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Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 8:45 pm
by Doc883
Not cheap but if it means you don't pay delivery charges then it may interest buyers :thumbsup
"The Handmade in Hethel experience costs £832.50 or £999 with the track time".

http://www.pistonheads.com/lotus/defaul ... ryId=31014

Re: Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 9:00 pm
by Rag_It
£1500 if you want Mr Robertson to give up his time to shake your hand and take your cash! ;-)

Re: Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 10:12 pm
by Mikie711
Rag_It wrote:£1500 if you want Mr Robertson to give up his time to shake your hand and take your cash! ;-)
That was exactly what I was thinking. Were as now if you go for factory collection you save £500 because the car doesn't need to be delivered to the dealer :thumbsup

Re: Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 6:31 am
by Justin
Agree with most of Pistonheads. Great idea, although this can't cost Lotus much, and would be a great incentive to be included when buying a car.

Maybe they should charge potential customers, then refund if they buy a car.

Re: Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:15 am
by mxvx
When I do decide to spend a chunk of money on a driving experience, it will be for palmersport which is a very similar price.

Re: Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:27 am
by Corranga
Sounds like a great idea, and really, what's an extra grand on top of the cost of a new Lotus, especially if it's costing you less than delivery to a dealership would anyway :thumbsup

Someone posted that you can have a look around on google maps, the carpark must be circa May 2008 given that 10 (1 around the front, 9 at the back) of the 25 Jim Clark 25 SCs are in the carpark, and a set of painted clams for another inside the factory.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.56072 ... !3e5?hl=en

The yellow over white and blue over white Exige 'sprint' look great, but that black Elise with bright green and read leather is horrid :shock:

Niced to see the google maps car having a play with a couple of Evora's, a 2-11 and an Exige on the test track too :lol:

Re: Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 10:52 am
by GraemeLotus
Rag_It wrote:£1500 if you want Mr Robertson to give up his time to shake your hand and take your cash! ;-)

Re: Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 11:11 am
by GraemeLotus
GraemeLotus wrote:
Rag_It wrote:£1500 if you want Mr Robertson to give up his time to shake your hand and take your cash! ;-)
You all know I'm much cheaper than that :cheers

Re: Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 11:13 am
by Dark
Oct 2008 according to the date stamp on Streetview.
You can actually explore the entire track, dodging the camera car must have been interesting for those on track! :thumbsup
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.56628 ... !3e5?hl=en

Re: Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 11:26 am
by Stevoraith
mxvx wrote:When I do decide to spend a chunk of money on a driving experience, it will be for palmersport which is a very similar price.
You're missing the point I think- it's not a driving experience.

It's collection/handover of your new Lotus at the factory- track time can be added for an additional £170ish. If you can get a Palmersport day for £170 let us know where :wink:

If I were fortunate enough to be ordering a new Lotus factory collection sounds like an ideal way to make it even more special. :thumbsup

Re: Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:04 pm
by mxvx
Stevoraith wrote:
mxvx wrote:When I do decide to spend a chunk of money on a driving experience, it will be for palmersport which is a very similar price.
You're missing the point I think- it's not a driving experience.

It's collection/handover of your new Lotus at the factory- track time can be added for an additional £170ish. If you can get a Palmersport day for £170 let us know where :wink:

If I were fortunate enough to be ordering a new Lotus factory collection sounds like an ideal way to make it even more special. :thumbsup
Indeed - that's what I get for not reading it properly.

I am sure it is worth every penny, and more.

;) :thumbsup etc

Re: Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:31 pm
by Fluoxetine
Porsche have ran something similar for a while (When I had money back in 2004 and was going to buy a new Carrera S, it was one of the options I'd picked out :P )

They charge around £1900, but that's for two people & includes flights / hotel / German plates & insurance to get you back to the UK.

Good move by Lotus, I reckon - Enjoyed my day at the factory a couple of months back on the SpaZ trip, and it would have been made even better if I were collecting a nice new V6 Cup R at the end of it... :mrgreen:

Slight thread drift, but speaking of Palmersport days, did anyone see the new experience day being offered in Autosport the other week?

Takes place at Donington - You get to drive:

Clio Cup Race Car
Ginetta GT4
Formula TRS single seater (Toyota Racing Series - 115 bhp)
911 Carrera Cup car
And finish off with an NGTC Honda tin top from the BTCC (probably slower than the two cars listed above :wink: )

Costs £849 - Lots of money, but where else would you get the chance to drive half the BTCC entry card?

(http://www.racing-school.co.uk/driving/ ... rience.asp, if anyone's feeling flush - I'd love to, but am in 'saving up for house' mode at present :) )

Re: Lotus launches 'Handmade in Hethel' experience

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 4:13 pm
by Mikie711
I agree that it is a good move and long overdue TBH. Porsche, Audi and Merc all do the same and it is a good way to encourage brand loyalty, just not sure it's much of an attraction to seasoned Lotus owners but the I guess not all will have had the factory, team tours or been out on track. It's almost worth it for a copy of the build book to be fair.

Graeme, would love one of those for the Exige, build book that is, not the rest :thumbsup