RE: Lotus: we're keeping going
Wednesday 15th February 2012
Lotus CEO Dany Bahar has said that the company will continue with its ambitious new model plans even though parent company Proton is in the process of changing hands - in fact new owner DRB Hicom has told them to keep going.
Lotus: we're keeping going
Business as usual despite sale of Proton, says Bahar
In an interview with Autocar magazine, Bahar said that "We have explained our plans to the new owner and have been told to keep going as we are. The immediate problem is to manage the cash in the business carefully during the 60-day pause, but I am confident that this is a temporary technical issue."
That 60-day pause is down to the length of the change of ownership process required by Malaysian legislation, but aside from that Bahar is bullish about Lotus's plans, brushing off speculation that DRB Hicom might look to offload the British sports car maker.
"To the best of my knowledge, no one is about to buy the company," Bahar tells Autocar. "You'd have to consider the market implications before deciding to sell. Right now we have crazy demand for the latest Exige - 383 orders already. The Evora GTE will be homologated by May, and we have 200 orders for that. Things are looking really promising."
Discussion
I think Lotus have done some bizarre things lately and I find it hard to forgive the Swizzle Beatz debacle, , but I think we should all put this to one side.
We are talking about a bunch of workers in Britain, turning out a great range of cars with enthusiasm and pride.
Good luck to them I say.
We are talking about a bunch of workers in Britain, turning out a great range of cars with enthusiasm and pride.
Good luck to them I say.
toppstuff said:
I think Lotus have done some bizarre things lately and I find it hard to forgive the Swizzle Beatz debacle, , but I think we should all put this to one side.
We are talking about a bunch of workers in Britain, turning out a great range of cars with enthusiasm and pride.
Good luck to them I say.
Here, here...it seems non Lotus lovers...particularly some (note just some) of those of the Porsche persuasion...would love Lotus to fail. For me it is better for Lotus, at least in terms of image, to be disassociated with Proton, whose KIA (but worse) kind of image diminished the brand. Let's hope a rich Arab, Russian or Indian (even Mr Tata) comes in with the cash...if I had billions I would much rather have my own super car brand to produce me some bespoke toys than my own football club. Here's hoping!We are talking about a bunch of workers in Britain, turning out a great range of cars with enthusiasm and pride.
Good luck to them I say.
Vilhelm said:
Just googled DRB Hicom, they deal with Malaysia's national car projects, and assemble cars from other manufacturers for sale in those parts. Makes me wonder about the future of Lotus...
They also build cars under licence for Honda....are you worried about the future of Honda too by that logic? Why does everyone, well some people, think the worst of everything concerning Lotus? Rumour also has it that the Luxembourg based company behind the Lotus formula 1 team are currently studying the books with a view to taking over...now uniting the two can only be good for the brand.Same old Lotus!
Lots
Of
Trouble
Usually
Serious
Thats what we used to say years ago. My Esprit V8 was a rickety POS, as was the Elise S1 I had. As a result, I wouldn't touch a Lotus with a bargepole. They'll probably end up going the way of TVR.
Just my opinion of course.
(lights blue touch paper, stands back)
Lots
Of
Trouble
Usually
Serious
Thats what we used to say years ago. My Esprit V8 was a rickety POS, as was the Elise S1 I had. As a result, I wouldn't touch a Lotus with a bargepole. They'll probably end up going the way of TVR.
Just my opinion of course.
(lights blue touch paper, stands back)
esada said:
Same old Lotus!
Lots
Of
Trouble
Usually
Serious
Thats what we used to say years ago. My Esprit V8 was a rickety POS, as was the Elise S1 I had. As a result, I wouldn't touch a Lotus with a bargepole. They'll probably end up going the way of TVR.
Just my opinion of course.
