RE: 'Evija' name confirmed for Lotus EV hypercar

RE: 'Evija' name confirmed for Lotus EV hypercar

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Discussion

suffolk009

5,344 posts

164 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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Bombjack said:
My thought exactly! But updated for the 21st Century with an *e* prefix. Because in 2019 everything must have e or i in front of it.

suffolk009

5,344 posts

164 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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I'm a big Lotus fan. And I'm looking forward to seeing this car. I understand why they feel the need to market a £2m hypercar.

Personally I'm more excited about the new car in 2020, rumoured to be a new Elise/Exige type on a shortened Evora chassis. So I'll have half a chance of getting in and out with a roof on.

MikeGalos

261 posts

283 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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gigglebug said:
TartanPaint said:
In the context of UK Lotus model range, no, it makes no sense. As a halo product for Geely globally, it makes perfect sense.
Yeah, I wasn't thinking about it like that to honest. Devil's advocate; Wouldn't a car that competed, and was immensely successful, in say the 488, 720S and Aventador or even the Huracan and 570 bracket serve as greater exposure? More potential custom, more YouTube vids/reviews etc and it could still have been a halo product. Or do Geely already have that?
The thing you're missing is the cost of support. A car in the 488 or 720S or Aventador class has to have a dealer repair network with parts and trained mechanics. A car in the hypercar class doesn't. At that level the owners either have a mechanic on staff to maintain their collection or have one on retainer. Given that, Lotus only needs to fly out parts and a specialist or two as needed. And, at that profit per car sold, that's affordable.

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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I 8 a 4RE said:
someone please order stickers that say ZZLE so we can stick them on the end of the name plate.
Only for metallic or pearlescent paint.

gigglebug

2,611 posts

121 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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HighwayStar said:
At this point they don't have enough credibility, they have to start building it. Getting into the minds of potential customers that they have the engineering capability to produce something of the quality of Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren.
Look at Alpine... the reviews were excellent, high praise from all motoring journalist. On PH... all a lot could say was how much!! £50k for a Renault, no one will buy it, people will just buy a Porsche blah blah.
This is what a £170-200K Lotus would be up against.
The Evija will showcase what Lotus is capable of when they have some real money to work with. Create the buzz, the interest and then show them what is to follow. Like Aston with the Valkyrie then the models coming in below it. The question is, what have Lotus got planned for after the Evija.....
Firstly, I don't believe for a second that Aston Martin would need to rely on any buzz created by the Valkyrie in order to sell the models that are due to come below it. If the Valkyrie didn't exist there would still be interest in Valhalla because of the Aston Martin brand already being established. McLaren didn't start with the P1 and then work down either, even if it might have been a more obviously immediate follow up to the F1 and being capable of providing more of an initial buzz that could be carried over any subsequent lower models, and they are doing ok for themselves.

Secondly; Renault producing a rear engined, two seat sports car at a higher than previous price range for the brand is by far a bigger jump from their normal remit than Lotus merely moving up from producing rear engined, two seat sports cars, which they have been doing consistently for decades now, to producing another rear engined, two seat sports car at a higher than previous price range for the brand.

Now, I'm not saying that what is being implied is wrong at all - I appreciate that it probably is the case, I just don't follow some of the rationale being used to explain it.

redroadster

1,729 posts

231 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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Light weight and electric ? Will be a first .

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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gigglebug said:
Secondly; Renault producing a rear engined, two seat sports car at a higher than previous price range for the brand is by far a bigger jump from their normal remit than Lotus merely moving up from producing rear engined, two seat sports cars, which they have been doing consistently for decades now, to producing another rear engined, two seat sports car at a higher than previous price range for the brand.
Why do you think they market it as an Alpine and not a Renault?

g3org3y

20,606 posts

190 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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suffolk009 said:
Bombjack said:
My thought exactly! But updated for the 21st Century with an *e* prefix. Because in 2019 everything must have e or i in front of it.
Identical thought here. biggrin

gigglebug

2,611 posts

121 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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otolith said:
Why do you think they market it as an Alpine and not a Renault?
Does it make a difference to the point I was making when the point I was making was that there is a distinct difference between comparing Lotus, who have already a consistent and current background in producing this type of car at an already quite high price point let's be fair, and Renault/Alpine who do not? It was the op's use of Renault that promoted me to use it in the response.

I just don't think it is an apples and apples comparison to say that because Renault have been met with some, largely unjust, scepticism with their Alpine that it would be same with a more expensive Lotus.

Edited by gigglebug on Thursday 4th July 14:52

HighwayStar

4,216 posts

143 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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gigglebug said:
otolith said:
Why do you think they market it as an Alpine and not a Renault?
Does it make a difference to the point I was making when the point I was making was that there is a distinct difference between comparing Lotus, who have already a consistent and current background in producing this type of car at an already quite high price point let's be fair, and Renault/Alpine who do not? It was the op's use of Renault that promoted me to use it in the response.

