Continental Europe deliveries

[Bilbao-Emira]

Hi all,

Thought it would be appropriate to open this specific thread.

Things are clearly moving and clarified about UK process of FE V6 deliveries and also NA estimated deliveries.

IMHO, Continental Europe, nothing is clear yet.

I was (maybe mistaken) expecting to receive some news by the end of January, talked to my dealer last week, and no news.

There has been a few members posting confirmation for their deliveries in Germany and Switzerland as I recall for the month of July 22, as per what their correspondent dealers told them.

I wonder whether these are real confirmations of build slot from Lotus Headquarters to the dealers, or just estimation from the dealers at that time.

A little bit of anxiety is growing here as we see other areas of the world develop and all we get here is, as usual, info from valuable members rather than from Lotus or the dealers.

Maybe @TomE or other member with contacts on LOTUS HQ could ask for us to clarify at which stage we are:

1. Has LOTUS decided start date for production of Continental Europe LHD FEV6?
2. Is there a maximum number of FE V6 cars allocated for the global area or country by country?
3. How many cars per month can we expect?
4. Are they going to prioritize any specific country in terms of delivery, or can we expect to get the cars in all countries at the same time as per date of deposit list (similar to UK)?
5. When do they expect to have obtained the homologations for EU cars?
6. Is there going to be a finance package promoted by Lotus for EU countries?
7. Is the contractual relationship with final customer defined as in the US (through dealers) or are they planning to change it for Agency model like in UK?

If they cannot answer any or all of the questions, at least give as some explanation of when and through who we can expect answers.

If this is not the moment to ask these questions, we will just wait, although it is frustrating.
I am sure many of us have decisions pending on the estimated date of delivery, whether we change our vehicle for something in between or we wait, financing, holidays, marriage, divorce, get rid of the mother in law, etc...
I know somebody will come up with a few hashtags, at least we will continue having fun during the loooong wait.

Cheers!

 

[TomE]

If I put you in contact with someone at Lotus HQ, do you want to follow up on these questions with them and share the responses on here? I'm not sure I know for sure the right person to cover all the EU dealers but will try to find out.

 

[JPS_67]

Hi all,

Thought it would be appropriate to open this specific thread.

Things are clearly moving and clarified about UK process of FE V6 deliveries and also NA estimated deliveries.

IMHO, Continental Europe, nothing is clear yet.

I was (maybe mistaken) expecting to receive some news by the end of January, talked to my dealer last week, and no news.

There has been a few members posting confirmation for their deliveries in Germany and Switzerland as I recall for the month of July 22, as per what their correspondent dealers told them.

I wonder whether these are real confirmations of build slot from Lotus Headquarters to the dealers, or just estimation from the dealers at that time.

A little bit of anxiety is growing here as we see other areas of the world develop and all we get here is, as usual, info from valuable members rather than from Lotus or the dealers.

Maybe @TomE or other member with contacts on LOTUS HQ could ask for us to clarify at which stage we are:

1. Has LOTUS decided start date for production of Continental Europe LHD FEV6?
2. Is there a maximum number of FE V6 cars allocated for the global area or country by country?
3. How many cars per month can we expect?
4. Are they going to prioritize any specific country in terms of delivery, or can we expect to get the cars in all countries at the same time as per date of deposit list (similar to UK)?
5. When do they expect to have obtained the homologations for EU cars?
6. Is there going to be a finance package promoted by Lotus for EU countries?
7. Is the contractual relationship with final customer defined as in the US (through dealers) or are they planning to change it for Agency model like in UK?

If they cannot answer any or all of the questions, at least give as some explanation of when and through who we can expect answers.

If this is not the moment to ask these questions, we will just wait, although it is frustrating.
I am sure many of us have decisions pending on the estimated date of delivery, whether we change our vehicle for something in between or we wait, financing, holidays, marriage, divorce, get rid of the mother in law, etc...
I know somebody will come up with a few hashtags, at least we will continue having fun during the loooong wait.

Cheers!

Being in the continental Europe part too I am anxious to know about this too, and I would like to know if Lotus expects to continue this (bad) information streaming for the i4 FE and the base editions as well. I guess a close neighbour can be a good friend. But it isn't when you neglect it,..

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

If I put you in contact with someone at Lotus HQ, do you want to follow up on these questions with them and share the responses on here? I'm not sure I know for sure the right person to cover all the EU dealers but will try to find out.

Thanks Tom,

Definitely I´ll be glad to help you ease the situation.

just let me know and as soon as members fill in the package of questions, I´ll be happy to follow up in the direction you advise.

