RE: Proton Dealers to Stock Lotuses?
Discussion
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all this boils down to is the fact my chum with a new boxster will say you've bought a proton, nice proton etc etc which really would f*** me off having spent £26k. Wouldnt get a chance to say how the handling, performance etc trashes his girly car as it would be proton proton proton proooooton
fickle and shallow but real life. you dont buy an armani suit from burtons.....
If the new Lotus does trash the Porche, take the ribbing, and rip into him for having a car that loses out to a PROTON
Didn't the JD Power survey thing put Lotus near the bottom mainly because it's dealer network was so bad? My experience of Lotus dealers has been very poor indeed (though they are terribly nice and friendly if you look like you're going to hand over a few grand to them).
I'd be more worried if Lotus announced it was going to launch 'prestige' dealers where you have to look like a Porsche owner to be allowed in.
After all, isn't it about how the car drives? (And BTW Lotus, where's the new model please?)
Anyway, there isn't a Lotus dealer for miles around here, so I'd be happy.
I'd be more worried if Lotus announced it was going to launch 'prestige' dealers where you have to look like a Porsche owner to be allowed in.
After all, isn't it about how the car drives? (And BTW Lotus, where's the new model please?) Anyway, there isn't a Lotus dealer for miles around here, so I'd be happy.
I think billb was right someone could come upto you in an B Reg Audi and shout PROTON and theyd be right
Cars of different Classes should have prestige and right now Lotus is near the Top as it is sold beside Astons and TVRs
If it is sold besides Protons it would innevitably come down in price and the Wrong people would have them .The 21 year olds in Shell Suits and White caps with blaring music would Modify them with Heavy Speakers and 222 inch spoilers and paint stripes on them.
Would you really like that to happen to our treasured Brittish sports car Marque
I wouldent
Plus Proton might be Shooting themselfs in the Foot by putting lotuses beside their cars it would make potential proton buyers of the protons by seing how bad they are next to Lotus!
Cars of different Classes should have prestige and right now Lotus is near the Top as it is sold beside Astons and TVRs
If it is sold besides Protons it would innevitably come down in price and the Wrong people would have them .The 21 year olds in Shell Suits and White caps with blaring music would Modify them with Heavy Speakers and 222 inch spoilers and paint stripes on them.
Would you really like that to happen to our treasured Brittish sports car Marque
I wouldent
Plus Proton might be Shooting themselfs in the Foot by putting lotuses beside their cars it would make potential proton buyers of the protons by seing how bad they are next to Lotus!
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If it is sold besides Protons it would innevitably come down in price
Ehhh? they are still made by Lotus. As for
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the Wrong people would have them .The 21 year olds in Shell Suits and White caps with blaring music would Modify them with Heavy Speakers and 222 inch spoilers and paint stripes on them. "
You really do talk cr@p sometimes hungryjim.
I would love to know what the "wrong people" are. People that buy lotus are car enthusiasts. They have to be who else would suffer a roof that leaks, no soundproofing, niggles and rattles purely to get the driving experience. I remember buying my Lotus and the dealer looked at me like I fell out of a dogs behind 'cos I was wearing jeans and T-shirt not a suit (they soon changed their tone when they found out I was a car fanatic). Lotus certainly do NOT want the porsche yuppie that bought the car for image (the amount of complaints about problems would be unbelievably bad publicity).
This is why I don't like where Lotus are taking the S2, "lets make it heavier, and add carpets" NOOOOO
Plus the press release/statement from proton managers is that Lotus are developing a new family of engines for proton which will be used in the next generation of Lotuses. They are also designing a new chassis based on bonded ali, for the new Elise and Esprit replacement. Its good that a large reputable company are putting the financial backing into Lotus rather than some of the fiascos that have happened in Lotus shaky history.
I for one want proton to sell the car. Their customer service is fantastic unlike a lot of specialist dealers that believe sports car ownership should contain some form of suffering.
I would say the "right" kind of owner of Lotus wouldn't give a sh*t where they buy the car from provided it produces the thrills you expect.
>> Edited by smeagol on Saturday 3rd August 23:40
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Cars of different Classes should have prestige and right now Lotus is near the Top as it is sold beside Astons and TVRs
You really are just showing how little you know. Stop talking utter sh*t!!
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If it is sold besides Protons it would innevitably come down in price and the Wrong people would have them.
Really, what the f*** are you talking about? They aren't going to put a Proton badge on it you monkey!
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The 21 year olds in Shell Suits and White caps with blaring music would Modify them with Heavy Speakers and 222 inch spoilers and paint stripes on them.
Yes I'm sure every ghetto hoodlum would be able to pay £30k for a sports car won't they? Hungryjim please don't post if you have nothing better to say than utter b*ll*cks.
Sorry about me ranting but I'm just fed up of seeing useless rubbish being posted here!!!
Perhaps not ideal but better than selling Protons in Lotus Dealers.
Of course you young chappies should realise that real Lotus's come to you in bits in a big cardboard box on the back of a truck, its this namby pamby ready made business thats making todays youth into softies who expect wind up windows and heaters and suchlike. Only joking of course but in the sixties you mostly dealt directly with the factory and kept your fingers crossed that you got all the bits, no assembly instructions but if you read the owners manual from the back forward you could work out what to do.
Of course you young chappies should realise that real Lotus's come to you in bits in a big cardboard box on the back of a truck, its this namby pamby ready made business thats making todays youth into softies who expect wind up windows and heaters and suchlike. Only joking of course but in the sixties you mostly dealt directly with the factory and kept your fingers crossed that you got all the bits, no assembly instructions but if you read the owners manual from the back forward you could work out what to do.
