Emira

[lotus111]

1 hour ago, Jonathan E said:

It’s got to be a sea-change from the current offerings to entice non Lotus types to buy the cars. The car should have launched last year but got put back due to covid, at the time(2020) I was tempted to hold off on buying another Elise in favour of the 131 but some info filtered through from the dealer as to what the car would be and have on board, that made up my mind to buy the Elise.

I really hope it’s a fantastic success for Lotus, but it’s not going to be anything like what I want from a Lotus. We’re a minority who love rattly cars that make a whole load of compromises so as the driver can enjoy the driving experience. I don’t think future Lotus cars will make so many compromises.

My mates with their beemers, mercs, and audis can’t get over the lack of touch screens, and gizmos in the Elise, they’d all love one but won’t make the compromise, maybe the Emira will do the trick.
Dealer I spoke to last week already has 39 deposits which is remarkable considering so little is known about it.

 

You hit the nail on head. A few die hards that like rattly cars using  parts that where in use over two decades on fords and Vauxhall’s will not guarantee the companys future, yes fantastic drivers cars but even falling down the ladder in the areas where they excel. We are lucky the company as survived this far, just churning out limited editions on 10 to 20 year old platforms I am sorry to say is not the answer even the enthusiast that put there hands in there pockets and buy new are getting to the point where they can not justify spending large amounts of money on cars you can trace there origins back two to three decades. For me we have to thank Geely for having the vision and putting Lotus back to where it belongs at the forefront of sports car automotive industry and hopefully get customers jumping out of there Porsche cocksters to give the company what it deserves a profit and a long future.

[Daveb99]

26 minutes ago, lotus111 said:

You hit the nail on head. A few die hards that like rattly cars using  parts that where in use over two decades on fords and Vauxhall’s will not guarantee the companys future, yes fantastic drivers cars but even falling down the ladder in the areas where they excel. We are lucky the company as survived this far, just churning out limited editions on 10 to 20 year old platforms I am sorry to say is not the answer even the enthusiast that put there hands in there pockets and buy new are getting to the point where they can not justify spending large amounts of money on cars you can trace there origins back two to three decades. For me we have to thank Geely for having the vision and putting Lotus back to where it belongs at the forefront of sports car automotive industry and hopefully get customers jumping out of there Porsche cocksters to give the company what it deserves a profit and a long future.

Spot on that mate.  I also think that another problem Lotus have had is that they often make a great value used buy, as they don’t depreciate much (and often appreciate) but not necessarily a good new buy - as some people who don’t “get them” want more than a sparsely trimmed interior and old tech.

  I’ve had 8 Lotuses (some for longer than others 😜) yet I’ve never bought a new one.  The masses (who I would rather see buy their Porsches etc to be honest) want more from a new car ie tech, gadgets etc nowadays - so Lotus are having to include all that “stuff” that has nothing to do with the driving experience,  to appeal to these people to sell in larger volumes.

Personally I value the driving experience above everything else -  I just need the 3 pedals, a wheel and a gear stick,but I can see why Lotus are having to do what they are doing, starting with the Emira.  No point developing a new car in the same mould as the Elise - they haven’t made a profit on making the Elise for years now..

[Phil S1]

Geely has done what needed doing for years but I think we'll have to either move with the times and embrace all the tech that has become a necessity for the majority or stick with what we have and take our current cars with us to the grave.

Lotus - For the drivers....that do anything other than drive.

[Stik]

Yeah it's absolutely the right decision and direction for Lotus as a company, i'm just a little worried that their cars won't appeal to me personally as much.  But we'll see!

[PJT]

Perhaps we (myself included) are writing a car off before we have seen it, or driven it etc.  Lotus are reasonable good at building inactive cars, so I've heard.  Maybe a nice stereo, a few cancellable driver aids etc won't add so much weight/interference as to ruin the driver experience.  It is still being built by Lotus after all.

Trouble is that anyone who drives them seems to enjoy and understand them, but then buys something else.  I have no idea what the answer is, but you need to sell product to survive.  Then again, positioning your product against so many competitors with fantastic reputations also seems like a poor plan.

There is surely a big enough market out there that can afford such vehicles, not as daily drivers!

I remember when Bugatti brought out the Veyron, how much fuss there was about the fastest production car in the world.  Everyone knew the car.  How many people on the street would have heard of the Evija?  Where is the media, the hype?

Lotus produce cars that are the benchmark against which much much more expensive cars are judged.  How many reviewers have said "the steering /handling is Lotus like" when driving £3-4-500,000 cars.  They should be the go-to brand for anyone who can afford a second car for themselves!

