New Esprit Project Dead?

[Lowtus]

I would not be surprised if the company changes hands in the near future.....

.....again!

[DVR]

Is there a car company on the planet that isnt having problems ATM

Porsche is doing so well that they bought 25% or so of VW.

[WayneB]

Sorry, I forgot about Germany and Japan

Just a little bit pre-occupied with whats going on in the North American auto industry at present...............

[LW Elise]

I am surprised reading this but want to add the following :

I spoke to a British Lotus supplier which I know fairly well and he told me the following

-The Elise is not doing well at all in global sales since some time.

-Lotus wanted to lay of (rapidly) some hundreds of factory workers but is blocked by the union so they keep paying them although they have no money.

I told him "Lotus is owned by Proton so they should survive" , he replied that they (Proton) have pulled out all of their staff out of Lotus engineering (around 150 people)

and he was really worried. I do not think I have to tell you why he was worried being a supplier. They lost already a fortune on MG Rover and he is afraid. "

End of Quoted section.

Maybe I've drunk the Lotus Kool Aid, but as an American, it appears to me that more and more of us Yanks are buying the Elise now that it is available to us. I, for one, own an Elise, and was thinking of moving to a Porsche GT3 or Corvette Z06 to get a fairly light weight car, easier to get into and out of than my Elise.

When I found out that a new Esprit would be coming out, that struck me as exactly what I would want.

In America I think there will be a market of Elise "move up" buyers going into the Esprit.

And, the market the Elise misses is the Porsche, Ferrari, Lambo market of people who want to be seen in an expensive car. When I had my Ferrari Testarossa, I appeared to be quite the success! The Elise doesn't simulate that appearance of success, but the Esprit does. So while many of us who love to drive will buy the Elise as a drivers car, many people here who would never buy an Elise because they are too conscious of needing to appear successful financially, will buy an Esprit.

I know nothing of Lotus' financial condition, but if they advertise well here, there are plenty of Americans to come on board. I wish they would put in a "Lexus" engine, because we are all convinced that Lexus is the very best of the best. Even my wife bought a Lexus, and I don't know if anyone told her it is a Toyota engine : - )

I too, have owned many, many Brit cars and motorcycles, and would like to see the Lotus marque continue on forever.

Edited September 16, 2006 by LW Elise

[Kimbers]

Is there a car company on the planet that isnt having problems ATM

Wayne, Skidz is right Honda are doing very very nicely at present and I am proud to work for them (dad would prefer me somewhere closer to home I think).

I'm sure Proton can see the benfits to them of pushing Lotus forward.

Yes.

Well "where the is smoke-there is usually fire"

I would not be surprised if the company changes hands in the near future.

I would.

[[email protected]]

I am surprised reading this but want to add the following :

I spoke to a British Lotus supplier which I know fairly well and he told me the following

-The Elise is not doing well at all in global sales since some time.

-Lotus wanted to lay of (rapidly) some hundreds of factory workers but is blocked by the union so they keep paying them although they have no money.

I told him "Lotus is owned by Proton so they should survive" , he replied that they (Proton) have pulled out all of their staff out of Lotus engineering (around 150 people)

and he was really worried. I do not think I have to tell you why he was worried being a supplier. They lost already a fortune on MG Rover and he is afraid.

I hope and wish Lotus will survive ! I want to have a new Esprit !

Several points here.

1. As a Dealership based Manager myself I have to query why any dealer associated with Lotus would tell a customer that he was worried about the future....how does he expect to sell more cars? Is this part of the problem?

2. It's documented fact (you can check in any trade magazine) that Lotus are 16% down on last year (AM magazine 11th August). But 90% of the other manufacturers are also substantially down, Ford are 7% down on 219,000 YTD, Lotus just off 631 YTD who's got the worst worries?.

3. There must be a direct correlation from Lotus having staff doing nothing and Proton pulling 150 staff out......think it through

4. To the best of my knowledge there is no union at Lotus, it is a closed shop. Maybe I'm wrong.

5. Lotus is not MG Rover as MG rover had no future (I worked there) becuase it had no new Models either in design or on the way. Lotus have the new Esprit and the Autocar showed initial drawings of a 2+2 and track car, not to mention they must be looking at a new Elise (I would think). Lotus is also a small specialist manufacturer and would be greatly in demand if Proton ever wanted to pull out........which I'm sure they don't.

