Is this confirmed news ?
https://www.ft.com/.../dc5948e6-6645-405b-a556-df06b1ad26be
https://www.ft.com/.../dc5948e6-6645-405b-a556-df06b1ad26be
Today's Financial Times | Carmaker Lotus plans to end production in the UK
- Thread starter Neil D.
- Start date
On the up side their plan is to move production to the US:
www.theguardian.com
Lotus is planning to end production of its sportscars in the UK and shift it to the US, a move that would put 1,300 jobs at risk and represent a major blow to the British car industry.
Lotus poised to end UK sportscar production, putting 1,300 jobs at risk
Chinese owner Geely looks at options that include shifting assembly of its Emira from Norfolk to the US
www.theguardian.com
Lotus is planning to end production of its sportscars in the UK and shift it to the US, a move that would put 1,300 jobs at risk and represent a major blow to the British car industry.
Well I can't say I had that on my bingo cardOn the up side their plan is to move production to the US:
Lotus poised to end UK sportscar production, putting 1,300 jobs at risk
Chinese owner Geely looks at options that include shifting assembly of its Emira from Norfolk to the US
Lotus is planning to end production of its sportscars in the UK and shift it to the US, a move that would put 1,300 jobs at risk and represent a major blow to the British car industry.
I don't know about this... on the one hand, I can understand the desire to get around tariffs, plus the cost of shipping cars across the ocean to the U.S., but to completely abandon Hethel? Part of the appeal of Lotus as an exotic brand is because it ISN'T made in the U.S. No matter what Chevy does with the Corvette which is now arguably the best bang for the buck on the planet, it's never been able to elevate it to the status of an exotic.
Why abandon Hethel after all the investment. What about keeping it as well as building a plant in the U.S. like other overseas manufacturers do? A U.S. made Lotus with a V8 in it would to me just be another American car. If they go in the direction of styling that the Vision concept did, then Colin Chapman's Lotus with its beautiful styling of curves, which the Emira embodies so well, would truly be gone. Not something I would want to see.
Build a plant in the U.S., but keep Hethel. Use Hethel for design and development.
Why abandon Hethel after all the investment. What about keeping it as well as building a plant in the U.S. like other overseas manufacturers do? A U.S. made Lotus with a V8 in it would to me just be another American car. If they go in the direction of styling that the Vision concept did, then Colin Chapman's Lotus with its beautiful styling of curves, which the Emira embodies so well, would truly be gone. Not something I would want to see.
Build a plant in the U.S., but keep Hethel. Use Hethel for design and development.
geoffbland
Emira Fan
Whilst the FT got the information from an "insider" and neither Lotus nor Geely have stated anything and "refuse to comment on rumours".
Reported by the Guardian too but they just say they got the info from the FT. Also the Guardian mentions car building to move to the US - that sounds unlikely.
I guess the actual facts will come out in a day or two.
Reported by the Guardian too but they just say they got the info from the FT. Also the Guardian mentions car building to move to the US - that sounds unlikely.
I guess the actual facts will come out in a day or two.
geoffbland
Emira Fan
A bit of a more balanced report from the Telegraph (yeah?). Mentions closure is just an option under consideration and mentions the huge investment Geely have already made to Hethel.
www.telegraph.co.uk
Lotus’s UK factory threatened with closure by Chinese owner
Shutdown of plant in Norfolk after 60 years would threaten 1,300 jobs
www.telegraph.co.uk
Hard to believe Hethel would end so suddenly, with all the monies poured into the new production upgrades. From a selfish perspective, hopefully Lotus survives in some form, so those of us with an Emira at least have somewhere to turn for warranty work. That said, I echo comments from others, about the danger of taking rumours as "fact". Let's see how this shakes out. My "vote" is to maintain the UK/Hethel involvement in some form, rather than cut-off 70 years of storied history.
I think the Lotus we all knew and loved has left and is never coming back. But I agree with the sentiment that they pick something back up in the USA, however unlikely that will be. Lotus has been plagued by poor leadership for the last....10 or so years, so this isn't surprising that their sugar daddy finally cut them off.
If the Electre and Elmyra or whatever would have picked up steam in the China markets, or even the USA if they were sold here (I would have bought an Electre but went for the Mach E Gt instead since the Electre was no where to be found) they would be postured much differently right now.
It doesnt help that Lotus China can pump out in a month what Lotus UK can pump out in a year. China is all about moving forward, optimization, and Lotus UK is still building things mostly by hand.
Teshoo Lama
Active member
- Dec 21, 2024
- 30
- 30
More concerning is the FT's claim about non-payment of suppliers, citing two sources. That sounds like the fat lady singing.
Yikes. This sounds like some version of fixed costs being too high and sales velocity being too low to manage their cash flow. Incredibly challenging to operate your way out of it. Need another white knight or declare bankruptcy and try to recover.
Biggles of Norwich
Emira Fan
A couple of weeks ago I heard that Lotus are planning to move the design function from Coventry (UK) to Europe and production is going to be moved away from Hethel, apart from special projects (but with no timescales). However despite the above, and the recent media reports, like most of you I remain waiting with extreme interest to see what transpires,
(I live 6 miles from Hethel).
p.s. I feel that the Lotus brand will be virtually worthless if it moves from it's historical roots. It has already been devalued by production of the Eletre and Emeya in Wuhan, the ancestral home of Covid, although apparently they were designed by Lotus UK. Can you imagine people buying Ferraris if they were manufactured in the US rather than Maranello?
(I live 6 miles from Hethel).
p.s. I feel that the Lotus brand will be virtually worthless if it moves from it's historical roots. It has already been devalued by production of the Eletre and Emeya in Wuhan, the ancestral home of Covid, although apparently they were designed by Lotus UK. Can you imagine people buying Ferraris if they were manufactured in the US rather than Maranello?
I agree. Hethel needs to remain the heart of what produces Lotus sports cars in some meaningful fashion. And I get moving EV production to China, but why did it have to be Wuhan!? The ancestral home of Covid, haha. Love it.
So much bad timing and bad luck for Lotus. Even these tariffs - ugh when they were already struggling. I still love my Emira. It's like a miracle baby.
Didn't they just spend a bunch of money automating and upgrading the facility?
Just speculation
Maybe moving to the US means some US industry has taken an interest. Tesla? I call my Model S the anit-Lotus. Maybe Elon is looking Ying for his Yang. Balance?
Just speculation
Maybe moving to the US means some US industry has taken an interest. Tesla? I call my Model S the anit-Lotus. Maybe Elon is looking Ying for his Yang. Balance?
Create an account or login to comment
Join now to leave a comment enjoy browsing the site ad-free!
Create account
Create an account on our community. It's easy!
Log in
Already have an account? Log in here.
Emira Forum Images
Emira Forum Images
