RE: New Hethel, new Lotus
Discussion
Had a tour of the factory with the MLOC club two weeks ago, what a place! A race prepped Evora went round the track testing while we were there, it sounded like an F1 engine had been planted in the back of it. Anyway, good to see how my Loti was made, and production looked in full swing to me, unless that is, they downed tools as soon as we left.
Edited by bebee on Tuesday 24th April 17:23
Frimley111R said:
Captain Muppet said:
Twincam16 said:
... and it looks like DRB-Hicom is looking to sell a substantial stake in Lotus...
Not according to the BBC about an hour ago: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17829069
I hope it isn't, actually. I don't think the world needs a new Elise, I think it needs the new Exige V6 instead, so they should just keep that.
It's blatantly obvious that all the Elan is is an aluminium-bodied Evora. Keep the Evora.
Drop the Elite III and Eterne and tweak someone's saloon instead. For some reason I can see a Lotus Carlton successor selling better than a ground-up British Quattroporte-alike, plus Lotus can also do a hot hatch.
But priority one should be the new Esprit, which according to someone I know at Lotus on the engineering side is pretty-much ready, they just need to put all the constituent parts together and sort out the final development and refinement. Expect running production prototypes next year.
Captain Muppet said:
Not according to the BBC about an hour ago: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17829069
The real text of the press release says "not decided to sell" as opposed to "decided not to sell". Subtle difference.MagicalTrevor said:
Maulden7 said:
So back to the circuit!
Looks great.
Those of us who have driven our own Lotus Car (several times) at high speed on the "old track" will remember what a mish mash of surfaces it was. For goodness sake don't go to the left down the runway straight was the cry! I observe that all this is now covered with grass.
I see that the old barriers at the end of the straight are still there as an escape route, but there is now a real chicane to slow you down before the 180deg corner.
Also those massive "boulders" that used to constitute gravel traps have gone. They used to flip over any car that managed to get into one sideways.
C'mon chaps, let's support those at Lotus who actually want to take the company forward, & on any front.
Nice lurking, 3 posts in 88 months!Looks great.
Those of us who have driven our own Lotus Car (several times) at high speed on the "old track" will remember what a mish mash of surfaces it was. For goodness sake don't go to the left down the runway straight was the cry! I observe that all this is now covered with grass.
I see that the old barriers at the end of the straight are still there as an escape route, but there is now a real chicane to slow you down before the 180deg corner.
Also those massive "boulders" that used to constitute gravel traps have gone. They used to flip over any car that managed to get into one sideways.
C'mon chaps, let's support those at Lotus who actually want to take the company forward, & on any front.
Now I see you've/we've lost him for good from his post above!
Could only happen on PHs.
dandarez said:
MagicalTrevor said:
Maulden7 said:
So back to the circuit!
Looks great.
Those of us who have driven our own Lotus Car (several times) at high speed on the "old track" will remember what a mish mash of surfaces it was. For goodness sake don't go to the left down the runway straight was the cry! I observe that all this is now covered with grass.
I see that the old barriers at the end of the straight are still there as an escape route, but there is now a real chicane to slow you down before the 180deg corner.
Also those massive "boulders" that used to constitute gravel traps have gone. They used to flip over any car that managed to get into one sideways.
C'mon chaps, let's support those at Lotus who actually want to take the company forward, & on any front.
Nice lurking, 3 posts in 88 months!Looks great.
Those of us who have driven our own Lotus Car (several times) at high speed on the "old track" will remember what a mish mash of surfaces it was. For goodness sake don't go to the left down the runway straight was the cry! I observe that all this is now covered with grass.
I see that the old barriers at the end of the straight are still there as an escape route, but there is now a real chicane to slow you down before the 180deg corner.
Also those massive "boulders" that used to constitute gravel traps have gone. They used to flip over any car that managed to get into one sideways.
C'mon chaps, let's support those at Lotus who actually want to take the company forward, & on any front.
Now I see you've/we've lost him for good from his post above!
Could only happen on PHs.
FWIW, I completely agree with him! I've been driven round the track at Hethel and I can understand why they've resurfaced it, especially with the direction they're heading with the GT cars and the like.
St John Smythe said:
Frimley111R said:
Dave Hedgehog said:
Kamox said:
"on the 'new' Hethel test track and how it'll shape future Lotuses"
Future Lotuses? You mean "historic trackdays"
i fear this might come true Future Lotuses? You mean "historic trackdays"
lotus seamed to finally have a development plan to take them forward on a strong foot hold, now its all in limbo i was looking forward to a new esprit
Twincam16 said:
But priority one should be the new Esprit, which according to someone I know at Lotus on the engineering side is pretty-much ready, they just need to put all the constituent parts together and sort out the final development and refinement. Expect running production prototypes next year.
I think we'll see an Esprit prototype running at Goodwood FOS along with all the classic and modern road and race Lotuses.Max_Torque said:
cinical
So a nice shiney and smooth test track, just in time for some nice shiney smooth new Lotii, complete with 20" 'loys, zero profile tyres, and a banging sound system courtesy of Mr Swish Beast...........
