Message from MJK

[Mike Kimberley]

Hi Folks

Just a very brief message to thank you all so much indeed for your committment, enthusiasm and support as the best ambassadors in the world for Lotus.

I was personally very honoured to be invited to your fabulous event in the evening and at Hethel and hope that you all enjoyed Hethel the next day.

It really was a great pleasure for Avril and I and I'd like to say a big thanks to our good friends like Wayne, Rob, the guys from Brussells, Finland, Germany, Denmark and all over who took the trouble to support our great marque. Colin would have been proud to have been there and enjoyed your absolute "Spirit".

Once again many thanks for your very kind hospitality and friendship (though I ended up with a bar bill of

[Loose Cannon]

Feelings mutual Mike, after your inspirational words at the evening bash I made a mental commitment always to have a Lotus!

[esprit350]

Thank you MJK, I was honoured to shake your hand..

[Bibs]

Thanks or taking the time to join us at the event and online. We were honoured that you were there and all had a great time

[Jussi]

Thank you Mike Kimberley it was an honour to meet you and to shake your hand

Jussis from cold Finland.

[SwissV8]

Mike - It was an honour and a pleasure to attend the event and to meet you in person. The personal incite you gave into your experiences with Lotus, and especially with Colin, were worth the journey alone! My wiife Anita very much enjoyed your speech, and now I think she wants a Europa!

The whole event, with the support of Lotus, only strengthened my enthusiasm and loyalty to the Marque... maybe we should discuss the "Esprit replacement" sometime (joking!)

Many Thanks

Rob & Anita

[Advantage]

Many thanks for allowing us to invade the factory for the day. I hope we didn't interrupt production too much!

It was very much appreciated that you took time to introduce yourself to everyone personally at the hotel as well as taking the time to pop in on the Monday. I feel honoured to have met you (however briefly) at such a busy time for you.

The factory staff were absolute stars and I'd be grateful if you could pass on my thanks for indulging us.

[esp88]

Many thanks Mr. Mike Kimberley it was an honour to meet you so close, sharing the last Sunday evening ! It was so fantasic to hear your history!

It was also really nice and great Lotus folks !! ( I never forget !)

Best regards

Y.Hotta

[Jonathan]

Only to echo what the others have said.

Really appreciated your time being there and the talk at the auction evening was fantastic - could have listened all evening ! Made a great meet-up very special.

Best regards !

[Kato]

Top weekend, with top people, owners and Lotus employees.

This is how to build loyalty to a marquee!

I can't imagining being with out a Lotus.

[Guest Troy Halliday]

Thank you Mr Kimberley (Tony keeps telling us "It's Mr Kimberley to you so .......) for all the hospitality that we received while visiting Lotus. The tour of the factory was for me an absolute pleasure. I did try my hardest to refrain from asking too many questions but may have failed miserably to kerb my naturally inquisitive nature. Just being able to get up close to the production line answered so many questions.

The technical discussions from Brian Angus and Geoff Davidson were very informative. Their knowledge and passion for Esprit's and Lotus was inspirational, and the help they supply on a daily basis invaluable.

Among the highlights was seeing the GT3 car and being given some of the highlights of its development and its racing achievements of which I will be following with interest over the coming seasons. Also the track car which I have been looking forward to seeing since hearing about it.

We look forward to the introduction of the new models that are in development and the growth of Lotus as a company confident in your abilities and commitment to our favourite car company.

Many Thanks

Troy

[Paul C]

Many, Many thanks Mike

To have you contact us personally by using our forum really means a lot.

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

Tony asked me to say "Thanks for a great day" and "Don't drink it all at once! ....Or I'll send in the troops!"

[rocket63]

It was a pleasure to meet you socially. My thanks once again to Mr Kimberley and all of the staff at Lotus for a truly memorable occasion. Thankyou.

[LotusJohn]

It was great to meet you and the talk about your experiences something special indeed

The whole weekend left me with that kind of memory you keep after a good holiday - longing to be back there from the daily routine

Still took the beast for a run this afternoon and she seems to run even better following the factory visit and not a spanner in sight.

Long live LOTUS

[DarrylV8]

Yes a BIG thank you not only to you for being at the evening function but too all the Lotus personel on the Monday.

Also a thank you to all the Esprit owners who came and who gave very generously.

I think Maria appreciates me disapearing in to the garage for 10 minutes and finally re-appearing 2 or 3 hours later, so much so that she has said if i want a second Lotus she will even give her side of the garage over and is now very proud of our LOTUS Esprit.

Again a big thank you Mr Mike and all at the factory.

Very kind regards,

Darryl

[marcdando]

When I was 7 years old I my father took me to a friend and business partners house without any explanation, I could only imagine at the time that I would be bored and waiting around while they discussed "business" when all I wanted to do was play scalectrix. I can still remember the cold winter evening, dark and wet, walking to a garage/workshop at the end of his garden.

So you can imagine my suprise when all was revealed and the visit was to show me the new Lotus Europa (JPS) he had just purchased and that was the start of my love affair with all things Lotus. Everyone seems to have a special memory that started the passion for Lotus, now you know mine.