No way would i ever drive something i'd put together myself! Don't seem to have too much trouble undoing the hard work of others as it is...
My friend drives a Porsche, and has no hesitation in admitting it is the badge that does the trick over any other consideration. I say he's sadly misguided, but he's still a great guy.
What I'm driving at, in a roundabout sort of way, is that we often have to share our pleasures with people who are arriving from a different direction entirely. The pleasure isn't any less because of this, or if it is then we're guilty of the same offence: liking something for what it says about us rather than what it says to us.
Hmmn...Anyway to summarise, Proton selling Lotus:
My friend drives a Porsche, and has no hesitation in admitting it is the badge that does the trick over any other consideration. I say he's sadly misguided, but he's still a great guy.
What I'm driving at, in a roundabout sort of way, is that we often have to share our pleasures with people who are arriving from a different direction entirely. The pleasure isn't any less because of this, or if it is then we're guilty of the same offence: liking something for what it says about us rather than what it says to us.
Hmmn...Anyway to summarise, Proton selling Lotus:
It would be unfair on the Protons the Lotuses would make them look bad in comparison.
We are witnessing the continual Downturn of the brittish car industry
Jaguar - Making mondeo like Fwd cars and preparing to make estates and Diesels
Rolls Royce and Bentley - Not the leader in Elegance and Luxury any more
Lets not have lotus being sold as an Eastern companys performance Marque
Hopefully one day whoever owns TVR will buy them all and restore the Brittish car industry becuase they seem to inkeep with the Heritage of the Marque
Lets be thankfull ford dont own Lotus
We are witnessing the continual Downturn of the brittish car industry
Jaguar - Making mondeo like Fwd cars and preparing to make estates and Diesels
Rolls Royce and Bentley - Not the leader in Elegance and Luxury any more
Lets not have lotus being sold as an Eastern companys performance Marque
Hopefully one day whoever owns TVR will buy them all and restore the Brittish car industry becuase they seem to inkeep with the Heritage of the Marque
Lets be thankfull ford dont own Lotus
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It would be unfair on the Protons the Lotuses would make them look bad in comparison.
Again what the hell are you talking about? My Lotus dealer also sells Chrysler cars but that hardly distracted me from buying my Elise did it? They are completely different things so you can't say one is better than the other!!
Imagine this:
Typical Proton car buyer walks into the showroom to get a sluggish shopping cart for his wife and the dog. Looks at Proton and then sees an Elise in the corner.
He approaches the salesman and says "My goodness what am I doing buying this Malaysian rubbish, that Lotus in the corner has shown me the light. How could I have been so foolish as to think these Proton cars were fast and sexy! That Lotus has made me decide to buy a Ferrari instead!" He then promptly walks out.
Is this what you were thinking of HungryJim, did the voices tell you this?
Ahhhh the liberal use of the word Heritage .... I love it.
Of course it is all sentimental, bullsh*t - Heritage doesn't pay to design new cars, nor employ more workers or help you develop new engines.
It is a great marketing ploy, it certainly sells cars - but the truth is - far from the portrayal of Jaguar or rolls being swallowed by the evil corporates - the truth is they needed them
as does lotus need proton ffs - get over it guys
proton are getting what they want - lotus are getting what they NEED - money to invest in design, a better network of dealership and crucially some managers who see commercial sucess beyond "heritage"
IMHO -
Of course it is all sentimental, bullsh*t - Heritage doesn't pay to design new cars, nor employ more workers or help you develop new engines.
It is a great marketing ploy, it certainly sells cars - but the truth is - far from the portrayal of Jaguar or rolls being swallowed by the evil corporates - the truth is they needed them
as does lotus need proton ffs - get over it guys
proton are getting what they want - lotus are getting what they NEED - money to invest in design, a better network of dealership and crucially some managers who see commercial sucess beyond "heritage"
IMHO -
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i for one would rather have cars built and desiged through Colin Chapmans Principles than have some heartless designer design them
So why the heck do you want to put 18" wheels on them?
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=15&h=0&t=12074
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I for one would rather have cars built and desiged through Colin Chapmans Principles than have some heartless designer design them
Yes damn those designers, those fiends with their pens and brushes and cold hearts! Come on then HungryJim let's see your passionate, warm designs that stick to the Chapman philosophy..
Go on get the crayons out, you know you want to!
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i for one would rather have cars built and desiged through Colin Chapmans Principles than have some heartless designer design them
So you want a car that if it survives for 2 hours without hic-up then its overdesigned. Colin Chapman was renoun for getting the car to the absolute limit ie if it finished the race there was always something wrong. May I suggest Hungryjim you actually read up Colins history and comments from drivers of his cars.
Colin Chapman was a genius but I certainly wouldn't want to drive a car he designed on the road.
I dont give a flying for heritage. My m100 has metro side repeaters, an isuzu engine and shitloads of bits from a nova. Not 'prestige.' Doesnt make any difference to me cos it looks good, goes fairly quick and starts every morning.
If lotus thinks it can keep afloat in the tough current financial climate and keep making exciting cars, good for 'em. There might eventually be a dealer within 100 miles of me if they go with proton.
If lotus thinks it can keep afloat in the tough current financial climate and keep making exciting cars, good for 'em. There might eventually be a dealer within 100 miles of me if they go with proton.
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