A&Q about Lotus
Q:
Originally Posted by mgreenbl
I have no idea what you have been saying on this thread and I have been speaking english for more than 25 years.
Don't worry, neither do the rest of us. Apparently he was enamoured with the HBO show Dogwood and they must have spoken weird on that show, which he emulates. I can see why the show didn't last. I just wonder if it's only a cute online persona, or if he speaks that way in normal daily life.
A:
Originally Posted by Randy Chase
Excellent point. I am surprised at how little "car guys" even know about the car, specially in regards to availability. A lot of new people were introduced recently.
Recently I have had several "how long did you have to wait for yours? I heard it is like a 6 month wait" comments from people.
A:
Originally Posted by JWA
Don't worry, neither do the rest of us. Apparently he was enamoured with the HBO show Dogwood and they must have spoken weird on that show, which he emulates. I can see why the show didn't last. I just wonder if it's only a cute online persona, or if he speaks that way in normal daily life.
Hey Hoopleheads,
that's "Deadwood," not Dogwood.
A:
Originally Posted by MitchT
Lotus is loosing money in the US ? UK , it's financial results/statments are reported back to proton, and who has access to that?
Specualtion and bable, they have alot of stuff in the pipline, Telsa, engineering for other manufactures, etc. Now proton is rumored to be doing poorly so that might be causing sell rumors.
Actually according to published information Lotus made a loss in 2005 of GBP 7.4million. There are ways to get good data and all of it is very legal to get hold of. A lot of those losses were put down to the development and launch of the fed elise. The previous year they actually made a profit, albeit small.
A:
Originally Posted by Shuraexc
I heard that now Proton is in talks for a partnership with Peugeot/Citroen not Vw
That had been the case. Talks with VW broke down in January over control issues but the Malaysian government, which owns about 43% of Proton, this past week softened their stance to indicate they they would allow a foreign entity to control 51% of the company. The Malaysian government is apparently talking again to both VW and PSA.
A:
Originally Posted by LotusLust
so, dicked, are you calling jw a street urchin who is clueless? or are you saying those with no business knowledge (jw or the hethel factory worker) are not the people who can best foretell the fortunes of lotus? or are you BRV in this metaphor?
and for the record, i miss the hoopleheads and Swea-gin
Your pal JWA, commented that calling her a Buzzbomb, was having a negative effect on sales. Hence the Valentine reference.
My point was that Lotus screwed the pooch on the pricing and marketing of Buzzy.......after such a long absense of an affortable Lotus.
Those bastards at HBO.......ALSO screwed the pooch by cancelling Deadwood.
A:
Originally Posted by SimonMExS
Hey Hoopleheads,
that's "Deadwood," not Dogwood.
JWA confused Deadwood with "Dogpatch"...........which is what we're on presently.
Hell, the same characters exist on both!
A:
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A:
Originally Posted by Randy Chase
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A:
Originally Posted by Randy Chase
Excellent point. I am surprised at how little "car guys" even know about the car, specially in regards to availability. A lot of new people were introduced recently.
Back to the original topic. I have not heard much of anything. I think the lines were supposed to have cut back on Federal Elise cars and I know we saw a lot of Europas and Exige S cars being built when we visited in September.
There have been a lot of changes at LCU.
I believe based on discussions, that Lotus has a good grasp of direction.
I do not expect any major difficulties. I would not be surprised to see Proton sell them off. I would not be surprised to see them keep Lotus.
I bought an Elise because of people here on the forum......Thanks! ET members answered many questions prior to my purchase!
A:
Originally Posted by Taxcheat
The Elise is a very high margin car. They make a bundle on every sale. The problem is Lotus expanded production capacity a bit too much (according to the former CEO).
There are enough lazy man "sporty" cars out there with seat warmers, cupholders, and painted crests.
Well then. . . They should have plenty of capacity to spare for assembling Tesla Roadsters. With heated seats and cupholders. (Although, from the photos I've examined, the two engineering prototypes Tesla have been showing appear to have those newfangled invisible cupholders.)
