RE: Lotus Reveals Exos T125 Hardcore Track Car
Discussion
Andy T said:
edb49 said:
I think it's fantastic. It's just as irrelevant as the Ferrari FXX etc, but I bet it's much, much quicker. And let's face it, if you liked track days and had £600k to spend on a track car, is there anything you'd prefer to this?
Not really, because the Ferrari is based on one of their own road cars, it's a showcase of what Ferrari can do with their technology, the pinnacle of their expertise. The Lotus isn't. It seems to be a bought in F1 chassis with a lotus badge on it.Ikemi said:
Andy T said:
What a weird thing for Lotus to do. They seem to be spending their time and resources trying to mess up their heritage and alienate their current customer base.
Lotus management, what are you smoking at the moment?
Really? Surely with only 25 cars being built, these will all be bought by wealthy businessmen in no time at all! I personally think it looks epic and the closest thing to a F1 car for the public - I imagine this will attract most potential buyers Lotus management, what are you smoking at the moment?
I can't imagine they'd make a thoroughly detailed and supported business case for something which won't sell. Looks awesome.
edb49 said:
Andy T said:
edb49 said:
I think it's fantastic. It's just as irrelevant as the Ferrari FXX etc, but I bet it's much, much quicker. And let's face it, if you liked track days and had £600k to spend on a track car, is there anything you'd prefer to this?
Not really, because the Ferrari is based on one of their own road cars, it's a showcase of what Ferrari can do with their technology, the pinnacle of their expertise. The Lotus isn't. It seems to be a bought in F1 chassis with a lotus badge on it.Andy T said:
So I'm still confused, it sends out all the wrong messages for me.
What confuses you and what are the wrong messages?They made a super expensive track day weapon for rich bods that looks like an F1 car and goes like one too no doubt. It's easier to manage/'live with' than an F1 too. They'll be sold in no time and at a nice profit too and the brand will be exposed to the rich boys. I can't see any negatives apart from not painting it green and yellow.
I look at that and think want.
Id say that its more a way to defray some of the expense of the F1 team. All that time in the wind tunnel etc, if they binned 10 front wings before the one that made it to the first race, this could be a way to get some of that money back. Sell the sub f1 designs on to arabs with to much money.
Good on em methinks.
Id say that its more a way to defray some of the expense of the F1 team. All that time in the wind tunnel etc, if they binned 10 front wings before the one that made it to the first race, this could be a way to get some of that money back. Sell the sub f1 designs on to arabs with to much money.
Good on em methinks.
Having read the other posts on this thread, what a lump of grumpy moaners.
FFS so it is expensive, so you will never own it and can't see the point. So what it is like nothing else, will be like little else, will be all sold and make money for Lotus. Who need cash pretty desperately at the moment.
This is supposed to be Pistonheads all about speed, not accounting monthly. *apologies to all accountants offended by this comment, just seems money is not the most important thing here.
Enjoy the difference, this is Lotus producing something a little crazy and why the bloody hell not. At least as first line says it is not another Exige/Elise special edition.
FFS so it is expensive, so you will never own it and can't see the point. So what it is like nothing else, will be like little else, will be all sold and make money for Lotus. Who need cash pretty desperately at the moment.
This is supposed to be Pistonheads all about speed, not accounting monthly. *apologies to all accountants offended by this comment, just seems money is not the most important thing here.
Enjoy the difference, this is Lotus producing something a little crazy and why the bloody hell not. At least as first line says it is not another Exige/Elise special edition.
I'm struggling to get my head around this.
Isn't there an operation near to Lotus that runs old Lotus F1 cars for things like Thoroughbred Grand Prix? Is that so in demand from wealthy people that Lotus have thought they'd cash in by offering this as an alternative or competitior to that?
It's to show the Lotus customer base there's a link between Lotus road cars and motorsport?
How does this private F1 car relate to:
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...
Perhaps it'll all make sense in time?
Isn't there an operation near to Lotus that runs old Lotus F1 cars for things like Thoroughbred Grand Prix? Is that so in demand from wealthy people that Lotus have thought they'd cash in by offering this as an alternative or competitior to that?
It's to show the Lotus customer base there's a link between Lotus road cars and motorsport?
How does this private F1 car relate to:
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...
Perhaps it'll all make sense in time?
It's obvious that this is a marketing exercise that is designed to raise the Lotus profile. This will be part of their plan to take the brand upmarket and introduce more expensive models to compete with the 911 and Ferraris.
This story needs a 'ring time
This story needs a 'ring time
Edited by Andrew[MG] on Monday 9th August 16:33
I have no problem with Lotus releasing pretty pictures of cars (and until they actually build the thing, that's all this is).
