Would this concern you if you were buying a new Lotus?

[SAJ]

From someone who has a V6 on order the concern I have is the management indicating they will replace the Exige/Elise in 2015/2016.

I understand that car can depreciate but after 3 years it means that when a new model comes out that the V6 may drop substantially: due to potential owners shopping in V6's for the new model and the V6 looking like an older model.

Obviously dependant on how radical the change is but all this news does not give me a warm comfortable feeling from an ownership perspective.

George

Currently you've got demand vs supply on your side

That's true, I believe George is ahead of me in the queue so I'll happily swap places with him if he wants

The Seloc lot seem to very negative in comparison to here, people throwing rumors about about parts supplies, cars not going out the factory then that some are leaving the factory in the coming days etc.

I guess the only time we'll know for sure about deliveries is when Brandon's first customers get their cars and if they turned up on time or not.

[Gareth]

To be honest, I'd not be sitting comfortably that my hard earned (circa £60K) was going into a new Lotus.
I don't want to be too negative as those selling them need to make a living but....

Lotus have (in my ownership) made great cars but I think they've shot themselves in the foot with the Exige.
Everyone got excited about it but this delay has killed the buzz. Customers are approaching a year past their delivery date with no sign of arrival....

Maybe they will go the way of the Evora. Another great car but you can't sell them for love nor money.

Keep the Europa! Lovely car.

Actually, how about a Porsche Boxster Spyder (if a second car)?
Used for mid 30s with 2 year OPC warranty.

I don't think that a lot of that is true -

Exige V6s are now appearing in the showrooms, and there are pics of customer cars coming off the production lines - no reason to doubt the delivery dates that are being advised. So I'd say there is plenty of signs of the cars arriving!

I have also seen plenty of Evoras being bought and sold, and plenty of owners on here have done so. On that basis I think to say that they can't be sold for love nor money is nonsense.

What I can say however is the ill-informed attitude that you display in your post is what is generating negative thoughts about Lotus... IMHO

Dom,

Ill informed?
Not quite. Not only is it in my opinion but lets look at the facts.

I personally know of two people with orders in...cancelled due to continious delayed deliveries and Lotus future uncertainty.
Evoras. Year old Evora S priced almost 50% less than new value. Still for sale.
Derek Meldrums Evora (1st one) was sat in MMC for a very long time. Even a change of wheels didn't punt that off the forecourt.
There's no denying that the Evora (pretty and good handling car that it is) was not a big seller.

Now we've got SAJ worrying about his purchase.
He should be looking forward to his toy but instead has doubts.

So IMO, Lotus fecked up with the Exige.
Too many people ordered and cancelled and bought something else.

So to answer the OP question.
"Would this concern you if you were buying a new Lotus?"
Yes it does and my money would be in something like a Porsche....911/Gayman/Boxster or preferably...Spyder.

[j2 lot]

Gareth,
To respond to some of your statements:

The facts are that long standing orders have been delayed and that has caused cancellations, however cars are now coming off the production line so there is no solid evidence that recently provided delivery dates will be missed.

DM's Evora has been there a long time but other have come and gone, it is the spec /colour of that particular car that has put buyers off. I would /will buy an Evora - I wouldn't buy a Titanium Storm Evora.

Saj is worried about his purchase because of negative comments on here and SELOC.

There have been problems and no doubt there will continue to be questions re the debt DB racked up but as I said earlier it is the prophets of doom who put doubt in peoples minds that make the situation worse.

[neil]

As others have said things have never looked incredibly rosy with Lotus, yet they're still about. I had similar concerns to you before getting the RGB as after that all Lotus had to sell was the 1.6 Elise & the Evora - how could they possibly suvive just selling those?? However I wanted the car so I got it and have no regrets - plus I doubt you'll find any new car thats depreciated less in the last 2 years!
If you want the car then get it. If Lotus do go under (unlikely IMHO) you'll have a sought after car that can't be bought new so residuals are likely to be strong. But it doesn't sound like you'll be changing it any time soon so that doesn't matter. If we all always went for the "safe" option we'd all be driving about in Boxsters and life would be rather dull.

