Thursday 8th October 2009

Lotus Tilts At Ferrari's Crown

New chief exec has five year plan to return Lotus to the glory days

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Bahar is the new chief exec at Lotus...

The new chief exec of the Lotus Group Dany Bahar was responsible for Ferrari's global and F1 marketing until a couple of months back, so we're pleased - and not at all surprised - to hear his latest comments about taking Lotus back to the top table.

"Lotus was mentioned in the same sentence as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati in the 1970s to 1990s," he says. "Then it got closed into a corner. We believe it's the right time to bring Lotus back to where it was."

...but he knows a thing or two about Ferrari

According to reports from within the company, Bahar has cooked up a five year plan to bring Lotus back on a par with Ferrari in terms of product and prestige - with the new Evora being described as the turning point for the brand.

Lotus group managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir (yes, really!) has also spoken to Malyasian media on the subject.

"We believe Lotus's potential is in the branding. If you go across the globe, the brand recognition is very strong but we have not lived up it," he said in an interview with members of the Malaysian media in conjunction with the visit by the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin (Malaysia's Sultan) and Tuanku Nur Zahirah (the Sultan's squeeze) to the Lotus plant in Norwich recently.

Malaysia's Head of State

There's no word from Hethel about how long they had to spend practising those names... but if anyone from PH was there, do let us know!

[Walton]

That's all they need a marketing man at the helm...roll on even more special edition elise/exiges.

[ThatPhilBrettGuy]

I like his hat. Looks like a giant busted watch spring.

[hornetrider]

That head of state has a few medals eh. I wonder which war he won them in?

[A911DOM]

I love seeing Lotus's (Lotii) on the road (hailing from Norfolk myself), but they are going to have to produce something a lot better and more 'special' than they do currently to get anywhere near Fezza and Lambo et al.

It hurts me to say it, being a Porsche man obviously, but I think they would find it much easier to take a chunk out of Porsches market, rather than trying to get ideas above their station as 'Supercars'.

No doubt their inclusion in F1 (in name if nothing else), will boost the profile, but it wont make an Evora better than or even equivalent to any current Ferrari/Lambo/Mclaren etc.

Just IMO of course

[Chris71]

I think I'm right in saying Datuk is a salutation - a bit like the Japanese adding san - so you could shorten that guy's name to a comparatively catchy: Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir

[TheEnd]

Danni Behr? from "the word"?

[BoRED S2upid]

Lotus could do a lot worse than employing some ex TVR designers. Spice their designs up a bit.

[tridave]

BoRED S2upid said:

Lotus could do a lot worse than employing some ex TVR designers. Spice their designs up a bit.

no please u not serious

Edited by tridave on Thursday 8th October 13:43

[RobM77]

Walton said:

That's all they need a marketing man at the helm...roll on even more special edition elise/exiges.

I think that's a bit negative. I think the "corner" that Lotus are backed into, as referred to in the article, is endless special editions of the Elise/Exige. The future direction for the company is to broaden their product range with the Evora and Esprit and re-establish themselves in the market. If they succeed, Lotus will not only have a £150k supercar, but also a £25k sports car, which is something I expect Ferrari would dearly like to do, and Porsche too (they tried with the Boxster, but it's now £30k+).

[tridave]

There's no word from Hethel about how long they had to spend practicing those names...


In a norfolk slow drawn out accent it must of taken ages for the introooooooductions

[Doshy]

BoRED S2upid said:

Lotus could do a lot worse than employing some ex TVR designers. Spice their designs up a bit.

That's a joke, right ?

[TheEnd]

A911DOM said:

I love seeing Lotus's (Lotii) on the road (hailing from Norfolk myself)

[DeltaEvo2]

hornetrider said:

That head of state has a few medals eh. I wonder which war he won them in?

Nice one! ;-)

[J111]

Chris71 said:

I think I'm right in saying Datuk is a salutation - a bit like the Japanese adding san - so you could shorten that guy's name to a comparatively catchy: Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir

More or less, it's a federally conferred title, like 'Sir', but I'm pretty sure it's an error in this case iirc he has the state conferred title Dato'.

ETA: http://www.proton.com/about_proton/corp_governance...

Edited by J111 on Thursday 8th October 14:02

[saaby93]

I thought Lotus already had their own special place with a fun 2 seater that's easy to work on. It's like having a grown up meccano set complete with allen key.

Why would they want to try and get into a marketing battle with Lambo Ferrai Porsche? Let them fight their own battles

[glazbagun]

dude said:

"We believe Lotus's potential is in the branding. If you go across the globe, the brand recognition is very strong but we have not lived up it,"

How have they not lived up to it? The Elise, Exige and Evora have been praised to the rafters since their introduction- only the Europa was seen as quirky and not comfortable enough for its intended use. When you see Lotus, you still think "fast, light, great handling, good looking". Or does is he talking about there not being enough lotus-branded laptops/child seats and the like?

[PompeyM3]

Please, please please.... A new Esprit

[chevronb37]

RobM77 said:

Walton said:

That's all they need a marketing man at the helm...roll on even more special edition elise/exiges.

I think that's a bit negative. I think the "corner" that Lotus are backed into, as referred to in the article, is endless special editions of the Elise/Exige. The future direction for the company is to broaden their product range with the Evora and Esprit and re-establish themselves in the market. If they succeed, Lotus will not only have a £150k supercar, but also a £25k sports car, which is something I expect Ferrari would dearly like to do, and Porsche too (they tried with the Boxster, but it's now £30k+).

Luca di Montezemelo has stated many times that going down the price spectrum is not something Ferrari want to do. There won't (if his rhetoric is to be believed) be a successor to the Dino. I can't help but think that the F355 would be a useful reference point for a small Ferrari looking at the escalating size and speed of their "entry-level" car. Imagine a 1000kg high-revving low-capacity flat plane crank V8 in a small weekend play thing priced well below £100k...Can't see it happening though.

Great news that Lotus will be aiming higher. I just hope the build quality and dynamics can match Lambo and Ferrari.

[A911DOM]

TheEnd said:

A911DOM said:

I love seeing Lotus's (Lotii) on the road (hailing from Norfolk myself)

"c0ckP!$$partridge down the side of my car"

I havent aged well

[ErnestM]

A911DOM said:

No doubt their inclusion in F1 (in name if nothing else), will boost the profile, but it wont make an Evora better than or even equivalent to any current Ferrari/Lambo/Mclaren etc.

Just IMO of course

I don't think F1 is the right direction for them. If/when they bring out the new Esprit and if it has the LF-A V10 as is rumoured, perhaps a stab into GT racing/LeMans with a couple of factory works cars might be the right direction...

...F1 after a few years of profitability, maybe. But to me F1 seems like a lot of money for smaller return than what it used to get.

ErnestM

Edited by ErnestM on Thursday 8th October 14:07