Where does Evora fit into Lotus's future?

[Throttle Body]

Lotus have announced lots of new models, but I haven't seen anything about whether the Evora will be retained. Much as I like it, I am not sure that it really fits in with the up-market image they are trying to achieve. I suppose that the new Elan will probably replace it.

[Mr Purple]

I was ready to purchase the evora sc but wanted to see what was coming at paris as i was told about the new era of cars. I dont really see how i can now buy the evora sc as it doesnt make financial sense to me . My car would lose several thousand driving it off the forecourt , then lose further all the way to the new elan launch in 2-3 years. The drop would be worse yet again being an older era of car if i then sell or trade. Now i expect to lose money on all my cars i buy , but i have a hunch i will be losing even more on this deal than normal. I am going to run my elise to the elan launch now , why o why cant i get the elan next year - guess it is lotus .

[08sag]

Same for me> I was ready to order the Evora S, but now I am just confused. It will be a cracking car but I am worried I will be left with something that may be seriously devalued. I guess what we need is some sort of clear communication from Lotus as to where the Evora fits in the overall range and what the longer term commitment is.

[Tuna]

From what I've heard of the prices, the Elan isn't a replacement for the Evora - it will cost 20K more than the equivalent specced car. So maybe it's the 911 to the Evora's Cayman?

I've heard that the Evora is holding it's price well as a second hand car - there aren't many of them and like the Elise they age well. After a few bargains were around when the launch edition cars were passed on, prices look good.

As the only car with a release date is the Esprit (if you can call '2013' a date - it's pretty vague), it doesn't look like the Elan will be on garage forecourts in much under four years. By that time there will be new cars from most of the other manufacturers, so the Evora will keep its value much like any other four year old sports car.

If you really don't want to loose money buying a vehicle, a two year old Nissan Micra is a good bet.

[Mr Purple]

Point taken , i just think having watched the launch live online Bahars attitude to the evora sc summed it up really - the evora is overthere at the back somewhere, but here are the cars we really want to talk about all lined up at the front.

[evo4a]

You guys crack me up, you'll never buy anything as something better is always 2 years away.

[Bibs_LEF]

I asked at the launch about plans for the Evora and the response is in this article. They were seriously taken aback when I suggested that the Elan was a replacement, genuinely too.

http://www.thelotusforums.com/latest-news/lotus-ca...

There's a solid place for the car in the future lineup, they've lots of plans for it. In fairness, the LE cars are around 12 months old now and you'll not see one for less than £45k. 75% residual after 12 month is solid, not many cars can match that!

Edited by Bibs_LEF on Sunday 3rd October 14:47

[08sag]

Thanks for the responses: I must admit it does feel a lot more positive having seen these. Just get a drive now in the S and its probably sorted for a purchase.

[Throttle Body]

Bibs_LEF said:

There's a solid place for the car in the future lineup, they've lots of plans for it.

I'm glad about that. It would be good to see more on the road, though. I hope that the new S takes off.

You mention lots of plans for the Evora. Does this mean more variants, or just motorsport activity?

Edited by Throttle Body on Sunday 3rd October 22:21

[chapmancolin]

Hi

I also think the Evora S is the Cayman S, and the Elan could be the 911.
I questionned myself for the same reasons, and I hope the Evora will not be considered as the "old generation range", even when the style is effectively dated.
Actually, nobody knows if that new range will going really into production, it's far too big for Lotus at his time, they are not the Volwagen Group with their manpower.
I will not purchase my fun-car with rational and long-dated wiews : CARPE DIEM
The Evora range could effectively be stopped in 2015, but it's the same with many other cars, and I don't want to spend so much more money for an Elan.

So I signed for my Evora S for March 2011 delivery, and hope it will be the good decision !!!!!!!!????????

Come on BIBS and co

Gil

[dandarez]

Throttle Body said:

Bibs_LEF said:

There's a solid place for the car in the future lineup, they've lots of plans for it.

I'm glad about that. It would be good to see more on the road, though. I hope that the new S takes off.

You mention lots of plans for the Evora. Does this mean more variants, or just motorsport activity?

If this weekend gone is anything to go by, the Evora ain't delivering in motorsport!

