Mike Kimberley

The bearded chap is one of our end of finals inspectors. There to look after the cars. Mike.

That is life in the fast moving auto industry Bravo73 as you know. There is another ex-Lotus very professional top engineering gentlemen still very active who knows the story of how it was killed off.

Yes jep. Many wanted a pure two seater but I was planning that as the new Esprit to follow the Evora. (Together with RGB I had already negotiated the V10 engine for N/S mid engined installation). Many tried to change my mind but we had the entry level Elise and a much more powerful Exige on the way and needed a more user friendly but high performance up-market sports car " stepping stone" to the Esprit to come. Russel and his team did a fabulous job. Glad that you enjoy it 62dave. It is a Colin Chapman DNA Lotus from an experienced team trained by Colin.

I know that the whole Lotus Eagle team agreed with you C8RKH our great friend RGB was spitting bullets. Unfortunately, a new CEO after I retired actually talked down the car, even publicly on TV! That is not the first time that such has happened in the auto industry sadly. However, the Evora has shown its true pedigree since by its remarkable advance through new and higher performance variants with great success-apart from the lack of effective marketing until the Geely acquisition.

Thank you for the memory Bibs. The launch of "The Eagle"- first all new car for 13 years at the time. So many great Evora iterations and developments from a standing start in 2008. A fantastic experienced team who built in ACBC's Lotus DNA. Looking forward to a great Lotus future now, kick-started with the Evija.

Little did I think that by introducing Ollie to Colin Chapman for a job interview in October 1970 that our paths, families, careers and lives would be so intertwined and so full of challenge, achievement, fun and heartache. Always a totally dedicated and committed 'larger than life' Lotus character, he never stopped championing Colin Chapman and his 'efficiency in all things' DNA, together with promoting Lotus cars and its innovative engineering achievements. RIP my very good and true friend of 50 years from our first working together on a small Jaguar project after finishing our apprenticeships. Mike

Great to see you again Yasuo and look forward to getting over to Denmark in the spring and visiting with you, Kim and a certain Hypercar builder. Happy Christmas and a Healthy prosperous New Year to all. Mike.

Thanking all my Lotus friends from Saturday at the TLF Christmas dinner for a great evening and for coming along to share stories of our great cars and experiences with us all. I would like to personally thank everyone for being there and sharing with me your thoughts and comments on favourite Lotus models and their technical specs, together with talking about past adventures, significant events and watershed moments in Lotus history. A very big thank you to those who traveled from so far to be with us and be part of the TLF Lotus family ranging from Kim and Yasou from Copenhagen, Andy from Perthshire, Andrew and party from Edinburgh , Dave and Ann from Somerset and all who came to celebrate Lotus and the TLF Christmas. Our very big thank you to Bibs and Rachel for organising a really excellent dinner and for finding Anthony and I some nice lodgings at the Joiners Arms in West Malling at the very last minute! Looking forward to a very strong Lotus future now under Geely stewardship with Phil Popham as CEO and the much needed long term investment that the Company has always needed. Mike.

Guess I am the senior here then with you young guys like Kim! Happy Birthday Kim-have a great day and don't get a headache again! MJK

Hi Bibs, What is the guest list for the Christmas dinner? I know that Wes & Jeanne are coming over from the States-talked to them yesterday after their Thanksgiving celebrations. Am looking forward to seeing as many TLF members as possible and will join you early as noted. Am coming down with James in his Evora 400 and looking forward to a fast run! MJK

A very big thank you To Andy/Bibs for all of his hard work that made the TLF Saturday dinner and Sunday International Lotus day at Brooklands so very successful and a most enjoyable occasion for all Lotus owners and enthusiasts. Many thanks also to Bell & Colvill who were pre-eminent as always. My personal thanks to all who attended and spent so much time & effort preparing, showing & displaying their great Lotus cars.Colin would have been proud. Thank you. MJK.

Kind of you Bibs. Your figures are in the right ballpark. A missed opportunity but the car industry was ever thus sadly.

They are unrelated JayEmm. The Evora concept came about when creating & determining the Product Planning for the 5 year Plan I introduced in 2006. It was essential to move up market from the base line Elise entry level models to a "flagship" Esprit replacement with supercar performance and viable margins. The Evora was the next step up market providing a stunning visual impact with high performance, exceptional dynamics and good ingress /egress/luggage space-seven future variants were planned at that time. The 2 seater Mid-engine Esprit was to follow the Evora using a very high performance highly rated engine/transmission package with packaging to suit a 95% ile US male.Certain areas of the Evora were designed and stressed for carryover to the forthcoming Esprit. Updated Business plans in 2008 added a very advanced EV Supercar using Lotus "in house" technology with a major global OEM strategic partner.