 

[clp99]

Hi all,

I don't really have any information at all, but wanted to post them anyway ;-)

In my region (Rhein-Main Area / Hessen /Germany), we had the presentation of the car on February 2nd. The personal of the dealer was accompanied by two technicians from Lotus to answer detail questions. But neither had any information about delivery or allocations at all. My order confirmation (from the dealer) still says delivery to be expected in June.

...Hope springs eternal...

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

Hi all,

I don't really have any information at all, but wanted to post them anyway ;-)

In my region (Rhein-Main Area / Hessen /Germany), we had the presentation of the car on February 2nd. The personal of the dealer was accompanied by two technicians from Lotus to answer detail questions. But neither had any information about delivery or allocations at all. My order confirmation (from the dealer) still says delivery to be expected in June.

...Hope springs eternal...

has your dealer any confirmation from Lotus that cars for Germany will arrive as soon as June?
Seems to me a little weird since we all thought Europe would be one/two months delayed after first deliveries for UK, being the latest postponed already one month form the original plan.
Would be nice if you can ask your dealer which assurance he has from Lotus for June ?

 

[clp99]

has your dealer any confirmation from Lotus that cars for Germany will arrive as soon as June?
Seems to me a little weird since we all thought Europe would be one/two months delayed after first deliveries for UK, being the latest postponed already one month form the original plan.
Would be nice if you can ask your dealer which assurance he has from Lotus for June ?

I will ask, but I suspect he will not have any confirmation.

But one thing made me think: The dealer told me I had to lock in my configuration at the beginning of February to not get any delay, when i made him ask Lotus about doing changes to my config. That, i would think, would fit to a delivery around June-August. At least I hope it does not sound like 2023 delivery.

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

I will ask, but I suspect he will not have any confirmation.

But one thing made me think: The dealer told me I had to lock in my configuration at the beginning of February to not get any delay, when i made him ask Lotus about doing changes to my config. That, i would think, would fit to a delivery around June-August. At least I hope it does not sound like 2023 delivery.

Same page here, my dealer told me to lock in last December, ask him to change the wheels last week, and he confirmed the change went through in their internal Lotus system, but no clue about the deliveries.
I am #1 at my dealer since July last year, at the beginning he told me Spring 22, but they don´t know anything anymore since then. What we know now is that first deliveries in UK are June. That's why I think with all your questions will be nice to have some feedback from LOTUS HQ about their plan.

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

Hi all,

I don't really have any information at all, but wanted to post them anyway ;-)

In my region (Rhein-Main Area / Hessen /Germany), we had the presentation of the car on February 2nd. The personal of the dealer was accompanied by two technicians from Lotus to answer detail questions. But neither had any information about delivery or allocations at all. My order confirmation (from the dealer) still says delivery to be expected in June.

...Hope springs eternal...

By the way, which car they used for the presentation? Expecting presentation here in Bilbao in March. Guess it will be the same unit

 

[JPS_67]

Hi all,

I don't really have any information at all, but wanted to post them anyway ;-)

In my region (Rhein-Main Area / Hessen /Germany), we had the presentation of the car on February 2nd. The personal of the dealer was accompanied by two technicians from Lotus to answer detail questions. But neither had any information about delivery or allocations at all. My order confirmation (from the dealer) still says delivery to be expected in June.

...Hope springs eternal...

Did the dealer mention a year?

 

[TomE]

I will ask, but I suspect he will not have any confirmation.

But one thing made me think: The dealer told me I had to lock in my configuration at the beginning of February to not get any delay, when i made him ask Lotus about doing changes to my config. That, i would think, would fit to a delivery around June-August. At least I hope it does not sound like 2023 delivery.

UK deposit holders have been asked in December through to last Friday about locking in specs and that covers delivery batches from June through to September, so you are probably a similar timeframe.

European deliveries were originally going to start two months after first UK deliveries (so April/May UK and June/July EU). Although UK deliveries don't now start until June they will actually be starting build in April and are holding back April/May builds for release in June. So it's possible you may still get deliveries from June onwards or it may be delayed. I suspect, like the UK, the start is driven by local type approval being completed.

 

[clp99]

By the way, which car they used for the presentation? Expecting presentation here in Bilbao in March. Guess it will be the same unit

It was the blue one with the golf cart "engine" and a lot of batteries in the trunk

Did the dealer mention a year?

Good question! Will ask that, too!

UK deposit holders have been asked in December through to last Friday about locking in specs and that covers delivery batches from June through to September, so you are probably a similar timeframe.

European deliveries were originally going to start two months after first UK deliveries (so April/May UK and June/July EU). Although UK deliveries don't now start until June they will actually be starting build in April and are holding back April/May builds for release in June. So it's possible you may still get deliveries from June onwards or it may be delayed. I suspect, like the UK, the start is driven by local type approval being completed.