Just watched the Silverstone 24 Hours race and when I came away at 23 hours, the works green and yellow liveried Lotus Evora was trailing very poorly in 45th position.

The British marque (of the moment) and long standing Lotus rival, Ginetta, however was jumping up and down with joy as the new Ginetta G40 was in 10th position. (just heard it came 12th at the end and won its class, not sure if the Evora bettered its 45th if it completed the epic).

Ginetta carries on it's tradition... Lotus loses the plot? We shall see as only time will tell. I wonder if Chapman is spinning?

[simonrockman]

The long article on Lotus in this months EVO says the Evora is to die in 2013

[Redlake27]

With Lotus claiming the Evora will die in 3 years, it gives me two choices:

1) Hope this announcement creates Europa style depreciation and I can swap my Cayman for a sub £30K Evora in a year or so

2) Hold on and save for the Elan in 4 years instead of an Evora S in 2.

It has just killed my desire for a new or demo Evora though....

[Mr Purple]

well i,m not suprised the evora is on its way out , i cant see lotus developing it any further other than a convertible version , its simply become an infill model until the esprit / elan models. Its a shame really as i quite liked it and was going to buy , but cant now so i'll sit on my cash and see what happens.

[simonrockman]

I don't think things will go to plan. I suspect that in 2012/2013 when they realise that the replacement models are further off than they hoped we'll see a massive kick in pushing the Evora with significantly more power.

Remember that today's Elises have twice as much power as the Elise was launched with.


Simon

[Gabber]

I think the reason for not buying an Evora now because it maybe out of production in a couple of years is a bit strange. Never heard anyone saying no I'm not going to buy this BMW or Porsche or any other make because in four years time there will be a completely new model out. It is pretty normal to get new models out every four/five years !

Edited by Gabber on Thursday 14th October 19:50

[Throttle Body]

simonrockman said:

I don't think things will go to plan. I suspect that in 2012/2013 when they realise that the replacement models are further off than they hoped we'll see a massive kick in pushing the Evora with significantly more power. Simon

I agree that it is unlikely that the full line-up of new cars will appear, or appear on time. If Lotus can get two of them on the market, they will have done a great job. For me, the Esprit is the key product because of its iconic status. I think that a new Elise, competing with the Audi TT is important too, because that is probably the most profitable sector. Since the Evora is somewhere inbetween, I expect that it would be kept going beyond 2013 so long as there is capacity to build it.

Still, there is (at least) 3 years more production of the Evora, so I don't think anyone should see it as a stop-gap product. To me, the 'S' is the car that Lotus should have built from the start.

[Sicob]

2013 is the end. It doesn't fit in the line-up. I think to already signify it's demise this early on will impact ongoing sales too. I don't think it's hit the mark for Lotus in any category, luke warm response in terms of sales, and motorsport success is not happening. Great car but it seems the focus for them is on the new models, which I think is a bit of a shame to write the evora off both directly and indirectly.

[Tuna]

Sicob said:

2013 is the end. It doesn't fit in the line-up. I think to already signify it's demise this early on will impact ongoing sales too. I don't think it's hit the mark for Lotus in any category, luke warm response in terms of sales, and motorsport success is not happening. Great car but it seems the focus for them is on the new models, which I think is a bit of a shame to write the evora off both directly and indirectly.

It's a bit early to call the death of the Evora. For the next few years (years, not months), it's the fastest, most comfortable and most advanced Lotus you can buy. Bad luck or them launching in the middle of a recession, but it's clearly not dampened their enthusiasm for development.

It seems strange to fret about motorsport success so early in a car's lifespan. Does anyone launch an entirely new platform and immediately win every series they enter?

That said, for a marketing guy, Bahar seems to have scored an own goal with this re-launch. I can understand the aim to reposition the brand, and that it will take some time to convince the public that Lotus are in a different league. However, with no metal on the roads for at least a couple of years he's dropped the whole company into limbo. Still, where would we be without another five year plan?

[Raja]

2013 the end for the evora? wow! the new elan looks interesting but i was thinking a special edition run out evora s convertible if priced midway between the elise and elan would sell well.