Lotus Production To China?

I don't think there will be sports cars (at least not what Lotus's have been in the past) in future of this company. They bought this for distribution and entries into new markets for their own cars not for the Lotus brand as we know it.

 

Lotus doesn't have an impressive distribution network, nor a big share of the market anywhere.

In most countries, Lotus has only a handful of distributors, and the total production is less than 2000 cars some years! Not so long ago, they reported 800 cars only per year !

So, I assume that if the Chinese are serious about building from this small company, they will be keeping its design team in UK, and just switch production to China, under supervision from a British team.

If they mess up with the brand, their investment will have been worthless; Lotus occupies a very specific niche on the market and has very loyal customers.

 

It was Proton they wanted. I have been following Geely for two years now (own over 150K shares of their stock), unless they intend to have Volvo dealers selling Lotus in this country I really do not believe from a business standpoint it will make sense to even keep Lotus in the U.S. I do a lot of business with Chinese companies and I do hope I am wrong, but what I have seen tells me I probably am not.

 

just saw that Geely bought Lotus... not sure what will happen... I hope they can survive and prosper. A fine car company - that sadly just suffered from bad luck and mis -management.

 

The plan as I hear it from the Uk.

Geely has said "you build great cars, now build some great new ones", and heres some cash to devlop them.

next up the mew elige, 2200lbs powered by the volvo turbosupercharged 4. In polestar guise this engine already makes 450ish hp.

Then a new esprit on a shortened evora platform, utilizing a bespoke v8.

once the new cars are out and the "brand" is then established as credible amongst those with no driving skills but lots of $$$ we will see the lotus SUV. This to be based on a Volvo platform just as porches are Vws. This car could be built in China.

IMO all good stuff, the sportscar development and prodction stays in Hethel, the comitment to light weight clever engineering and cars that just drive as they should remains and are lotus USP's. A suv will probably be economic to buy, drive properly be great and generate lots of $$$ of the brand cred.