Dealer Demo cars in Europe and UK

Magicman

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I'm just going off social media here but it appears Europe had got its dealer demos but not the UK?
Seems a bit odd?
 

TomE

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It looks like first demos have appeared in Belgium.

I spoke to one of the UK dealers. They found this out from social media too, had no warning from Lotus, were expecting UK demos to be the first to arrive and still have no firm delivery dates.

You can imagine their reaction.
 
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Magicman

Magicman

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It looks like first demos have appeared in Belgium.

I spoke to one of the UK dealers. They found this out from social media too, had no warning from Lotus, were expecting UK demos to be the first to arrive and still have no firm delivery dates.

You can imagine their reaction.
That's appalling treatment of the uk dealers
 

TomE

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I bet they’re loving being part of the new direct channel, having had to sign new agreements with Lotus and spend significant sums on upgrading showrooms to new brand guidelines. Showrooms that are currently empty. And no customer handovers taking place.
 

EspritGuy

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I bet they’re loving being part of the new direct channel, having had to sign new agreements with Lotus and spend significant sums on upgrading showrooms to new brand guidelines. Showrooms that are currently empty. And no customer handovers taking place.
Direct Channel means direct insult?
 

digilotus

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Perhaps what they tried to do is get demos out across Europe & UK at almost the same time, so shipped them out to Eurodealers who got them a bit earlier than expected?

Expect some UK dealers to have demos any day now...
 

TomE

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Perhaps what they tried to do is get demos out across Europe & UK at almost the same time, so shipped them out to Eurodealers who got them a bit earlier than expected?

Expect some UK dealers to have demos any day now...

What seems to have happened is the parts supply issues have affected RHD cars more than LHD ones. Not sure which parts are involved. But remember how all the press cars were LHD?

It seems Lotus have decided to ship the LHD demos first, because they’re ready, and the UK RHD demos are going to be another 1-2 weeks, nearly a month later than they forecast in late July.

This potentially means the first customer cars will be delivered in continental Europe, ahead of first deliveries in the UK. Until recently it had been said the first customer deliveries would be in the UK, with EU deliveries starting 3-4 weeks later.

And it made me chuckle how you tried hard to avoid saying “soon”! :)
 

Johnson

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What seems to have happened is the parts supply issues have affected RHD cars more than LHD ones. Not sure which parts are involved. But remember how all the press cars were LHD?

It seems Lotus have decided to ship the LHD demos first, because they’re ready, and the UK RHD demos are going to be another 1-2 weeks, nearly a month later than they forecast in late July.

This potentially means the first customer cars will be delivered in continental Europe, ahead of first deliveries in the UK. Until recently it had been said the first customer deliveries would be in the UK, with EU deliveries starting 3-4 weeks later.

And it made me chuckle how you tried hard to avoid saying “soon”! :)

Interesting. What parts would be specific to left hand drive cars? Obviously the steering rack, but does that change something in the front of the car as well (e.g. cooling system?).

Unless the dashboard orders were screwed up…?
 

GetawayDriving

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What seems to have happened is the parts supply issues have affected RHD cars more than LHD ones. Not sure which parts are involved. But remember how all the press cars were LHD?

It seems Lotus have decided to ship the LHD demos first, because they’re ready, and the UK RHD demos are going to be another 1-2 weeks, nearly a month later than they forecast in late July.

This potentially means the first customer cars will be delivered in continental Europe, ahead of first deliveries in the UK. Until recently it had been said the first customer deliveries would be in the UK, with EU deliveries starting 3-4 weeks later.

And it made me chuckle how you tried hard to avoid saying “soon”! :)

Oh interesting. This may shed new light on why, with UK customers still not taking delivery, “we don’t expect North American dates to shift much”.
 

BeHappy

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I asked CS several queries today re: demo rides this was the response I received -I don’t think they have yet managed to answer any of my questions ever
 

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TomE

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Interesting. What parts would be specific to left hand drive cars? Obviously the steering rack, but does that change something in the front of the car as well (e.g. cooling system?).

Unless the dashboard orders were screwed up…?
I dd a quick search on the new online parts platform, looking for parts with “LHD” in the title on a late model Evora.

Over 50 parts, including carpets, interior trim, dashboard, HVAC ducting and pipe work, brake system components, wiring harnesses, door components, pedal box and related items, steering parts, clutch and hydraulic pipe work, sun visors etc.

A lot more than I thought.
 

digilotus

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Regarding the pedal box... I'd noticed on an LHD/RHD comparison that the pedals are spaced differently. Any technical gurus who can shed some light as to why?
Indeed. RHD cars seem to have much better pedal spacing!
 

Cachaco131

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What seems to have happened is the parts supply issues have affected RHD cars more than LHD ones. Not sure which parts are involved. But remember how all the press cars were LHD?

It seems Lotus have decided to ship the LHD demos first, because they’re ready, and the UK RHD demos are going to be another 1-2 weeks, nearly a month later than they forecast in late July.

This potentially means the first customer cars will be delivered in continental Europe, ahead of first deliveries in the UK. Until recently it had been said the first customer deliveries would be in the UK, with EU deliveries starting 3-4 weeks later.

And it made me chuckle how you tried hard to avoid saying “soon”! :)
Makes total sense, who in their right mind chooses to drive on the wrong side!
 

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