Please clarify two points that I'm confused about, does this means you cannot own an auto trans in the UK because of insurance? and if so, wouldn't the 2.0 make it auto as well?
The answer to both questions is no, please let me expand further.
The automatic V6 does not have Type Approval in the UK which is part of the homologation process for all new cars. They have to pass a number of tests, have emissions measured etc. Each country/territory have their own rules, but as far as I know they are all broadly similar. An example of differing requirements between the UK and US for example is that US cars need the orange indicators/reflectors on the sides whereas UK cars do not have this requirement. No doubt some things in the US could vary from state to state, but not sure on this.
The big clue for us in the UK about a car not having Type Approval is that you can't get an insurance quote from any of the UK insurers. Once a car has Type Approval a company called Thatcham have the contract to load the data onto the insurers databases and then the insurers apply their risk profiles to generate an insurance quote. In the UK we have a some large websites that offer comparison services and will compare many insurers once your info is loaded into the comparison site. It makes insurance shopping very easy, I would have thought there may be something similar in the US perhaps?
A car manufacturer cannot sell a road legal car without Type Approval, so there is not a situation where you buy a car intended for road use and then cannot insure it.
The 2.0L will have to go through homologation/Type Approval separately (the V6 manual and auto are also classed as separate cars as emissions are different). The process is done with a mixture of in house tests that are signed off by the relevant authorities at different stages of design, prototype and final production. This allows the manufacturer to resolve any issues as they crop up, rather than present a final car for testing to be told they have to strip it all down to make changes.
Of course the 2.0L is auto only so they will only have the one get to get approved once they eventually finalise development and start to build them.
I think from the questions that I have asked and the help I have received from forum members along with some information directly from Lotus that the Type Approval for the V6 auto is delayed due to some final missing parts. My best guess is that they are waiting for final emissions tests and the missing parts are essential for these, so could be ECU chips or some engine management parts perhaps (only my best guess, I don't have any evidence to back this up).
Hope this helps and best wishes from the UK!
