RE: Group Lotus PLC may be wound up
Discussion
I think Lotus not bothering to turn up to the Geneva Motor Show and not releasing the new Esprit spells the end sadly even if they carry on after this the accounts are in charge and thats never good. Bahar was an idiot at times but that Esprit would make them a lot of money and the new guys just don't understand that!
RTH said:
The former Renault team does not receive any money from Group Lotus - they both see it as just good publicity for each party to use the name.
I find that very hard to believe, in the big money dog-eat-dog world of F1.AllNines said:
The former Renault team was loaned a large sum of money by Proton in return for using the Lotus branding.
That's interesting, and much more believable.Edited by Ozzie Osmond on Monday 18th March 14:24
Nick644 said:
The Elise and Evora have much the same problems and just aren't particularly comfortable, (
The Evora is VERY comfortable in that it feels like a saloon car (and a plush one at that) when you are driving it like one. It really is a car with 2 very different characters, absolutely brilliant and just such a shame that more people weren't willing to give them a try. Lotus had little difficulty selling them to be people who tried them, but seemingly couldn't get the people to try them.Edited by Nick644 on Monday 18th March 13:14
zebedee said:
The Evora is VERY comfortable in that it feels like a saloon car (and a plush one at that) when you are driving it like one. It really is a car with 2 very different characters, absolutely brilliant and just such a shame that more people weren't willing to give them a try. Lotus had little difficulty selling them to be people who tried them, but seemingly couldn't get the people to try them.
Particularly in MY12 form. Drove an S IPS with Premium Sport interior a while back and the ride quality even with the 19/20" wheels was easily better than my dads V8 Vantage. The Premium Sports seats were a nice step up over the older ones as well, really nice soft leather.Thorburn said:
Particularly in MY12 form. Drove an S IPS with Premium Sport interior a while back and the ride quality even with the 19/20" wheels was easily better than my dads V8 Vantage. The Premium Sports seats were a nice step up over the older ones as well, really nice soft leather.
Yes, I realised after I included the Evora in the same sentence as the Elise, that it is the most comfortable of all the Lotus products and the only one I haven't been in. However, I stand by my statement regarding the Exige and Elise.Just out of interest, would you buy another Evora after your current day to day experience with it, or in a couple of years time would you be tempted with one of the German rivals? Just wonder?
zebedee said:
The Evora is VERY comfortable in that it feels like a saloon car (and a plush one at that) when you are driving it like one. It really is a car with 2 very different characters, absolutely brilliant and just such a shame that more people weren't willing to give them a try. Lotus had little difficulty selling them to be people who tried them, but seemingly couldn't get the people to try them.
I tried it but couldn't bring myself to buy it. Biggest obstacle to sales IMO is compromises which result from the 2+2 packaging, especially the exterior styling. And the price list is somewhat ambitious too.Ozzie Osmond said:
I tried it but couldn't bring myself to buy it. Biggest obstacle to sales IMO is compromises which result from the 2+2 packaging, especially the exterior styling. And the price list is somewhat ambitious too.
Styling is subjective, I love it and just bought my son a 1:24 model of it! Also love the fact that I could chuck 2 kids back there and go and have some fun, I see that as a bonus, not a compromise. I don't have a problem with price because I would choose it over a 911 (and prefer the looks) and given that the 4C looks like being a similar price for a much smaller engine and presumably much smaller car and given the price of the XF etc I'm not sure it really is as far out of its segment as people seem to think it is. Nick644 said:
Just out of interest, would you buy another Evora after your current day to day experience with it, or in a couple of years time would you be tempted with one of the German rivals? Just wonder?
Don't own an Evora myself. Would love to at some point, but opted to stick with my Elise and put the money in to a house instead for now.zebedee said:
Nick644 said:
The Elise and Evora have much the same problems and just aren't particularly comfortable, (
The Evora is VERY comfortable in that it feels like a saloon car (and a plush one at that) when you are driving it like one. It really is a car with 2 very different characters, absolutely brilliant and just such a shame that more people weren't willing to give them a try. Lotus had little difficulty selling them to be people who tried them, but seemingly couldn't get the people to try them.Edited by Nick644 on Monday 18th March 13:14
I almost feel that Lotus need to build a 'Halo' car. Something expensive, super high quality, (aka Mclaren with its bespoke Carbon fibre), to create the all important perceived quality to get people to try cars such as the Evora. Having owned several Porsches I always have the impression that for the price Lotus simply can't compete on quality levels and it therefore puts me off having Lotus on my shopping list. I guess having owned a new TVR Tuscan once upon a time, my experience was so painful, I am rather reticent to risk a repeat experience. I also feel Lotus have many of the problems TVR had just before its demise.
I wonder whether a company like Tata might be interested? Another British home grown brand, still has a great name, (helped with Kimi Raikennon winning last weekend!). A pure lightweight sports car brand below Jaguar. Buy the company at a knock down price, invest properly in it, much like Land Rover, apply its clever use of aluminium to the Lotus structure as well as economies of scale from its other two brands......seems like a good fit to me. Tata are certainly on a roll. A Range Rover for the daily commute and a Lotus for a bit of weekend fun? Appeals to me! Still an international brand so undoubtedly would appeal to the Chinese and Middle East, surely?
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