ...

If the new Elise / Exige ever comes it will by US compliant to begin with and that will be a different car from what I want ... my Exige might be the one to hold on to and give it on to my son in years to come ...

I do not need US saftey standards ... I am not afraid that a Ford F150 PickUp will hit me head on on the race track ?... 

[Bravo73]

5 hours ago, NedaSay said:

That would mean Goodwood 2017 for Evora roadster intro with a ready to market car in the fall as 2018 MY. 

I'm afraid that there's no chance of that happening. JMG only recently said that the Evora roadster was 22-24 months away. 

But he has consistently lied been incorrect about when the Roadster will be ready. I suspect that the latest projection (i.e. 22-24 months) is just another lie, er, 'incorrection'. 

[Inkyfingers]

Afraid this is another article from which we learn almost nothing that we didn't know already.

Having said that, the more press coverage the better.

[C8RKH]

3 hours ago, NW76 said:

Glad I own an Exige ...

If the new Elise / Exige ever comes it will by US compliant to begin with and that will be a different car from what I want ... my Exige might be the one to hold on to and give it on to my son in years to come ...

 

That sounds like a great idea but the way the EU bureaucrats are going, led by our German eco friends, I doubt he will ever get the chance to drive it, even on a track...  

[NW76]

no problem ... will put it on a trailer ... will have it pulled with the selfdriving Tesla (or whatever green, selfdriving piece of ** it will be then) to a track in the UK and drive it there ???

But at first I will sue them to death, because its grandfathered in ? ... and even the eco friends wont change that anymore ...

[C8RKH]

Lol - Norbert, you the man! That's the damn right attitude!  It's about time your Germans voted to leave the EU and came and joined the UK in a new alliance.  hehehe....

[TBD]

3 hours ago, C8RKH said:

That sounds like a great idea but the way the EU bureaucrats are going, led by our German eco friends, I doubt he will ever get the chance to drive it, even on a track...  

Don't worry, no GErman bureaucrat has ever or will in any foreseable future take on the #1 industry (with the home state of Porsche and Diamler being governed by a Green Party member)!

 After all, we're still the only civilized country without a general speed limit.

2 hours ago, C8RKH said:

Lol - Norbert, you the man! That's the damn right attitude!  It's about time your Germans voted to leave the EU and came and joined the UK in a new alliance.  hehehe....

Never! We prefer goot food, so we're going French.

[C8RKH]

5 minutes ago, TBD said:

Never! We prefer good food, so we're going French.

Good luck with that, you'll be well fed but will end up doing all the work.  Can't say that the you and the French have been doing a good job leading the EU Zone in the last 10 years but maybe when just the two of you things will be better!

I guess this is just one of those nonsense stories then?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/germany-petrol-car-ban-no-combustion-diesel-vehicles-2030-a7354281.html

[TBD]

Pretty much, but it puts your name in the papers. We also had politicians declare that 10% of cars sold would be electric by 2020, but their share is still less than 1%. Almost all electrics build in Germany are sold elsewhere.

[Bibs]

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/business/lotus-pleads-for-cash-after-clocking-up-41m-loss-c9j00j7qj

[DJW]

Not good

[Malcolm Feth]

It is only matter of time... Lotus will be sold and I hope it will go into good hands. I don't think it should be Porsche only because they would kill this brand with their vw-ish approach and Lotus is their direct competitor in enthusiast market. Going into french hands won't be a good idea either. 

But it might be good if BMW is interested- high-tech company, great engines & gearboxes and they don't have truly enthusiast, light cars, no direct Porsche-competitors, really. They could also add some hybrid and electric power into Lotus' future (and more kgs :/).

Well, let's wait and see what happens. At the end, I don't really care as long as new owner keeps Chapman's words alive.
And Lotus will not go SUV path...

[NW76]

?!? Thought they are finally profitable ?!? ... 

[Bravo73]

28 minutes ago, Malcolm Feth said:

It is only matter of time... Lotus will be sold and I hope it will go into good hands. I don't think it should be Porsche only because they would kill this brand with their vw-ish approach and Lotus is their direct competitor in enthusiast market. Going into french hands won't be a good idea either. 

http://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/01/202001/protons-partner-search-3-foreign-carmakers-make-firm-offers?m=1

Looks like it's going to be Geely, PSA or Renault. 

[Malcolm Feth]

if I have to choose one of the three, I pick psa 

[hedgerley]

1 hour ago, NW76 said:

?!? Thought they are finally profitable ?!? ... 

They are, at the operating cash flow level, since around August last year IIRC. These results are for 15/16, through to March last year. And as JMG says, they are still wrting down a lot of the Bahar expenses, a huge drag on the numbers. These will no doubt be amortized over several years so once they are done with Lotus will look a lot healthier on paper as well as operationally. Sales this year are expected to be just over 2,000.

Don't forget the Exige 380 and Evora 410 as well as the new Elise design work and Evora Roadster were/are being funded out of cash flow i.e. sales. Which is a good thing. And apparently money is being aside for new models according to JMG. Again, a very good thing.

Whether they remain with DRB or are sold off, I believe they are in pretty good shape. But as I've said before, I am an eternal optimist. 

[Mark Blanchard]

3 hours ago, Malcolm Feth said:

might be good if BMW is interested- high-tech company, great engines & gearboxes and they don't have truly enthusiast, light cars, no direct Porsche-competitors, really.

BMW is doing a great job running Mini but they didn't do a good job or running Rover.  I'd be much happier if Toyota got involved.

[Malcolm Feth]

toyota is already involved. Lotus still has fairly poor manual gearboxes and very shitty auto (no dual-clutch). I don't think they would really change anything.

[Mark Blanchard]

I meant involved as in own it.  But doesn't sound like that's going to happen

 

[Stubox]

14 minutes ago, Malcolm Feth said:

 and very shitty auto (no dual-clutch). 

I thought that until I drove one recently and the change was similar (in race) to the ZF8 sp in the RS. And given VWs issue with their DCT I think they're safer where they are given the volume.

The manuals not great admittedly but my Cups change is much sweeter and clickable than my previous S.

[Bravo73]

1 hour ago, Mark Blanchard said:

BMW is doing a great job running Mini but they didn't do a good job or running Rover.

BMW only bought Rover in order to get hold of a couple of sub brands. One they sold in order to make a quick buck (Land Rover), one they always planned on holding onto: Mini. They never had any intention of running Rover in the long term. 

[mawheele]

6 hours ago, NW76 said:

?!? Thought they are finally profitable ?!? ... 

This is sad for the employees. Too focussed on cost savings versus driving top line revenues. JMG now playing a completely different tune in this article. Credibility? At least now he's saying the right things "Substantial investment" is required. Fingers crossed for Geely. Looking forward to a rebodied Lotus Volvo XC40, an Esprit with Volvo's in-car technology and a resurrected Zimmermann 8-cylinder engine and an Elise with their awesome 4-cylinder drive train. Whats not to like?