The new boss of Lotus Europe is seeking to broaden production at the brand's UK base to include new models from the wider Geely group.
Matt Windle has been promoted from his position as Lotus Cars MD following the departure of former Lotus Europe CEO Dan Balmer after less than a year.
His broader role coincides with the recent merging of Lotus Cars with the Chinese-based Lotus Technology, which oversaw the brand's so-called lifestyle EVs, the Eletre SUV and Emeya saloon.
“I think it's better for the business,” Windle told Autocar in an interview. “It gives us a solid link between manufacturing and commercial on sports cars but allows me to work wider across the business as well.”
Windle is keen to grow production at Hethel, which earlier this year announced 270 job cuts as demand for the Emira petrol sports car was hit by the sharp increase in tariffs in the US.
“It has been a turbulent start of the year, which has had an impact on the business,” he said.
Lotus last year posted record wholesales (sales to dealers) of the Emira at 5272, up 102%, but Windle is keep to push close to the factory’s limits of 10,000 cars annually.
"Back in the late 1990s and 2000s, we were building several models at Hethel [including the Elise-based Vauxhall VX220 and Tesla Roadster], and I think that's a business model we're exploring,” he said.
One possibility is the forthcoming Polestar 6 electric roadster. “I think we could build it,” Windle said. “There's an element of transition, because at the moment it's just ICE [at Hethel], but we're going to have to go on that journey.”
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Exports aside they've increased the starting price of the Emira by nearly 50% since launch 3 years ago. (From under £60k to nearly £90k). It was supposed to be a replacement for both Evora and Elise/Exige but has very quickly become more expensive than all of them. At £60k it was tempting but now it would have to be a Cayman all day long sadly. It's hardly surprising demand has collapsed.
A Lotus should be compact, lightweight, handle very well and ride well, otherwise new Chinese Lotus has no more in common with the brand's heritage, than Chinese MG has with MG's heritage. Both are now just meaningless badges, on Chinese cars.
Getting back to one Lotus, rather than two separate entities, must surely help.
They've squandered a huge opportunity though.