Jenson Button & Lotus

[NedaSay]

So, it all started with Radford motors unless it really started with JBXE Racing.

Then an Evija purchase was officialized.

Then he was the 1st driver of Emira outside the staff of Lotus and guest personality of the Emira launch.

And now Lotus and Jenson annonce a collaboration between Jenson's Léger bike brand and Lotus for the development of a new bike using British component and bike maker Hope tech to boot.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRENKqPBfSy/

https://road.cc/content/tech-news/lotus-partners-f1s-button-kit-and-concept-bike-284711

 

Lotus and JB are all in it appears.

Edited July 9, 2021 by NedaSay

[Francisco Franco]

Like you say, one deal after another, JB comes across as a nice fella with a clean image, so why not.  
It could be a lot worse, a woke Lotus and Hammie😂

[C8RKH]

Button was a smart, mostly cook headed racer, and it seems he is a smart, mostly cool headed business man too. He does also come across as a genuinely nice bloke, enthusiastic with the brand, with history going to back to his childhood. Lotus has a history of working with F1 drivers after they have retired does it not, so good luck to them both.

The Hammie reference was unecessary as he has always and will be forever associated with McLaren and Mercedes. You could however have referred to the car crash that would have been (and often was) Lotus and Pastor Moldonado

 

[jep]

I am very cynical about such endorsements. Hearing Jenson on Emira is a flash-back to him with the McLaren MP4-12C in 2010, as McLaren launched its first new road car since the 90's F1. 

I also recall Jenson giving an interview in circa 2017, to publicise his latest book, and saying he sold his Bugatti and 'most' of his sport cars because no road car could compare to a racing car and he found them dull. 

I don't believe a word that comes from Jenson's mouth with regard road cars when he is clearly being paid to say it. Or any other F1 driver/celebrity for that matter.

No criticism of Lotus - they are playing the game, car buyers love to be lead by the nose and need 'influencers'. I am delighted in the direction Lotus are heading - even if it may not be for me. 

It will be fascinating to see how the TLF user-profile changes over the next few years. 

Exciting times.

Justin

 

[yeller77]

JB seems to be a consistent and appealing ambassador of the marque for the moment, with general appeal to the UK and perhaps Euro market though unknown appeal beyond that (may not hurt to also have Mario hawking a black and gold Emira in the States. Oh wait, you can't configure that 😶). Lotus are so far removed from any high level motorsport successes that they would've had to poach one from somewhere.

Besides, sure beats the Swizz...

[C8RKH]

JB is also big in Japan.

[yeller77]

Even better. Wonder what their deposit books are looking like.

[Bibs]

It's a very big market for Lotus, I'd image they're looking very healthy! 

[Loquacious Lew]

I'm all for it and for Lotus to make the splash with this car they have been unable to do in the past.  I thought the JB tie in suggested a new capability to promote the cars. Lotus deserves to succeed, Carr and his team did a bang up job and no doubt the engineering teams worked their hearts out to make it drive like a Lotus.   I want one .  

 I just hope they don't forget those of  us who bought new cars from them when things weren't looking so rosy.  Evora parts availability in the USA is discouraging.  I would like to keep my Evora as well as acquire an Emira.  I hope that isn't too hard to do.  There's big excitement about the Emira over here, including my own interest, but service and dealer access must rise to equal the product.  

 

[mayevora]

On 09/07/2021 at 08:12, jep said:

 

I don't believe a word that comes from Jenson's mouth with regard road cars when he is clearly being paid to say it. Or any other F1 driver/celebrity for that matter.

 

I actually agree with most of your post, however being paid or not, if he’s putting his hand in his own pocket and paying £2M for an Evija, Lotus won’t mind paying him whether that be a healthy payment or an payment equivalent Evija discount - we shall never know.

(I would love to know profit margins on Evija’s but £260,000000 in sales before costs isn’t too bad) and JB having one will be priceless pr.

[ramjet]

Even moreso if he follows through and buys an Emira as well.

[DarrylV8]

@NedaSayin one of the Goodwood interviews see SHMEE video https://youtu.be/D9pfPLAxI3A when JB is driving up the hill, JB mentions he owns an Evora

having seen JB on both the main Lotus stand & in front of the house he does come across as being a Lotus fanboy

[jep]

I wonder why.?...£

Justin 

[Al]

I

On 13/07/2021 at 07:50, DarrylV8 said:

@NedaSayin one of the Goodwood interviews see SHMEE video https://youtu.be/D9pfPLAxI3A when JB is driving up the hill, JB mentions he owns an Evora

having seen JB on both the main Lotus stand & in front of the house he does come across as being a Lotus fanboy

You beat me to the comment about the Evora.  I hadn't seen it mentioned prior to last week but I have seen him mention it about 3 different interviews now.  Out somewhere in the States on the W coast it seems? If true then maybe a true fan boy even before the latest crop of toys.

