Friday 15th March 2002

CEO Leaves After One Year

Terry Playle retires and Victor Kiam takes over?!

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[adeewuff]

This is terrible, I really hope Proton sell Lotus on soon because Proton don't have much of a clue about making surburban runabouts, let alone high performance sports cars!

[thunder]

I have to agree, its about time proton sold lotus to someone who knows what they are doing. the company at the moment is run by accountants who have just laid off staff with decades of experience, in favour of somebody who use to work in a chicken hut, because the former costs too much. This is sounding the death toll for lotus. Where have Lotus gone in the years we were beating Ferrari's on every race track.

[adeewuff]

There's one other point that has made me feel very angry and that is the appointment of Tenku Hasmadi. 'Tenku' is a term for a member of the Royal family in Malaysia, and it often means that the person has acquired the position through bloodline rather than any sort of natural talent or hard work. Imagine Prince Phillip running Lotus and that'll give you a picture of how bad this is!

Also the Malaysians have a very different take on the term business. I know this since I've tried to do business in Malaysia myself and have witnessed the red tape, bribing and back stabbing firsthand.

[lotuspants]

Seems very very sad just how lotus is heading. Having watched and viewed lots of interviews with "the old man" (coln chapman) and others on tv in the Formula 1 days there was always a great passion for the company from the people that worked at Lotus, be it the very top level to the very bottom level. There was always a great pride to work for this great company, its not just a job but a passion that i have heard so many times from the production staff on my visit back in the 80's.
But many years on One thinks this may still be the pride of many in there hearts but sorry as this seem on the very top level of Lotus it seems some how not the case. Like the comment before this (accountants running Lotus) is there is any passion at the top to run this once great car company???, many directors as it seem are there for the big wages and thats all they care, In the end they'll just move onto another company "just another job" unlike the many at the bottom with that special passion. Lotus like other car manufactures needs a constant injection of money to develop new models and in lotus's case unique cars such as the Elise which has won many awards for its great chassis development. with out this other maufactures will capture the skilled engineering personal.Proton needs to sell Lotus quickly for there own sake let alone Lotus and everyone that belives in this once great company.
RIP COLIN CHAPMAN.(If you can)

[gold man]

I agree with all your comments. best of luck to Lotus and please get someone at your helm who really cares about the brand and all thats behind it!

[thom]

quote:
I have to agree, its about time proton sold lotus to someone who knows what they are doing

I fully agree; I think Lotus are great cars which have never reached the level of success they have always deserved.
Let's hope though that the next owner of Lotus won't be VAG (they have enough money to buy anything)