This is a joke, right?

[ronin]

I remember tryin to trade my old Esprit back in on a new V8 and the dealer wouldn't take it....Now that's low

[Iconic Ride]

The decision to purchase a car is generally going to be influenced by two major parameters: Which marque(s) and model(s) gets my juices flowing, and how much wonga am I willing to part with to satisfy my urges without unduly breaking the bank? Graph the two lines out, and they will intersect at a given point. Sometimes that point is "fuzzy," and sometimes it's dead on.

"Marketing" can't change your client's finances, but it sure as heck can have a definable effect on emotional inspiration when it comes to buying your wheels. "Gala Event" style advertising may not always work as planned, and the target audience will vary, but regardless of the product being promoted, it seems to generate sufficient interest to continue to be employed by many industries. The particular techniques, venues and "personalities" utilized will often be subject to criticism, depending upon one's personal tastes, but it's likely a better business model than waving magic wands in the air and hoping for the best. We may or may not agree with Dany's specific efforts at any given time, but at least he's trying. Selling high priced transportation in a down economy has got to be challenging, for anyone.

[Bibs]

[comem47]

Seems to be more about marketing SB than Lotus. I'm embarrassed as a Lotus owner and human being.

[ronin]

The next Lotus should be called the Mandingo, Swizzle is a very flexable chap...

[ronin]

The new Lotus hands free phone app. http://joel.net/EBONICS/Translator

[yeller77]

Can I have the 4 minutes and 18 seconds of my life back?

I'm sorry, I must've missed the B-lister, self-indulgent, hip-hop coming out parties for the 458 spider and mp12-4c...

[red vtec]

Must say I like the car, but am lost on the so called stars, or are they well known in the states? Stephen Baldwin was never famous when he was famous.

Does Mr Beatz say @ 2:03 "tonight we unveil the first Chrome color car in the world, Swiss Beatz Lotus...."

I'm sure McLaren might point out their Chrome orange F1 and MP4-12c and Lotus have had Chrome Orange in the past and I'm sure there must be plenty of others

McLaren just had 2x F1 World Champions and the CEO at their launch in London and tied it in with the showroom launch. Bet they wish they had got Dizzy Rascal instead and a bottle of cherry aid. Lotus is British please keep a stiff upper lip!!

Edited December 5, 2011 by red vtec

[USAndretti42]

Sorry dude Audi/Porsche cars are not marketed as poser cars.... They don't put rappers and whoes in charge of their marketing dept. or do they need to... They build cars people want to drive not for posing.

That reminds me. It's almost Christmas. Soon be time for Audi to start showing its TV commercial where the neighbours put up their Christmas lights and the Audi owners compete by switching on their LED daytime running lights. That's it. No information about the car. Just how nice its lights look. Pretty posuerish, if you ask me, or even if you don't.

[Iconic Ride]

Yeah, Chris, he did sorta' step on his Alabama black snake with the "first Chrome color car in the world" comment. But his heart's in the right place. Give the man time to bone up on the facts a little more. He's still new to this particular game.

[Kimbers]

He should go bone up in a rap bar, suits him better than VP of wasting our time. Total waste of space, can't believe Dany gives him the time of day.

[ronin]

The real problem with Dany hiring this joke is that car people are talking about Swizzle and not the car and if talk is about the car it's WTF did he design ?

[gtornes78]

Bloomberg interview with Dany and Swizz is now up on Youtube

http://youtu.be/ckTY934FSlY

[ronin]

Please tell me what he designed on that Evora that wasn't there before..... When these idiots push the bullshit as they do to a pair of $150.00 sneakers I think they will be surprised when the adults turn a blind eye to the brand and laugh when someone brings up Lotus in the future.... This isn't art Swizzle it's a car but I do hear you have a car lot and win all the prizes when you show your cars Swizzle..... Anyone can buy a car, few can design it...

[Bibs]

From Pistonheads

And finally we had to ask him about the Lotus partnership with Swizz Beatz. “It’s because it’s not meant for this part of the world, it’s meant for the US,” Bahar said unapologetically. “What our tie-up with him has done in three to four months is incredible. Our products are in many music videos, we have designed five really, really very good looking chrome coloured cars and we’ve sold five of them for a silly price, and all through him. It’s a different world.”

[ramjet]

Would you want to be someone who bought one and hear the CEO say we sold them for a silly price?

If those sales turn into more (and let's face it, at that current rate, you're only talking 20 cars in a year) then good on them. I don't understand why they use the word design though. The car has already been designed.

This is all just trimming isn't it?

What has he done marketing wise? Doesn't that title imply advertisement direction etc? Maybe this is all good for Lotus and maybe a lot of us are just out of touch with a lot of things.

Now I'm off to listen to some Burt Bacharach...

[red vtec]

I think they mean that Swizz gives them access to the Music scene particuly rap, and hence poping up in videos tv shows etc, I really do not know if this is correct for Lotus, I blow hot and cold with it, I can sort of see the idea behind it, but not sure if its the right market (I have nothing agaist rap, just wonder if a group of teenagers are going to buy a sportscar)

[ronin]

Dany Bahar is quoted sayin that Swizzle Stick is responsable for the total sale of 5 GTE cars in the US... It's too bad the GTE is not road legal in the US...

Here is a quote from Dany Bahar at a Lotus Pistonheads lunch....

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topi ... &mid=68393

[Bibs]

Look up 3 posts dude.

Lotus have sold a few 2-Elevens in the USA, they aren't road legal either!

[ronin]

And he's proud to say they were "sold at a silly price" to these fools that bought a street car that can't be driven on the street...Yeah the 12 211's in the US have put Lotus in the black.... Come on dude this is a joke.

[Kimbers]

Another Dany Baharism. Boast about ripping off customers.

[dodgey_rog]

Another Dany Baharism. Boast about ripping off customers.

Or you could read that as 'people paid more than the list price to be one of the select few owners'?

Don't people pay a silly premium on Ferrari's and such like to be the first? Not saying that i empathise with Mr Keys, but its a pretty looking vehicle, i don't give a flying f**k about the chrome colour, in fact, one thing i would do is remove the SB Edition badges.

[ronin]

I never said the GTE was a bad design, fact is I said all Evora should look like that at the current price and then they might just sell a few..... It's the bull shiet Swizzle sayin he designed the car when in fact all he did for his homeies was pick out a few colors and got it in his old lady's video...woop de fuckin doo.

But when the big guy comes right out sayin he ripped off the Swizzle Stick crew is a freakin joke.... There are so many other cars to choose from in the range this Lotus is going and I know I won't be the fool to pay a silly price for bling.

Bahar is counting on every American buyer to be a fool..... Lotus is now a non starter in my next purchase..

[Bibs]

So you've said several times.

I'm no fan of this Swizzy stuff either as you can probably tell from my posts but in the big scheme of things is bothers me no more than giving me something to laugh at and take the pee out off.

Realise that the companies market is varied, that people who can run the company are running it and get over it. Why so get heet up over someting that really doesn't matter?

[hedgerley]

I just don't get this celebrity endorsement thing. I refuse to believe that the 25,000 orders JLR received for the Evoque before it was even launched had anything to do with Victoria Beckham. Surely its just about the car?

Then again, maybe they would have had 30,000 pre-launch of she hadn't

Having said that, if I was in the market for an Elise/Exige I would definitely have gone for the Roger Becker edition

Edited December 14, 2011 by hedgerley