A&Q about Lotus
Q:
Originally Posted by AlanS
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.
Yes they have some interesting engines for lotus product..... but imaging the new Lotus Esprit in a group that has Audi R8 Lamborghini Gallardo Porsche 911S 4s GT3 Gt2......off course all depend by the VW management but in doubt I prefer PSA
A:
Originally Posted by LARRY
Billy Ray indeed. You're just looking for bad news. (And the quote is from "Trading Places.")
Love Lotus........and always have. However, I'm a realist.
Save a slice for me Mr. Pie-in-The-Sky!
A:
Originally Posted by Taxcheat
Yup. There are plenty of GT cars out there with bum warming seats, but the Tesla has no competition.
At the risk of drifting off topic. . . One of the engineers from Tesla explained the electric seats. The cabin heater doesn't have an internal combustion engine to draw waste heat from, so instead it has to use electric heating elements. The cabin heater draws 1500 watts of power. The heated seats draw 60 watts of power. In this context heated seats aren't so much a luxury; they're a feature that makes too much sense to leave off.
Edit: I meant to say "electric" not hybrid, but Tesla's competition is the hybrid cars.
I don't see it that way at all. The Tesla Roadster's competition is Porsche and Ferrari . . . and maybe the Corvette in the longer run. If you look at their longer-term business plans, they want to use the Roadster as a flagship product much the way Chevrolet uses the Corvette.
I figure sports cars are all going electric eventually, and Tesla just got there first. (Or technically second, since the Venturi Fetish was first.) The whole "green" argument is a novel selling point, but it doesn't change what the Roadster is.
Getting back to Lotus. . . . Tesla are planning to set up their own factory in the USA to produce the "White Star" sedan. It'll be interesting to see if they eventually move Roadster production to the USA also, or keep it in the hands of Lotus. But it'll be probably well into 2009, if not later, before they can even think about that.