GM and the Esprit?
Discussion
GM to buy Lotus? Could be good or bad... but I will not be surprised to see the new 'Esprit' pushed back until the cows come home again if GM is the owner. The guys at GM could not manage their way out of a paper hat! and the only thing they have going for them currently is the Corvette.
So, I could see these guys grumbling away about how they do not need a "top end car" to compete with the Corvette in all those middle management board meetings. You know, the ones that go on so that they can decide what people 'really' want in a car. That line of thinking is working so well the company is on the edge of failure due to the high number of exciting cars they have come out with in the past several years. Prepare for the Lotus mini-van!
On the other slope, perhaps they will have the short brains to realize what they have bought, fund it properly (about time that happened for Lotus), stay the hell out of the design and build process, and move the new 'Esprit' to market on time!
What a gamble.
Drive topless!!!
Cameron
So, I could see these guys grumbling away about how they do not need a "top end car" to compete with the Corvette in all those middle management board meetings. You know, the ones that go on so that they can decide what people 'really' want in a car. That line of thinking is working so well the company is on the edge of failure due to the high number of exciting cars they have come out with in the past several years. Prepare for the Lotus mini-van!
On the other slope, perhaps they will have the short brains to realize what they have bought, fund it properly (about time that happened for Lotus), stay the hell out of the design and build process, and move the new 'Esprit' to market on time!
What a gamble.
Drive topless!!!
Cameron
My thoughts on this are many and multi-directional. However, consider:
1. In order for Lotus cars to survive, they MUST build "world cars". That is cars that will be able to be sold worldwide (with multiple and varied "safety" regulations) without any major revisions between types per country. That takes a global partner (Proton is not it)
2. The prior GM years were actually better for Lotus than GM (fuel injection, engine management systems, etc)
3. GM can certainly benefit from the cheap consultancy that they would receive from Group Lotus PLC.
4. GM needs an embedded Asian distribution/manufacturing partner.
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It might make sense. I just want SOMEBODY to do something to shore up the house of Lotus. With the crashing and burning of TVR as of late, I would not like to see another great British sports car marque ruined.
ErnestM
1. In order for Lotus cars to survive, they MUST build "world cars". That is cars that will be able to be sold worldwide (with multiple and varied "safety" regulations) without any major revisions between types per country. That takes a global partner (Proton is not it)
2. The prior GM years were actually better for Lotus than GM (fuel injection, engine management systems, etc)
3. GM can certainly benefit from the cheap consultancy that they would receive from Group Lotus PLC.
4. GM needs an embedded Asian distribution/manufacturing partner.
---
It might make sense. I just want SOMEBODY to do something to shore up the house of Lotus. With the crashing and burning of TVR as of late, I would not like to see another great British sports car marque ruined.
ErnestM
ErnestM said:
1. In order for Lotus cars to survive, they MUST build "world cars". That takes a global partner (Proton is not it). AGREED, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT OBVIOUS WHO THAT PARTNER COULD BE.
2. The prior GM years were actually better for Lotus than GM (fuel injection, engine management systems, etc)
TOYOTA COOPERATION IS WHEN THE ESPRIT/EXCEL BECAME GOOD RELIABLE CARS. (HASN'T DONE ELISE ANY HARM EITHER)
3. GM can certainly benefit from the cheap consultancy that they would receive from Group Lotus PLC.
HMMM. GM VOTED AGAINST THAT WHEN IT SOLD LOTUS LAST TIME AROUND.
4. GM needs an embedded Asian distribution/manufacturing partner.
IT'S ALREADY GO DAEWOO/CHEVROLET SO WHY WOULD IT WANT ANOTHER?
I would not like to see another great British sports car marque ruined. ErnestM
I can't see any reason why GM would want to get into Proton/Lotus unless they were going to close more European production facilities.
With the exchange rate at $2=£1 and the supercharged Exige going on sale at $57,000 in USA it's not easy to see where Lotus can go next. The price of that Exige is way above GM's base 400 bhp C6 Corvette and nearly as high as the 500 bhp Z06; and rear visibility is virtually non-existent over the Exige's supercharger gear. Guess Lotus aren't planning to sell many cars! In contrast 30,000 Corvettes a year are rolling out of the Bowling Green plant.
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