I know I'm a fanboy, hell, pushing against an open door here for sure, but I just don't get why anyone wouldn't buy a Lotus as a non-daily.  What other choice is there?  But reality proves me/us wrong.

[Phil S1]

Spot on Pete (and Stik). I think it would be fair to say the majority of us buy a Lotus as a second non-daily car and as such accept that it may be somewhat basic and not the easiest thing to get in and out of. We gladly accept these things in exchange for everything else; the look, the sound, the driving experience and that special feeling you get the moment you settle into the drivers seat. In making the Emira more usable as a daily proposition, which it needs to be in order to sell in greater numbers, then I fear it will lose much of that special second car feeling. I hope not though, I really hope they get it right and can't wait to see it next month.

[Daveb99]

1 hour ago, Phil S1 said:

Spot on Pete (and Stik). I think it would be fair to say the majority of us buy a Lotus as a second non-daily car and as such accept that it may be somewhat basic and not the easiest thing to get in and out of. We gladly accept these things in exchange for everything else; the look, the sound, the driving experience and that special feeling you get the moment you settle into the drivers seat. In making the Emira more usable as a daily proposition, which it needs to be in order to sell in greater numbers, then I fear it will lose much of that special second car feeling. I hope not though, I really hope they get it right and can't wait to see it next month.

Agree 100% with all this.  Emira will not be as much of a contrast to our boring daily drivers, of that I am sure !

[PJT]

Others have tried to copy the Lotus Elise formula, so other brands must think there's value in the market.  But they never lasted long.  Perhaps it is just too niche.

Anyway, these are the ones I can quickly think of, which are long since forgotten.  Can anyone come up with more?

Zenos E10

Renault Spyder

Caterham 21

Alfa 4c

Vauxhall vx200 (yeah, not really valid)

 

[lotus111]

1 hour ago, PJT said:

Others have tried to copy the Lotus Elise formula, so other brands must think there's value in the market.  But they never lasted long.  Perhaps it is just too niche.

Anyway, these are the ones I can quickly think of, which are long since forgotten.  Can anyone come up with more?

Zenos E10

Renault Spyder

Caterham 21

Alfa 4c

Vauxhall vx200 (yeah, not really valid)

 

Someone mention VX220, my shiny Turbo 18 years ago 😍

[average-mph]

Very nice, you know how to look after a car Scott, that looks great 😊👍

[lotus111]

11 minutes ago, average-mph said:

Very nice, you know how to look after a car Scott, that looks great 😊👍

 Cheers Mike your cars past and present have always look well looked after especially your black Evora’s, we all know how hard it is to keep Black Cars gleaming 👍

[Daveb99]

7 hours ago, lotus111 said:

 Cheers Mike your cars past and present have always look well looked after especially your black Evora’s, we all know how hard it is to keep Black Cars gleaming 👍

You’re not wrong there Scotty - black is a nightmare, but stunning when properly detailed.  I’ve had 4 black cars, two of them Lotuses, exhausting process to do properly but worth it 👍🏻

[PJT]

I've had a couple of black cars and a couple of Lotus.  I have found the Lotus paint to be very delicate.  You just seem to touch it and it scratches.  So a black lotus is the worst combination.

Has anyone else had this experience with the Lotus paint?  Or is it just that my washing technique is seriously poor?

[CDM2018]

I have just started to learn how to detail a car so please know I am no expert!

but from my research black paint is difficult to detail , however what I learnt is personal expectation 

all cars unless kept in sealed vacuum unit will be subject to weather or scarring from road use etc 

large surface scratches and swirls will be removed in main by decent paint correction 

so maybe asking a decent car detailers to quote you to get your car to specific level thereafter you maintain it ?

I choose to go down DIY detailer route but now realise as I don’t have a garage will never achieve a very good level of correction, however I couldn’t afford the £1k price by professional 

Scholl paint correction compounds seem best suited for black car but then other brands are equally good 

[kieranexige]

4 hours ago, PJT said:

I've had a couple of black cars and a couple of Lotus.  I have found the Lotus paint to be very delicate.  You just seem to touch it and it scratches.  So a black lotus is the worst combination.

Has anyone else had this experience with the Lotus paint?  Or is it just that my washing technique is seriously poor?

Wait until you've had jlr paint, makes lotus look really hard.

Personally I didn’t find black too bad to maintain, 2 buckets ,grit guard, lambs wool mitt and correct washing technique with a good shampoo with plenty of lubricity. It’s the basics you need to get right, the rest is if and when.