RE: Lotus: The perils of a hands-on CEO
Discussion
Roger Irrelevant said:
'm amazed that the 'I sign off every car personally' defence worked - it seems pretty much an admission that he'll do it again!
As it was reported in the local press, the part of the Magistrates' dressing down was a warning that he should restrict such assessment to the test track, in future.8V085 said:
100 mph, the speed above which kittens die and PH goes into self-righteous outrage mode. Also the speed at which an average German mum does a school run and an average German father commutes at (if they can't afford a faster car).
YupPH is really sad these days. I wtf is wrong with all these snowflakes? I wish they'd sod off over to Brake or somewhere I don't have to keep scrolling past their PC crap.
Leggy said:
People moan about the age of the Elise platform but consider how far back you can trace the ones from Morgan and Caterham. They are both stuck in a time warp.
Morgan run two platforms, of course (three if you include the trike, but that's not their design)... and ironically the most modern one owes an awful lot to Lotus-developed technology.Gecko1978 said:
Guybrush said:
Shame such a jobsworth booked him; I am pretty sure the driving wasn't dangerous. I wonder if in Italy, factory test drivers on the public roads have to worry about such a thing. I doubt it.
I went to Pagani a few years ago when they had just unveiled the Zonda R track only model. While we were being shown around they fired it up opened the factory gates an went out onto the open roads. I asked what about the police an our guide smiled an said they just get out of the way
Gecko1978 said:
I went to Pagani a few years ago when they had just unveiled the Zonda R track only model. While we were being shown around they fired it up opened the factory gates an went out onto the open roads. I asked what about the police an our guide smiled an said they just get out of the way
So true!I've seen prototype Ferraris buzzing round the roads near Maranello numerous times, at great speed and zero action from the Polizia. If anything I reckon they actively encourage it!
Agent XXX said:
Gecko1978 said:
I went to Pagani a few years ago when they had just unveiled the Zonda R track only model. While we were being shown around they fired it up opened the factory gates an went out onto the open roads. I asked what about the police an our guide smiled an said they just get out of the way
So true!I've seen prototype Ferraris buzzing round the roads near Maranello numerous times, at great speed and zero action from the Polizia. If anything I reckon they actively encourage it!
SidewaysSi said:
The good police of Munich do the same with BMW test drivers. Lots of oversteer and manic speeds but the police turn a blind eye.
It's an interesting one. The police exist to serve the local community. The local community has an interest in local businesses thriving and employing people. And there's a lot more profit to be made on fast, exciting cars than boring commodity ones. So if they can 'assist' in the development of marketable products without there being too many crashes, that seems a justifiable balance :-)Leggy said:
Yes they are profitable, but small. Lotus was and should be a bigger company than them. And won’t achieve proper big growth making the same old products. People moan about the age of the Elise platform but consider how far back you can trace the ones from Morgan and Caterham. They are both stuck in a time warp.
This is the perfect strategy and with the benefit of component sharing will make them profitable. And with better consistent supply quality comes reduced warranty costs saving more money and retaining customers. Have you seen the transformation to Volvo products. They are easily better than their German competitors.
Would be a shame not to see an Elise type car in the mix though, after all it got their mojo back in the first place.
I'd argue that Caterham and Morgan are the size they are because that is just the limit of the market. How many sports car companies are bigger than Lotus and also profitable? Porsche is the only one I can think of and they made a lot of money in unrelated investments and got the Cayenne on sale when the only real competitors were Range Rover and Mercedes. Everyone other manufacturer that make sports cars either makes regular cars too or is owned by a company that does.This is the perfect strategy and with the benefit of component sharing will make them profitable. And with better consistent supply quality comes reduced warranty costs saving more money and retaining customers. Have you seen the transformation to Volvo products. They are easily better than their German competitors.
Would be a shame not to see an Elise type car in the mix though, after all it got their mojo back in the first place.
It is not the handling and ride the CEO needs to test.
It is the godawful interiors.
Recently looked at buying an Exige S V6. Looked incredible, drove incredible, sounded incredible... but the inside is like something from a gokart. You just can't take family, friends or clients out for a spin, the interior is plain embarrassing.
They only have to raise the quality to halfway between an Alfa 4C and a Porsche Cayman and Lotus will see an instant jump in sales and profit.
And, yes, they can do it and still keep the car "light enough".
It is the godawful interiors.
Recently looked at buying an Exige S V6. Looked incredible, drove incredible, sounded incredible... but the inside is like something from a gokart. You just can't take family, friends or clients out for a spin, the interior is plain embarrassing.
They only have to raise the quality to halfway between an Alfa 4C and a Porsche Cayman and Lotus will see an instant jump in sales and profit.
And, yes, they can do it and still keep the car "light enough".
Good luck to Lotus, let's hope they get the new model right and get people out of their default clinical grey Porsches and help support the UK car industry, bringing some diversity back to our roads. I think the 100mph comments are successfully getting lots of bites they set out to! The CEO chap has got a tough job on his hands but it won't be all on his shoulders, it's up to everyone at Lotus to make it work and if a SUV is needed to help them so be it! A new Lotus and TVR in the next couple years, great PH news!