A:
I'm much rather see PSA Peugeot Citroen controlling Lotus than Volkswagen Audi Group. I don't think a product like the Elise would have ever come out with Volkswagen at the helm. They're too afraid to release something like that e.g., GX3 and they would probably require high-levels of parts sharing which would also kill a car like the Elise.
Didn't Peugeot have a similar roadster in production about the same time as the Elise S1?
A:
Originally Posted by tonybelding
Well then. . . They should have plenty of capacity to spare for assembling Tesla Roadsters. With heated seats and cupholders.
Yup. There are plenty of GT cars out there with bum warming seats, but the Tesla has no competition. It's a hybrid that a car-lover could drive without any embarrassment. I see no value in hybrids myself (it's a feel-good technology), but heavy Tesla sales would bring Lotus a bundle of cash it needs to finish the Esprit.
"Lotus management thought they ruled the world after three very good years selling around 3500 Elise derivatives per year. But the same mistakes as had always been made at Lotus, production mistakes which led to each financial crisis over the past 15 years, were repeated."
-- ex-Lotus CEO Terry Playle in 2001 quoted in Lotus: The Complete Story Continues, Pg. 172
Edit: I meant to say "electric" not hybrid, but Tesla's competition is the hybrid cars.
A:
Originally Posted by Taxcheat
...the Tesla.... It's a hybrid that a car-lover could drive without any embarrassment. I see no value in hybrids myself (it's a feel-good technology)...
The Tesla isn't a hybrid. It's full electric.
A:
Originally Posted by solar
I'm much rather see PSA Peugeot Citroen controlling Lotus than Volkswagen Audi Group. I don't think a product like the Elise would have ever come out with Volkswagen at the helm. They're too afraid to release something like that e.g., GX3 and they would probably require high-levels of parts sharing which would also kill a car like the Elise.
I agree I want to see PSA not Vw,becouse the VW/audi group owned lamborghini and is controlling by Porsche .PSA is free by any super sportcars influence
A:
Originally Posted by dickedup
"Billy Ray Valentine has set the market Mortimor."
Billy Ray indeed. You're just looking for bad news. (And the quote is from "Trading Places.")
A:
Originally Posted by Shuraexc
I agree I want to see PSA not Vw,becouse the VW/audi group owned lamborghini and is controlling by Porsche .PSA is free by any super sportcars influence
Porsche probably doesn't see Lotus as a competitor in their part of the sports car range. So this might not be the key factor. But after having spent some money with projects like the Bugatti Veyron or the VW Phaeton the major share holders would like to see return on investment with 'real' Volkswagen products. Porsche is in first place as share holder, right, but there is also the state of Lower Saxony representing public interest. Also, the unions have gained strength again; the retirement of Bernd Pischetsrieder standing for that.
A:
Originally Posted by Shuraexc
I agree I want to see PSA not Vw,becouse the VW/audi group owned lamborghini and is controlling by Porsche .PSA is free by any super sportcars influence
VW seems to have become a collector of sports/high end car manufacturers. They do at least have some interesting engines that would work nicely in future Lotus products.
A:
Just because the Malaysian govt now says someone could buy 51% of Proton, doesn't mean that the buyer would automatically gain control of Lotus. Proton is quite happy with owning Lotus. But....
However, given a choice between VW and PSA, I vote for the French connection. Neither of them would go down well back in Britain, but a company that can design the Citroen C-Matisse is much more attractive. Drool..
Don't forget that your body panels are made in France.
A:
At the weekend I read Car Magazine's (December) short interview with Lotus CEO Mike Kimberly where he is talking about Lotus needing a 3 model line up to be viable: the entry level (Elise/Exige), mid-range 2+2 sports car and the top end brand equity builder - the Esprit. It would really be a 4 model line up with a Lotus version of a Proton (think Lotus Cortina, Lotus Sunbeam, Lotus Carlton).
The mid range car is being fast tracked for 2008 (the original Esprit date) so they can spend more time on the Esprit for a 2009 launch.
With that 3 or 4 model base he is talking about 6,000-10,000 cars a year for the company to be sustainable.
Based on all this it looks like profitability and a sustainable business in 5 years from now if it all works...