Lotus Open Day
Pics from the 60th birthday celebrations at Hethel
All Lotus models on display
Lotus is currently building the Elise, Exige, 2-Eleven and Europa and production of the all new 2+2 Evora sportscar will start towards end of the year. Lotus is also building the Tesla Roadster.
Lotus had a special customized Europa SE worth £150,000 on display. This car has a special interior and features £111,000 worth of diamonds, but for security reasons the show car on display had replica diamonds fitted. The 'Project Eagle Development Story' showed the steps of the development from the first model, the chassis, the first test mule (a heavily modified blue Esprit), the first prototypes, the crash test cars, the work of Alpine for the multi media system, the Toyota engine and finally the showcar 'Evora' for the British motor show.
Lotus Design also showed the interior model of the Evora, the M250 Project car and the APX show car. Designer Russell Carr and his team were on hand to speak to customers and to explain their work. The engineering facilities were opened up and past and present projects were on display.
Many parts like engines, suspension and even the chassis to complete cars like the Exige 270E or a Proton with hybrid technology were on show. The motorsport division of Lotus - Lotus Sport - opened its doors and the Exige GT3 race car and road concept car on display as well as the legendary Elise GT1.
High speed demonstration laps for passengers with a Lotus test driver on the test track were available and Lotus Trim, the customizing division of Lotus was showing many examples of its work. One employee built the interior of a Europa SE during the open day.
Classic Team Lotus owner Clive Chapman had his new race truck and a selection of some old formula 1 cars on display. Lotus Clubs were showing a selection of all Lotus road cars from different years and more than 15,000 people from all over the world attended the open day.
 Mike Kimberley official opening |
 Lotus Elise GT1 race and road car |
 Esprit mule part of Evora story |
 Rear of Esprit/Eagle mule |
 Selection of Lotus race cars |
 Tesla Roadster |
 Lotus Evora on show |
 Lotus Trim shows of its products |
 GT3 race car and road car concept |
 Passenger rides on the track |
 Lotus Evora |
 Lotus Carlton on display |
 Solar yellow Lotus Exige S |
 Lotus Evora test car |
 Production line |
 More production line! |
In fairness to Lotus the traffic problems were as much to do with Norfolk police (initially sent just one traffic warden along) and Council (wouldn't permit the temporary re-opening of the other end of Potash Lane to ease traffic flow) as anything else.
Was still a cracking day out though.
I got there at 9:50 and queued for about 20 minutes. I felt sorry for the chap behind me in a 50's lotus that was getting a bit hot and pushing it in the slow moving traffic. Worst of all he had been misdirected away from the main entrance where he had been correctly waiting at 9:30
I think the main problem was the gates didn't open until 10:00 and yet people started arriving from around 9:00. This initial hold up then was hard to clear.
Would have been sensible in hindsight I think if car parks opened from 9:00 even if the factory tour was not until 10:00
Getting out was quick at 12:30 when I left albeit on a bit of an agricultural track - glad I hadn't taken a low car.
Main gripe from me was that I think lotus realled missed a sales opportunity. They had one of each model lined up with a team of sales guys but they wouldn't let you sit in any of the cars but suggested you visit a dealer
Also thumbs down to the scamera van that I saw taking up position 10 miles away from Hethel- no doubt hoping to welcome some of the lotus's
Nice surprise for me (given the cracking motors on display) - my car was chosen as Car of the Show by Martin Donnelly, with a Lotus Cortina runner-up and Lotus Carlton third. Apparently he has a soft spot for the Esprit going back to his Lotus F1 days.
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