Production Spec of Silver Wheels

[EF_Guest234]

Ive been enjoying the production facility pics and videos recently released. Does anyone know if the silver wheels we are seeing are the actual production wheels? they look thicker and chunkier than the Configuration

spec.

 

[PaperLawyer]

The first photo is of the standard cast wheels, rather than the forged wheels in the second photo (different design).

 

[digilotus]

This is the only capture of the forged silver wheels I've seen so far. Its a still from the Chapman Production Centre opening video as published on the Lotus media site.

The forged wheels are very much thinner and sleeker than the cast wheels that appear in the photo you shared above.

 

[Eagle7]

They're also listed as "ultra light-weight" as opposed to the heavier base model cast wheels. We don't know how much lighter they are yet. It would be nice if someone (anyone) who is going on the factory tour can ask Nick, Scott or whomever is their tour guide, if they can get this information. What do the standard wheels weigh, and what do the forged wheels weigh. For a company whose entire history is about light-weight cars, hopefully there's somebody there who has checked the weights.

 

[PaperLawyer]

They're also listed as "ultra light-weight" as opposed to the heavier base model cast wheels. We don't know how much lighter they are yet. It would be nice if someone (anyone) who is going on the factory tour can ask Nick, Scott or whomever is their tour guide, if they can get this information. What do the standard wheels weigh, and what do the forged wheels weigh. For a company whose entire history is about light-weight cars, hopefully there's somebody there who has checked the weights.

I asked Nick and he even phoned Scott - not known between them.

 

[VL3X]

They're also listed as "ultra light-weight" as opposed to the heavier base model cast wheels. We don't know how much lighter they are yet. It would be nice if someone (anyone) who is going on the factory tour can ask Nick, Scott or whomever is their tour guide, if they can get this information. What do the standard wheels weigh, and what do the forged wheels weigh. For a company whose entire history is about light-weight cars, hopefully there's somebody there who has checked the weights.

I'm powdercoating mine asap, so I'll be sure to weigh one and let you guys know!

 

[TomE]

They're also listed as "ultra light-weight" as opposed to the heavier base model cast wheels. We don't know how much lighter they are yet. It would be nice if someone (anyone) who is going on the factory tour can ask Nick, Scott or whomever is their tour guide, if they can get this information. What do the standard wheels weigh, and what do the forged wheels weigh. For a company whose entire history is about light-weight cars, hopefully there's somebody there who has checked the weights.

You’ve raised this before. Have you emailed the question to Customer Care to ask Engineering? It will be in the product document.

 

[Eagle7]

You’ve raised this before. Have you emailed the question to Customer Care to ask Engineering? It will be in the product document.

I have. Never got a response. Do you have an email address of someone I could ask again?

 

[TomE]

Tammy McKenzie at Hethel, she is Emira Customer Relationship Manager for UK and US: [email protected]

 

[Eagle7]

Tammy McKenzie at Hethel, she is Emira Customer Relationship Manager for UK and US: [email protected]

Thank you! I've already sent off the inquiry. I requested the weights of both the cast and forged wheels, so we can see how much weight we're saving with the forged.

 

[Davebeats]

Wagers on the forged wheels being under 25lbs each? I think they’re 20x10.5?

 

[VL3X]

Wagers on the forged wheels being under 25lbs each? I think they’re 20x10.5?

My forged 18x8.5s are 18lbs, so under 25 sounds reasonable.

 

[Eagle7]

Well I got an answer back from Tammy, and she said:

"The full wheel specs have not been released yet, the factory is still not interested in sharing all of the details at this time."

So there you have it. Make of that what you will.

My guess for weights is:

Standard Cast
Front will be 32 lbs.
Rear will be 36 lbs.

Ultra Light Weight Forged
Front will be 22 lbs.
Rear will be 25 lbs.

 

[kratedisease]

Well I got an answer back from Tammy, and she said:
"The full wheel specs have not been released yet, the factory is still not interested in sharing all of the details at this time."

WTF ???? is this a joke ?

 

[Eagle7]

WTF ???? is this a joke ?

Nope. That's what she said.

 

[Flashback]

Well I got an answer back from Tammy, and she said:

"The full wheel specs have not been released yet, the factory is still not interested in sharing all of the details at this time."

So there you have it. Make of that what you will.

My guess for weights is:

Standard Cast
Front will be 32 lbs.
Rear will be 36 lbs.

Ultra Light Weight Forged
Front will be 22 lbs.
Rear will be 25 lbs.

Someone needs to take a set of those handheld luggage scales with them on a factory tour...

 

[Porter]

WTF ???? is this a joke ?

That was pretty much my reaction when I requested daylight photographs of additional FE colors (and explained why), and in response she sent me screenshots of the computer rendering from the configurator, saying, "I have attached the only photos I have, you will be able to locate more on the Lotus Facebook page." Which of course aren't actually photographs at all, and the FB page is a dead end, and she certainly knows both of those facts as well. 😵‍💫

Fair play to Tammy since she's just doing her job and passing along what she's been permitted to say, but taken together all of these customer service deflections and stonewalls are a good three or four steps beyond what I find acceptable on the basis of good faith. It feels like Lotus management are taking the piss out of us, and it has felt that way for a few months now.

 

[TomE]

Agreed. Two months away from (supposedly) delivering first customer cars, there is a lot of information still not being published that should be readily available.

A final, definitive, detailed specification document (or website update) for the V6 FE should be entirely feasible at this stage.

 

[Porter]

Agreed. Two months away from (supposedly) delivering first customer cars, there is a lot of information still not being published that should be readily available.

A final, definitive, detailed specification document (or website update) for the V6 FE should be entirely feasible at this stage.

It makes me wonder if there are some epic battles going on behind the scenes that we simply aren't privy to, that are creating these delays or information deficits. Maybe even some struggle between UK management and China regarding some key decisions or focus areas before final sign-off to allow the beginning of customer production?

 

[TomE]

I’ve been wondering about those possible reasons too.

I know there are power struggles between a few areas inside Lotus and I wouldn’t under-estimate the Geely influence on external comms.