Accepted wisdom would have it that Lotus's Hethel base is a place of static production lines of half finished Evoras and a fancy new test track where you're more likely to see tumbleweed circulating than test mules for new models. And staff twiddling their thumbs with CVs in the top drawer of their desk, ready to roll.
Not so, says Lotus. In fact, 'we're hiring!'
Exige S Roadster among new models
In a bullish press release issued late yesterday it's confirmed it'll be taking on over 100 new staff, comprising 45 specialist engineers, 40 'manufacturing operatives' and 18 graduates. As Lotus embarks on what HR chief Mark Pym describes as "a period of strengthening" the recruitment drive is said to be "in response to increased global demand for its sports cars and an anticipated rise in interest in its engineering consultancy services."
Off the back of a claimed £100m investment by DRB-HICOM, chief operating officer Aslam Farikullah says "It's been a period of substantial change at Lotus and we are now in a strong position to expand our work on future products and to increase production in our manufacturing facilities. We want Lotus to be at the forefront of the global automotive industry and for us to remain competitive, we will introduce more exciting products."
The latter remain, for the moment, derivatives of existing ones like the new Elise S Club Racer, Exige S Roadster and Evora Sports Racer. And in the wake of Bahar's 'extravagant' expansion plans expect a more conservative evolution.
But, hey, it's good news from Hethel. And it's been a while since we've had that. And if you fancy joining in Lotus is accepting applications via its website.
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