My day at Hethel

I've got lots to share from my day at the Lotus Hethel factory and test track yesterday. Bear with me, it won't all be in one post and I will add to this thread during today and tomorrow. I'm also adding updates on relevant threads too, such as about specific features and the process in the US.

As many know, I've been sharing my and our frustrations about poor comms and customer service with contacts at Lotus. That resulted in my four pages of feedback (plus input from others) being raised with senior management. As a consequence, four of us were invited to go to Hethel, see for ourselves what is happening and discuss with senior people. Greg and Andrew went on Thursday and Ade @Evotion and I went on Friday. Greg has already posted his write up here and he and Andrew have added to that in response to questions. I'll try to avoid duplication.

Headlines

1. Remember it's still a pre-production car. That has been affecting comms and timing. But it's coming and it's (mostly) on track - the month delay from May to June is due to type approvals not supply chain, but Lotus are taking mitigating steps which will mean UK customer deliveries will catch up rapidly.
2. Quality. The step change from old factory to new factory is hugely impressive. The investment in production technology is the most visible, but behind that has been the hiring of a lot of production engineering and QA expertise from places like Toyota and Volvo as well as consulting input. There's also a lot happening on training, production proving and review. We saw the robots used for assembling panels to cars (it's like something from a scifi movie), one of three automated paint shops and the huge laser rig used to measure thousands of dimensions on every car at different stages of the build process to ensure they are built to tolerance. We also saw latest iteration seats (more on this later) and the QA sheets capturing feedback on what needs improving. We also saw full dashboards with immaculate stitching and gorgeous aluminium bracketry (which most people won't see). Lots of other things showing the evidence of the quality focus.
3. Colours. We saw all 6 First Edition colours (more details to follow) and they are all stunning. The bright colours pop and flow really well and the darker colours look classy and elegant. The curves of the car mean the colour changes constantly across the surface of the car, something we already know is really hard to see on a small sample. Eagle7's renders are very close and a new configurator is coming next week with much better renditions and the option to use different lighting.
4. Customer communication. They acknowledge this has not been as good as it should be and actions are being taken to address that. Briefings have taken place this week to all UK and US dealers with updates on the car, timing, processes, etc. Update emails have started going out to UK customers (segmented into clusters) and the new configurator plus finance and part exchange options will go live next week. Press drives and publication of reviews have been scheduled (we will see in 2-3 months time) and a further round of information being released is phased around that, including things like i4 FE and base pricing.
5. Delivery. Customer cars are on track to start in June in the UK. There are no concerns currently about supply chain, although it's obviously requiring a lot of work and planning and management. The key point is the slip from May to June is down to approvals not supply chain. Lotus are mitigating this and will be delivering a much larger batch in June and July than a normal month of production. So total 2022 volume will still be in line with original plans.
6. The car. I know I'm a Lotus enthusiast and some people think I get paid by the factory. But honestly folks it is utterly stunning. It looks fantastic and will turns heads, the interior is driver-focused and high quality, it looks and sounds awesome out on track and just pottering around the site. We spent time in the visitor centre and kept catching glances of cars moving around the site - some in the characteristic Emira "glamouflage" (yes, that's what it's called) and several in FE and non-prod colours.
7. Have faith! This is going to be an iconic car and if you have a deposit down you are not going to be disappointed.

Huge thanks to Scott Walker (UK Sales) for helping to make this day happen and to Matt Windle (Lotus MD), Geoff Dowding (Sales Director) and all the Lotus development, production, QA, logistics and events staff who spoke to us and showed us around.

Topics to come (and links to those topics once added):

• Colours: more thoughts on what I saw
• Sport and Touring: our chat with one of the development drivers and more info written by Gav Kershaw and about to be published
• Comms and deposit and order processes
• US/Canda approach
• After Sales: spares provisioning and servicing
• Press programme
• Dealer demo cars
• Delivery and factory collection options
• i4 development status and the surprise engine modification
• Latest revision on the seats
• Hiring and second shift
• New rolling road, monsoon test chamber and shakedown track
• Diamond cut wheel design (confirmation of details and feedback process with Customer Care)
• GT4 car and race programme
• Radford development
• Elise/Exige Final Editions

We were also told some things we were asked not to share, mainly because Lotus want to communicate it at the relevant time.

 

[denk0815]

I didn't understand a word that was said, but did she elaborate on how the front license plate is mounted?

Unfortunately not.