I just don't think it is an apples and apples comparison to say that because Renault have been met with some, largely unjust, scepticism with their Alpine that it would be same with a more expensive Lotus.

Edited by gigglebug on Thursday 4th July 14:52
I wasn't comparing Lotus to Alpine per se, merely highlighting some peoples perceptions. You can see it in this very thread. There are those who think Lotus cars are over priced, they should be building something for £30k blah blah.
And you said it there, unjust scepticism re the Alpine. Of course it was but it happened... wrong badge, French. Yep, it's silly but you read these pages too. It's how some people think. Me, I hope Lotus knock it out the park and ruffle feathers.

gigglebug

2,611 posts

121 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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HighwayStar said:
Me, I hope Lotus knock it out the park and ruffle feathers.
Me too.

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
quotequote all
gigglebug said:
otolith said:
Why do you think they market it as an Alpine and not a Renault?
Does it make a difference to the point I was making when the point I was making was that there is a distinct difference between comparing Lotus, who have already a consistent and current background in producing this type of car at an already quite high price point let's be fair, and Renault/Alpine who do not? It was the op's use of Renault that promoted me to use it in the response.

I just don't think it is an apples and apples comparison to say that because Renault have been met with some, largely unjust, scepticism with their Alpine that it would be same with a more expensive Lotus.
Well, yes, because Renault would have faced the perception problem in trying to sell a relatively expensive sports car through a brand people associate with cheap hatchbacks. They could have got some credibility through the RenaultSport brand, but still not really enough. Same thing that Toyota does with Lexus, and the entire VAG business model. Could they have launched the Aventador with a Skoda badge and that price tag?

This to me looks like an attempt to reposition the Lotus brand a long way upmarket of where it is currently perceived to be - so that when they launch a 130k car it's seen as a cheap Evija not an expensive Elise.

HighwayStar

4,216 posts

143 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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otolith said:
gigglebug said:
otolith said:
Why do you think they market it as an Alpine and not a Renault?
Does it make a difference to the point I was making when the point I was making was that there is a distinct difference between comparing Lotus, who have already a consistent and current background in producing this type of car at an already quite high price point let's be fair, and Renault/Alpine who do not? It was the op's use of Renault that promoted me to use it in the response.

I just don't think it is an apples and apples comparison to say that because Renault have been met with some, largely unjust, scepticism with their Alpine that it would be same with a more expensive Lotus.
Well, yes, because Renault would have faced the perception problem in trying to sell a relatively expensive sports car through a brand people associate with cheap hatchbacks. They could have got some credibility through the RenaultSport brand, but still not really enough. Same thing that Toyota does with Lexus, and the entire VAG business model. Could they have launched the Aventador with a Skoda badge and that price tag?

This to me looks like an attempt to reposition the Lotus brand a long way upmarket of where it is currently perceived to be - so that when they launch a 130k car it's seen as a cheap Evija not an expensive Elise.
Sort of where I was going... in simple terms to build/reposition the brand. Of course for that to be successful the Evija has to be great on many levels, not just speed. Tech, quality, high end components. Especially the bits you touch and interact with otherwise potential customers aren't going to buy into it.

Fastpedeller

3,847 posts

145 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
quotequote all
HighwayStar said:
otolith said:
gigglebug said:
otolith said:
Why do you think they market it as an Alpine and not a Renault?
Does it make a difference to the point I was making when the point I was making was that there is a distinct difference between comparing Lotus, who have already a consistent and current background in producing this type of car at an already quite high price point let's be fair, and Renault/Alpine who do not? It was the op's use of Renault that promoted me to use it in the response.

I just don't think it is an apples and apples comparison to say that because Renault have been met with some, largely unjust, scepticism with their Alpine that it would be same with a more expensive Lotus.
Well, yes, because Renault would have faced the perception problem in trying to sell a relatively expensive sports car through a brand people associate with cheap hatchbacks. They could have got some credibility through the RenaultSport brand, but still not really enough. Same thing that Toyota does with Lexus, and the entire VAG business model. Could they have launched the Aventador with a Skoda badge and that price tag?

This to me looks like an attempt to reposition the Lotus brand a long way upmarket of where it is currently perceived to be - so that when they launch a 130k car it's seen as a cheap Evija not an expensive Elise.
Sort of where I was going... in simple terms to build/reposition the brand. Of course for that to be successful the Evija has to be great on many levels, not just speed. Tech, quality, high end components. Especially the bits you touch and interact with otherwise potential customers aren't going to buy into it.
So it will probably have Eilexxa driving it instead of the owner?

lotuslover69

269 posts

142 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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I believe it is pronounced Evee Yaa, Either way it isn't a great name and they should have named it the Elite.


This is more a marketing exercise really and i am sure the production numbers are expected to be in the single digits.

