GraemeLotus wrote:anthonyyule wrote:Doc883 wrote:Lotus only sold 70 cars last year
Hmmmm. I was at Lotus last week and saw 55 new cars waiting to go to their new homes. 70 doesn't sound right from what I witnessed.
I've been a bit tardy on here due to my holidays, but I will try and right up a wee report on my visit really soon. Lets just say I was REALLY impressed with what I saw and heard - I think there is a very bright future for Lotus
Was great to see you and the family Tony, glad you enjoyed your trip - sorry it was quite short, I was up to my neck in board meetings all week. This "Lotus only sold 70 cars" line does my head in....!
We very much appreciated the attention you gave us and the kids Graeme. The girls were very impressed that your receptionist knew who they were when they arrived and loved walking around the F1 car and the Endurance Evora. And my best bit......well, probably being convinced by your good self that my next motor should really be an Exige Roadster (and after much deliberation I think Ill take mine in gunmetal grey with a red quilted interior!)
- ill be back to visit you next summer - watch this space
I think everyone should take the chance to go and visit the factory if they can. The new quality control procedures appear to be having a huge effect (confirmed this morning by Craig at MMC when I was chatting to him on the phone - warranty claims on new cars are waaay down); and its encouraging to see a car factory that is still "hand-building" to a good quality and which is managing to ride out the storm of the recession.
And the fact that the factory is still "hand-building" means that it makes no sense to load up the car line-up with lots of new models. The Exige/Elise and the Evora can be built side by side up until a point whereby they easily split into 2 assembly lines. Adding variants to the current line up can just about be catered for under this regime - but brand new models would require not only huge amounts of investment in the car - but no doubt in the factory infrastructure and space to allow production to be carried out as well.
Cheers again for a special visit....and even managing to arrange for the COO to come down and have a wee chat with me too