/cinical
;-)
To be fair, the Evora already comes with 20" wheels on the back, personally I think it actually handles better on the bigger wheels although to be fair that's in no small part down to the better tyres!So a nice shiney and smooth test track, just in time for some nice shiney smooth new Lotii, complete with 20" 'loys, zero profile tyres, and a banging sound system courtesy of Mr Swish Beast...........
/cinical
;-)
kambites said:
Hmm, I've often wondered if the main reason for Lotus' ride quality stems from the fact that they couldn't afford to resurface their track. I hope this doesn't lead to them producing awful rock hard suspension like most other "sports car" manufacturers. 
Also to be fair, Ferrari's are usually fairly compliant and they use a ribbon smooth test track despite having a more track biased 'focus' to their cars generally. As Matt says the old track was useful for testing stability into a corner with the big lumps and bumps it had, but the potholes weren't any good for ride they were simply a nuisance and in some cases a danger.The test track doesn't make Lotuses handle like they do, the ride and handling department does.
Twincam16 said:
Drop the Elite III and Eterne and tweak someone's saloon instead. For some reason I can see a Lotus Carlton successor selling better than a ground-up British Quattroporte-alike, plus Lotus can also do a hot hatch..
Whose saloon would they tweak? There's no equivalent of a Carlton/Omega really any more. The Germans all have their own super-saloon models, as do Jaguar- a Lotus-Jaguar would have to compete with an XFR like Alpina competes with the M division. Even the Japanese have performance models (Lexus IS-F, Infiniti M56) fast enough that a significantly quicker version would be mental. Not to mention that the Lotus-Carlton shouldn't really be based on an already extremely expensive car.So would it be a Lotus-Insignia? Lotus-Mondeo? Actually, either of those would be interesting- Insignia probably better, as the Mondeo's FWD-only isn't it? But neither is big enough to be a proper super-saloon like a Lotus-Carlton.
AlexiusG55 said:
Twincam16 said:
Drop the Elite III and Eterne and tweak someone's saloon instead. For some reason I can see a Lotus Carlton successor selling better than a ground-up British Quattroporte-alike, plus Lotus can also do a hot hatch..
Whose saloon would they tweak? There's no equivalent of a Carlton/Omega really any more. The Germans all have their own super-saloon models, as do Jaguar- a Lotus-Jaguar would have to compete with an XFR like Alpina competes with the M division. Even the Japanese have performance models (Lexus IS-F, Infiniti M56) fast enough that a significantly quicker version would be mental. Not to mention that the Lotus-Carlton shouldn't really be based on an already extremely expensive car.So would it be a Lotus-Insignia? Lotus-Mondeo? Actually, either of those would be interesting- Insignia probably better, as the Mondeo's FWD-only isn't it? But neither is big enough to be a proper super-saloon like a Lotus-Carlton.
MagicalTrevor said:
dandarez said:
MagicalTrevor said:
Maulden7 said:
So back to the circuit!
Looks great.
Those of us who have driven our own Lotus Car (several times) at high speed on the "old track" will remember what a mish mash of surfaces it was. For goodness sake don't go to the left down the runway straight was the cry! I observe that all this is now covered with grass.
I see that the old barriers at the end of the straight are still there as an escape route, but there is now a real chicane to slow you down before the 180deg corner.
Also those massive "boulders" that used to constitute gravel traps have gone. They used to flip over any car that managed to get into one sideways.
C'mon chaps, let's support those at Lotus who actually want to take the company forward, & on any front.
Nice lurking, 3 posts in 88 months!Looks great.
Those of us who have driven our own Lotus Car (several times) at high speed on the "old track" will remember what a mish mash of surfaces it was. For goodness sake don't go to the left down the runway straight was the cry! I observe that all this is now covered with grass.
I see that the old barriers at the end of the straight are still there as an escape route, but there is now a real chicane to slow you down before the 180deg corner.
Also those massive "boulders" that used to constitute gravel traps have gone. They used to flip over any car that managed to get into one sideways.
C'mon chaps, let's support those at Lotus who actually want to take the company forward, & on any front.
Now I see you've/we've lost him for good from his post above!
Could only happen on PHs.
FWIW, I completely agree with him! I've been driven round the track at Hethel and I can understand why they've resurfaced it, especially with the direction they're heading with the GT cars and the like.
Stew2000 said:
AlexiusG55 said:
Twincam16 said:
Drop the Elite III and Eterne and tweak someone's saloon instead. For some reason I can see a Lotus Carlton successor selling better than a ground-up British Quattroporte-alike, plus Lotus can also do a hot hatch..
Whose saloon would they tweak? There's no equivalent of a Carlton/Omega really any more. The Germans all have their own super-saloon models, as do Jaguar- a Lotus-Jaguar would have to compete with an XFR like Alpina competes with the M division. Even the Japanese have performance models (Lexus IS-F, Infiniti M56) fast enough that a significantly quicker version would be mental. Not to mention that the Lotus-Carlton shouldn't really be based on an already extremely expensive car.So would it be a Lotus-Insignia? Lotus-Mondeo? Actually, either of those would be interesting- Insignia probably better, as the Mondeo's FWD-only isn't it? But neither is big enough to be a proper super-saloon like a Lotus-Carlton.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff