Latest (un-attributable) Lotus news...
Discussion
From: "Bryan D. Boyle"
Subject: Latest (un-attributable) Lotus news...
<
<have been built, but the project is now canned. Terry Playle was taken out
in the mule this morning by Roger Becker and then announced this afternoon
that the project is closed. The car is too small in vital areas to fit the
Federal updates (head strike, for instance) without spending serious money
on body modifications.
<few writs from various US Dealers who are a bit annoyed at not having any
new product to sell. They took the cheaper route (made a business decision???).>>
Good Lord! Where did this come from? If the source can't speak in the open, maybe it is a little dubious?
If true, as far as I'm concerned Lotus is dead. They'll have no Federal cars to send to the U.S. past the end of the Esprit run, and nothing in the pipeline, so the U.S. market is being abandoned? So much for Lotus being a world carmaker. And how much credibility will Lotus Engineering have if the carmaker can't even be troubled to manufacture cars for worldwide markets?
Is this, in fact, just vile gossip, or can it be substantiated? Hell, I'll just pack my car in a big ZipLoc bag for five years and then sell it when the market is sufficiently starved, and then go out and buy a car from a _real_ carmaker, say TVR, or Morgan, Alfa, or Maserati, all of which can be troubled to sell in the U.S. market because they see our worth.
Bryan, I sincerely hope your "un-attributable" source is whistling in a gale wind. And if so, I'd just as soon never hear from them again...
Most sincerely,
Bob
Subject: Latest (un-attributable) Lotus news...
<
<
in the mule this morning by Roger Becker and then announced this afternoon
that the project is closed. The car is too small in vital areas to fit the
Federal updates (head strike, for instance) without spending serious money
on body modifications.
<
new product to sell. They took the cheaper route (made a business decision???).>>
Good Lord! Where did this come from? If the source can't speak in the open, maybe it is a little dubious?
If true, as far as I'm concerned Lotus is dead. They'll have no Federal cars to send to the U.S. past the end of the Esprit run, and nothing in the pipeline, so the U.S. market is being abandoned? So much for Lotus being a world carmaker. And how much credibility will Lotus Engineering have if the carmaker can't even be troubled to manufacture cars for worldwide markets?
Is this, in fact, just vile gossip, or can it be substantiated? Hell, I'll just pack my car in a big ZipLoc bag for five years and then sell it when the market is sufficiently starved, and then go out and buy a car from a _real_ carmaker, say TVR, or Morgan, Alfa, or Maserati, all of which can be troubled to sell in the U.S. market because they see our worth.
Bryan, I sincerely hope your "un-attributable" source is whistling in a gale wind. And if so, I'd just as soon never hear from them again...
Most sincerely,
Bob
Having been involved at Lotus as Sales Director for many years I can confirm that any low volume British sports car manufacturer would be well advised to stay out of the US Market because "over a five year period it will kill you" We stopped selling for six months when JFK got shot, the dollar went up and down like a roller coaster and some might deduce that the US Government has always been hell bent on pleasing Ralph Nader and banning low volume cars. What would have happned if Lotus had launched a US Federal Elise on 9/11? TVR, Marcos, Morgan and many others have been bitten more than once by the American market. Then traffic laws and speed limits make it almost impossible to enjoy the handling and performance of a Lotus legally. Finally it is now socially unacceptable to drive a sports car at an enjoyable speed on the road. Sorry America, you drove us out.
Graham Arnold Lotus Cars Ltd. 1963 to 1971 and 1976 to 1981. Club Lotus clubhq@paston.co.uk.
Graham Arnold Lotus Cars Ltd. 1963 to 1971 and 1976 to 1981. Club Lotus clubhq@paston.co.uk.
Graham, thanks for your response. However I believe you've missed the mark on a couple of your points.
1. How can you say that our speed limits and road rules prevent us from enjoying/getting the most out of our cars? I spend time in England every couple of years, and although British drivers average much more competence than US drivers, you are subject to all the same rules, speed limits, etc.
We also have track days all over the country (larger country, _many_ more tracks than the UK, or all of Europe combined). This is where many of us get to enjoy the capabilities of our cars to the fullest.
2. Manufacturers standards. Do you have any doubt that EU standards are going to be behind US standards for very long? Why can't Lotus acknowledge the value of the largest sports car market and approach it properly?
I've owned Lotus cars (7) for over twenty years, and I can tell you that until the current incarnation of Lotus Cars USA, the marketing, sales and service of Lotus in this country was an abomination far too bad to be a joke. And please recognize that this remark comes from a person who _loves_ the marque.
Arnie Johnson and his hand-picked few at LCU are the only people in the world who seem to know how to market Lotus cars to the US. If Lotus do not listen to him and give him adequate support, and road cars to sell, Lotus is damned in the marketplace.
Forgive me, but the years you quoted as having been involved at Lotus as Sales Director were times that other low volume British sports car manufacturers (e.g. Morgan) managed to not only survive, but ultimately thrive in the US market. Look at the backlog of cars they have on order from the US now.
Jaguar almost ruined itself in the US market with quality problems that made Lotus cars look like paragons of reliability. They are thriving in the US market now. TVR has announced their return to the US market.
So, whither Lotus? "Sorry America, you drove us out." NUTS! Lotus never got a clue until the current crew at LCU. If you read the (worldwide) TurboEsprit Mail List on Yahoo! Groups, you will find paens of high regard for LCU from current owners. WE never drove you out. Until recently, no-one made the requisite effort to meet this market's needs. Now that they are doing that, thay've gained the utmost regard.
