I just love the way that some make Bahar out to be a total villain here. Do people really think he made all these decisions on his own without any consultation with the vastly experienced team he put together, or with his ultimate bosses at Proton who were bankrolling all this.
I also love the way some challenge the thinking of this vastly experienced team, like they themselves have as much or even greater experience of running a sports/supercar company.
As far as I can see, Bahar was employed to take Lotus in a new direction, one which I believe, as clearly did Proton, was the only direction that would see Lotus survive as a future market leading profitable sports/supercar brand, something it had not been for many many years, following the model that has been so successful for Ferrari, Porsche, Lambourghini, and certainly saw Aston Martin saved from potential oblivion a few years back. He achieved a great deal in the time he was in charge, it was never going to be cheap, and Proton new that when they empoyed him and supported his vision for Lotus' future development.
It was not Bahar's fault that Proton was sold to DRB and that this whole mess has subsequently ensued. If it hadn't, I daresay most of us would still be celebrating the coming new range of cars, and the association with the Lotus F1 team that undoubtedly has enhanced the brand, rather than making Bahar the scapegoat.
Some, maybe, are enjoying his downfall a little too much?