Friday 28th September 2018

Lotus announces Hethel improvements

Sweeping plans see old structures restored and new ones constructed as Geely investment makes itself felt

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Lotus has announced plans to revamp its Hethel headquarters as the manufacturer's 70th anniversary celebrations draw to a close. Having called the 100 acre site home for more than 50 years, several of the facility's more noteworthy buildings will receive a little TLC alongside the construction of a few new additions to the Norfolk landscape.

Architects Feilden+Mawson have submitted plans for a new Customer Experience Centre - built alongside the pitlane - Heritage Centre and Museum, creating "a destination to experience the brand's history and heritage." Meanwhile restoration of Colin Chapman's former office and renovation of the ex-WW2 air base's control tower, which doubles as the Lotus Clubhouse, will ensure that the marque's historic HQ stays in good shape for the future.

A new restaurant for staff and guests, extensive landscaping of the site and improvements to access will complete a long overdue sprucing up of one of British motoring's most beloved brands, and enable Lotus to provide the sort of customer-focused experience to which buyers have become accustomed in recent years.

Speaking at the unveiling of the plans, Group Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng said: "The progress of these developments at Hethel demonstrates our commitment to Lotus and its bright future. Hethel is rightly the centre of the brand and what better place for customers, aspiring owners and staff to experience our values? Hethel is, and will always be, the heart of Lotus and our plans are the next step in readying the site for the next 50 years."

 

[Tri_Doc]

Museum etc is an excellent idea. They have a strong back catalogue. Can't wait - exciting future!

[anonymous-user]

Excellent news indeed.

[suffolk009]

Can't wait to go back there.

[dukeboy749r]

Very exciting - and a very pragmatic approach by the new owners

[gianlu]

Why do they need to put a small lake in front of all these new car manufacturers building? Aston new building, McL new building and now Lotus? Even Tom Hartley "showroom" , wtf is this obsession with water?

Ah, ad good new for lotus, lake or not

[anonymous-user]

"A new restaurant for staff and guests........"

Lovely. Now how about some new cars?

[anonymous-user]

don't worry, next month they will announce another new building, which will to all intensive purposes be exactly the same as these new buildings, but with the addition of a slightly bigger entrance door and a lightweight fountain that saves 2.3kg off the weight of the current fountain.....

[Beechie]

gianlu said:

Why do they need to put a small lake in front of all these new car manufacturers building? Aston new building, McL new building and now Lotus? Even Tom Hartley "showroom" , wtf is this obsession with water?

Ah, ad good new for lotus, lake or not

Looks nice, innit.

[B'stard Child]

Tri_Doc said:

Museum etc is an excellent idea. They have a strong back catalogue. Can't wait - exciting future!

They had a back catalogue - everytime they get into difficulties they flog off whatever they can

It's how I got mine

[giveitfish]

Max_Torque said:

don't worry, next month they will announce another new building, which will to all intensive purposes be exactly the same as these new buildings, but with the addition of a slightly bigger entrance door and a lightweight fountain that saves 2.3kg off the weight of the current fountain.....

The Lotus building is rubbish, it uses the same door handles as the office block down the road and carpet tiles you can get from B&Q. The Porsche building has bespoke handles and much nicer marble surfaces.

Anyway it needs to be the same price as a small Japanese Pre-fab or it’ll never sell.

[Andrewph75]

Lake is for the Esprit from Spy Who Loved Me surely?

[Maldini35]

rockin said:

"A new restaurant for staff and guests........"

Lovely. Now how about some new cars?

If you’d seen the current restaurant you wouldn’t begrudge them this.

Lotus definitely on the up - Geeley putting their money where their mouth is.
Great news for Lotus.

[RemarkLima]

gianlu said:

Why do they need to put a small lake in front of all these new car manufacturers building? Aston new building, McL new building and now Lotus? Even Tom Hartley "showroom" , wtf is this obsession with water?

Ah, ad good new for lotus, lake or not

I'd always assumed the lakes were some sort of cooling / heating mass for the building's HVAC - you could run some pretty hefty heat pumps off of it all both summer and winter, which no doubt would save a ton of cash on the running cost of a building.

As long as the toilets do not flush into them...

Oh yeah, and they look nice... Who doesn't want ducks hanging around?

[rodericb]

Max_Torque said:

don't worry, next month they will announce another new building, which will to all intensive purposes be exactly the same as these new buildings, but with the addition of a slightly bigger entrance door and a lightweight fountain that saves 2.3kg off the weight of the current fountain.....

Indeed. The press releases out of Lotus are a like diamond dozen but I guess in this day and age they're pass and parcel of the business.

[andy_s]

rodericb said:

Max_Torque said:

don't worry, next month they will announce another new building, which will to all intensive purposes be exactly the same as these new buildings, but with the addition of a slightly bigger entrance door and a lightweight fountain that saves 2.3kg off the weight of the current fountain.....

Indeed. The press releases out of Lotus are a like diamond dozen but I guess in this day and age they're pass and parcel of the business.

That's all water under the fridge nowadays.

[oilit]

You know I am not a real Lotus fan, but the fact somebody is investing in them (and one thing we do know is that the Chinese generally don't play by the same rules as US & UK Companies - they normally don't live quarter to quarter or see a long term plan as being 12 months or 2 years - 10 years is not unusual in Chinese business planning.) This all bodes well for Lotus to be resurrected and become something great....

I wish them luck - it doesn't seem to have done them any harm in the smaller segment of the Volvo range (not sure the same can be said about the larger estates which I feel there are less around now then there used to be - but maybe volvo estate type peeps buy the SUV instead!)

And sorry to be pedantic but :

intensive purposes - intents and purposes

diamond dozen - dime a dozen

[jontykint]

oilit said:

diamond dozen - dime a dozen

And sorry to be pedantic but :

WHOOOOOOOSH

[suffolk009]

RemarkLima said:

I'd always assumed the lakes were some sort of cooling / heating mass for the building's HVAC - you could run some pretty hefty heat pumps off of it all both summer and winter, which no doubt would save a ton of cash on the running cost of a building.

As long as the toilets do not flush into them...

Oh yeah, and they look nice... Who doesn't want ducks hanging around?

I believe they do at McLaren. I think it's part of the cooling for the windtunnel.

[carl_w]

Alongside the pitlane is where the paddock is currently?

[Cold]

RemarkLima said:

gianlu said:

Why do they need to put a small lake in front of all these new car manufacturers building? Aston new building, McL new building and now Lotus? Even Tom Hartley "showroom" , wtf is this obsession with water?

Ah, ad good new for lotus, lake or not

I'd always assumed the lakes were some sort of cooling / heating mass for the building's HVAC - you could run some pretty hefty heat pumps off of it all both summer and winter, which no doubt would save a ton of cash on the running cost of a building.

As long as the toilets do not flush into them...

Oh yeah, and they look nice... Who doesn't want ducks hanging around?

There's been a water feature/small lake in front of the office building for years.