Message from Matt Windle regarding Emira delays

Regards delays. Posted in another thread by @EM33RA 🏆
Thought it needed 'pinning' in it's own thread

 

[Cory]

Welcome. We all received the same generic confirmation email. I am also purchasing from Lotus of Orlando 👍

Thanks for the welcome. Have you been able to place your order yet?

 

[DaaS]

Thanks for the welcome. Have you been able to place your order yet?

Yes, but I placed my first deposit in July 2021.

We both still have similar wait time though. ETA for my car is Dec 2022/Jan 2023.

 

[Maurice R]

Maybe a little off topic but has to do with Lotus communications.
My son gave a deposit for the Eletre (#1 one in Dallas) in April.
but today he sends me this email he just received from Lotus
So did the Eletre suddenly become an Emira.
Told him to do the build and i will buy it from him then sell and make some money

 

[SmallerBaller]

Hello all,

I was late to the party and placed my deposit with Lotus of Orlando March 23, 2022. I received an email today June 28, 2022 from Lotus Cars USA that I am a “priority customer” and should be able to place my order/spec “soon”. So about 3 months from deposit to an email confirmation. The dealer said I should be end of 2023/beginning of 2024 delivery. 🤷‍♂️.

Did your email have a reference number? Mine just said "Your reference number: " and then nothing... maybe I should check up on that just to make sure nothing is wrong?

 

[Cory]

Did your email have a reference number? Mine just said "Your reference number: " and then nothing... maybe I should check up on that just to make sure nothing is wrong?

I noticed that as well. The email had a place for a reference number but none was provided.

 

[SmallerBaller]

I noticed that as well. The email had a place for a reference number but none was provided.

Okay, as long as it is a typical screw up and not only me who didn't get a reference number haha! Thanks

 

[Cory]

Okay, as long as it is a typical screw up and not only me who didn't get a reference number haha! Thanks

Not just you, we are in the same boat. 😆

 

[Porter]

Those of us who ordered last year and locked in early this year definitely got reference numbers. I would follow up through your dealer and with Lotus Cars directly to make sure things are being filed properly.

 

[Balboa]

Those of us who ordered last year and locked in early this year definitely got reference numbers. I would follow up through your dealer and with Lotus Cars directly to make sure things are being filed properly.

Just got this (US) I seriously DOUBT i'll be given the opportunity to place my non-FE spec anytime soon...

 

[VL3X]

Well it seems like first US deliveries have been pushed to Q1 2023 now. Apparently this was confirmed by a Lotus rep during a recent factory tour. Can't say I'm surprised, but certainly disappointed. "Spring 2022" is now sounding like 2023. 😔

I contacted my dealer and the GM has no knowledge of this and says he hasn't heard anything from Lotus. I was warned early on, but wow... Lotus really is terrible at communicating with their customers. As much as I'm obsessed with the Emira, this BS has really got me considering other options. The lack of communication is terrible.

 

[dgrace]

Well it seems like first US deliveries have been pushed to Q1 2023 now. Apparently this was confirmed by a Lotus rep during a recent factory tour. Can't say I'm surprised, but certainly disappointed. "Spring 2022" is now sounding like 2023. 😔

This brings me back to a thought experiment I posted months back: if Geely opened a second factory in China to produce the Emira with the exact same parts, would it still be a Lotus? There just seems no possible way that the Hethel plant will ever catch up to the order book now.

 

[Evotion]

Even I am now starting to start starting to start wobbling....

Delays are affecting a lot of us as life gets in the way, or changes things.

I am still in love with the car, I am still not bothered per se with Lotus having delays BUT the actual delays are now to a point where things are less exciting.

My situation has now changed and an F12 is in reach and this summer looks to be disappearing fast - Not getting a car till September, at best, is a worry I had not even contemplated before.

I had geared up my whole year for a Spring 22 car and then could absorb it being June. I am now struggling a bit with July but this latest delay news has made me very unhappy with the overall situation.

 

[Hedge]

Even I am now starting to start starting to start wobbling....

Delays are affecting a lot of us as life gets in the way, or changes things.

I am still in love with the car, I am still not bothered per se with Lotus having delays BUT the actual delays are now to a point where things are less exciting.

My situation has now changed and an F12 is in reach and this summer looks to be disappearing fast - Not getting a car till September, at best, is a worry I had not even contemplated before.

I had geared up my whole year for a Spring 22 car and then could absorb it being June. I am now struggling a bit with July but this latest delay news has made me very unhappy with the overall situation.

I’m with you. Basically I’ve just had to put any plans I had with the car in the bin, just forget that I have one on order and pretend there are no dates.

