RE: Lotus previews new Emira interior

RE: Lotus previews new Emira interior

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Discussion

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
Tuna said:
otolith said:
The Emira and Evija are just the opening salvo. The rest of the range is on its way, including mummywagons.
I've been struggling with their announcements - on the one hand, sure, SUV is coming; on the other hand the Emira will be available in a 'range of specs' which makes it sound like they're trying to replace the entire existing line up (minimal though it is) with one car.
They're killing the Elise, Exige, and Evora, and I would say are directly replacing only the Evora with this new car. Maybe a bit of overlap with Exige, but mostly Evora. I don't believe they will ever directly replace those basic lightweight cars.

This is their last combustion engined car. They're working on a new electric sports car platform which will deliver a range of cars. In the meantime, there will be other cars (including the SUV) from China.

Gary C

12,313 posts

178 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
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Sporky said:
Gary C said:
I will try the Alpine (though the wife would kill me for having two 'sports' cars).
Well, you said something like "fun everyday car" - I have a Golf and the Alpine, and the latter is my everyday car - the Golf is just for weekends when I need to transport dogs and/or stuff.
I would use the 911 as an everyday car if it wasn't a high value 32 year old classic, so I want something I can drive every day and enjoy, The last child finally will finish Uni this year wey hey so that releases some funds smile Its been a long road since I bought my last brand new car (Impreza STi but also got the 911 at the same time) just for me though the wife has had a string of new cars as she drives alot in her job.

There are no electric cars I want yet.

I might just get a cheap GT86 and thrash it to bits.


CraigyMc

16,304 posts

235 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
Tuna said:
otolith said:
The Emira and Evija are just the opening salvo. The rest of the range is on its way, including mummywagons.
I've been struggling with their announcements - on the one hand, sure, SUV is coming; on the other hand the Emira will be available in a 'range of specs' which makes it sound like they're trying to replace the entire existing line up (minimal though it is) with one car.
Both of those are true. Emira replaces elise, exige and evora. There will be an SUV (which is not Emira). There's also Evija of course, but that's only relevant to like 100 people.

leglessAlex

5,383 posts

140 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
Tuna said:
I've been struggling with their announcements - on the one hand, sure, SUV is coming; on the other hand the Emira will be available in a 'range of specs' which makes it sound like they're trying to replace the entire existing line up (minimal though it is) with one car.
I got the impression that was just for now.

There’s that render/teaser showing three new silhouettes in addition to the Emira, and then there’s the SUV to come too.

It also wouldn’t surprise me if the V6 was dropped eventually in favour of the 4cyl only, and then the other two being electric, and the SUV being hybrid.

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
CraigyMc said:
Emira replaces elise, exige and evora.
More like Lotus exits the Elise/Exige segment, IMO.

DonkeyApple

54,921 posts

168 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
otolith said:
CraigyMc said:
Emira replaces elise, exige and evora.
More like Lotus exits the Elise/Exige segment, IMO.
In a way of feels like it is all three. It's the new base entry model replacing the Elise, there will be a track version to replace the Exige, while it also replaces the Evora in terms of price point and overall intent.

There's going to be something sitting above it in due course, either a GT or a more exclusive sports car.

The SUV has potential to be something quite awesome as there's lots of lightness to add to an SUV but rather than being a Urus type thing I have a feeling it'll be more Duster in quality.

They can't tool up for anything too different but at the same time even if this new car flies off the shelf the business is structured for more volume than a single model in a niche sector can supply.

Sporky

6,085 posts

63 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
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DonkeyApple said:
The SUV has potential to be something quite awesome as there's lots of lightness to add to an SUV but rather than being a Urus type thing I have a feeling it'll be more Duster in quality.
I think that sounds quite intriguing. At some point I'll need a new dog bus; I don't mind it being not-luxurious as it'll be caked in mud, but it'd be nice if it's a little bit Lotusy to drive. I don't want an Exige on stilts, but I would like something vaguely nippy and with lovely steering.

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
DonkeyApple said:
otolith said:
CraigyMc said:
Emira replaces elise, exige and evora.
More like Lotus exits the Elise/Exige segment, IMO.
In a way of feels like it is all three. It's the new base entry model replacing the Elise, there will be a track version to replace the Exige, while it also replaces the Evora in terms of price point and overall intent.
It's not going to be a credible Elise replacement, in my opinion. It's going to be too large, too heavy, too focused on being comfortable and well equipped and easy to get in and out of. If they tried to make it a credible Elise replacement it would end up like the Europa - just unconvincingly small and uncomfortable. It will be their base entry model, but it will be a base entry model in an entirely different sector.

Even as an Exige replacement, which is closer in weight, it's going to be too big and heavy and not a minimalist raw car at all.

No, what they need to do is to cash in on the "lightweight" branding by selling a premium version with less sound insulation, leather straps for door handles and some equipment deleted, resulting in a nominal weight saving and some extra dosh when the punters add the stereo and aircon back in.

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
DonkeyApple said:
The SUV has potential to be something quite awesome as there's lots of lightness to add to an SUV but rather than being a Urus type thing I have a feeling it'll be more Duster in quality.
I come back to leather door straps and deleting equipment. Sell it as lightweight, nobody really cares about the actuality.

delta0

2,334 posts

105 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
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kambites said:
Well yes bit that would also be true of say a Golf. Manufacturers constantly improve their cars within a particular model run. I know from trying to buy parts for out Skoda that most engine ancillaries were changed at least twice during the course of the mk2 Octavia VRS's production. In 14 years of maintaining my Elise I've found remarkably few components which were changed during the S2 111S production run. In fact I can't actually think of any off the top of my head.

