LotusLeftLotusRight 668 1 Vehicles Report post Posted December 13, 2018 Keep up at the back. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stirling_Villeneuve 90 Report post Posted December 19, 2018 On 12/12/2018 at 22:37, MrDangerUS said: Meanwhile, McLaren has hi-jacked the Lotus market and many talented engineers Where the he!! Lotus is going? China? Making cars or ... mopeds? Any one has any clue? Maybe they should pool resources on the supercars.... unlikely I grant you, but I'm looking forward to seeing what 2019 brings for both companies especially in the hybrid/electric market. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NedaSay 630 Report post Posted December 19, 2018 (edited) McLaren and Lotus pooling resources... That is very very unlikely. In F1, both companies were at each other's throat on track and behind the scenes, for ages in the 70's, 80's and 90's. On the car market, McLaren has been poaching Lotus talent for years, but so have Aston Martin and Jaguar.... Yet Lotus have collaborated with every single company except for McLaren, at least overtly. Now Lotus do not need to work with McLaren at all. They have been upping their carbon fiber game, working with the likes of Prodrive. They still have a depth of talent, and more than ever they have access to the tech and funding the need. And in terms of resources available they are now tooling up Hethel but also a new R&D facility and a new Engineering centre in China, so I guess we have to add these to the resources, they already have at the sister- companies : Emerald Automotive Design and LEVC which are both based in Coventry ; CEVT, Volvo and Polestar in Gotenburg, all of that plus Geely's 4 design centres and 6 Engineering Centres worldwide.... All of which they can pull and pool imput and resources from. Lotus is about to change, we may like it, love it, hate it or dread it but the company is changing behind the scene and Geneva 2019 will be the first indicator of where the company is going. Edited December 19, 2018 by NedaSay 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scotty435 351 Report post Posted December 19, 2018 Wow well said, some one being positive, just what the brand needs and no political views, which makes a nice change on this forum just lately. Like you looking forward to what’s looks like a new beginning for Lotus. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frickin_idiot 83 2 Vehicles Report post Posted December 19, 2018 I thought Geneva May be a little too early for further, substantial information Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NedaSay 630 Report post Posted December 20, 2018 Actually for the new sports cars it is perfect timing if the cars' release really is 2020. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spinney 387 Report post Posted December 20, 2018 Lotus have always had the ability to produce a new car after a relatively short gestation period. Supercharge that with the resources they now have access to and I’m sure Geneva 2019 is the perfect time to give the public a taste of things to come in 2020. As I said above, I’m very excited about it. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stirling_Villeneuve 90 Report post Posted December 20, 2018 15 hours ago, NedaSay said: McLaren and Lotus pooling resources... That is very very unlikely. In F1, both companies were at each other's throat on track and behind the scenes, for ages in the 70's, 80's and 90's. On the car market, McLaren has been poaching Lotus talent for years, but so have Aston Martin and Jaguar.... Yet Lotus have collaborated with every single company except for McLaren, at least overtly. Now Lotus do not need to work with McLaren at all. They have been upping their carbon fiber game, working with the likes of Prodrive. They still have a depth of talent, and more than ever they have access to the tech and funding the need. And in terms of resources available they are now tooling up Hethel but also a new R&D facility and a new Engineering centre in China, so I guess we have to add these to the resources, they already have at the sister- companies : Emerald Automotive Design and LEVC which are both based in Coventry ; CEVT, Volvo and Polestar in Gotenburg, all of that plus Geely's 4 design centres and 6 Engineering Centres worldwide.... All of which they can pull and pool imput and resources from. Lotus is about to change, we may like it, love it, hate it or dread it but the company is changing behind the scene and Geneva 2019 will be the first indicator of where the company is going. Ha.... well I wasn't being serious but I can see similarities with the 2 companies, just differences in budget, available funds.... up to now. Exciting times ahead at Hethel, they've got a bit of catching up to do but it's all good provided the new owners respect what Lotus is all about and don't focus too much on SUV's! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frickin_idiot 83 2 Vehicles Report post Posted December 20, 2018 11 hours ago, NedaSay said: Actually for the new sports cars it is perfect timing if the cars' release really is 2020. I hope that you are correct! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NedaSay 630 Report post Posted December 21, 2018 10 hours ago, Stirling_Villeneuve said: Ha.... well I wasn't being serious but I can see similarities with the 2 companies, just differences in budget, available funds.... up to now. Exciting times ahead at Hethel, they've got a bit of catching up to do but it's all good provided the new owners respect what Lotus is all about and don't focus too much on SUV's! I'm afraid that you will consider that they focus a lot on the SUVs, JMG's was taking a page of Porsche playbook and I am quite confident that Geely will stick to that plan and add the EV element to it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sport220 45 Report post Posted December 21, 2018 When on earth is the website getting a revamp and a configurator? They should have a look at Caterham's new one 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NedaSay 630 Report post Posted December 21, 2018 Probably when they relaunch the brand... So either around Geneva or 2020... until then there's nothing really wrong with the website it is not sexy and yes configurators for each model would be nice but I think they have other priorities right now. Beside they have just hired or are in the process of a new Web/ media guru let's give them some time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibs 8,428 4 Vehicles Report post Posted January 7 https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/geelys-backing-feeds-big-ambitions-lotus I know the free coffee machines went down a treat I'm no longer attending GIMS, Lotus won't be there this year. 1 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NedaSay 630 Report post Posted January 7 And that means more waiting for the first tidbits of the future coming ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NedaSay 630 Report post Posted January 7 7 hours ago, Bibs said: I'm no longer attending GIMS, Lotus won't be there this year. Ok hum any special events on the schedule this year? NEC, Goodwood, Shanghai? