Is the Lotus future the car we want?
Discussion
As an elan m100 owner, i think the Elan looks fantastic, the best looking car i've seen in a long time.
The rest, well i like all of them, but i wish there was a bit more visual difference between them, particularly the esprit, it needs a bit more drama abou it imo.
But in general, an exciting range.
The rest, well i like all of them, but i wish there was a bit more visual difference between them, particularly the esprit, it needs a bit more drama abou it imo.
But in general, an exciting range.
Forbes, I completely agree. I've got an M100 and I love the way they've taken that big wide light strip from the M100 and incorporated the style of it in to the new one. It looks great. the lotus website isn't really giving much away though. Do you know I it's going to be a 'vert? Can't see where the roof goes or where the c-pillar goes if it is.
It's all fairly academic really as I can't afford one any way...!
It's all fairly academic really as I can't afford one any way...!
It is the car I want. It's not the car I could ever realistically afford though.
While I could just about finance a new Elise (or most of the current back catalogue if they were second hand) it'll be a long time before an average income enthusiast like myself can buy an Elite. I hope to be proved wrong, but I fear Lotus may be heading the same way as TVR did when it stopped making £30,000 classic V8 sports car and headed off into £80,000 supercar territory. I guess Lotus does at least have the heritage to compete with Maserati and Aston Martin, but it's still a big leap.
While I could just about finance a new Elise (or most of the current back catalogue if they were second hand) it'll be a long time before an average income enthusiast like myself can buy an Elite. I hope to be proved wrong, but I fear Lotus may be heading the same way as TVR did when it stopped making £30,000 classic V8 sports car and headed off into £80,000 supercar territory. I guess Lotus does at least have the heritage to compete with Maserati and Aston Martin, but it's still a big leap.
You only need to look at the new McLaren roadcar to see that Lotus has been left about two decades behind. I don't think that they can survive just doing the same thing they have been doing for the last 25 years. The world has moved on.
I think that the management is right to head off in this direction, but it could all end in tears.
I think that the management is right to head off in this direction, but it could all end in tears.
Monkey boy 1 said:
He could be referring to the Lotus v Lotus F1 court battle which continues on March 21st
Don't think so - he's talking about how McLaren have funded the MP4-12C in house"To have funded this project without resorting to bank lending is a staggering, tangible entreprenurial feat that makes the Lotus debacle look even more laughable than it actually is - if that's possible"
The whole situation is a horrible mess. I have just parted with my Exige S. There is no point in getting a new one as they have been discontinued and the price is falling fast on rumours of a V6 model down the line. The new Elise looks like a hairdresser's car and probably is about as quick as one.
The Evora is a big step up in price and does all sorts of things that don't interest me, and even that is under threat.
There is no doubt that the senior management team at the time of the Evora launch saw it as the backbone of the company for years to come. That is definitely what they told us at the launch and I have no reason to doubt them.
Now we have a set of paper designs that even a big company would struggle to release in a short period of time. So the message is don't buy an Evora, 'cos it is on its way out, don't buy an Exige because it is discontinued, don't buy an Elise unless you are a bit girlie.
I am taking their advice and hanging onto my measly £45K, as it is of no interest to the new CEO it would seem, although I will probably end up getting a fast Caterham rather than wait for Lotus to sort themselves out.
How on earth did this muppet talk his way into CEO of a company that he clearly does not understand? Even more basic, how can anyone be so inept at marketing? Hopefully he will be out on his ear before he takes Lotus under.
The Evora is a big step up in price and does all sorts of things that don't interest me, and even that is under threat.
There is no doubt that the senior management team at the time of the Evora launch saw it as the backbone of the company for years to come. That is definitely what they told us at the launch and I have no reason to doubt them.
Now we have a set of paper designs that even a big company would struggle to release in a short period of time. So the message is don't buy an Evora, 'cos it is on its way out, don't buy an Exige because it is discontinued, don't buy an Elise unless you are a bit girlie.