EDLT said:
I'd argue that Caterham and Morgan are the size they are because that is just the limit of the market. How many sports car companies are bigger than Lotus and also profitable? Porsche is the only one I can think of and they made a lot of money in unrelated investments and got the Cayenne on sale when the only real competitors were Range Rover and Mercedes. Everyone other manufacturer that make sports cars either makes regular cars too or is owned by a company that does.
worth emphasising that the 911, Boxster and Cayman together account for less than 25% of sales. One suv model alone sells more than all the sports cars combined.Yipper said:
It is not the handling and ride the CEO needs to test.
It is the godawful interiors.
Recently looked at buying an Exige S V6. Looked incredible, drove incredible, sounded incredible... but the inside is like something from a gokart. You just can't take family, friends or clients out for a spin, the interior is plain embarrassing.
They only have to raise the quality to halfway between an Alfa 4C and a Porsche Cayman and Lotus will see an instant jump in sales and profit.
And, yes, they can do it and still keep the car "light enough".
You would be embarrassed to take a family member or friend out in an Exige because of its interior? Jesus wept!It is the godawful interiors.
Recently looked at buying an Exige S V6. Looked incredible, drove incredible, sounded incredible... but the inside is like something from a gokart. You just can't take family, friends or clients out for a spin, the interior is plain embarrassing.
They only have to raise the quality to halfway between an Alfa 4C and a Porsche Cayman and Lotus will see an instant jump in sales and profit.
And, yes, they can do it and still keep the car "light enough".
SidewaysSi said:
Agent XXX said:
Gecko1978 said:
I went to Pagani a few years ago when they had just unveiled the Zonda R track only model. While we were being shown around they fired it up opened the factory gates an went out onto the open roads. I asked what about the police an our guide smiled an said they just get out of the way
So true!I've seen prototype Ferraris buzzing round the roads near Maranello numerous times, at great speed and zero action from the Polizia. If anything I reckon they actively encourage it!
I have and I came to learn the BMW test routes quite well...hell the i8 test route was pretty much my journey to work.
Your statement above isn't quite the truth...
Yipper said:
It is not the handling and ride the CEO needs to test.
It is the godawful interiors.
Recently looked at buying an Exige S V6. Looked incredible, drove incredible, sounded incredible... but the inside is like something from a gokart. You just can't take family, friends or clients out for a spin, the interior is plain embarrassing.
They only have to raise the quality to halfway between an Alfa 4C and a Porsche Cayman and Lotus will see an instant jump in sales and profit.
And, yes, they can do it and still keep the car "light enough".
I've just bought an Evora 400 and I love the interior. Really nice seats, pretty well laid out, has everything you NEED in a drivers car and none of the distracting stuff that you don't. The sat-nav works well enough and there is the option of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support as well.It is the godawful interiors.
Recently looked at buying an Exige S V6. Looked incredible, drove incredible, sounded incredible... but the inside is like something from a gokart. You just can't take family, friends or clients out for a spin, the interior is plain embarrassing.
They only have to raise the quality to halfway between an Alfa 4C and a Porsche Cayman and Lotus will see an instant jump in sales and profit.
And, yes, they can do it and still keep the car "light enough".
As a place to be I think it is nicer than the MY16 V12 Vantage S we have in a lot of ways - the look of the Aston interior is more visually impressive, but the Lotus one is easier to operate on the move, more comfortable, and actually for motorway driving seems to be a bit more refined too - less wind noise, less fidgety over bumps, and easier to reach cruise control.
If you want automatic everything, 'not paying attention and drifting off the road' lane assist and braking, etc, then you're missing the point of a Lotus.
Jellinek said:
Speeding on public roads for a man in his position is disgraceful. Attempting to justify it as necessary, ridiculous.
Potentially launching a new ‘poster car’ project in the company’s present state is deluded if that’s what he’s implying, as is his belief he represents the best person to sign off a car.
My prediction is that Gales will spend the next 2 years burning through Geely’s cash with no profits and only succeed in delivering under-developed product which will alienate even more customers and reinforce the company’s existing reputation for poor quality. Sadly, I feel hIs new plan, just like his old one, is not viable.
I'm not sure what your point is? This reads like your suggesting the current lack of large profits is a good reason why they shouldn't move into a more profitable area of the market. It also sounds like your suggesting they should spend less money to avoid under developing products. How can they win? Potentially launching a new ‘poster car’ project in the company’s present state is deluded if that’s what he’s implying, as is his belief he represents the best person to sign off a car.
My prediction is that Gales will spend the next 2 years burning through Geely’s cash with no profits and only succeed in delivering under-developed product which will alienate even more customers and reinforce the company’s existing reputation for poor quality. Sadly, I feel hIs new plan, just like his old one, is not viable.
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