future of Lotus in the US?

gsrroger · Dec 18, 2001

Does anyone know what they're planning? Last I heard, they were developing the M250 with the US in mind, but that project has been canceled. So that leaves them with essentially nothing to sell here, and apparently nothing on the horizon.
I'm hoping that this will force them to sell the Elise in the US, but who knows. Actually they already do sell the elise in the US, but it's for competition only (the way lotus sells it, it cannot be lisenced for the street). I know the company in California converts the elise to the Honda engine, but it costs $50k or more - in the UK, you can get an elise for like the price of an Integra Type-R (the point being that $50k USD is way too much).
I say they should buy the new mini engine from BMW, which is (or will be) smog-ified for the US, and has some british connection, and shouldn't be too expensive, and use that in the elise to sell here. I think it'd be plenty powerful for such a light car.
what do you guys think?
Roger, who could afford a $25k elise in a year or two, but would never pay $50k for one.

Oliver@triplezoom · Dec 18, 2001

Re: future of Lotus in the US? (gsrroger)

Well there is a facelifted Esprit this year, but then again, don't we get one of those every three years?

I think that the M250 isn't cancelled entirely; I believe they are simply redesigning it now.

Crispyfritter · Dec 18, 2001

Re: future of Lotus in the US? (gsrroger)

What they really need is an SUV.

gsrroger · Dec 18, 2001

Re: future of Lotus in the US? (200HP4dr)

quote:[HR][/HR]What they really need is an SUV.

[HR][/HR]

as scary as that sounds... you're probably right

Crispyfritter · Dec 18, 2001

Re: future of Lotus in the US? (gsrroger)

All they need to do is tout it's ability to go off road...like under water.... just like the bond Lotus.
Chris

vertigo · Dec 18, 2001

Re: future of Lotus in the US? (200HP4dr)

I'm amazed with Lotus. They've been scuttling about at the door
of bankruptcy year after year, and still have yet to build their
products in such a way that they can be sold in the largest market
in the U.S. The same way that the boxster saved porsche, the
elise could have saved lotus--except that they can't sell them
BY DESIGN!!!!

http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif

gtivr4 · Dec 18, 2001

Re: future of Lotus in the US? (gsrroger)

quote:[HR][/HR]I say they should buy the new mini engine from BMW, which is (or will be) smog-ified for the US, and has some british connection, and shouldn't be too expensive, and use that in the elise to sell here. I think it'd be plenty powerful for such a light car.[HR][/HR]

Umm, actually isn't that engine a Chrysler unit from Brazil or something stupid? Its a pretty crummy engine by some reports. They currently user the standard K-Series (Rover I think) engine. There are a ton of engines that would work well in an Elise, cause it doesn't need much power.
I think the issue is more that the Elise has no support for US bumpers, no airbags etc. It would have to add quite a bit of stuff (and therefore weight) to work in the US. We just don't want really stripped out roadsters here like they do in the UK.

Guest · Dec 18, 2001

Re: future of Lotus in the US? (gsrroger)

quote:[HR][/HR]Does anyone know what they're planning? Last I heard, they were developing the M250 with the US in mind, but that project has been canceled. So that leaves them with essentially nothing to sell here, and apparently nothing on the horizon.[HR][/HR]

Actually, the M250 was designed without the US in mind, so they scuttled the project and returned the 1000 deposits they received on that car. A new president was just appointed to the company within the last month; he said that Lotus' first priority is to develop a new car with the US in mind this time.
Lotus actually makes money; it's just mostly on the engineering side of things. Proton, Lotus' Indonesian owner, doesn't seem to be in a hurry to unload the company; nor do they seem to want muck with the firm much, either. In the end, that's probably a good thing.

Chris V · Dec 18, 2001

Re: future of Lotus in the US? (vertigo)

quote:[HR][/HR]-except that they can't sell them
BY DESIGN!!!!

http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif [HR][/HR]

That's right. Simplify and add lightness, Colin Chapman's credo, doesn't jibe well with US safety regs. Doesn't mean it's a bad design. It means that the point of a no compromise roadster is, well, not to compromise, which US regs require. If you're a small manufacturer (less than 50 cars a year) you can get away with that bodywork, though you still have to meet emissions. What the importers do is act as US "maufacturers" thus getting around the DOT regs. And then they install a certified engine, meeting EPA regs.
Lotus can't do that, as they are too large. Again, it's not bad design keeping it out of the country, but good design.

Rob · Dec 19, 2001

Re: future of Lotus in the US? (Chris V)

As reported in this month's EVO, Lotus is working hard at federalizing the Elise. WOOHOO!! It'll gain maybe a hundred or so pounds, but to have an Elise in North America is going to be super sweet!
The M250 is still under development. Expect the production model to look very similar to the concepts we've all seen (and I absolutely love!), however, the platform will be very different, and will spawn a range of cars from it. It will also meet all US safety and emissions standards, but will not be ready for another 3 years.

It will now take the place of the aging Esprit, so I definitely think that it will have more than 300hp. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

1Point8T · Dec 19, 2001

Re: future of Lotus in the US? (gsrroger)

I doubt that the Elise in its purists' form will ever make it here. Since it is not a econ. compact people here will ask for everything! I'm pretty sure there will be a group of enhusiats who will want it in its basic form for various reasons like autocross, but to be honest a lot of roadster buyers will want to have something compariable to a TT Roadster or a Boxster at the end.
I hope they will have it here soon and keep the affordable pricing on the entry model, but I doubt that will be what we would get at the end...

gsrroger · Dec 19, 2001

Re: future of Lotus in the US? (bgluckman)

quote:[HR][/HR] Proton, Lotus' Indonesian owner, [HR][/HR]

My wife is Malaysian and would be quite offended by your geography

Roger, one of the few vortexers who has actually driven a real-live Proton or two - in their native Malaysia

future of Lotus in the US?

gsrroger

Oliver@triplezoom

Crispyfritter

gsrroger

Crispyfritter

vertigo

gtivr4

Guest

Chris V

Rob

1Point8T

gsrroger

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