Lotus's pivot to the Midlands continues with the announcement of a new advanced technology centre at the University of Warwick's Wellesbourne campus. The facility will house 130 engineers as the firm formalises a new partnership with WMG (formerly Warwick Manufacturing Group) which was established in 1980 to assist companies by overcoming industrial challenges with innovative solutions - a convenient fit for the work that Lotus Engineering has undertaken for decades.
The substantial site will consist of offices, workshops and laboratory space, and will obviously focus on delivering new technologies for the future. Lotus is at pains to point out that its team will be dwarfed by the size of the engineering team which remains at Hethel, although the appeal of an R&D centre in Warwickshire is easy to understand given the region's surplus of expertise. The manufacturer highlights the potential for 'many new jobs' as the investment begins to pay off.
Being able to access a pool of young talent also has its advantages, and highlights just how far into the future a Geely-funded Lotus is now looking. WMG is well established as a breeding ground for the sort of person the brand is looking for: the University of Warwick already boasts an automotive research centre, an advanced materials research centre, a manufacturing centre and an international institute for nanocomposites manufacturing.
Matt Windle, executive director for engineering at Lotus, noted that "the new space, facilities and job opportunities at Wellesbourne will be in great demand as we rapidly build our portfolio of external projects". He affirmed that Lotus's "team and specialist skills have grown significantly in the last two years as renewed impetus has been put into the business with new shareholders and management", clearly referencing the all-electric Evija which is intended as just the first step in a predominantly zero-emission future.
Margot James, executive chair at WMG, commented: "This is wonderful not only for WMG, the University of Warwick and the region, but also for the UK automotive sector. The UK needs to retain R&D capability in our manufacturing sector, and at WMG we are working with partners on many R&D programmes which are focussed on innovation and future growth towards net zero. We look forward to collaborating with Lotus on projects which seek to create a greener, more connected future".
James' comments highlight just how far-reaching the latest development for Lotus is likely to be. Beyond its future range of core models (centring around an anticipated new Elise for 2021), the manufacturer is plainly serious about wanting to convert its innovation and engineering influence into expanded income, and a new facility in the Midlands is primed to do just that. It is also heartening to report an additional cog in the future-looking Lotus strategy - without having officially launched any new models, the brand has already positioned itself to flourish in the coming decade. And it didn't need six concepts in one day to do it.
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