6. You will get your new Esprit Have faith.

Edited September 16, 2006 by Skidz

[M Blur]

OT - Kimbers - can we expect to see any juicy proper sports models from Honda any time soon.. I still miss my Integra..

also - I'll PM you a question I have on the NSX tranny..

Cheers

Jon

[Paul C]

I'm so bored with new 'new Esprit' conjecture threads that i only

read then now to check no Mod action is needed. I'll be happy when

the car hits the streets or when i see a production model in the flesh.

Until then, the thousands of posts and artists drawings across all the

Lotus forums has (for me) sadly merged into one endlessly looping

monster topic with hardly any fact or knowledge to harvest from it.

Somewhere right now, some motoring hack is drawing or penning

the next 'could it or could it not' tit bit for us to feed off, and we will.

[DarrylV8]

I may just be a cynic but are we being gentely lead down the BMW ownership path, for what ever reason they let MG/Rover go and the possible stigma that went with it.

It appears that God has made some very complimentory comments to BMW/all the Proton staff have left the building? (It must be a holiday at home in the Far East). God has been in the automotive industry a long time. Since the best cars in the world had the ACBC badge fitted at the front of the car. He (God) appears to know the BMW family well (very well?).

I'm not a fan of BMW or the people who drive them but i may well have to change my English passport to a German one!

Will it be good news for Lotus and the up coming Esprit YES I THINK SO.

Come on Kimbers please make it happen, i wont get drunk next time England beat the enemy at football, i promise hic ooh i don't feel to well!

Edited September 18, 2006 by darryl

[Kimbers]

OT - Kimbers - can we expect to see any juicy proper sports models from Honda any time soon.. I still miss my Integra..

also - I'll PM you a question I have on the NSX tranny..

Cheers

Jon

New type R comes out january, integra R still available via me as we always keep 1 in stock. New type R is horny, but there is a rumour that we will have an RR Civic with 290 or so BHP. Unsure.

[Lowtus]

How many cars Lotus are building at present and how it's changed over the last 3 years?

Typical Elise production was around 2,500 cars a year (max' about 3,000) up until the early 1990s. USA launch of 111R will have changed the picture.

Compare Esprit production which averaged only 300 cars a year (although peaked over 1,000 pa in mid/late 1980s). Only around 1,500 V8 engines were ever built!

[ukrocketcar]

hi,

since I know Lotus, a good time ago : .... always people speaking about factory products, money and so on problems. Resolve each day new problems is life but is not dead.

.....we are in 2006 21 centuries and lotus is still alive .

The futur could be in a return in F1 with the glorius Lotus team twin with a great japan cars builder, or Chinese investors

the futur and present could be a bio sport car, ligth and more quick unique in sports cars world see: http://www.pistonheads.com/lotus/

Uk is since the beginning the first world country of sports cars and Lotus is his the first jewel, and Jewels never vanish

As writen by Clive Chapman on my Esprit property official paper in 1998 at Hethel "Lotus for Ever".

[Guest Chelsea Martyn]

Just to add a 2p's worth.

If that was the case, all those which have sent letters of intent to buy (as I have) the new Esprit (once i'd seen the clay in the flesh that had been passed for production), then by now Lotus dealerships would have sent letters back to state that the car would not be launched or no further actions for deposits are required, or refunds would be issued.

I agree with Paul C that the ever increasing rumours are not worth post space. If you read the threads of the people that were invited to see the new car at Hethel, and the proposed interior (which is what we were invited to comment on) then you can gat a factual idea of the new car without divulging the privileged information that we were exposed to.

[M Blur]

I think Lotus' reputation for chassis engineering will always make it a marketable commodity to the large car companies so will never be without an owner fo rlong.. but I don't see Proton giving it up too quickly. I think the market has changed over the last 10 yrs and Lotus decesion to give both full track cars and rejuvinate the Esprit are goth good ones..

No doubting the input and kudos of Lotus has given Proton more confidence in its marketing - what they need to do now is go back in touring again with a 'lotus developed Chassis'..

[Paul C]

I agree with Paul C...