The first ever mentioned time frame for delivery from my dealer was May 22. That was back beginning of summer 21 when ordering/first deposit process just started. I locked in my order with the second payment (10k total, there is no 3rd here) end of november 21* and received the delivery estimation for June 22. That was the time we all thought, that UK deliveries will start in april/may, so the difference of two months would fit. Now, that we know, that UK deliveries will start in June I am expecting that Germany deliveries will still be around two months later, so august for me. I am number 7 at my dealer and he sold quite well last year, so he expects to receive around 20-25 cars in the first batch. Does that sound
unbelievable?

*if I remember correctly. Will look it up in my calendar later.

Edith: Typo in Year

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

It was the blue one with the golf cart "engine" and a lot of batteries in the trunk


Good question! Will ask that, too!


The first ever mentioned time frame for delivery from my dealer was May 22. That was back begin of summer 21 when ordering/first deposit process just started. I locked in my order with the second payment (10k total, there is no 3rd here) end of november 22* and received the delivery estimation for June 22. That was the time we all thought, that UK deliveries will start in april/may, so the difference of two months would fit. Now, that we know, that UK deliveries will start in June I am expecting that Germany deliveries will still be around two months later, so august for me. I am number 7 at my dealer and he sold quite well last year, so he expects to receive around 20-25 cars in the first batch. Does that sound
unbelievable?

*if I remember correctly. Will look it up in my calendar later.

This sounds totally coherent.
I just wish they just told us this estimate and not have to do it ourselves

 

[hagen111]

Here's the info I got: Dealers will get Demo's. V6 and i4. First V6 demo's will arrive at dealers most likely in March. First customer cars June/July timeframe (maybe even May?). Guaranteed allocations per country for V6 seem very limited. I believe further information will follow shortly on the exact plan and total allocations per dealer for 2022 (and 2023?).

I think the big question will be how many FE's will be produced on V6 and i4 in total and if the run will continue in 2023. Allocations seem to only be confirmed for 2022.

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

Here's the info I got: Dealers will get Demo's. V6 and i4. First V6 demo's will arrive at dealers most likely in March. First customer cars June/July timeframe (maybe even May?). Guaranteed allocations per country for V6 seem very limited. I believe further information will follow shortly on the exact plan and total allocations per dealer for 2022 (and 2023?).

I think the big question will be how many FE's will be produced on V6 and i4 in total and if the run will continue in 2023. Allocations seem to only be confirmed for 2022.

Thanks for the input @hagen111

As we start to see, different dealers, different info and some of them no info.

Let's see if we get more feedback from other members during this week to build the appropriate questionary, and then try to call HQ next week, to clarify if possible.

 

[TomE]

Here's the info I got: Dealers will get Demo's. V6 and i4. First V6 demo's will arrive at dealers most likely in March. First customer cars June/July timeframe (maybe even May?). Guaranteed allocations per country for V6 seem very limited. I believe further information will follow shortly on the exact plan and total allocations per dealer for 2022 (and 2023?).

I think the big question will be how many FE's will be produced on V6 and i4 in total and if the run will continue in 2023. Allocations seem to only be confirmed for 2022.

Some of that info seems odd. March for demos would be before the UK demo cars (due May/June). i4 development is running (a planned) 3-4 months behind V6 so not expecting UK demo cars until Q4. I'd also be surprised if EU type approval is running ahead of UK approvals, as I think they're applying for UK first then using that to read across to EU.

Bilbao-Emira is kindly gathering all this info and will try to get some clear answers from Hethel.

 

[JPS_67]

This is what I got regarding the expexted i4 information in January:

..>>The information that came out in January was regarding the configurator. We will be announcing details on the i4 First Edition (prices, delivery times etc) for the AMG engine variant later in Spring.<...

I guess not everyone is informed about what they promised to deliver. I sincerely hope the information planning, scheduling and follow-up will get better. I don't mind things getting later, but just inform me about things getting later.

 

[tjlazer]

My dealer has their first cars for April, expecting i4 info around the same time (Luxembourg).

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

My dealer has their first cars for April, expecting i4 info around the same time (Luxembourg).

thanks,
I wish , but I cannot see that happening if first cars are due in June for UK.

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

This is what I got regarding the expexted i4 information in January:

..>>The information that came out in January was regarding the configurator. We will be announcing details on the i4 First Edition (prices, delivery times etc) for the AMG engine variant later in Spring.<...

I guess not everyone is informed about what they promised to deliver. I sincerely hope the information planning, scheduling and follow-up will get better. I don't mind things getting later, but just inform me about things getting later.

Same page, thanks for the info.
let's see if we can get a clear picture next week