Future of Lotus

[C8RKH 6,256]

3 hours ago, The Pits said:

And the relevance of this to the future of Lotus is....?

The relevance is in whether you follow the herd or do what you believe is right. Hmm. What would Colin have done?  Me thinks he would have found his own, different path....

[Stubox 562]

This is Lotuses 72nd year so I suspect the awaiting masses will need to brace themselves for some 72nd anniversary special models dressed in the F1 Lotus 72 colours of red and gold?

You would also hope there would be something at Goodwood ‘for the drivers’ , or at least maybe ‘for the dealers’ to help move the current stock and maintain sales through to the ‘new’  product, because  without an energised and robust dealer network you’re fubarred, 

Or maybe we just settle for a new font ? 

[The Pits 4,408]

It’s OK folks Uday Senapati’s ‘incredible 2019’ included ‘reviving sales of the current range’. The ‘brand is back on track’ already thanks to their amazing marketing activities too. Phew, what a relief, I thought  for a minute there it was just some more empty sound bites from Phil Popham. Did he mention Lotus DNA again by any chance? 

[C8RKH 6,256]

The wheel was an incredible invention because we had nothing before it.

Bit like Uday's 2019? To be fair, not been much to shout about outside of the Evija.

[The Pits 4,408]

If they have revived sales of the current range it wasn't in the UK. Desperate times for the UK dealers currently. We've lost Leven already, I fear more will follow. Hate to see Uday's idea of a tough year!

[stephenwhyte 1,900]

11 minutes ago, The Pits said:

We've lost Leven already, I fear more will follow. Hate to see Uday's idea of a tough year!

Leven has been bought by the Cambria Group so in reality the future of Lotus in Scotland is actually brighter than it was. To be fair though Leven actually did a good job with their Lotus site. It was their other sites that caused their downfall sadly

[Neal H 877]

I had a ‘marketing’ email from Lotus last week. First one ever. Progress?

[Spinney 709]

I’ve been a Lotus customer many, many times since the late 1960’s but I’ve never once received any marketing communication from them.

Mercedes, on the other hand....................

[Frickin_idiot 136]

4 minutes ago, Spinney said:

I’ve been a Lotus customer many, many times since the late 1960’s but I’ve never once received any marketing communication from them.

Mercedes, on the other hand....................

I’ve owned two Lotus - one nearly new the other new. I haven’t received marketing material or satisfaction surveys etc. It’s an area that can be improved with little spend.

[Spinney 709]

Just now, Frickin_idiot said:

I’ve owned two Lotus - one nearly new the other new. I haven’t received marketing material or satisfaction surveys etc. It’s an area that can be improved with little spend.

Can I suggest you don’t hold your breath whilst waiting.

[Nathan Pitman 223]

The Fifth Gear feature on the Lotus Elise S1 inc interview with Julian Thomson refers to a new Lotus Elise breaking cover in 2020.

 

[DarrylV8 226]

6 hours ago, Neal H said:

I had a ‘marketing’ email from Lotus last week. First one ever. Progress?

Yes we also had an email regarding a little help, with purchasing from the existing range and further emails from Isabelle a relationship manager 

[C8RKH 6,256]

10 hours ago, The Pits said:

If they have revived sales of the current range it wasn't in the UK. Desperate times for the UK dealers currently. We've lost Leven already, I fear more will follow. Hate to see Uday's idea of a tough year!

Sorry but Leven was much more than Lotus. It was only last year iirc they were named Aston Martin best global dealer. They absolutely did not go to the wall due to Lotus.

[The Pits 4,408]

Regardless, these are still desperate times for UK dealers and I still fear some more names will follow sadly. I hope to be wrong about that and that sales really have been ‘revived’ but has anyone here bought a new Lotus in the last few months?

[scotty435 1,049]

Two weeks into the new year and it’s all doom and gloom on the future of Lotus and it’s from the usual suspects, great news for the lotus membership in Scotland they still have one of the best dealership in the country, to point the finger at Lotus for Leven’s demise is a bit childish. For me I am so happy for owners and the employees of the brand the north of the border. Why be so negative?

 

10 minutes ago, The Pits said:

Regardless, these are still desperate times for UK dealers and I still fear some more names will follow sadly. I hope to be wrong about that and that sales really have been ‘revived’ but has anyone here bought a new Lotus in the last few months?

Winter and Christmas not the best time to buy a Lotus?

[Bibs 11,167]

On 20/01/2020 at 20:23, NedaSay said:

Shanghai?!

I believe there will be a presence in Shanghai. 

