Today's Financial Times | Carmaker Lotus plans to end production in the UK

Is this confirmed news ?
https://www.ft.com/.../dc5948e6-6645-405b-a556-df06b1ad26be

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

Two new articles on today’s meeting with UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2025-06-29/business-secretary-meets-lotus-after-reports-of-plans-to-scrap-uk-carmaking

Lotus reassures business secretary it has no plans to shut Norfolk factory

Jonathan Reynolds contacted sports car maker after it emerged it was considering moving production from UK to US

www.theguardian.com

 

[geoffbland]

Lotus mannufacturing began in China after it became a key market, so why not America? If China is good enough for Lotus, isn't America? Isn't the X5 built in SC and GLE in AL?

Obviously I can't speak for everyone in the UK and EU but to try and capture the general feeling it goes something like this:

The EVs made in China aren't really Lotus cars; EVs aren't the "same" as ICE cars and are "made by robots" so buying them from China is OK (also Chinese manufacturers have paid for an huge number of positive reviews in the UK).
US make fantastic muscle cars, everyone loves the Mustang and the Charger, big heavy cars that lunk around and are great in a straight line. Therefore US cars are big and heavy and don't "fit" twisty, narrow roads. Also many reports of bad build quality of US cars (almost as bad as UK built ones). Tesla are the exception to this rule.
Heritage sports cars (or bespoke cars) have a "home" and if you don't get one built there then the heritage is gone.

I'm not saying I agree with any of this and it's very out of of date way of thinking. But as similar questions have been asked by other US owners I had a stab at conveying the general sentiment for you.

 

[Black Ice]

Interesting reminder regarding manuals in the UK. You’re probably aware of the relatively small but passionate crowd on this side of the Atlantic on a campaign to save the manuals, and the notion in some quarters here that a manual can be one sign of an enthusiast. Since the time I started driving, I’ve always gone out of my way to get a manual whenever offered on the car I was getting. I imagine that’s a common thread amongst folks on the forum.

I totally get it, especially in a market where manuals are the exception. I’ve always said I’d rather take a hit on the 0-60 time and retain the driver involvement you get with a manual. On this occasion though I felt the I4 was too compelling a package to overlook.

 

[Teshoo Lama]

Suppliers not being paid suggests Geely prevaricated before making their latest cash injection. Political pressure might keep the factory going for a while, but manufacturing at scale in the UK is becoming untenable, especially for a company that needs to compete on price.

Corporate PR statements mean nothing. The Guardian quote the local MP:

He said he had held telephone conversations with the management team and government ministers to “emphasise just how vital this site is – not only to the heritage of British automotive engineering, but to the local economy and skilled workforce that call Hethel home”. “These early-stage conversations have confirmed the seriousness of the situation,” he said, vowing to champion every feasible avenue including financial support, incentives and strategic partnerships.