USA/Canada Delivery Thread

kitkat said:

We’ve seen the amber side marker that is part of the headlight.

Click to expand...

I hope that also functions as the reflector so we don’t get the stick-on strips the Elise and Evora had.

kitkat said:

We’ve seen the amber side marker that is part of the headlight.

Click to expand...

Ill be looking to get head lights without the orange - possibly Dubai

I would have preferred stick on strips that we could remove afterwards.

Nova said:

I would have preferred stick on strips that we could remove afterwards.

Click to expand...

Same. Opening up headlights these days is way more difficult than it used to be back when they used butyl to seal them.

well thats super disappointing. I was fully expecting to remove them but now its going to be way harder

kitkat said:

We’ve seen the amber side marker that is part of the headlight.

Click to expand...

If they’ll just paint the calipers yellow or silver on that one I’m open to take delivery.

I was at a British car show yesterday (the largest in North America) near Burlington, Ontario. Lotus had an Emira there and Tony from Lotus Oakville was there. Though I don't think anything actually said that, it was all "Peninsula". Anyways, I talked with him a bit telling him I had a deposit with him for a couple years and then cancelled. He said I could get my spot back with a deposit now. I told him I was tired of waiting for a car that is never going to arrive. He said the 6cyl and 4cyl cars are arriving at the same time before the end of the year. I told him, more or less politely, that I didn't believe anything from Lotus or dealers about the Emira any more.

I asked him how a company that has been around as long as Lotus could mess up paperwork that delays selling their cars. He said there was more to the story than that, and said it was about them basing the car on the Evora (so it wouldn't need all the paperwork of a new vehicle) but then they made the mistake of saying somewhere it was a new vehicle so all the previous paperwork was not valid; something along those lines anyways. So again I asked how a company that has been around as long as they have could mess that up. He sort of mumbled things at that point and I had pretty much lost interest.

Afterward my wife said "I wouldn't deal with that guy, he seems so low key like he really doesn't care if you buy a car or not". I said that to be fair he is probably so worn down by having to explain to people what is going on when Lotus doesn't even tell their dealers.

Yea, I wouldn't really care if they just called the Emira the Evora NYO in the US.

Funny over in the UK it's a complete new car in USA it's an evora so they got caught out says it all.

New to Lotus said:

Funny over in the UK it's a complete new car in USA it's an evora so they got caught out says it all.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't put too much stock in the story that Carbuilder was given. The dealer doesn't have unique/special access, and we're all at the end of a very long game of Tin Can Telephone.

Porter said:

I wouldn't put too much stock in the story that Carbuilder was given. The dealer doesn't have unique/special access, and we're all at the end of a very long game of Tin Can Telephone.

Click to expand...

The game of telephone is very real here -- from an engineer to an exec to a head of some regional operations to a dealer to a future customer to us -- leaves for plenty of misinformation -- especially when every single one of those people has a different interest in mind.

kitkat said:

The game of telephone is very real here -- from an engineer to an exec to a head of some regional operations to a dealer to a future customer to us -- leaves for plenty of misinformation -- especially when every single one of those people has a different interest in mind.

Click to expand...

Yup. While it is the engine from the Evora the car is new. It’s a new year, new regulations, and just because you use an engine type from before means squat when it’s in a new car.

kitkat said:

The game of telephone is very real here -- from an engineer to an exec to a head of some regional operations to a dealer to a future customer to us -- leaves for plenty of misinformation -- especially when every single one of those people has a different interest in mind.

Click to expand...

Don't forget the marketing exec and the PR person and legal. The first two want to spin creative narratives while leaning heavily on ignorance (their own and the customers') and the third wants to limit saying anything at all.

Porter said:

Don't forget the marketing exec and the PR person and legal. The first two want to spin creative narratives while leaning heavily on ignorance (their own and the customers') and the third wants to limit saying anything at all.

Click to expand...

Careful..... public and published statements by Marketing and PR have legal implications (ie accountability) which is the reason for Legal constraints.
Whatever happened to clear and constant customer communications?

Dudes:

Forgive me naiveté as I don't quite follow all this as its all quite intense...

But..

Lets say the Winter 2023 delivery of Emiras is still on track.

If so, when would we need to start seeing them coming off the factory floor?

Is it already past that date?

luciddaydream said:

Dudes:

Forgive me naiveté as I don't quite follow all this as its all quite intense...

But..