I am taking their advice and hanging onto my measly £45K, as it is of no interest to the new CEO it would seem, although I will probably end up getting a fast Caterham rather than wait for Lotus to sort themselves out.
How on earth did this muppet talk his way into CEO of a company that he clearly does not understand? Even more basic, how can anyone be so inept at marketing? Hopefully he will be out on his ear before he takes Lotus under.
netherledy said:
How on earth did this muppet talk his way into CEO of a company that he clearly does not understand? Even more basic, how can anyone be so inept at marketing? Hopefully he will be out on his ear before he takes Lotus under.
He certainly is no mug. CEO's have come & gone at Lotus in the past since Proton bought the company from Romano Artioli, none have brought any real ideas or finance to the company. Dany Bahar has brought in a new belief in the brand, something outside the box of "track car for the road" which sadly has been Lotus's only car since 1996 with the Elise. Yes, without the Elise Lotus wouldn't be here, but it's a 15+ year old design now.Mr Bahar is a marketing man, not an engineer. He has brought in a wealth of senior figures from all areas of engineering production to help and advise on where Lotus "should" be. He has raised the profile of the Lotus name, brought the marque back into Motorsport, invested in a new FIA approved test track & chassis engineering centre at Hethel.
The problem with Lotus is that it's been starved of investment for so many years it's going to take an obscene amount of money to get it back to somewhere near to where it should be.
Going back to to your comment about "inept marketing", He was the guy that got Red Bull into F1, and they aren't doing too bad now are they.
Remember, He's only been in the job for l8 months, Just look at what Lotus has been up to in that short time and there is plenty more to come too.
I do buy Lotuses, new ones that cost a lot of money, but not anymore until I know that it will behave like a Lotus has done since the 60s.
If he is so smart why are the dealers so worried? They have nothing to sell is the reason, except some paper concept cars.
Lotus were not starved of funding when they were owned by GM, who were also stuffed with marketing men. And it was the Elise that rescued them from extinction after the marketing men walked out.
If he is so smart why are the dealers so worried? They have nothing to sell is the reason, except some paper concept cars.
Lotus were not starved of funding when they were owned by GM, who were also stuffed with marketing men. And it was the Elise that rescued them from extinction after the marketing men walked out.
They need to have an affordable entry into the range, the Elise needs to stay and it's price points 30 to 40k need to stay too, the other concept cars look great, but Lotus should keep a foot in the 30 to 40k range sports car market as todays 30k sports car buyer could be tomorrows 100k buyer, and by getting people into the brand there more likely to consider them in the future
There are precious few £100k purchasers, and the competition is fierce. I am passionate about Lotus, and have been for decades. I don't much care if my Lotus is not wonderful value for money at £45K, I am buying a heritage and style of motoring. However, the entry point for any sort of performance is now nearer £65K. That is a significant amount of dosh for anyone to shell out on what is essentially a big boy's toy. It also brings Lotus in line with a number of other companies with strong offerings.
The problem is that the 'new' Elise doesn't offer enough to differentiate it from the Audi TT, or even the volume two seaters.
The lack of enthusiasm for the Evora shown by the Lotus management is a huge own-goal, it is all they have to sell for the foreseeable future.
Lotus are not going to raise their profile to that of Porsche, Aston Martin, etc. with a few stickers on the side of a Renault F1. In fact the whole Lotus F1 thing seems to have done more harm than good to the marque.
They have alienated their loyal customer base and have done nothing substantial to build a new one.
The problem is that the 'new' Elise doesn't offer enough to differentiate it from the Audi TT, or even the volume two seaters.
The lack of enthusiasm for the Evora shown by the Lotus management is a huge own-goal, it is all they have to sell for the foreseeable future.
Lotus are not going to raise their profile to that of Porsche, Aston Martin, etc. with a few stickers on the side of a Renault F1. In fact the whole Lotus F1 thing seems to have done more harm than good to the marque.
They have alienated their loyal customer base and have done nothing substantial to build a new one.
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