Thursday 8th August 2013

Lotus: we're hiring

Lotus enters "a period of strengthening" with 10 per cent increase in workforce

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Accepted wisdom would have it that Lotus's Hethel base is a place of static production lines of half finished Evoras and a fancy new test track where you're more likely to see tumbleweed circulating than test mules for new models. And staff twiddling their thumbs with CVs in the top drawer of their desk, ready to roll.

Not so, says Lotus. In fact, 'we're hiring!'

Exige S Roadster among new models

In a bullish press release issued late yesterday it's confirmed it'll be taking on over 100 new staff, comprising 45 specialist engineers, 40 'manufacturing operatives' and 18 graduates. As Lotus embarks on what HR chief Mark Pym describes as "a period of strengthening" the recruitment drive is said to be "in response to increased global demand for its sports cars and an anticipated rise in interest in its engineering consultancy services."

Off the back of a claimed £100m investment by DRB-HICOM, chief operating officer Aslam Farikullah says "It's been a period of substantial change at Lotus and we are now in a strong position to expand our work on future products and to increase production in our manufacturing facilities. We want Lotus to be at the forefront of the global automotive industry and for us to remain competitive, we will introduce more exciting products."

The latter remain, for the moment, derivatives of existing ones like the new Elise S Club Racer, Exige S Roadster and Evora Sports Racer. And in the wake of Bahar's 'extravagant' expansion plans expect a more conservative evolution.

But, hey, it's good news from Hethel. And it's been a while since we've had that. And if you fancy joining in Lotus is accepting applications via its website.

[k-ink]

Lotus should make a small proper hot hatch: 800-1000kg, 200bhp, compact - smaller than a MINI. They would sell millions of them.

[itcaptainslow]

k-ink said:

Lotus should make a small proper hot hatch: 800-1000kg, 200bhp, compact - smaller than a MINI. They would sell millions of them.

+1 to this. Exactly what they need I think!

[vit4]

k-ink said:

Lotus should make a small proper hot hatch: 800-1000kg, 200bhp, compact - smaller than a MINI. They would sell millions of them.

If they made sure it was screwed together properly that would be fantastic - big development costs though I presume?

[kambites]

vit4 said:

k-ink said:

Lotus should make a small proper hot hatch: 800-1000kg, 200bhp, compact - smaller than a MINI. They would sell millions of them.

If they made sure it was screwed together properly that would be fantastic - big development costs though I presume?

Not just big development costs, big production costs too because they wouldn't be mass-producing most of the components for a mainstream car. If a company the size of Lotus tried to go up against something like the Golf GTi, I suspect they'd have to charge over 30k for the thing to break even.

The last thing Lotus can afford to do is try to compete directly with mass-manufacturers.

[anonymous-user]

No they dont, if you want a hot hatch go to Ford, VW, Renault as that fight will only end up in a big loss for Lotus.

What they need is to have an Esprit in the lineup that will compliment the product lineup. Elise > Evora > Esprit. That is all they need.

[Ozzie Osmond]

"In a bullish press release.... in response to increased global demand for its sports cars and an anticipated rise in interest in its engineering consultancy services. It's been a period of substantial change at Lotus and we are now in a strong position to expand our work on future products and to increase production in our manufacturing facilities."

Sounds like pure Dany Bahar-speak. Let's hope they truly are selling more cars and not just dreaming.

[scampbird]

Lotus are forever shedding staff and then rehiring, its well known for it in Norfolk. I file this under "not news" personally.

[kambites]

Am I the only one who read that as "in a bullst press release..."

[Ozzie Osmond]

sugerbear said:

Elise > Evora > Esprit. That is all they need.

Hmmm. How about that "new" Exige V6?

IMO there are two things they need and quick: new Elise and new Esprit. My money says they're recruiting for the new Elise.

[kambites]

If they were to replace the Elise, what should they do differently? If they push it upmarket in terms of luxury and usability, they risk competing head-on with the Boxster (and the Evora). If they don't, why replace the basic architecture at all?

In the sector in which the Elise competes, I don't think there's much point in replacing the tub for the sake of it. They need to have a reason.

Edited by kambites on Thursday 8th August 10:50

[Iroquois Plisken]

A shame that I'm 100 miles away from Hethel, otherwise I'd be submitting my CV.

[Dickster]

For me they just need an Evora Roadster and the Esprit sorting out. I reckon that'd help them hugely.

[LuS1fer]

They should make a "new" Caterham but better, like a Donkevoort.

[anonymous-user]

Ozzie Osmond said:

sugerbear said:

Elise > Evora > Esprit. That is all they need.

Hmmm. How about that "new" Exige V6?

IMO there are two things they need and quick: new Elise and new Esprit. My money says they're recruiting for the new Elise.

Good point and really points to the problems of having cars that compete with each other, none of the low volume manufactures should be doing that.

So I would drop the evora and do the following.

1. Elise 4 pot (£35k price point) > Elise V6 (50k price point) > Esprit V8 (80k price point)

[kambites]

sugerbear said:

Good point and really points to the problems of having cars that compete with each other, none of the low volume manufactures should be doing that.

So I would drop the evora and do the following.

1. Elise 4 pot (£35k price point) > Elise V6 (50k price point) > Esprit V8 (80k price point)

I'd say the Exige V6 competes far more with the Elise than with the Evora.

[Impasse]

Dig out your CV and have a rummage through this clicky.

Whilst here, why has it taken PH so long to catch up with this news and ignored the releases from a while ago, even though sister site Autocar reproduced the stories Lotus Future secured (although the figures are pessimistically inaccurate) and Lotus Announce 100 new jobs.

With the "Winding Up Order" debacle of a story back in May that was never properly apologised for, I do sometimes question why PH seems to relish any bad news out of Hethel yet appears reluctant to support any positive stories? Can anyone explain this perceived negative bias?

[GranCab]

Elise 4 pot should start at no more than £25K - I think all the development costs have been amortised by now ...

[PascalBuyens]

Hmm.. Senior Engineer - Vehicle Dynamics...

Wondering if having owned an Elise S1, thoroughly driven on track, engine changed, suspension setup totally changed, qualifies me as an Engineer?

Edited by PascalBuyens on Thursday 8th August 11:15

[kambites]

GranCab said:

Elise 4 pot should start at no more than £25K - I think all the development costs have been amortised by now ...

I think the current start point is £27k, so you aren't a million miles off. I wouldn't be surprised if you could haggle a dealer down to £25k.

[MX7]

As ever, I'm very confused by Lotus. They have registered 122 UK cars this year.

I hope my concerns are unfounded.