RE: New Lotus design boss announced

[sjw]

British Beef said:

First post and this is how you describe the manufacturer of some of the best drivers cars on the road!
You sir are a complete fool.
"under-developed".......?
"cramped" has some mileage for the Elise range.

As a Lotus owner over the last 30 years, I feel you are being a bit harsh.
There has long been the notion that you shouldn't buy an S1 version of any Lotus, as the customers help to develop a much better S2
That said I have and do not regret it, but you have to be accepting of a few "foibles"

Back to the article, and I remember seeing the Elise just after launch and vowed I would never buy one as it was so ugly. I did buy it though, and loved it.
However I thought much the same about the Evora , the difference being that I still don't like the look of it, and you can't take the roof off.

I do wonder how Lotus are able to haemorrhage so much cash on derivatives when the original Elise was developed for so little (or so I thought) I guess losing some over paid prima-donnas should help.

[kambites]

I think underdeveloped and cramped are both perfectly reasonable criticisms of recent Lotus cars. I'd certainly say both apply to my car.

Edited by kambites on Thursday 23 October 14:52

[Harry Shepherd]

I think the fact Russell Carr has been reinstated tells you something about Cocos design ability.

[Alias218]

I wish Lotus would either start building some decent new models or just eff off and die already. All of this floating around not doing anything and constantly changing head count is completely pointless posturing.

[Europa1]

Alias218 said:

I wish Lotus would either start building some decent new models or just eff off and die already. All of this floating around not doing anything and constantly changing head count is completely pointless posturing.

Pointless apart from trying to preserve what is, in that part of the UK, a significant employer?

[kbf1981]

Alias218 said:

I wish Lotus would either start building some decent new models or just eff off and die already. All of this floating around not doing anything and constantly changing head count is completely pointless posturing.

The cars are great. Go try one.

[StEVEN7]

The Evora will have a reworked front and rear for launch at Geneva, whether this is still the case under the new design director remains to be seen

Edited by StEVEN7 on Sunday 26th October 22:09

[sunsurfer]

The logic of Lotus/Bahar's argument (that Lotus needs to sell more cars at higher margins to have a future) is incontestable. The modular sports and supercar plan was visionary - exactly what McLaren are doing. Most of Donato Coco's designs were interesting (I liked the Eterne, Elite and Elan but thought Esprit was generic).
Implementation though...
Good luck to Coco and welcome again for Russell Carr. The Evora is a great car - still an amazing design for a 2+2 but needs a convertible option and a giant sun roof option.