Crazy low, I assume?
They would not give me exact numbers. I guess I am puzzled, especially by the dealers that were still sitting on brand new 2014's. Did they really think that the 400 was going to change the game that much. Don't get me wrong I am buying one (knowing full well even if I get 40% off sticker it will be worth less in a year), but most of these cars I see have over 100K sticker prices. Now I have a new 718 Cayman S (it is my girlfriends car), and I would say probably 99.5% of buyers would take the Cayman S over the Lotus, since the Porsche has more panache and on paper the specs (which for far too many buyers is a determining factor) and Porsche has a real dealer network, something Lotus does not. I'd love to know what Lotus told them to get them to carry their products.
I sold my Exige S and my Evora S out of fear of Lotus going under. We also lost out dealer so I had to send the Evora 3 hours away for warranty work. If Lotus had solid footing here in the U.S. I would snatch up a 400 in a heartbeat.
This is the issue and its the same for the Alfa 4c People SAY they want "a real sports car" but in fact, what they want is a GT like the Porsche. The 60's are gone. It's the year 2017 now and people's taste, expectations, and ideas of what a sports car is have changed forever.
I guess that's why I want to have the 400 along with the 4C, though the 400 will be a gearshift. I have enough cars with fancy displays and infotanment (I hate that word) systems do not want or need any more. I am just going to be patient until the price is right.
Thats kinda funny. I traded from an Exige because I wanted something more practical and daily drivable. For me, the Evora 400 IS a GT car and is every bit the GT car that a 911 is.
And here is good news on the Evora front: Lotus Evora Sport 410 First Drive Review | Automobile Magazine
I am sorry I do not see this as good news, especially when dealers cannot get the 400's off their lots. Lotus does not have enough potential buyers to try and be Porsche, they are only making it harder for dealers to sell the cars that are already here. Of course it might be good news for me since I want the 400.
Lotus needs an ad campaign in the US which is about 1/3rd of what Alfa Romeo had earlier this year. Alfa was on every car mag cover with their "flap" ad, ran an ad during the Super Bowl, etc. While it has a fascinating product and fabulous history, Lotus is invisible to all but people like us. Couple that with a buyout which has not even merited a "we're still committed to the American market" press release, & you have covered the company with a cloak of invisibility. Not smart AT ALL!
alfa makes sedans and suvs so advertising pays for them. i dont think that will work as well for pure sports car maker like lotus.
the nproblem with lotus and the Evora as many here have touched upon is thye thought it could be some type of 991 alternative. What lotus missed is that the bulk of 991s are sold on badge as comuter cars for the sucessful, that was nover going to be a lotus. Nor could lotus engineer the little things as well. Lotus then came up with the 400 which offered compellign performance and betetr styling, and then ruined it for their dealers by shipping At cars to the usa. the eprson buying na evora 400 is the smae type of person who would buya Gt3 or Gt4. Someoen who wnats a tactile fast car for road and or track use. An At has close to no appeal. now they are figurign it out with the 410 honing more the perfomance equation which makes it more appealing. But then what about all those unsold AT 400s. Advertsing, maserati did great with just a 100k internet campaign, Lotus also gets lots of press from the motoring press. They have a fantastic race history to draw upon. lastly they are missing an inbuilt wider audience. Track days are extremely popular. Lotus is usualy well represented on any day. Other drivers take notice of what fast and runs well. Lotus should be developing any number of track upgrade kits for their cars that people can add to their cars. Lotus motorsport sort of did that while they existed, but with Ferrari+ pricing. The idea is to be getting cars out in front of the natural audience and have the owners who are the natrural brand ambassadors driving well and talking up the product. That requires some factory reckognition and intellectual support in terms of setup. It also requires being able to buy factory track rotors for less than 3k, It requires within reason affordable things like lightweigth peices, approved tunes etc. the aftermarket for these cars is huge simply because Lotus fails to serve its market. As long as they are trying or even thinking of making some sort of porche Gt competitor they will fail. What they can do is serve the (30+k units per anum of various makes) serious drivers crowd with cars that are engaging on road, durable and quick on track while being "affordable" to run. Once their chops are established there and the rest of the world figures out theyr are a player, then its time for the suv etc. Thats how BMW grew up, first witht hew 2002 it became a car for those in the know who really drove and even went to the track on occasion. Lotus is reminicent of classic porche in a number of key ways. They only build sprtscars, and like in the airccoled era a lotus is modifyable and changeable to better suit an owners tastes and needs. Yes Lotus today could be who porche was in the 70s and grow from there. They'll also need decent dealers and dealer support, as you have pointed out they have hosed many dealers. Time for them to start listening to their dealers, the remainder of which are very comited and enthusiastic about the product.
There is an interview with the head of Volvo in the July Road and Track, if you can read it. It explains Geely does not throw money into companies it buys, it expects them to make money. I tend to look at things a bit differently than the norm, (without emotion), so from that perspective I see Lotus as not worth the (at least in this country) effort to revitalize, because from what I've seen they have not exactly shown support for the dealer network they have left. Kind of like that Foxconn plant being a good deal for the folks in WI (if it ever even gets built).
I have so far spoken to the dealers within 1000 miles of my home, I wonder if the Las Vegas dealer might want to make a deal and get rid of one of those two silver manual cars they have. Not crazy about red leather interior, but for the right price I can live with it.
Yesterday I received the Sept Car & Driver. One of its editorials was about Lotus, & the writer was quite optimistic about the company's future. In trying to be objective I should, however, add that there was no strong expression of reason about this optimism. And Geely remains eerily quiet ...
They have yet to complete the takeover, and they have so far said nothing. Not sure where the writer is getting his info from. I know I have seemed like the dark cloud, but I really do want to see Lotus succeed. I still want a great deal, but I can want both.
If all goes well I should have the deal for the Evora 400 done by this afternoon. I am just not good at being patient!
Evora 400's are selling, at least at the dealers I know. I also know a few folks awaiting delivery in their specific colors etc. You will also find a lot of inventory getting transferred down to certain dealers who are selling a lot of Evoras. 40% off list on a Evora 400 yeah right…….manuals have only recently got in here in any significant numbers.The few old model 2014's left I am sure is a different matter. Used Evora prices are also hardening, in fact a 2011 Evora S for example I think now has a great residual. New Elise will be US compliant too. Lotus are also back in profit. I cannot see any reason why Lotus would not be in business going forward. Not saying all dealers are great and Lotus don't have distribution issues in the US but to me it looks like things are improving. A used 2010-2014 Evora right now is a good buy without the maintenance issues of rivals and I don't expect any more depreciation. Check out Lotus talk classifieds for a feel of what used Evoras are selling for.
My local dealer sold 2 of the 3 Manuals they (including the one I had my eye on) had in two days. I have talked to a lot of dealers and the manual cars are getting interest, though considering Lotus's volume, moving a few cars is cause for celebration. I wanted something different with this car (not the usual red, grey, white, my cars usually are) and I found it. It is a bit out there (but so am I) but deal is done, probably be here in the next 10 days. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login