Shrugged shoulders, exchanged glances, and what I believe is the honest answer: we just don't know. I'm at Lotus HQ and have asked the inevitable question. What news?
There are rumours that DRB-Hicom, the investor which recently bought Lotus's parent company, Proton, doesn't quite share Proton's vision for the success of The Lotus Plan (you know the one, featuring Swizz Beatz and Mansory).
A transitional phase, which gave DRB-Hicom 60 days to decide what to do with Proton, has elapsed - its representatives duly visited Hethel during that time.
The options? Sell Lotus off. Send it into administration and then sell it off. Or hold their nerve and give the people who work at Lotus what they deserve: the opportunity to make a new range of world-class sports cars under strong, sensible leadership. I know which one of those sounds like it would be a novelty.
Given some of the coverage, you'd be forgiven for thinking nothing at all was happening at Lotus HQ. But instead they do what good people do: they get on with things. The new test track is finished. Cranes and wagons are still, even today, erecting new production buildings. Cars, albeit in far smaller volumes than is ideal, move down the line.
Join the debate
the pits
re: Why we can't lose Lotus
To be honest if I was running Lotus I think the so called 'enthusiasts' would have sapped the will to live from me by now. They said a proper marque would make it's own engines. Lotus develop a bespoke, flat plane crank (just like ferrari's) and very light twin turbo V8. They said it's not reliable enough. Lotus then source bulletproof japanese engines. They say four cylinders isn't premium enough. Lotus offer them a V6. They say it's obselete (whatever that means?). Lotus suggest they try the supercharged version, they refuse on the grounds that it's still obselete and not special enough. They moan about where the gearbox came from. They say they're living off the past. Lotus invest heavily in a massive return to motorsport. Now they say sponsorship doesn't count.
It's abundantly clear that it really doesn't matter what Lotus do if people write them off without trying their cars. The badge is worthless where it matters most - the shallow confines of the golf club car park. The game is over.
the pits
re: Why we can't lose Lotus
So you still haven't driven an Evora yet then, clearly.
That makes your view on the Evora completely worthless and of malicious intent.
Ravon
re: Why we can't lose Lotus
Pits, dream on, someone has to continuously correct the apparently authoritative postings of no-nothing ( technically ) dreamer that continuously spouts erroneous technical information . As I've said to you before I've purchased several new Lotus car and never purchased a new Porsche, and am never likely to.
If you could lower yourself to meet me in person to further discuss any of the points I've raised, I'm at just about every Gold Track Track Day this year in a light blue 944, I look forward to meeting you in person.
Finally, yes, it got a terrible twisted driving position like an early RHD 911 !
Citytiger
re: Why we can't lose Lotus
blktoy, unless you havent noticed, JLR appear to be in very good hands and posting record profits, the have a range bar the Defender which is very modern and competitive, with more new products coming online such as the F-Type, the difference between JRL and Lotus is immeasurable, as for the products not being very good, the majority of the worlds press, not just UK's are lining up to present them with awards.
the pits
re: Why we can't lose Lotus
Ravon have you driven an Evora yet?
For the benefit of everyone else, if he says 'yes' he's lying.
I've witnessed this misery monger on other forums who has a habit of spending his spare time, on Lotus forums, telling everyone how awful Lotus cars are and conversely how wonderful porsches are. Yes there really are people out there who do that. Why porsche fans feel the need to belittle Lotus is anyone's guess but I've yet to see a lamborghini fan peeing on anyone's parade on a Lotus topic. My best guess is that build quality is their overriding priority which renders them helpless to own porsches and equally mystified about Lotus which has the audacity to prioritize other areas.
No doubt Ravon you're enjoying this final crushing eradication of Lotus, the company that clearly irritates you and your porsche friends so much. You remind me of Mr Anderson from the Matrix. Repulsed by free thinking, baffled by human emotion, driven to crush all that stands in the way of the only version of the world that makes any sense (where everyone drives porsches).
I hope you realise that you've more than likely put a good few prospective Evora buyers off with your posts, which has contributed to Lotus's predicament. Has this been your plan all along? If so, shame on you. It's the exact opposite of what motivates me to post on public forums.
Peter Cavellini
re: Why we can't lose Lotus
Lotus.....a business
Lotus.....just another assett?
Lotus.....an important car maker?
These are just a few thoughts. what's yours?
Peter Cavellini.
TBC
re: Why we can't lose Lotus
Just read online, what is purportedly the Lotus press release. If this is the case, then it is definitely a situation of opening one's mouth before engaging brain; Group Lotus legal team must be loving this........
Ravon
re: Why we can't lose Lotus
The Pits, you obviously read different copies of Autocar, Evo and Car to me, pro German press, you're joking, the Evora had those wicked Germans on the run. I've never seen such ludicrous and ultimately dishonest accolades loaded on any car like those that the Evora was gifted.
eseaton
re: Why we can't lose Lotus
Lotus was born in a glorious era of goose bumps, tears and Saturn V rockets.
It remains a truly remarkable spirit in the car world.
Such companies seldom make people rich, but my goodness they make people happy.
30 years ago, it was presumed that everyone would now be wearing a Casio watch. There is now a staggering array of bespoke, Elise costing, watches out there.
Commercially, I would have thought the watch manufacturing and retailing industry would make a good model for this sort of company. And perhaps Formula 1, with a bunch of highly individual teams, to some extent sharing technology for the greater good, overseen and presented to the outside world by a strong commercially minded body.
the pits
re: Why we can't lose Lotus
Bahar was imposed upon Lotus by owners Proton. Clearly they thought the best way to take on ferrari etc in one fell swoop was to employ someone who worked at ferrari, who has employed people from porsche and AMG among others, because the british public refuses to believe anyone else can build cars to their satisfaction. So ex porsche quality control man works at Lotus, does it make any difference. People still post here about the reliability and 'iffy' parts, so clearly it doesn't. Lotus will never win with its critics and that's why it's in such trouble. The whingers and pro german journalists have done more damage to Lotus than Bahar ever could because they make it their business to ridicule Lotus and their cars. Among such an image conscious society you have to be a hell of an individualist to own a car that everyone else in the golf club car park is laughing at. And there's no slur among those who choose their car to impress their peers than 'kit car'. They are the same lost fools who are depriving the world of the manual gearbox because again there's nothing that looks worse than stalling your new expensive sports car when everyone's watching. So the future's porsche PDK. How terminally depressing.
At least I won't buying any more new cars which should save me a few quid.
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