Saturday 19th December 2015

Lotus looks ahead

Evora Sport, Evora Roadster, 3-Eleven and more - Lotus boss Jean-Marc Gales fills us in on his plans for 2016

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Jean-Marc Gales talks like he acts, which is to say rapidly, economically and decisively. His English may be heavily accented but his messages are delivered clearly as he rattles through his plans for Lotus for 2016 after our drive in the Exige Sport 350.

'Federal' version coming March 2016, roadster to follow

Educated in both engineering and management, his experience across a number of mainstream European car brands and reputation as a specialist in parts and supply has been reflected in the cars built under his watch. Both the Evora 400 and the Exige Sport 350 take existing products, boost performance and benefit from a ruthless eye for both cost and weight in the components used to build them. How long Lotus can sustain itself on refinements of long-serving platforms is a bigger question but, in the immediate future, Gales has a clear plan for some exciting products to launch in 2016.

As far as the Evora 400 goes the reception seems to have been strong, orders are solid and the next step is to satisfy those coming in from the US with the 'Federal' version for which production begins in March. Next big addition to the range will be the Roadster, which we'll see in November. As previously discussed, it'll be a 'Targa' style roof with two removable carbon fibre panels weighing just 3kg each. They'll be quick to remove and easily stored behind the front seats, promises Gales. Think new Boxster Spyder levels of faff here in that it'll require a little more manual labour than many are used to. With a similarly focused and appealing pay-off, we hope. Mechanically it'll be identical to the Evora 400, with comparable weight and performance, but it'll have a style and look of its own thanks to an entirely new rear clam.

'Light is right'

And the much rumoured hardcore Evora option? Gales says we have an Elise Sport, the Exige Sport and the Evora will complete the line-up, following a similar manifesto of more performance through less weight. Power will remain the same but the Evora Sport will, he promises, be significantly more potent and focused. And considerably more expensive too. That may raise a few eyebrows - just how much would we be prepared to pay for a GT3-chasing super Lotus? Six figures? Close to? Given the regular Evora 400 starts at £74K it'll be interesting to see how far this is pushed.

The 3-Eleven is progressing well too, with final performance data and details coming in the new year. At its unveiling we were told the 3-Eleven would have 456hp and weigh less than a tonne; the Race version will, says Gales, have "more than 450" and have a power to weight "well in excess of 500hp per tonne" to live up to those giant killing boasts. What was that about pricing for hardcore Lotus models too? We already know the Road version will start at £82,000 and the Race £115,200 - much of the premium accounted for by the sequential Xtrac gearbox Gales says costs the best part of 20 grand in itself.

Across the range the Gales philosophy is clearly to squeeze ever more out of the current Lotus range, both for customers and the company bottom line. 'Light is right' is a new catchphrase apparently coined ahead of the presentation for the Exige Sport 350 but 'lean and mean' might do equally as well.

Oh, and the SUV? Work in progress, he says with an enigmatic grin.

[saxy]

Have they paid all their F1 debts yet?

[kambites]

saxy said:

Have they paid all their F1 debts yet?

What F1 debts? Lotus haven't been involved in F1 for decades.

[Axionknight]

saxy said:

Have they paid all their F1 debts yet?

Wrong company, me thinks.

[redroadster]

Hope they can keep improving there position, think they need to be careful not to price themselves out of the market though.

[PhantomPH]

I got really excited about Lotus a few years back with those beautiful designs for the Elan etc. They were sadly still born and I've just not really looked again since then. Something about the design leaves me cold these days. Shame, because I really want to like them.

I mean - look at this! I can see where Lambo nicked the design for the Hurracan from, now!

[soad]

PhantomPH said:

I got really excited about Lotus a few years back with those beautiful designs for the Elan etc. They were sadly still born and I've just not really looked again since then. Something about the design leaves me cold these days. Shame, because I really want to like them.

I mean - look at this! I can see where Lambo nicked the design for the Hurracan from, now!

2010 Paris Auto Show: 2013 Lotus Elan.

[Ex Boy Racer]

PhantomPH said:

I got really excited about Lotus a few years back with those beautiful designs for the Elan etc. They were sadly still born and I've just not really looked again since then. Something about the design leaves me cold these days. Shame, because I really want to like them.

I mean - look at this! I can see where Lambo nicked the design for the Hurracan from, now!

I'm afraid it was all nonsense. The current stuff is, at least, real rather than fantasy

[HeMightBeBanned]

soad said:

2010 Paris Auto Show: 2013 Lotus Elan.

Ah, the Paris 5. An exercise in vapourware to build interest in the company before selling it off. As an exercise, it was about as transparent as air.

[PhantomPH]

That as may be, but the fact remains that as a potential customer, I sat up and paid attention - saw great designs disappear into the ether and have been consistently uninterested since.

Don't get me wrong, I like seeing a Lotus on the road and have no issue with the cars at all - it's just that I went from someone who wanted one to someone who didn't, pretty quickly.

Truth be told, I had fond hopes of convincing the wife that a Cayman was a good replacement for the S3, but the prices are currently creeping out of my range at a rate of knots!

[Lyons]

Lotus should make a rear engined 2+2. The mid engine 2+2 format is always compromised in terms of styling, and rear seat room, even if the Evora is a pretty decent attempt.

The rear engined 2+2 package has clear advantaged as a practicle day to day sports car that handels very well. There is no reason other than tradition not to use this format. And if they are launching an SUV, then that reason isn't stopping them.

It's crazy that Porsche should be the only company to realise the benefits of this...

[kambites]

Lyons said:

It's crazy that Porsche should be the only company to realise the benefits of this...