[Scotty C]

are a few hundred Exige sales going to save Lotus?

I hope so.

[douglasgdmw]

That's true, I believe George is ahead of me in the queue so I'll happily swap places with him if he wants

The Seloc lot seem to very negative in comparison to here, people throwing rumors about about parts supplies, cars not going out the factory then that some are leaving the factory in the coming days etc.

I guess the only time we'll know for sure about deliveries is when Brandon's first customers get their cars and if they turned up on time or not.

I have not cancelled so you can guess the answer on that one

Like yourself I have been reading the SELOC posts and it is very worrying, especially when there is such contrasting views. Hoping to have more confidence when the first orders start trickling through the door. If there are further delays then will have to seriouly think again as its completely souring the purchase experience.

Can only sympathise with people who ordered well before me as they have been going through this for far longer.

George

[Dominic]

are a few hundred Exige sales going to save Lotus?

I hope so.

Doubt it, a good few thousand would be a step in the right direction.

With Lotus selling all over Europe, in the states, and now (IIRC) in East / mid East - then maybe "a good few thousand" is more achievable than one might think.

[Gareth]

are a few hundred Exige sales going to save Lotus?

I hope so.

Doubt it, a good few thousand would be a step in the right direction.

With Lotus selling all over Europe, in the states, and now (IIRC) in East / mid East - then maybe "a good few thousand" is more achievable than one might think.

I hope so too...but how fast can they build a few thousand?
How many cars across the range to Lotus build in a year?

Takes money to make money....and they don't have much of the former.

[SAJ]

are a few hundred Exige sales going to save Lotus?

I hope so.

Doubt it, a good few thousand would be a step in the right direction.

With Lotus selling all over Europe, in the states, and now (IIRC) in East / mid East - then maybe "a good few thousand" is more achievable than one might think.

A few hundred would be start. I think the east is going to be the real lifeline for Lotus, far more wealthy customers over there than there ever will be in the UK.

[Shug]

Bear in mind, I think we're looking at the accounts for Lotus Cars, aren't we? Lotus Engineering have traditionally shored up the cars side and whilst I don't see any figures, it's possible to surmise that some good contracts for them (off the back of their existing reputation and the current visibility in things like F1) could massively soften the blow of these losses. Think of the billions spent by a major manufacturer on a new model and a chunk of that is chassis engineering. Lotus Engineering traditionally did a lot of chassis engineering for other companies. Sure, it's not 100% profit, by any means, but given Engineering's cashflow is supposedly far greater than Cars, you'd hope it took the sting out of the negatives a bit.

I wonder what the figures were like pre-96 when the Elise was in development, the Elan was dead and they were selling single figure numbers of Esprits...?

[Justin]

Hopefully once/if Lotus get the production line up and running for the current 300-400(?) orders, then I reckon there will be a good few more ordered once people see cars actually being delivered. Just going by the SELOC thread there are plenty people who like it, but are put off ordering by the current situation.

I've not driven it, but almost every review I've read on it is absolutely raving about it.

[Scotty C]

Not looking good.

I have a few friends that work for Lotus and he put on his facebook this morning.

"Anyone interested in panic buying a lotus? "

[Corranga]

If they can get things rolling and publicise that things are rolling well as the F1 season starts up again, then that could do it.
The real question for me is how many cars could they conceivably produce running at full capacity?
That's a lot of debt, and even if you don't have to repay it all, would selling every new Exige even make much of a dent?

[BiggestNizzy]

I saw some adverts for the new season of top gear, a good review should sell a few.

[SAJ]

Not looking good.

I have a few friends that work for Lotus and he put on his facebook this morning.

"Anyone interested in panic buying a lotus? "

Any chance you could do us Exige customers a favour and try and find out what is actually going on with regards to the cars being built?

I saw some adverts for the new season of top gear, a good review should sell a few.

Assuming they have it on this series, a good showing there would make a world of difference. For a lot of daft people Topgear is Gospel and if Clarkson says the sky is falling they really would put on a crash helmet

One really annoying thing is If I order a Porsche Cayman S today I can have it by April, lovely car too but would be my second choice to the Exige.