We aren’t committed and when they call with a “your car will be ready on xx/you and it will cost £$€” we can just make our minds up whether we go through with the deal.

The risk is with Lotus then and I’m sure they’re aware of it. The end of this year/start of next maybe a tough economic climate (let’s hope not though!!)

It helps.

 

[dgrace]

Not sure what this would solve. Hethel doesn't have a manufacturing problem... they have the work force and the capacity to run 3 shifts. Issue is parts... not having them. China would have the same issue. No parts equals no cars.

I'm assuming at some point the parts issue will get sorted (maybe replacing Rimstock?). But at that point Hethel will be literally years behind the order book. And I suspect going from 2 shifts to 3 isn't as easy in practice as going from 1 to 2. (which itself isn't easy!)

If the parts shortages don't get figured out, the whole enterprise is f'ed. I'm hoping that's not the case but the chances are increasing with each delay.

 

[Eagle7]

Well all these delays have certainly put a damper on things. So I guess the next 'big thing' to look forward to are the dealers receiving demo cars sometime in the next 60 days? U.K. customer cars will start to be delivered in September?

Hopefully customer videos and reports will provide enough excitement to carry us through into next year. At this point, there's really not much else left to talk about. We've pretty much talked every little thing to death in here while waiting for cars to be delivered. For us DV customers, since DV seems to be the green-headed stepchild, maybe we'll get to see some video of one out in the wild on the road somewhere in the next 6 months.

I'll just continue to hurry up and wait, cause there's nothing else out there I want.

 

[kitkat]

Well all these delays have certainly put a damper on things. So I guess the next 'big thing' to look forward to are the dealers receiving demo cars sometime in the next 60 days? U.K. customer cars will start to be delivered in September?

Hopefully customer videos and reports will provide enough excitement to carry us through into next year. At this point, there's really not much else left to talk about. We've pretty much talked every little thing to death in here while waiting for cars to be delivered. For us DV customers, since DV seems to be the green-headed stepchild, maybe we'll get to see some video of one out in the wild on the road somewhere in the next 6 months.

I'll just continue to hurry up and wait, cause there's nothing else out there I want.

Heh, my U.S. dealer said they'd likely be receiving my car at the same time as their dealer demo car.

 

[Porter]

Well all these delays have certainly put a damper on things. So I guess the next 'big thing' to look forward to are the dealers receiving demo cars sometime in the next 60 days? U.K. customer cars will start to be delivered in September?

Hopefully customer videos and reports will provide enough excitement to carry us through into next year. At this point, there's really not much else left to talk about. We've pretty much talked every little thing to death in here while waiting for cars to be delivered. For us DV customers, since DV seems to be the green-headed stepchild, maybe we'll get to see some video of one out in the wild on the road somewhere in the next 6 months.

I'll just continue to hurry up and wait, cause there's nothing else out there I want.

What would be interesting is if someone placed a 718 Cayman order today (not a GT4, just a normal one), whether they would receive it before or after their Emira order placed back in July of 2021.

 

[Leonard]

Well all these delays have certainly put a damper on things. So I guess the next 'big thing' to look forward to are the dealers receiving demo cars sometime in the next 60 days? U.K. customer cars will start to be delivered in September?

Hopefully customer videos and reports will provide enough excitement to carry us through into next year. At this point, there's really not much else left to talk about. We've pretty much talked every little thing to death in here while waiting for cars to be delivered. For us DV customers, since DV seems to be the green-headed stepchild, maybe we'll get to see some video of one out in the wild on the road somewhere in the next 6 months.

I'll just continue to hurry up and wait, cause there's nothing else out there I want.

Yup the only positives are now being able to drive the car on a test drive. If it doesn't meet expectation then it makes everything a lot easier

 

[VL3X]

What would be interesting is if someone placed a 718 Cayman order today (not a GT4, just a normal one), whether they would receive it before or after their Emira order placed back in July of 2021.

Yeah, that's a good question. There are plenty [over-priced] pre-owned Caymans on the market, but not sure about delivery timeline for new purchases. I've been tempted many times these past couple years and was actually saving for a GT4 before the Emira was debuted. I'm getting really fed up with the poor Lotus comms and pretty much lost faith in things getting any better when it comes to ownership/aftersales support.

 

[DaaS]

Yeah, that's a good question. There are plenty [over-priced] pre-owned Caymans on the market, but not sure about delivery timeline for new purchases. I've been tempted many times these past couple years and was actually saving for a GT4 before the Emira was debuted. I'm getting really fed up with the poor Lotus comms and pretty much lost faith in things getting any better when it comes to ownership/aftersales support.

Few months ago I was told the wait time for Cayman was about 12-15 months. At that point you place the order. Then 3 months for build and delivery... or something like that.