The last few days have been filled with reports of Group Lotus being sold to Genii, strongly denied by Proton.
Parallel to this there have been articles on the companies car sales.
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/259509/
In the UK, Lotus sales are struggling, with just 272 cars registered in the first eight months of 2011, compared with 358 in the same period last year. That’s 24 per cent down in an overall market that’s down six per cent.
Another article by Richard Hammond.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/advice/motoring/latest-news/2011/10/07/lotus-blossoms-with-improved-evora-s-115875-23471292/
This is the new 2012 Lotus Evora S, which the company says has 143 improvements. Is it wise to ’fess up to this?
I would imagine that if you had bought one of the earlier cars you’d be pretty miffed that Lotus had found 143 things it felt it had to change for the next version.
These days, a £62,450 sports car has some pretty tough competition.
Finally I read.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/markets/article-23996840-expanding-customer-base-helps-n-brown-fill-its-niche.do
The perfect City trader's car: it's flashy and unreliable...
The first thing you should do when you collect your complimentary Lotus Evora for a stylish weekend away is this: check the train timetable. And pack light, you'll be carrying the luggage home.
At least that's how it was for me. Twice.
It's just bad luck that a nearly new supercar should conk out two weekends running - statistically unlikely, you might say - but no one I asked who knows about cars seemed that surprised. (The first loan was a gift. The second loan an apology for the first. The third will be, I hope, of an entirely different car.)
Lotus is struggling.
Oh well I'm sure they can always get some Engineering work.
Speaking of which, Caterham have opened their car design centre on the Hethel Campus. I mentioned this yesterday in my blog.
I wonder if they will allow non descript OEM's to use their name with abandon in order to get work?
http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/new_team_lotus_firm_to_create_sports_car_line_1_1086044
Caterham are opening a Technical area in the Hethel Engineering Centre!
I wonder where they think they will get their engineering staff from!
Here is a portion of the article:
“The new shareholders are committed to investing in an exciting range of global products over the next 10 years,” he added.
The new firm will also work for external automotive and aerospace companies.
The company’s new sports cars will be inspired by what it describes at the “lightweight, minimalist philosophy” of Caterham’s famous cult sports car the Seven. It will draw on the technology and materials of the group’s Team Lotus Formula One and Caterham Team AirAsia GP2 motorsport operations.
Mr Shute. who will be head of road cars, said creating the next iconic Caterham was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.
“The core principles and ambitions of CTI have enabled us to attract some of the brightest and most respected talents in their fields.”
Caterham Cars’ chief executive, Ansar Ali, said: “To meet the challenge, we knew we needed to invest in a new operation that would have the scope, experience and vision to deliver.”
One of the campuses for my proposal is the Hethel Engineering Centre. So it would mean that Group Lotus Engineering Plus Caterham Engineering and a UNI would all inhabit the same geographical space!
Isn't life grand!
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