Respectfully,
Bob
Edited by lotusport on Tuesday 18th December 06:40
1. How can you say that our speed limits and road rules prevent us from enjoying/getting the most out of our cars? I spend time in England every couple of years, and although British drivers average much more competence than US drivers, you are subject to all the same rules, speed limits, etc.
We also have track days all over the country (larger country, _many_ more tracks than the UK, or all of Europe combined). This is where many of us get to enjoy the capabilities of our cars to the fullest.
2. Manufacturers standards. Do you have any doubt that EU standards are going to be behind US standards for very long? Why can't Lotus acknowledge the value of the largest sports car market and approach it properly?
I've owned Lotus cars (7) for over twenty years, and I can tell you that until the current incarnation of Lotus Cars USA, the marketing, sales and service of Lotus in this country was an abomination far too bad to be a joke. And please recognize that this remark comes from a person who _loves_ the marque.
Arnie Johnson and his hand-picked few at LCU are the only people in the world who seem to know how to market Lotus cars to the US. If Lotus do not listen to him and give him adequate support, and road cars to sell, Lotus is damned in the marketplace.
Forgive me, but the years you quoted as having been involved at Lotus as Sales Director were times that other low volume British sports car manufacturers (e.g. Morgan) managed to not only survive, but ultimately thrive in the US market. Look at the backlog of cars they have on order from the US now.
Jaguar almost ruined itself in the US market with quality problems that made Lotus cars look like paragons of reliability. They are thriving in the US market now. TVR has announced their return to the US market.
So, whither Lotus? "Sorry America, you drove us out." NUTS! Lotus never got a clue until the current crew at LCU. If you read the (worldwide) TurboEsprit Mail List on Yahoo! Groups, you will find paens of high regard for LCU from current owners. WE never drove you out. Until recently, no-one made the requisite effort to meet this market's needs. Now that they are doing that, thay've gained the utmost regard.
Respectfully,
Bob
Edited by lotusport on Tuesday 18th December 06:40
What Lotus needs now is to stablise itself in UK (and Europe) before it starts venturing into the USA.
(They need to get the engineering arm up and running properly - that's where the money is.)
Once stable, the company can then take it step by step. The new boss seems to have the right idea about this.
I have to say though, when the time is right, the yanks do love Lotus.
I am concerned about how any changes to the way the cars are made to appeal to the US as well as UK.
(They need to get the engineering arm up and running properly - that's where the money is.)
Once stable, the company can then take it step by step. The new boss seems to have the right idea about this.
I have to say though, when the time is right, the yanks do love Lotus.
I am concerned about how any changes to the way the cars are made to appeal to the US as well as UK.
I agree. I believe that Lotus must develop all cars as "world cars." How better to maintain integrity of Lotus Engineering, than to practice what they (LE) preach.
Our standards are not usurious. Indeed, there are specific exemptions to allow for waivers where meeting standards would pose an unbearable financial burden on a small manufacturer. In fact, that is how the Esprit is still imported to the US. It must come in on waivers because it cannot be redesigned to comply (it's the "tumble-home angle" of the greenhouse that does not allow for enough space around the driver's and passenger's heads). Still, the car has proven eminently safe. One of our number just last weekend turned his V8 on its lid, released his belts, and walked away with no injury. (He slid on ice and tripped the car upside-down into a six-foot ditch.)
Best regards,
Bob
Our standards are not usurious. Indeed, there are specific exemptions to allow for waivers where meeting standards would pose an unbearable financial burden on a small manufacturer. In fact, that is how the Esprit is still imported to the US. It must come in on waivers because it cannot be redesigned to comply (it's the "tumble-home angle" of the greenhouse that does not allow for enough space around the driver's and passenger's heads). Still, the car has proven eminently safe. One of our number just last weekend turned his V8 on its lid, released his belts, and walked away with no injury. (He slid on ice and tripped the car upside-down into a six-foot ditch.)
Best regards,
Bob
Mr. Arnold,
As an owner during the period of time you were with Lotus, Lotus left the US because they could not compete in the market with a poor quality product backed by a largely incompetent Dealer network. Both of these issues have been largely resolved thanks to the efforts of Lotus Cars USA.
Your comment that you cannot enjoy a Lotus in the US is comical. Last time I saw the numbers; the US was the #1 market for Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche, to name a few. I enjoy my cars on a daily basis, in fact, I feel more comfortable driving fast in the US (radar detector) than in the UK (Cameras).
IMO, for Lotus to have a long-term future as a car manufacturer, they will need to do what Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini have already done, build a car for the world market. I have no doubt that they can!
Roy
As an owner during the period of time you were with Lotus, Lotus left the US because they could not compete in the market with a poor quality product backed by a largely incompetent Dealer network. Both of these issues have been largely resolved thanks to the efforts of Lotus Cars USA.
Your comment that you cannot enjoy a Lotus in the US is comical. Last time I saw the numbers; the US was the #1 market for Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche, to name a few. I enjoy my cars on a daily basis, in fact, I feel more comfortable driving fast in the US (radar detector) than in the UK (Cameras).
IMO, for Lotus to have a long-term future as a car manufacturer, they will need to do what Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini have already done, build a car for the world market. I have no doubt that they can!
Roy
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