Search results

When I replace my V6 with the V8. :cool: Definitely think this is a colour that works better without black pack (though I guess that's just personal taste)

Well, you provided one answer yourself: software updates. They will keep coming in future years. A second reason is resale value. It doesn't matter what records you keep; many buyers will be reluctant to purchase an expensive car without evidence of a dealer service history. A third reason...

Pretty ironic if the AMG engine gets dropped and the V6 lives on :D

The US Emira launch was a mess due to a combination of incompetence and terrible luck. But Geely Auto sells more than two million cars each year— a hybrid Emira is not a massive challenge.

You're being generous, blaming it on the tariffs. Geely's massive investment should have been an exciting new chapter for Lotus; instead, they pissed away over $1BN building two bloated luxury EVs that no one wants to own.

You're in an optimistic mood today!

This one really annoyed me. It's an extremely positive review of the Emira but with a title that just adds to the negative bias against the car.

You called his home phone?!

Huh? Since when? Cayman GTS, maybe.

I bet that Mao will turn out to be a short-term "acting GM", while they recruit a suitable replacement. After all, how the hell is she going to run Hethel, Coventry and Germany from China?! Is she going to relocate to Norfolk . . . I doubt it!

I think that was more focused on the Taycan, which isn't selling at all. The EV Macan seems to be selling fairly well. The clear lesson is that EVs only sell in volume at low-mid price points.

Looks like they will bring out the TYP 134 as a hybrid, which is smart. They've learned the hard way that the market doesn't want luxury EVs.

Just to be clear, I wasn't suggesting that Mao created Vision 80. She is apparently taking over Matt's role, so I thought people might be interested in her background. I totally agree that the Brits led the implementation of Vision 80, but I suspect Phil Popham was hired with clear...

Mao Jingbo – Profile & Career Background 1. Early Career in Luxury Automotives Spent approximately two decades in the luxury automotive sector in China. Held senior roles at Mercedes-Benz China, including: Executive Vice President, Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co. General Manager...

But I think the valid point is that people who point to Emira as "the reason Lotus is in trouble" are missing the big picture. Emira isn't the problem, they didn't burn $2BN+ on Emira.

This quote from 2018 is ironic, given what happened over the years that followed: Popham is drawn to the luxury market and understands that such products must be managed carefully. “First and foremost, get your product offering and positioning right,” he said. “Lotus is a performance brand and...

This is not fair or accurate. Big picture: Emira has sold pretty damn well, and almost certainly better than Lotus expected. The real issue is a misguided strategy out of China: shift to 100% EV as quickly as possible, build two hulking luxury EVs that no one wants to buy, piss away several...

Lots of Turnover, Usually Senior https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-britishcars/lotus-cars-europe-boss-reportedly-steps-down/50162

Worth watching

You've been ridiculously patient. I'd hire a lawyer, perhaps then Lotus will do something.

I thought it was this originally, because we know many panels sat outside when the factory was struggling to obtain parts. But it has been more than three years of manufacturing now, and Teijin Automotive are not idiots. If the problem was being caused by transport, they would wrap the doors...

We got shafted. I believe even the local distributor was caught by surprise when cars arrived without DAB or navigation.

Yes, suspect pretty significant selection bias. The poll says 32%, but reality across all cars sold will be much lower.

Unbelievable. And extraordinary that Matt Windle or another senior Lotus executive hasn't got personally involved and said, "we're going to sort this out for you."

Probably service bulletins (TSBs) rather than fully-fledged recalls. Emira seems to have four of them: The Emira had two formal safety recalls in the UK back in 2023. I suspect these pre-date any cars being exported to the USA.

Nope. Teijin only provided the doors, rear quarter panels, and the inner, outer and lower shells of the tailgate.

Depressing to get three years in, assume you're safe, and then have it show up.

When you wash an Emira, water builds up inside the closed doors, especially when parked on a slope. After I'm finished with the hose, I always open the doors and watch a waterfall come flooding out of the drain holes. Presumably, the same thing happens when cars sit out in the pouring rain—...

I'm not normally a "black car guy", but that looks awesome!

You want the panel replaced by Lotus under warranty, not just sanded back and repainted. If the composite is defective, then it will probably just happen again.

Costly, yes, but probably not never-ending. It seems likely that there are specific batches of panels produced by Teijin Automotive that have defective composite. So once you get rid of a defective set of doors (for example) there's no reason to assume the problem will return. There are many...