Other companies have done it in the past; they just mostly decided it was a silly idea.

Lotus probably couldn't do it anyway; I suspect there's no affordable off-the-shelf drive-train available.

[Lyons]

kambites said:

Lyons said:

It's crazy that Porsche should be the only company to realise the benefits of this...

Other companies have done it in the past; they just mostly decided it was a silly idea.

Lotus probably couldn't do it anyway; I suspect there's no affordable off-the-shelf drive-train available.

Thats the poit. It's not a crazy idea. It's a good idea. Porsche have prooven the concept in the 911 - no drawbacks, only a competitive advantage to rear engine. They sell pretty well.

Imagine a lightweight rear engine car, lotus ride and handling, every day practicality. It would sell too.

[mgbond]

No reports of an Exige 400 then

[HeMightBeBanned]

Lyons said:

kambites said:

Lyons said:

It's crazy that Porsche should be the only company to realise the benefits of this...

Other companies have done it in the past; they just mostly decided it was a silly idea.

Lotus probably couldn't do it anyway; I suspect there's no affordable off-the-shelf drive-train available.

Thats the poit. It's not a crazy idea. It's a good idea. Porsche have prooven the concept in the 911 - no drawbacks, only a competitive advantage to rear engine. They sell pretty well.

Imagine a lightweight rear engine car, lotus ride and handling, every day practicality. It would sell too.

No it wouldn't because people would compare it directly to a 911, decide (without having seen / driven it) that it was inferior to a Porsche because it was built in a barn by Norfolk turnip farmers and carry on buying 911s in their droves.

Lotus shouldn't try and go to market trying to be Porsche because they'd end up being a poor facsimile of Porsche.

[Lyons]

HeMightBeBanned said:

Lyons said:

kambites said:

Lyons said:

It's crazy that Porsche should be the only company to realise the benefits of this...

Other companies have done it in the past; they just mostly decided it was a silly idea.

Lotus probably couldn't do it anyway; I suspect there's no affordable off-the-shelf drive-train available.

Thats the poit. It's not a crazy idea. It's a good idea. Porsche have prooven the concept in the 911 - no drawbacks, only a competitive advantage to rear engine. They sell pretty well.

Imagine a lightweight rear engine car, lotus ride and handling, every day practicality. It would sell too.

No it wouldn't because people would compare it directly to a 911, decide (without having seen / driven it) that it was inferior to a Porsche because it was built in a barn by Norfolk turnip farmers and carry on buying 911s in their droves.

Lotus shouldn't try and go to market trying to be Porsche because they'd end up being a poor facsimile of Porsche.

Sure, I think you are correct that comparisons would be drawn, but then they are already being compared to Porsche now. Evora 2+2 was aimed at 911, and arguably is not selling because compared with a 911 its not as useable.

Sure, Lotus need to work hard on quality perception, but that's true for any type of car - ie SUV.

[Undirection]

PhantomPH said:

That as may be, but the fact remains that as a potential customer, I sat up and paid attention - saw great designs disappear into the ether and have been consistently uninterested since.

Don't get me wrong, I like seeing a Lotus on the road and have no issue with the cars at all - it's just that I went from someone who wanted one to someone who didn't, pretty quickly.

Truth be told, I had fond hopes of convincing the wife that a Cayman was a good replacement for the S3, but the prices are currently creeping out of my range at a rate of knots!

Me too, more rehashes of the same thing are not what many of us want but we have to be realistic too. Lotus are small and on a long slow climb upwards so nothing new is likely to arrive for many years yet. Still, as long as they make rather than lose money that's ok.

PS: Will a Lotus story ever be written without the 'P' word in it? FFS!!!

[kambites]

Lyons said:

Thats the poit. It's not a crazy idea. It's a good idea. Porsche have prooven the concept in the 911 - no drawbacks, only a competitive advantage to rear engine. They sell pretty well.

Imagine a lightweight rear engine car, lotus ride and handling, every day practicality. It would sell too.

It's not a crazy idea, but neither is it a particularly good one.

The 911 works but it took Porsche a very long time to get it to where it is now and it's still vastly inferior to the Cayman/Boxster in terms of chassis balance and even the Evora at least matches it despite having the engine weight 6 inches higher up. Then there's the question of where they get an engine and gearbox from.


ETA: If anything I think Lotus now need to be gambling on the future; keep milking the current cars and use the time to skip the turbocharged everything era and go straight to a VVA based electric drive range of vehicles. Probably an Exige/Elise replacement which is pure EV and an Evora replacement with an optional range extender.

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 15th December 13:43

[suffolk009]

I do with this chap had been offered the job in 2009.

[anonymous-user]

It's the same dread I get when looking at a 'new' TVR thread.



I really hope they find their way and that people buy them, delivering on new models like the Esprit would be great.

[PhantomPH]

Undirection said:

PhantomPH said:

That as may be, but the fact remains that as a potential customer, I sat up and paid attention - saw great designs disappear into the ether and have been consistently uninterested since.

Don't get me wrong, I like seeing a Lotus on the road and have no issue with the cars at all - it's just that I went from someone who wanted one to someone who didn't, pretty quickly.

Truth be told, I had fond hopes of convincing the wife that a Cayman was a good replacement for the S3, but the prices are currently creeping out of my range at a rate of knots!

Me too, more rehashes of the same thing are not what many of us want but we have to be realistic too. Lotus are small and on a long slow climb upwards so nothing new is likely to arrive for many years yet. Still, as long as they make rather than lose money that's ok.

PS: Will a Lotus story ever be written without the 'P' word in it? FFS!!!

As long as they continue to produce products that exist in the same market place, I doubt it.