My issue is with why on earth they would choose to build something like an F1 car. Imagine trying to make the best possible track day car - it doesn't have to be road legal, it doesn't have to comply with any racing regulations.
Do you honestly think that car would look anything like an F1 car?
My issue is with why on earth they would choose to build something like an F1 car. Imagine trying to make the best possible track day car - it doesn't have to be road legal, it doesn't have to comply with any racing regulations.
Do you honestly think that car would look anything like an F1 car?
Few quick thoughts
Agree with lotus-going-upmarket comment. That was the strategy of that new American guy who took over earlier in the year who used to be head of marketing for Ferrari (Danny Bahl or something like that was is his name).
Secondly, kinda cool idea, but hope we still see a new Esprit in Paris
Thirdly, the folks at autoblog reckon the Exo's club is just a way of lotus skirting the F1 testing ban, given how similar it is to the t127
Agree with lotus-going-upmarket comment. That was the strategy of that new American guy who took over earlier in the year who used to be head of marketing for Ferrari (Danny Bahl or something like that was is his name).
Secondly, kinda cool idea, but hope we still see a new Esprit in Paris
Thirdly, the folks at autoblog reckon the Exo's club is just a way of lotus skirting the F1 testing ban, given how similar it is to the t127
Cooper500 said:
If they sell all 25 units (which i am sure they will), think of the increase in turnover for Lotus.
They would have to sell roughly 375 Exige's to turn that kind of money at the current speculated price.
Hopefully profits will be used to fuel the new anticipated projects. Great car.
They would have to sell roughly 375 Exige's to turn that kind of money at the current speculated price.
Hopefully profits will be used to fuel the new anticipated projects. Great car.
And to echo another PHer, I'd like to see them finished in a series of Lotus liveries - BRG and yellow, Red and white 'Gold Leaf', JPS black and gold, Essex Petroleum blue over silver with red stripes, and Camel yellow and blue.
That's five iconic liveries. Twenty-five cars in total. Five in each livery. Perfect.
They tried this before, actually, back in the '60s (although annoyingly I can't find a picture on the internet but it's detailed in the Haynes Lotus book), fitting lights and cycle-wing mudguards to a Type 25 F1 car. IIRC they only made one as on the road it was almost undrivable - suspension way too hard, no ground clearence, zero visibility.
This was before track days, of course.
Frimley111R said:
Andy T said:
So I'm still confused, it sends out all the wrong messages for me.
What confuses you and what are the wrong messages?They made a super expensive track day weapon for rich bods that looks like an F1 car and goes like one too no doubt. It's easier to manage/'live with' than an F1 too. They'll be sold in no time and at a nice profit too and the brand will be exposed to the rich boys. I can't see any negatives apart from not painting it green and yellow.
The message it sends out is that Lotus are no longer a manufacturer of lightweight sportscars that the average person could afford. It seems with this and the previous news about £60k 7 type cars (seemingly a reworked Aspid!) and the statements about ditching the chapman ethos with heavier, more expensive cars, we might be losing what Lotus have always been good at and should be focusing on now of all times.
"See that pile of s
t F1 car propping up the grid last week? Yes?"
"Well, you too could own something not quite as good as that. For just £600,000 you can do a few trackdays a year in something made of composite with an engine that'll self destruct in 4000 miles that isn't K series powered like your Elise"
I don't really believe that petrolheads with that kind of disposable income for a toy will be too amazed by this. After all, if all they want is a handful of trackdays a year they can buy the real thing for far less.
Maybe it'll sell it's allocation, maybe it won't. I suppose Lotus want the press exposure but you have to ask- are Lotus really putting the cart before the horse and trying to prance their reputatoin before they've even managed to build one?
Years ago maybe Lotus had the international cache, but years and years of mediocre output (in terms of being viewed in the same stable as Porsche, Ferrari et al) have taken that away. They need to build up a profitable line up of reasonable volume production models before vanity exercises such as this.
t F1 car propping up the grid last week? Yes?""Well, you too could own something not quite as good as that. For just £600,000 you can do a few trackdays a year in something made of composite with an engine that'll self destruct in 4000 miles that isn't K series powered like your Elise"
I don't really believe that petrolheads with that kind of disposable income for a toy will be too amazed by this. After all, if all they want is a handful of trackdays a year they can buy the real thing for far less.
Maybe it'll sell it's allocation, maybe it won't. I suppose Lotus want the press exposure but you have to ask- are Lotus really putting the cart before the horse and trying to prance their reputatoin before they've even managed to build one?
Years ago maybe Lotus had the international cache, but years and years of mediocre output (in terms of being viewed in the same stable as Porsche, Ferrari et al) have taken that away. They need to build up a profitable line up of reasonable volume production models before vanity exercises such as this.
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