(lights blue touch paper, stands back)
you obviously bought a dog of an S1 then, well done! Personally I spent a bit of time looking for a decent one and have done 24,000 miles with only a failed clutch slave cylinder. And I've just read a review about a Porsche Cayenne in EVO where the sat nav failed in 24 hours of delivery and was replaced 3 times in 50000 miles, the opening glass in the tailgate refused to shut, then the whole tailgate wouldn't lock, then a front air suspension unit collapsed. Now that is a POS.Lots
Of
Trouble
Usually
Serious
Thats what we used to say years ago. My Esprit V8 was a rickety POS, as was the Elise S1 I had. As a result, I wouldn't touch a Lotus with a bargepole. They'll probably end up going the way of TVR.
Just my opinion of course.
(lights blue touch paper, stands back)
Gizmo! said:
If those orders materialise it's great news.
Bahar is not exactly known for speaking straight and following through.
How many cars did Lotus sell last year? Yes, it really is THAT few.
Sales figures from elsewhere are quoted at 2700 vehicles last year...meeting company targets. Your figure as qouted by Bahar relates only to the Exige, which will always sell in low volume due to it's hardcore track focused nature. Let's say the average Lotus sold retails at £30,000 ( a very conservative estimate given this is only the cost of a basic Elise ) that multiplied by 2700 equates to a turnover of over £80,000,000! That is not bad for a small firm from Hethel. How many Zondas at £1,500,000 each does Mr Pagani sell each year I wonder, yet no one is questioning their survival.Bahar is not exactly known for speaking straight and following through.
How many cars did Lotus sell last year? Yes, it really is THAT few.
zebedee said:
you obviously bought a dog of an S1 then, well done! Personally I spent a bit of time looking for a decent one and have done 24,000 miles with only a failed clutch slave cylinder. And I've just read a review about a Porsche Cayenne in EVO where the sat nav failed in 24 hours of delivery and was replaced 3 times in 50000 miles, the opening glass in the tailgate refused to shut, then the whole tailgate wouldn't lock, then a front air suspension unit collapsed. Now that is a POS.
I bought one of the first S1s. They were all s
t, all leaked like sieves, and probably still do. All manufacturers have Monday morning and Friday afternoon cars, but imo Lotus have been consistently s
t since about 1975. I also owned a Giugaro Esprit Turbo briefly in about 1992. That was lovely when the gearchange linkage worked, but that wasn't very often.
Like I said, just my opinion.
1981linley said:
Let's say the average Lotus sold retails at £30,000... that equates to a turnover of over £80,000,000! How many Zondas at £1,500,000 each does Mr Pagani sell each year I wonder.
I'm not in the car business, but I'd guess it's easier to turn a profit on a Zonda than an Elise.Anyhow, I wish them all the very best. Will be buying one just as soon as I can afford one.
1981linley said:
Sales figures from elsewhere are quoted at 2700 vehicles last year...meeting company targets. Your figure as qouted by Bahar relates only to the Exige, which will always sell in low volume due to it's hardcore track focused nature. Let's say the average Lotus sold retails at £30,000 ( a very conservative estimate given this is only the cost of a basic Elise ) that multiplied by 2700 equates to a turnover of over £80,000,000! That is not bad for a small firm from Hethel. How many Zondas at £1,500,000 each does Mr Pagani sell each year I wonder, yet no one is questioning their survival.
Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity.
There are some nice cars in the pipeline at Lotus and I for one hope it all works out and they can carry on as they were.1981linley said:
Gizmo! said:
If those orders materialise it's great news.
Bahar is not exactly known for speaking straight and following through.
How many cars did Lotus sell last year? Yes, it really is THAT few.
Sales figures from elsewhere are quoted at 2700 vehicles last year...meeting company targets. Your figure as qouted by Bahar relates only to the Exige, which will always sell in low volume due to it's hardcore track focused nature. Let's say the average Lotus sold retails at £30,000 ( a very conservative estimate given this is only the cost of a basic Elise ) that multiplied by 2700 equates to a turnover of over £80,000,000! That is not bad for a small firm from Hethel. How many Zondas at £1,500,000 each does Mr Pagani sell each year I wonder, yet no one is questioning their survival.Bahar is not exactly known for speaking straight and following through.
How many cars did Lotus sell last year? Yes, it really is THAT few.
and if sales are on target, how come the production line is currently on hold and has been for a while now?
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