[DarrylV8 226]

11 hours ago, DarrylV8 said:

Yes we also had an email regarding a little help, with purchasing from the existing range and further emails from Isabelle a relationship manager 

I got the feeling from Isabelle that there would be more communication from the factory in the future, and although we were not looking at purchasing another Lotus besides the 430, a little Elise is now on the cards 

[paul lodey 13]

I recently bought a new Exige 350 and am loving it..

So much more in so much less, and you can drive one around and not feel too flash.

People seem to like Lotus cars, they look aggressive but also friendly, (Especially in Vivid green) 

Add a few mods and you can be keeping up with Ferraris and McLarens in a car that's smaller and nimbler.

So much character and feel.

[Jonathan E 43]

On 21/01/2020 at 22:55, The Pits said:

Regardless, these are still desperate times for UK dealers and I still fear some more names will follow sadly. I hope to be wrong about that and that sales really have been ‘revived’ but has anyone here bought a new Lotus in the last few months?

Me, a Cup 250. Should be with me in March. It will be my 10th Elise since 1998. My feeling is that the Elise won’t be around much longer, so decided to get a new one while I can.

Edited January 23, 2020 by Jonathan E

[The Pits 4,408]

Congratulations, a fine choice. Totally agree with your reasoning. Marketed properly, Lotus could still sell a lot of Elises as they offer a uniquely rewarding driving experience. Unlike a 911 Turbo which feels half asleep until past 160mph, it’s a fast car you can enjoy at all speeds - that really could really catch on one day. ‘Fun at fifty’ was one of the engineering targets for the original Elise. It completely delivered on that and the current Elises continue to do so. So much so I think they are fun at 40mph! Somehow it’s a quality shared by all the current Lotus range, if not all the Lotus cars made to date. Just one point of many that I think Lotus should make more widely understood now they have the resources to do so.

[electro_boy 209]

2 hours ago, The Pits said:

So much so I think they are fun at 40mph! Somehow it’s a quality shared by all the current Lotus range, if not all the Lotus cars made to date. Just one point of many that I think Lotus should make more widely understood now they have the resources to do so.

This is what I keep telling people who have never tried a Lotus before.  Its that super fun, connected feeling you get even at normal speeds that just makes the cars so incredlebly appealing for me.  I really don't understand a lot of modern fast cars these days because you feel like you are driving a sofa unless you start going silly speeds.  Sure a 911 or M4 might be faster than Evora round a track etc ...  but I bet majority don't even track their cars, those who do are not experienced drivers and like me are just going out on track because it's fun not to win a race or set a lap record just because it puts a massive smile on my face.  So who cares what the lap time is! What matters to me is how the car feels and the emotions it stirs in me and I think Lotus are far beyond most other if not all other manufactures in this aspect.  And I totally agree with you Lotus need to make sure people know and understand this character about the cars.  There was a flurry of videos on YouTube last summer of youtubers/influencers demoing the cars and saying just how fun they are to drive, I think that was a good move by Lotus PR dept but clearly a lot more needs to be done. 

[The Pits 4,408]

Trouble is with youtubers is they tend to say much the same wishy washy stuff. Every car they drive is ‘insane’ or ‘puts a smile on my face’. They see their main job as selling enthusiasm for cars very few have any technical understanding or driving ability.

It’s not hard to work out really that a car engineered for the autobahn has to be capable of sustained high speed with a minimum of drama. Impressive engineering that might actually have a use in Germany but it does tend to mean they are not very exciting at low speeds - also accepting that an Elise is not in its ideal element sat north of 120mph on an autobahn. Over here we enjoy cars more on often poorly surfaced A and B roads, with strictly enforced speed limits. It shouldn’t be a great surprise to anyone that a British developed Lotus might excel on UK roads yet most people prefer to buy German without giving it a second thought.

[Screem 89]

On 21/01/2020 at 22:55, The Pits said:

has anyone here bought a new Lotus in the last few months?

Yep, me too. Hopefully should arrive in April. Very excited

[The Pits 4,408]

Great, congrats, 430 Cup is very special. Perfect example of the sort of car the current management would never sign off.

Keep ‘em coming. Be nice to see more than 2!

[Screem 89]

Yep, all the noises I’m hearing are that the future cars will be more bells and whistles, grand touring, and creature comforts type cars. 

a stripped out lightweight car with a screeming v6 fossil fuel burning engine just isn’t where the future of lotus lies. And in fairness the low sales figures reflect that’s not really what the wider public wants.

fortunately for lotus it is what I want.