[C8RKH]

On 13/07/2021 at 07:57, jep said:

I wonder why.?...£

Justin 

Why does everyone have to be so cynical these days?

[jep]

Because it is true.

Justin 

[DarrylV8]

@jep i think most of us on TLF advertise Lotus cars when we wear T shirts or speak about what we own etc. we don't get paid to do this. So when you state Jenson must be getting paid to say good things about Lotus or that he owns an Evora; why? and you know this for fact?

i'm happy that Jenson states he owns the same car as me, an Evora!  

[C8RKH]

1 hour ago, jep said:

Because it is true.

Justin 

So you know Jenson so well personally that you know his love of Lotus cars is purely related to the size of deposit that goes into his bank account?  You know the Evora he has is only his because it was a freebie or similar?  You know he only bought an Evija and has placed an order for an Emira because he gets it for free or near to as part of a wider commercial relationship?  You know all of this for sure and certain? I mean, I know times are hard for him so maybe he needs that help as he can't really afford them.

I'm really pleased you are such good mates with him Justin to know this. My wife thinks he's a "lovely hunk of a man". next time you meet him for lunch or a beer can you get him to autograph a nice note please  -Dear Maggie, .......... , lots of love Jenson.  She'll be chuffed and I'll owe you a beer.

 

[TdM]

On 10/07/2021 at 12:33, Bibs said:

It's a very big market for Lotus, I'd image they're looking very healthy! 

This could actually be quite an interesting question, there is obviously an attraction for car enthusiasts in Japan for British sportscars. The thing that will be interesting though is the size.

The Exige and Elise would have been quite popular because they are small and light which works well in Japan. I've seen a few around myself in various cities. The Emira is not so small.

I'm sure this has been taken into account in the marketing and scoping but will be interesting to see the change in sales mix due to this. Those streets in Japan can be super narrow and you need somewhere to park to even buy a car which can also be space limited, they even have police come to measure the space to make sure your car will fit!

[CaptainSlow]

I like the involvement of JB in the media buzz around Lotus. Clearly the old fan base isn’t enough to sustain the business. In order to reach new customers any means are good. Lotus engineering involvement in the E-Rally thing as well as the Radford Motor endeavour sounds like more than just a check to say nice things about the Emira.

Just recently talking to our only dealer here in Sweden. He is amazed of the inflow of new people asking and putting down deposits from outside the inner circle. I hope that Lotus can get some quality cars out from the start. These new customers may not be as forgiving as the previous customers.

[Arregueti]

I understand @jep's doubts. I tend to doubt about those endorsements, too.  Nothing wrong with getting paid, but I just look at such endorsements differently.

For me the difference here is that, as posted above, it seems to be part of a wider "engagement" with the brand. A bit like venture capitalist's carried interest. Opportunistic or not, who am I to judge, it is all good as long as it is mutually beneficial.

He may well be a very good actor, as well as a fantastic driver, but he does come accross as a more real personality than some of the others.

It is good to see the good old Lotus getting some love and care, too. 🙂

[ramjet]

I much prefer Jenson Button to Swizz Beats.

At least Jenson uses his own name. He is also way more qualified than that other clown.

If he gets money for his endorsement, so be it.

[Spinney]

When my son was working in F1, he got to know Jenson and some of the other drivers quite well. Not well enough to be regularly invited on their superyachts, 😟 but quite well from a working perspective. 

He thought Jenson was far and away the nicest and most approachable of all the drivers he met. Maybe one day I’ll let on the identity of who was/is apparently regarded as a complete arse by the rest of the paddock!😉

Anyhow, he had a couple of lunches with JB and, naturally, the talk got around to road cars. My lad mentioned I had been a Lotus fan since the year dot and apparently Jenson said how he has always loved the Lotus/Chapman ethos and wished he’d been driving back in the days of the 72. He said Lotus of that era was the one team he’d have wanted to drive for above all others. 

I’ve always liked Jenson anyway and did get to have a beer with his dad at Spa back when he was driving for Renault or Benetton or whatever it was called back then. After my son told me about his chat, though, JB’s stock went even higher in this household!👌

Oh and my Mrs wants him as her toyboy!😂