Edited by kambites on Thursday 10th June 09:13
I mean same model, same year, everything the same but they have something different like a different rear view mirror. I can’t comment if this is the case for the S3 but certainly noticed this in the S2.

Miserablegit

4,013 posts

108 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
Sporky said:
I think that sounds quite intriguing. At some point I'll need a new dog bus; I don't mind it being not-luxurious as it'll be caked in mud, but it'd be nice if it's a little bit Lotusy to drive. I don't want an Exige on stilts, but I would like something vaguely nippy and with lovely steering.
And yet I think an Exige on stilts would sell very well.
Remember that ridiculous thing Porsche did by putting a 996 on stilts and big wheels that “enthusiasts” hated and every footballer/wag/ every man and his dog then bought thereby saving the company laugh

DonkeyApple

54,921 posts

168 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
otolith said:
DonkeyApple said:
The SUV has potential to be something quite awesome as there's lots of lightness to add to an SUV but rather than being a Urus type thing I have a feeling it'll be more Duster in quality.
I come back to leather door straps and deleting equipment. Sell it as lightweight, nobody really cares about the actuality.
A Baja racer with basic mod cons. An SUV today doesn't need to be much more than a jacked up coupe.

But I don't think they've ever been clear as to whether they plan to just job out some branded turd in China or deliver an actual Western SUV with the Lotus ethos applied?

DonkeyApple

54,921 posts

168 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
otolith said:
DonkeyApple said:
otolith said:
CraigyMc said:
Emira replaces elise, exige and evora.
More like Lotus exits the Elise/Exige segment, IMO.
In a way of feels like it is all three. It's the new base entry model replacing the Elise, there will be a track version to replace the Exige, while it also replaces the Evora in terms of price point and overall intent.
It's not going to be a credible Elise replacement, in my opinion. It's going to be too large, too heavy, too focused on being comfortable and well equipped and easy to get in and out of. If they tried to make it a credible Elise replacement it would end up like the Europa - just unconvincingly small and uncomfortable. It will be their base entry model, but it will be a base entry model in an entirely different sector.

Even as an Exige replacement, which is closer in weight, it's going to be too big and heavy and not a minimalist raw car at all.

No, what they need to do is to cash in on the "lightweight" branding by selling a premium version with less sound insulation, leather straps for door handles and some equipment deleted, resulting in a nominal weight saving and some extra dosh when the punters add the stereo and aircon back in.
What I mean by replacing the Elise is just by being the cheapest, entry point as opposed to a tiny, fun car.


otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
DonkeyApple said:
What I mean by replacing the Elise is just by being the cheapest, entry point as opposed to a tiny, fun car.
Agreed, though I think on that basis for a period the Evija might well be replacing the Elise wink

Sporky

6,085 posts

63 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
Miserablegit said:
And yet I think an Exige on stilts would sell very well.
It'd certainly be awesome.

Is there a car in existence which wouldn't be cooler with portal hubs and knobbly tyres?

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
DonkeyApple said:
A Baja racer with basic mod cons. An SUV today doesn't need to be much more than a jacked up coupe.
Take generic Chinese SUV. Graft on Evija derived styling cues. Get Hethel to set it up so it doesn't fall over in the corners. Job jobbed?

DonkeyApple said:
But I don't think they've ever been clear as to whether they plan to just job out some branded turd in China or deliver an actual Western SUV with the Lotus ethos applied?
It's going to be built in China, but I'm not sure that it will necessarily be turdy.

01 SUV

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/first-offic...

03 SUV

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/first-offic...

05 SUV/Coupe crossover

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1126356_lynk-c...

03 saloon

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/first-offic...


APontus

1,935 posts

34 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
Who do people believe Lotus are going to steal sales from in the £60k-150k bracket?

DonkeyApple

54,921 posts

168 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
APontus said:
Who do people believe Lotus are going to steal sales from in the £60k-150k bracket?
I'm not sure they necessarily need to be 'stealing sales' as many sports cars are second cars bought on a whim because the product manages to tickle the fancy of someone with money but no previous desire for another product.

They aren't going steal sales from Ferrari and the like because if you have the money for one of those then that is what you're going to buy but if you only have half the money and desire something like that then the Lotus, in theory, would be creating a sale out of thin air.

I can't see them taking sales from Porsche. It's a brand that seems to have two core types of enthusiast, the image enthusiast and the genuine brand enthusiast. Neither would seemingly opt for a Lotus for the same money.

Arguably, they would get back lost sales from not having a desirable, aspirational product for decades. And hopefully they will move themselves onto the radar of general sports at buyers who are typically fairly agnostic on brand.

bcr5784

7,102 posts

144 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
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otolith said:
The kindest thing I can say about the Volvo SUV equivalent is that it is nice inside. But it's of no interest whatsoever to anyone with even the slightest concern about driving. Lotus would have to do VASTLY better.

blueg33

35,574 posts

223 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
bcr5784 said:
otolith said:
The kindest thing I can say about the Volvo SUV equivalent is that it is nice inside. But it's of no interest whatsoever to anyone with even the slightest concern about driving. Lotus would have to do VASTLY better.
Making a car drive well is something Lotus already do vastly better.