Received indirect rumor today that Lotus is very close to bankruptcy. Long-term employees are feeling the waters about other job prospects. Any word?
I hope this isn't true, but it wouldn't surprise me. That entire Danny Bahar (sp?) episode, with 5 new cars being proposed virtually at once, indicated to me that they were going for broke ... hope that isn't where they are now. Lotus seems to have a financial crisis every 10 - 12 years. Kind of sad for me, as I saw Jim Clark win the 1967 British GP in a Lotus 49, have been through the factory twice (1978 & 1995), & have won 4 state autocross championships in a Twin Cam Europa Special.
All I will say is this source has been an employee for many years and has been through several owners, and is high up enough in the company to have a good idea that it might be different this time (hopefully not).
Read theyre about to announce a new track model open top exige w 420 hp evora engine at goodwood next momth. Thats a good sign. I think
I'd have expected more damage than that. Especially on a Lotus! Sorry, couldn't resist. Glad you're ok. Did you hit a small javelina? T
Not so small javelina - the exige clam is hand laid fiberglass and more robust than the Elise, the splitter - not so much.
How is the Evora in general? I keep seeing a cool white one running around, and a dealer in Indy sent me a free test drive & a car wash on one? I had to laugh about the car wash, but the Lotus looks pretty neat. A cheap 458?
Lotus recently announced they will be building an SUV ... in China. Doesn't sound like a company going broke. I would have zero interest in such a vehicle, but if it keeps the company afloat, I'm all for it. If Lotus goes down with a whisper, at least it can say it still offered a manual transmission!
I thought the same thing the first time I saw the Evora! It's the poor man's (relatively speaking) 458 Italia. I think it's a great looking car. A lot rarer than Porsches. People on Lotus Talk seem to love it, but there are some scary reliability issues, but, of course, who knows how much that is the internet concentration effect? I'd love to pick one of them up on the cheap in a few years, but I gotta scratch my Ferrari itch first...T
I can definitely see Lotus being under Chinese ownership at some time. Many Chinese manufacturers would love to have their design and engineering prowess under their belt.
Hi. I think that the Chinese company 'Yutong'(?) is / was assembling Lotus cars under license in China. I can definitely see it happening. I doubt Proton has enough scale to be able justify keeping Lotus under its belt. Just my two cents. Regards, Ramin
FYI...US office relocating from Suburban ATL to Detroit (just as Mercedes moves to ATL and Porsche completes a new $100mm facility) Lotus Cars USA leaving Georgia for Michigan - Atlanta Business Chronicle
They had a success with the Elise/Exige and seemed to rest on that for far too long. The Evora was too little too late
A new Lotus at Goodwood's festival of speed 2015 Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Appears to be the new 3-11...T http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/goodwood-festival-of-speed/11700753/lotus-3-eleven-3eleven-goodwood-festival-of-speed-jean-marc-gales.html
