Anyone doing the factory tour w/c 6 June?

[roundincircles]

More comments about DV looking classy! That's great, but is it more or less black? Can you tell it's a green car from 50 meters?

In light conditions, you can. It's very dark/rich green. You simply have to see it imv......oh, sorry I said that!

 

[Cutting42]

More comments about DV looking classy! That's great, but is it more or less black? Can you tell it's a green car from 50 meters?

We saw it in the well lit factory and yes it is definitely (dark) green at 50m. In reduced light it might be harder to tell but I have not seen it in those conditions.

 

[emiraspain]

More comments about DV looking classy! That's great, but is it more or less black? Can you tell it's a green car from 50 meters?

I cant even tell if its an emira from 50m, never mind the colour / color.......

 

[MCS]

I cant even tell if its an emira from 50m, never mind the colour / color.......

 

[TomE]

Was anyone on the factory tours today?

Any insight on whether production of customer cars has started?

 

[Evira]

Was anyone on the factory tours today?

Any insight on whether production of customer cars has started?

I haven’t been on the factory tour, but enquired about one over the phone with Lotus Customer Care this afternoon, the chap I spoke to said that customer cars may be starting production next week!

 

[digilotus]

I haven’t been on the factory tour, but enquired about one over the phone with Lotus Customer Care this afternoon, the chap I spoke to said that customer cars may be starting production next week!

We have heard that one before!!!

I bet mainstream production actually starts in July. June will be dealer demos at best!

 

[EspritGuy]

I haven’t been on the factory tour, but enquired about one over the phone with Lotus Customer Care this afternoon, the chap I spoke to said that customer cars may be starting production next week!

So what was the big deal about a June 7th embargo, if not to announce car photos or production initiation? Why keep media on a leash?
I guess we will know within 24 hours , in part or whole .

 

[TomE]

Press embargoes are often linked to print magazine publication timings so are monthly. Lotus might have wanted to do publicity a week earlier or later but usually fit in with press timetables for major items like first drive reviews. It’s a carefully choreographed process between the car manufacturers and press.

Breaking news like start of production would probably be a direct announcement from Lotus.

 

[NickR]

I haven’t been on the factory tour, but enquired about one over the phone with Lotus Customer Care this afternoon, the chap I spoke to said that customer cars may be starting production next week!

That's cutting things fine for July deliveries.

 

[TomE]

It takes just over a day start to finish to build a car and full productivity is 25 cars a day - say 15 during early ramp up.

I believe they’re only delivering 200 customer cars in July plus the UK dealer demo cars (say 50). So they could start build on 1 July and still deliver them all by end July. But I’ll be getting nervous if we don’t see customer/dealer cars in build by 17 June.

 

[NickR]

It takes just over a day start to finish to build a car and full productivity is 25 cars a day - say 15 during early ramp up.

I believe they’re only delivering 200 customer cars in July plus the UK dealer demo cars (say 50). So they could start build on 1 July and still deliver them all by end July. But I’ll be getting nervous if we don’t see customer/dealer cars in build by 17 June.

Once a car is finished it needs to be PDI'ed registered and delivered so I'd add a week at least. My Polestar which didn't even need PDI'ing took 2 weeks.
I would have thought we would know by know an actual production date. One other thing to bare in mind is we are expecting a call from Lotus 4 weeks prior... so first week in July already gone

 

[TomE]

I’d factored the week for PDI/delivery into my calc. 16 days to build 250 cars from 1-22 July. Dealer cars will be first, so customer cars would be 6 July onwards. They’ll need to start calling today…

 

[freefall_junkie]

I’d factored the week for PDI/delivery into my calc. 16 days to build 250 cars from 1-22 July. Dealer cars will be first, so customer cars would be 6 July onwards. They’ll need to start calling today…

Oh dear, I was just starting to feel cautiously optimistic about July deliveries happening on the grounds that Lotus must know by now if there are going to be any further delays due to parts shortages etc. Fingers crossed some calls start happening very soon!

Incidentally in my chat with CS yesterday I asked where I was in the deposit queue. They couldn't say other than I was in the first 170 - my guess is that is the size of the July batch of customer cars.

 

[TomE]

That’s useful info re 170. I’d heard from another source about 220 cars to be built in July, which seemed a very specific number. That fits with 50 dealer + 170 customer.

 

[DrD]

I believe I'm in the top 270 or so and was told I'd just missed the July cut off, so will be August delivery. For reference. I don't know if that includes i4 orders too? If so, then that all sounds about right for targets at least.

 

[CDM1855]

I just messaged Lotus CS, To let them know that should they be looking for me in regards to payment and collection of the vehicle, They may not be able to reach me, so they should leave a message or email

They responded within five minutes to say that there was nothing I needed to do at this time. I was a July 7 deposit so it may be that I don’t hear anything for a few weeks

 

[TomE]

Have they told you if you are July or Aug delivery? I thought deposits up to end of 6 July were July delivery and 7 July onwards were Aug delivery, but the split may not be neatly at the end of a day.

 

[CDM1855]

I was originally told June, then told July

 

[Leonard]

I was originally told June, then told July

This was same for me as an early AM 7th June depositer