Next time we meet, i'm gonna buy you a cake/burger/hotdog/pint. Your choice.

Was going to post a photo of the cake, but i don't have autocars skills and tried

forever to get a gallardo to look like a lardy cake with a lotus badge, but no joy,

which is a shame as i was planning generic ford cougar lights and currant wheel

nuts, the full deal, no messing, was even going to hint at a rotary lump in there

(which i'd make out of a couple of doughnuts or something)...

[Advantage]

If that was the case, all those which have sent letters of intent to buy (as I have) the new Esprit (once i'd seen the clay in the flesh that had been passed for production), then by now Lotus dealerships would have sent letters back to state that the car would not be launched or no further actions for deposits are required, or refunds would be issued.

It wasn't that long ago that the M250 debacle hit the fan and took dealerships/customers deposits with it.

[Guest Chelsea Martyn]

It wasn't that long ago that the M250 debacle hit the fan and took dealerships/customers deposits with it.

True and a mistake that i'm certain would never be allowed to repeat itself for all the obvious marketing, profile, and reputation reasons.

Next time we meet, i'm gonna buy you a cake/burger/hotdog/pint. Your choice.

Was going to post a photo of the cake, but i don't have autocars skills and tried

forever to get a gallardo to look like a lardy cake with a lotus badge, but no joy,

which is a shame as i was planning generic ford cougar lights and currant wheel

nuts, the full deal, no messing, was even going to hint at a rotary lump in there

(which i'd make out of a couple of doughnuts or something)...

LMAO

[lotusessex80]

New type R comes out january, integra R still available via me as we always keep 1 in stock. New type R is horny, but there is a rumour that we will have an RR Civic with 290 or so BHP. Unsure.

Kimbers,

I thought they quit making the integra and made the RSX (basicly an integra with a different name)?

When is the new nsx coming out? I heard its a v8 with 400+ hp?

Is the US getting the RR Hatchback? GOD I would love to own that and spank all the evo and subies over here!

dying for a an answer!

[Iceman]

You guys are simply nuts... I mean, how the heck would a shelf be able to hold up an Esprit anyhow!?!?

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

Have you been watching Monty Python again?!

Glad to see British style humour emanating from across the pond (The land of Everybody Loves Raymond and Seinfeld!)

(before everyone goes nuts I know, I know... (I'm just winding you up!) also the land of the likes of Frasier, Scrubs, South Park and the Simpsons, which are some of my favourite shows ever )

[Kimbers]

Kimbers,

I thought they quit making the integra and made the RSX (basicly an integra with a different name)?

When is the new nsx coming out? I heard its a v8 with 400+ hp?

Is the US getting the RR Hatchback? GOD I would love to own that and spank all the evo and subies over here!

dying for a an answer!

OK,

Integra still made but for the domestic Japanese market. We don't get it over here because it would detract from Civic type R sales. However we do have a friendly importer who supplies us when we want.

As regards the new NSX I know nothing, sorry.

Type R Hatch will be British built originally for the European market and will spank all the competitors hot hatches with 230 odd HP and looks to die for. The Type RR is just a project as far as I know and we haven't heard if it will even be released, but speculating I would say it would have to be All wheel drive to put that much HP down from what is a lightweight small hatchback.

Evo eater? More likely Lambo eater!

[Lowtus]

Evo eater? More likely Lambo eater!

Honda - the power of in your dreams Edited September 19, 2006 by Lowtus

[CharlieC]

Type R's rawk! Tho I'm not sure the new one will rawk all the way to 230bhp.

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

I think I'd have hoooooooooge fun in a Civic R!

[Vulcan Grey]

I like my 2002 Acura RSX Type-S (Honda Integra).

The DC5 RSX is very different from the 94-01 Integra, much larger interior for the driver.

K20A, 2.0L 200Hp 8000rpm redline is a great engine.

I want stiffer anti-roll bars, the Comptech supercharger, and the Type-R LSD though.

I'll keep it sane though, I already have the Lotus when I want to go really fast.

Too bad Acura is dropping the RSX here, I really only want a hatchback (great for mtn biking for two and snowboarding for 3 people).

Civics just don't do it for me, always liked the Acura features and styling.