RE: Lotus gears up for new sports car launch

[VR6 Eug]

A new Lotus is exciting, rejoice in this and don't pour scorn before it's driven and reported on, Think of it as British eccentricity in a car.

[dibblecorse]

Frimley111R said:

Why the heck do journos keep comparing Louts with Porsche. Lotus is tiny compared to Porsche. They sell in the same sectors but FFS, comparing production numbers could not be more pointless!!

The production numbers quoted (not compared) are so that the reader can see the size of addressable market that a manufacture like Lotus can look to try and take a bigger slice of, same as with Alpine.

I think the whole of PH knows what a Porsche fanboy you are but they are comparable from a product perspective, thats just a fact, hence the comparisons will continue.

Not sure why you are so irked ...

[mike150]

Regarding the Lotus / Porsche comparison

I bought a new Elise in 2019 and my wife went with me to get it, on the way home she said she hated it and asked why I didn't just buy a nearly new Boxster......... I can't recall what I said but.........

I have had lots of second fun cars and a Boxster S was one of them 10 years ago and I found I never used it much. Boring TBH. I want a second car to feel special and to be amazing fun to drive. The Lotus is that. I would be bored of a Boxster as a fun car but it would be fine every day. Conversely I would be irritated buy the Lotus as an every day car but its my best ever second car.

Regards values..............

A used Porsche could hit you for a really big bill someday
The Lotus won't (providing its not a K-series!) and its really easy on fuel

[kambites]

mike150 said:

The Lotus won't (providing its not a K-series!) and its really easy on fuel

It's pretty difficult to get a big bill from a K-series. They just tend to present regular small ones.

[Tickle]

kambites said:

mike150 said:

The Lotus won't (providing its not a K-series!) and its really easy on fuel

It's pretty difficult to get a big bill from a K-series. They just tend to present regular small ones.

A Toyota engined Lotus will throw up bigger bills than a K Series. As you say, a K is death by a thousand cuts

[otolith]

Tickle said:

A Toyota engined Lotus will throw up bigger bills than a K Series.

Yeah, mine has already thrown up a bill for a supercharger, and will throw up another one when I get round to getting it fitted

[SidewaysSi]

Tickle said:

kambites said:

mike150 said:

The Lotus won't (providing its not a K-series!) and its really easy on fuel

It's pretty difficult to get a big bill from a K-series. They just tend to present regular small ones.

A Toyota engined Lotus will throw up bigger bills than a K Series. As you say, a K is death by a thousand cuts

I have had zero issues with my 2 K engined cars. For some people, the remote prospect of HGF failure means it is a car to avoid..

Very odd.

We won't talk engine/mechanical problems with other cars, including Toyota engined Loti...

[SidewaysSi]

rockin said:

SidewaysSi said:

I am guessing £55k. Just a guess mind you...

The world is full of optimists!

Or people who just RTFA (Read the fking Article)....

[rotaryjam]

Looking forward to this!

I do struggle to understand the positioning of the car though? Its meant to fit in between the Exige and Evora but is there really much of a market between these?

Elise £41k-49k - best value 2 seater

Exige £62k - 103k - highest performance 2 seater with a wide range of price - performance ratios

Evora £85k - £88k - more refined 4 seater so clearly differentiated from the other two.

Given the new 131 is a 2-seater I don't really see where it fits as the Elise and Exige already have the full performance spectrum covered.

The only logic I can find is that it must be a 3 seater...

[Pumpsmynads]

hughcam said:

If its Volvo 4 pot stuck into a rehashed elise chassis (shown in the second photo) I will be disappointed.

I think I'm going to be disappointed.

It will be the AMG unit from the A45.

[CABC]

rotaryjam said:

Looking forward to this!

I do struggle to understand the positioning of the car though? Its meant to fit in between the Exige and Evora but is there really much of a market between these?

Elise £41k-49k - best value 2 seater

Exige £62k - 103k - highest performance 2 seater with a wide range of price - performance ratios

Evora £85k - £88k - more refined 4 seater so clearly differentiated from the other two.

Given the new 131 is a 2-seater I don't really see where it fits as the Elise and Exige already have the full performance spectrum covered.

The only logic I can find is that it must be a 3 seater...

Guess it’ll drop the 4 seat pretence of the Evora but be comfortable for US dentists with fond memories of English sports cars and even the esprit.

[mike150]

kambites said:

It's pretty difficult to get a big bill from a K-series. They just tend to present regular small ones.

Point taken, I was thinking of an Elise 190 as that's the only K series I'd want.

Used to Caterhams you see! Then I decided I wanted a practical car so bought a new Elise and while you could use it every day in theory I wouldn't want to!!!

[redroadster]

Hopefully they prosper I can't get in and out of there range, they are thinking right make them easier to live with and have great dynamics still, good luck and hopefully sensible priced....

[anonymous-user]

SidewaysSi said:

rockin said:

SidewaysSi said:

I am guessing £55k. Just a guess mind you...

The world is full of optimists!

Or people who just RTFA (Read the fking Article)....

Nope - people who are stupid enough to believe what they read in the article.

What car manufacturer has EVER successfully launched a car with a model range claimed to run from £55,000 to £105,000?

Come on, I'll give you another chance - what do you think the cheapest model will actually cost?

[redrabbit]

rockin said:

SidewaysSi said:

rockin said:

SidewaysSi said:

I am guessing £55k. Just a guess mind you...

The world is full of optimists!

Or people who just RTFA (Read the fking Article)....

Nope - people who are stupid enough to believe what they read in the article.

What car manufacturer has EVER successfully launched a car with a model range claimed to run from £55,000 to £105,000?

Come on, I'll give you another chance - what do you think the cheapest model will actually cost?

You mean bottom of range costs twice top of range?

Cheapest VW Golf (list): £21k
Dearest VW Golf (list): £39k

[Cloudy147]

Lotus have been gearing up for a new sports car launch for more than a decade - This baby is so well cooked its gonna come bursting out of the womb like a surfer on a swell wave.

Be interesting to see what actually gets made after all the renderings over the years.

[GrJa]

...Bmw 5 series £39k to £105k

The Current Exige is £62k up to £103k

Edited by GrJa on Thursday 21st January 21:07

[redrabbit]

rockin said:

SidewaysSi said:

rockin said:

SidewaysSi said:

I am guessing £55k. Just a guess mind you...

The world is full of optimists!

Or people who just RTFA (Read the fking Article)....

Nope - people who are stupid enough to believe what they read in the article.

What car manufacturer has EVER successfully launched a car with a model range claimed to run from £55,000 to £105,000?

Come on, I'll give you another chance - what do you think the cheapest model will actually cost?

This lot seem to shift a few units too in roughly the same range. Since you asked, I was curious.

[Glenn63]

Whatever they bring I’m sure it will be sublime to drive! I really want a current Elise cup 250 I’m bored of being so poor

[herebebeasties]

rockin said:

What car manufacturer has EVER successfully launched a car with a model range claimed to run from £55,000 to £105,000?

The Porsche 718 runs from £44,790 for a Cayman with zero options, right up to £108,412.00 for a GT4 with a bunch of options ticked.

Jaguar F-Type is £59,990 - £102,405 according to Parkers (so presumably without mucking about with options too much?), which is pretty similar too.

Edited by herebebeasties on Thursday 21st January 21:31