New Elan in Paris

[Old English White]

I also think they look great, but bear in mind that Lotus owners have gone through all this before....noticeably:

1) Launch of the (Type 14) Elite - That's not a lotus...too comfortable...too expensive....and fibreglass ??

2) Launch of the +2 - That's not a lotus...too many seats...too expensive

3) Launch of the (Type 74) Elite - That's not a lotus...too big...too expensive....

4) Launch of the (Type 100) Elan - That's not a lotus...FWD

5) Launch of the Elise - That's not a lotus...too spartan

6) Launch of anything else - That's not a lotus...not midengined....too big...too heavy...too expensive

My only concerns / sadness:

1) They are moving the products to a price point I will never be able to reach. Lotus's have ALWAYS been expensive - but this is just a huge huge jump
2) They are disenfranchising existing dealers & support networks. In the '80s they set up the scheme of "Classic Lotus Dealers" as a known contact point for classic parts via Factory support. No hint of that happening now.
3) If it does go very wrong (and it might), I can't see how the company can recover.

Just my two-pennath

Regards
Richard

+1,
At the Paris Mondial , the Elise announced price is ?35 000.00 ...
Not to far from the actual range , but...
The new standing of that car show that ,to my opinion , it will ended a bit higher.
In front of the most defined cars ,Elise , Elan , Esprit and Elite ,nobody can contest that the new range make the actual really old now , Evora included. Let's hope our favorite make ll succeed.
Let me give you a link:
//www.lotusnewera.com
Login: media
Password: lotus
Christian.

[nebogipfel]

Brian, I don't think Clarkson (or indeed his pocket squirrel) liking anything is any sort of recommendation. He's big, loud, expensive and lacking in taste much like the cars he tends to favour

Richard, Points three onward .... true, true, true and true although the Elise is OK IMO The less said about the M100 the better

[Frank Howard]

If it does go very wrong (and it might), I can't see how the company can recover.

Richard,

They'll recover beause for years, their primary business has been their engineering business which services practically every auto manufacturer in the world.

[billwill]

FIVE new cars in one launch?

Has any other car manufacturer been crazy enough to try that before?

Anyone would think it is a fashion show for "this year's" range.

Maybe they are all the same under the skin ???

[RedS4]

FIVE new cars in one launch?

Has any other car manufacturer been crazy enough to try that before?

Anyone would think it is a fashion show for "this year's" range.

Maybe they are all the same under the skin ???

Maybe a cunning ploy to see which one(s) is (are) accepted most by the punters at the show - then just build it (them) using the angle "meeting customers' demands" etc.

I believe the platform is the same/similar (stretched on the four-door). If you want more power there is a KERS option!!

For me the Elise or the Elan is the pick, and the most likely to survive to the showroom (maybe the Esprit too, but it is a different market).

[billwill]

KERS?

[Galwaylotus]

Kinetic Energy Recovery System. Was big in F1 last year - not used this year but may return in the future. It's the reason Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella didn't take victory at Spa in 2009.