 

[Autopsy]

Chinese market i4 FE will have 405hp yes. This has long been published and talked about on this forum already. Reason is we don't get the v6 here due to prohibitively high import tax for ICE cars with larger displacement.
Whether other places get the 405hp i4 FE is unknown for now.
Plate mount is most likely to be a Chinese only thing. I don't know where they're gonna put the plate for future cars with ADAS radar on the same spot though

 

[VL3X]

This girl advertises 405 bhp with the i4.

Ugh.. That video has a filter right? Seneca can't be the light right? Looks so much lighter than Porsche Shark Blue and Supra Refraction Blue...

 

[digilotus]

Ugh.. That video has a filter right? Seneca can't be the light right? Looks so much lighter than Porsche Shark Blue and Supra Refraction Blue...

Seneca has a light silver fleck that lights it up a little bit in the sun. But from experience trying to take photos of it, most cameras cannot adequately capture the strong blue pigment and LCD monitors can’t display it either. So they tend to wash it out and make it look a bit flat / greyish.

Seneca is really difficult to capture properly on camera. Same goes for very similar colours like Porsche Shark Blue (which is the exact same colour as VW Cornflower Blue).

Seneca is very close to the Supra colour, perhaps even slightly darker. Someone had one of the sample disks near a Supra and took a photo. They looked almost identical.

 

[CoryC]

If that were the case they’d produce the V6 manual and the full fat i4 DCT Auto - which I’d have preferred.

Doesn’t make much ‘enthusiast’ sense to detune the better engine so the older, heavier, less efficient, less powerful one (with the inferior gearbox) can top the range….

It’s all about the margins.

...margins... and demand. There are DCT cars out there from multiple manufacturers. The mid engine, manual transmission combo in a freshly designed modern sportscar is what sets Lotus apart from the rest of what is available, and THAT is a huge part of the demand for this car and thus the focus on that up front. That along with the fact that that driveline is already perfected and ready to drop in since its the same from Exige/Evora.

 

[DaaS]

Seneca has a light silver fleck that lights it up a little bit in the sun. But from experience trying to take photos of it, most cameras cannot adequately capture the strong blue pigment and LCD monitors can’t display it either. So they tend to wash it out and make it look a bit flat / greyish.

Seneca is really difficult to capture properly on camera. Same goes for very similar colours like Porsche Shark Blue (which is the exact same colour as VW Cornflower Blue).

Seneca is very close to the Supra colour, perhaps even slightly darker. Someone had one of the sample disks near a Supra and took a photo. They looked almost identical.

That was probably me! Yes, Seneca blue was a bit darker than a Refraction Blue Supra. In some angles, both looked identical.

 

[VL3X]

That was probably me! Yes, Seneca blue was a bit darker than a Refraction Blue Supra. In some angles, both looked identical.

That's good to hear. Refraction Blue is a nice color and I've only had the opportunity to see the small round paint sample disc at the US roadshow. It looked good, but hard to get a good idea with that little sample.

 

[Matthaus]

Senaca blue will be like BMW Yas Marina.

Every photo will have a different white balance and it will appear differently.

That's my one slight reservation for it. However in the flesh its a lot nicer. YMB looks washed out.

 

[VL3X]

Senaca blue will be like BMW Yas Marina.

Every photo will have a different white balance and it will appear differently.

That's my one slight reservation for it. However in the flesh its a lot nicer. YMB looks washed out.

View attachment 3937

Yeah, I don't know how I feel about that. All the FE colors suck.

 

[Leonard]

Yeah, I don't know how I feel about that. All the FE colors suck.

Colours suck, or photos suck (or lack of)
They will look amazing in flesh I have no doubt. Only seen the one, but Seneca Blue was lovely 💙

 

[digilotus]

That was probably me! Yes, Seneca blue was a bit darker than a Refraction Blue Supra. In some angles, both looked identical.

Oh yes it was, thank you!

It was this post:

Seneca Blue Lotus Emira Photo Thread

The official Seneca Blue Lotus Emira car thread.

www.emiraforum.com

 

[3MIRA]

Under direct light Dark Verdant is a sparkly dark green, in shadow it looks almost navy blue and I imagine at night it will look black, my second favorite is Nimbus it is a really interesting colour as it looks dramatically different across the curves' and lines and so it accentuates the shape, third favorite is Magma its really eye popping (however I am a Luddite who associates red with Ferrari and I wouldn't want anyone thinking it was a Ferrari!), then Shadow Grey as it looks elegant and moody, then Hethel Yellow which looks really good against a tarmac backdrop it will be good for other cars to spot the missile early, Senna, black and white just don't do it for me. I know in strong Perth sunshine the dark verdant will elegantly dazzle! The grey seats are really classy too.