Lotus axes dealer network

Cheltenhamshire wrote:

Straight Six Man wrote:

I'll have to drop into my local (Bell & Colvill, the first ever Lotus dealer) and ask them how they'll be affected... I'm not sure I understand why this is necessary.

To assist you I have highlighted a number of sections relevant to your post.

Lotus will terminate the contracts of all its European dealerships in July 2012 as part of plans to completely overhaul its dealership network.

This part means Bell & Collvill will be given notice on their Lotus dealership contract.

Lotus CEO Dany Bahar has written to the Norfolk firm’s entire European dealership network informing them that their contracts will not be renewed and will expire on 18 July 2012.

This part means that on the 19th of July 2012 they won't be a Lotus dealer anymore.

Full story: Lotus reveals radical new direction

The sports car firm is acting within the current terms of its dealerships’ contracts, which outlines that two-year’s notice must be given for termination.

Plans for a radical overhaul of the European dealer network will be revealed at the Paris motor show alongside Lotus’s new five-year blueprint, outlining its future building a new range of more luxurious GTs and sports cars.

This part is the reason why they are getting rid of all their dealers.

Lotus has confirmed the current dealer network would be able to apply for new dealerships or franchises under new terms, but it has yet to reveal precise details on what those terms will be.

And finally this could mean that if Bell & Collvill spend silly amounts of money to make their dealership more swanky they will get the chance to sell the overpriced and doomed to fail Lotus cars the misguided management want to sell instead of the excellent Elise and their ilk whose march up the price scale is not welcome.

Last point, had you read the actual article there would be no need for me to reply in such a patronising way !!!

Thanks, but I'd read it. I meant I'd need to find out in more detailed terms exactly how it would affect one particular dealership - partly because it's the first dealer Lotus ever had, partly because it's on a rural site, with roads on two sides, and no space for redevelopment anywhere. There was no need for you to reply in such a patronising way anyway.