This will be the first road legal all electric Hyper car? (1000hp +) The Rimac Concept One doesn't count because it was just a concept car,.

Cold

15,207 posts

89 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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lotuslover69 said:
I believe it is pronounced Evee Yaa, Either way it isn't a great name and they should have named it the Elite.
Lotus PR media said:
Pronounced ‘ev-eye-a’ it means ‘the first in existence’ or ‘the living one’.


gigglebug

2,611 posts

121 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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otolith said:
Well, yes, because Renault would have faced the perception problem in trying to sell a relatively expensive sports car through a brand people associate with cheap hatchbacks. They could have got some credibility through the RenaultSport brand, but still not really enough. Same thing that Toyota does with Lexus
But how does that translate to this situation at Lotus?? Renault choosing to revive a name, because of any negative perceptions that might have arisen if it were actually called a Renault, still does not have any real baring on the subject does it. Lotus are not associated with cheap hatchbacks are they (or indeed anything other than the type of car that in the main is being projected as their future) so there just isn't the same mental hurdle to overcome. Lotus producing a car to compete with the 488 etc wouldn't be a case of completely rewriting their rulebook or trying to appeal to a completely different market would it.

Now if it were a case of Lotus wanting to move into say a luxury SUV I could understand that this would need significant reworking of the brand perception but I don't see that it would be as necessary when jumping from where they are now to the next level up within the same boundaries that they are already accustomed to.

otolith said:
Could they have launched the Aventador with a Skoda badge and that price tag?
I fail to see why this is relevant, they wouldn't need to. They have Lamborghini. Lotus releasing a car with the same basic architecture as they are already renowned for, all be it at twice the price than any existing model, isn't the same as Skoda releasing a 300K supercar is it? Lotus are already synonymous with producing mid engined sports cars that make use of advanced materials, where possible and affordable, that are brilliant to drive.

otolith said:
This to me looks like an attempt to reposition the Lotus brand a long way upmarket of where it is currently perceived to be - so that when they launch a 130k car it's seen as a cheap Evija not an expensive Elise.
You keep quoting a 130K car that won't be seen as an expensive Elise. Why? The Elise is the bottom of the range model with the Exige and Evora, both of which can already top 100K, above them. Lotus releasing a car at 130K would hardly constitute repositioning the brand a long way up market, unless that is expected to become the new entry level point? You haven't suggested as such.

If Lotus produced a new model at around 200K with an all new chassis, engine and a wider use of exotic materials and it proved comparable to its competitors would people really just see this as an expensive Elise? I'd like to hope not. I'd just see it as the natural progression from where they are now with their model line up.

Like I say; I hope that the Evija is every bit as special as we all hope it will be, I just don't see it's necessity for Lotus's ability to be taken seriously if/when they decide to move up a level from where they are now.


treeroy

564 posts

84 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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Me and my friends once got forced to leave a mates house party because his mum was using an Evija board and told us we were disturbing the spirits.

treeroy

564 posts

84 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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gigglebug said:
You keep quoting a 130K car that won't be seen as an expensive Elise. Why? The Elise is the bottom of the range model with the Exige and Evora, both of which can already top 100K, above them. Lotus releasing a car at 130K would hardly constitute repositioning the brand a long way up market, unless that is expected to become the new entry level point? You haven't suggested as such.

If Lotus produced a new model at around 200K with an all new chassis, engine and a wider use of exotic materials and it proved comparable to its competitors would people really just see this as an expensive Elise? I'd like to hope not. I'd just see it as the natural progression from where they are now with their model line up.

Like I say; I hope that the Evija is every bit as special as we all hope it will be, I just don't see it's necessity for Lotus's ability to be taken seriously if/when they decide to move up a level from where they are now.
most people see lotus as cheaply knocked together in a shed, excellent for driving but not "quality" products. I seriously, SERIOUSLY, doubt a £200k Lotus supercar would sell well, when the competition is so highly regarded (lambo, ferrari, aston etc)

lotuslover69

269 posts

142 months

Thursday 4th July 2019
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treeroy said:
most people see lotus as cheaply knocked together in a shed, excellent for driving but not "quality" products. I seriously, SERIOUSLY, doubt a £200k Lotus supercar would sell well, when the competition is so highly regarded (lambo, ferrari, aston etc)
If Lotus build a good car at that price point then it will sell.

Lets not forget when Mclaren released the F1 they had no road car experience prior to the F1 and were a completely new car company in terms of production cars. Lotus itself has a great history and the Esprit was better than both Lamborghini and Ferrari's early attempts at a v8 engined car in the 80s. Quite a lot of people who own high performance super cars have owned or do own lotus cars. Lotus build some of the best handling cars that you can buy and they often feel and handle better than the cars from Maranello. Due to this Lotus is already half way there in terms of building a good super car. They already know how to make it handle and feel right. Having better interior build quality than Mclaren shouldn't be hard since Mclaren's interiors are pretty rough tbh.