I never imagined I would become part of such a special family of enthusiasts and meet you and listen to stories of Colin Chapman. My only wish now would be to witness return to Le Sarthe and a class victory at the Le Mans 24hr. Wouldn't that would be a very special day indeed!

Thank you for taking the time for us and I wish you all success with rebuilding the great Lotus brand.

Viva la Lotus. Best Regards, Marc

[dodgy]

what can i say that has not already been said, long live Lotus

[WayneB]

Mike, it was a thrill and an honour finally getting to meet yourself and your good lady wife, Avril

Sorry I was so subdued, but the jet lag really was getting to me

I think its great in this day and age to meet the CEO of a car company who is actually passionate enough about cars, to take personal time out of his hectic schedule to meet up with a bunch of enthusiasts!

Thanks for that revealing insite into the styling of the 88 on Esprit

Hope we get to meet again some day (maybe when I come to pick up a new Esprit?),

Regards, Wayne

Edited October 16, 2006 by WayneB

[bingoking]

Just like to add my thanks to Mr Kimberley and all the staff at Lotus Cars for making us most welcome on the day.

Thanks Mike for the speeches on Sunday evening and your personal insight into the early days of working with Colin on this fantastic car. I am sure Colin was watching down on us on Monday as we drove around the test track. As the great Murray Walker would say,....FANTASTIC!!!

I can't wait to come back next year for the driver training I bought at the auction.

My love affair with Lotus began way back in the days of the original Elan, and I can remember the opening titles of the Pearl & Dean advertising reels of that era where over and above the iconic music PAH PAH PA PA PAH PAH PAH PAH PA PA PA .....etc the front nearside headlight of the little Elan popped up and flashed once, from that day on I wanted a Lotus.

I don't mind waiting until 2009 for the new car as I am sure in your hands it will be properly Lotusfied and become as iconic as the original Elan and the ESPRIT.

Best Regards,

Brian

[martynv]

Thanks for an unforgetable weekend Mr Kimberley. It was a pleasure to meet you and I'm sure very few people can say they've met the head of the company who built their car let alone one as famous as Lotus. The weekend has increased my passion for Lotus cars still further and not that there was really any doubt, but my next performance car will definitely be a Lotus.

Marytn B)

[CharlieC]

Thank you Mr. Kimberley for sharing your experiences of the early days with Lotus and Colin Chapman. Those were amazing stories which brought home the passion, drive and enthusiasm that makes Lotus the very special marque it is today and which also added to the sense of pride I had from finally getting my dream Esprit this year.

Its an amazing car. When you described it as beautiful on sunday evening I think we could really feel your own sense of wonder at its creation and existence.

I know its been mentioned but I had the same feeling as I was on the factory tour - I never want to be without a Lotus again.

We may be the ambassadors but you guys are the creators - and it was utterly amazing to have been there.

Best wishes

Charlie

[williax]

Mike,

First of all -- Thank you -- people like you make us the ambassadors of Lotus! (Hope stuttgart isn't listening...)

Secondly -- Thanks to all at Lotus for showing us "the passion" -- it is our common language.

And also -- never conceive a 4x4 Lotus... but do get Mr. Bond back into one : )

And also also:

Forgive pinks the bar bill... he has a good heart. And anyway, he has to drive Honda to work...

Bibs, and Bibbette -- You ROCK!!!!

Travis - If Miss daisy were this lucky : )

William

AKA the sole Porsche frog in a pond of Lotus leaves.

P.S. Love to all you great people I met at the Lotus Weekend -- Always remember that history does not make itself... YOU make history.

[MKE40]

Its all been said earlier......

But , what a lovely atmosphere over the weekend and a sense of belonging to a great crowd of enthusiasts, and thats not just the owners of the cars.....

MJK , Avril, Les Girls, Brian ,Jeff , kimbers, (Bibs already a freind and all the staff on production no one could have been more pleasant or helpful. I just needed more time to get to know the circuit better........

My ownership of Lotuses goes back to the early sixties and I have always felt that this was the ultimate British sportscar manufacturer and one that competed at world level with success was the reason to be proud of the Marque.

It comes as a shock to me to feel a strange bonding that has never manifested itself before.........

I left for home feeling a different afinity for our brotherhood.

Mike

[Kimbers]

Mike,

First of all -- Thank you -- people like you make us the ambassadors of Lotus! (Hope stuttgart isn't listening...)

Secondly -- Thanks to all at Lotus for showing us "the passion" -- it is our common language.

And also -- never conceive a 4x4 Lotus... but do get Mr. Bond back into one : )

And also also:

Forgive pinks the bar bill... he has a good heart. And anyway, he has to drive Honda to work...

Great Thanks!

Driving my Honda to work is a pleasure in comparison to the Mercedes I used to have. It rarely got me to work as it broke down so often! And I worked for them! German engineering hey????

Nice to see the picture of the back of your motor.....It's not something any Esprit driver would normally see, seeing as how they would be so far ahead of you

Did you add to the bar bill? I seem to be getting a rough deal on this one, I only added....erm, a few drinks to it!

Thanks for coming along, it was a great event made the better by the people who attended.

I leave you with one piece of advice. Buy A Lotus, Sell the VW