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bibs 8,428 4 Vehicles Report post Posted January 7 There will be other 'international events'. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yeller77 27 Report post Posted January 7 Time to be Debbie Downer. Everything at this point is pure speculation. This is what Polestar was: Quote This is Polestar Polestar is defined by an ambition to be among the top contenders in world motorsport and to bring forward the strength and agility inherent in Volvo cars. Whether it's winning championships, or developing performance cars, the goal is always the same: To deliver best possible results. No matter what. Polestar is about motorsport, and motorsport is about driving.That's why they focus on one thing: optimizing driveability. A Polestar vehicle - be it a race car or road car - is always designed to deliver optimal grip and control. The race track and open road may be opposites but both equally demanding. Regardless of surface or purpose, optimal driveability is what makes a driver safe and confident behind the wheel. All Polestar products are developed for people like ourselves - for those who appreciate driving with full control. In other words, when driving matters. This is what Polestar now is, under Geely, a Tesla competitor: Quote Polestar – the guiding star. We are an electric performance car brand, determined to improve the society we live in. Pure Progressive Performance Polestar is an electric performance car brand harnessing refined performance and cutting-edge technology. Polestar is aiming to bring driving pleasure into a new era with an all-electric product offering of progressive performance cars that are designed and engineered without compromise. This will be combined with a hassle-free ownership and premium services, where all interactions and orders can be performed online. No one knows what Lotus will be under Geely but Geely. They will decide what segment they wish to compete in. Lotus has always been a manufacturer of accessible road and track cars that punch above their weight (pun intended). While I've always been a fan of Lotus' growth, with what is being leaked, they could very well be made of unobtanium in the future and lack any trickle down effect to the current fan base or heritage. The Automotive News Europe article got one thing right, that the talk of the stratospheric market segment and $1 mill Lotus sounds a bit "Baharish." The longer they are taking to define themselves, the more glass half-empty I become. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LF1 561 Report post Posted January 7 On 21/12/2018 at 01:53, Sport220 said: They should have a look at Caterham's new one Yes. It is very good Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NedaSay 630 Report post Posted January 8 they have actually updated a few pages on the website... the career centre is finally using the template of the rest of the site and not longer the DB era template. When you read some job vacancies, it seems that at least one current car will get a significant upgrade (see posting below) And If we go by these indications and follow the logic they've used at Volvo, the Evora could be set for another revamp focussing on the cabin and electrical loom, leaving the body mostly untouched except for maybe yet another set of bumpers. This is what was done for the Volvo S and V60, the V40. Geely had to get rid of the Ford powertrain and the Drive-E ended being used on the older models while the newer cars were still in drawing or prototype phase. Sort By: Title Date Posted Location Chief Engineer - Electrical Systems Manage and lead the development of all systems in the Electrical Systems domain - electrical architecture, package, wiring and software. In conjunction with the Senior Electrical Management Team, realise the short, medium and long term objectives of the Electrical Department. Responsible for the engineering of all systems in the Electrical Systems domain for our current and next generation sportscars... Chief Engineer - ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) Manage and lead the development of all systems in the ADAS domain In conjunction with the Senior Electrical Management Team, realise the short, medium and long term objectives of the Electrical Department. Responsible for the engineering of all systems in the ADAS and Safety Systems domain for our current and next generation sportscars; Autonomous ... CAD Engineer (Current Engineering) Key Role Duties and Responsibilities: To support the Lead Engineer for current products within the Body Engineering Department. To help resolve line build issues, cost down opportunities and quality improvements. The role provides the opportunity to experience the implementation of a varied range of advanced engineering technologies into Lotus products 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sport220 45 Report post Posted January 8 Not liking the sound of this... Too much luxury and upmarket talk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KAS-118 86 Report post Posted January 8 Hopefully this is just a blip https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2181127/chinese-carmaker-geelys-shares-plunge-116pc-after-annual-sales Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
au-yt 159 1 Vehicles Report post Posted January 8 3 hours ago, Sport220 said: Not liking the sound of this... Too much luxury and upmarket talk I hearing that, more commercial softer based products for the wider market.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NedaSay 630 Report post Posted January 8 2 hours ago, KAS-118 said: Hopefully this is just a blip https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/2181127/chinese-carmaker-geelys-shares-plunge-116pc-after-annual-sales This is not a blip, the Chinese car market has been slowing lately... Geely's shares like all other Chinese carmaker are taking a bath right now. US-China trade war is/was not helping. However according to analysts, Geely remained a buy as of September 2018 https://seekingalpha.com/article/4203878-geely-poster-child-buy-blood-streets. Geely Group (ZHG) is still set for global expansion with Lynk & Co still poised to enter both the European market in the next four years and the US market shortly after that. Proton is gearing up for Asean re-expansion while the Geely 's own brand is also expanding in Latin America, the middle east, and Eastern Europe. Volvo is also in rude health, they just ended 2018 with a third consecutive record year... https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/media/pressreleases/247393/volvo-cars-sets-new-global-sales-record-in-2018-breaks-600000-sales-milestone So for the long term, the big picture is still quite good. 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TLF News 163 Report post Posted January 10 Lotus shows strongest sales since 2011 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NedaSay 630 Report post Posted January 10 It could have been a better year, had they been able to deliver the GT430 in the US. While having an Evora roadster would have pushed sales way up, I think. But coulda woulda shoulda.... Good news all the same... Funny no mention of Lotus car sales in mainland China yet... 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