Lets say the Winter 2023 delivery of Emiras is still on track.

If so, when would we need to start seeing them coming off the factory floor?

Is it already past that date?

Click to expand...

I would say 2 months roughly. Takes almost 4 weeks to ship across the ocean and you've got logistics to shipping and from shipping, plus time for PDI and other various things. This all assumes all regulatory clearances are handled.

If cars aren't seen being produced in large batches by November I highly doubt it's happening 2023-2024 Winter delivery.

And it's almost certainly not on track for December deliveries imho.

Edit: Corrected years

kitkat said:

I would say 2 months roughly. Takes almost 4 weeks to ship across the ocean and you've got logistics to shipping and from shipping, plus time for PDI and other various things. This all assumes all regulatory clearances are handled.

If cars aren't seen being produced in large batches by November I highly doubt it's happening 2022-2023 Winter delivery.

And it's almost certainly not on track for December deliveries imho.

Click to expand...

Did you copy/paste this from a similar analysis 12 months ago?

kitkat said:

I would say 2 months roughly. Takes almost 4 weeks to ship across the ocean and you've got logistics to shipping and from shipping, plus time for PDI and other various things. This all assumes all regulatory clearances are handled.

If cars aren't seen being produced in large batches by November I highly doubt it's happening 2022-2023 Winter delivery.

And it's almost certainly not on track for December deliveries imho.

Click to expand...

It’s closer to 90 days all in. Lots of hurry up and wait along the chain. Get to port in UK. Wait. Loaded, not all go on the same ship. Different batches, wait. Arrive in Baltimore or wherever. Wait. Get through customs. Wait. Get picked up by BNSF rail. Wait. Get delivered to central hub for last mile. Wait. Get picked up by auto transport. Wait. Arrive at dealer. Wait. Get sold out from under you because an order for a car doesn’t guarantee they won’t or can’t sell it to anyone else. Wait for refund

Source: I import toys from China.

Nova said:

Did you copy/paste this from a similar analysis 12 months ago?

Click to expand...

No I’m just stuck in the past lol.

On a more interesting note, anyone interested in a GT4?

Ok, guys! Did the Factory Tour this morning! Here’s what information I came out with:

(Photos were not allowed inside the production areas…sorry)

1. I asked if the U.S. cars had started being manufactured yet.
They are very tight-lipped about divulging any info, but after pressing him pretty hard, it appeared that if they have, it had just started recently. The parking lot/holding area for completed Emiras had a couple of hundred Emiras parked in there. I did not see ANY Emiras with the amber strip along the outside of the headlights, designating a U.S. car. Nor did I see any “rear bumperettes”. There were quite a few cars made with left-hand drive, but do not know if they were bound for the U.S.. Some cars had front license plate brackets with a front license plate holder attached. Other cars did not…and no holes were pre-drilled in the front bumpers on those cars.

I asked about U.S. certification approvals. Again, he would act as if they don’t make him aware of such information, but again, after pressing him, it appears that they do not yet have everything approved…..it seems like California guidelines are holding things up for now…..but if U.S. cars are being made now, they must be pretty sure of getting final approvals shortly.
I told him that most of us in the U.S. have been told that U.S. cars would start being delivered by the end of December. He seemed to agree with that assessment, and that coincides with his latest information.

2. Both the 6 cylinder Toyota and the 4 cylinder AMG engined cars are being produced simultaneously on the production line…..55% 6 cylinder and 45% 4 cylinder cars….and are being produced in that proportion according to customer orders.
No dealer “showroom” cars are being produced…..only customer-ordered cars…except for demo cars.

3. They are producing approximately 40 cars per day, Monday thru Thursday. There are 2 shifts being worked on the production line. If you were to order a car today, he said there was a 2 year wait.

4. Quality control seems to be worked out better than the horror stories we’ve been hearing on the Facebook sites from earlier orders. At least, that is how it appeared to me.

5. The new colored cars are being produced along side the original 6 colors of the original “first-edition” cars.
Of the new colors, the vivid red is more “Ferrari-ish” than the Magma red, and looks great. The new darker blue (can’t remember if they have 2 new blues or not, but it is striking. The new silver really shows off the lines of the car, and I liked it also.
He told me that of the original 6 colors, the order of preference is:
Seneca Blue
Hethel Yellow
Dark Verdant
Nimbus Gray
Magma Red
Shadow Gray

I ordered Nimbus with the upper and lower black pack, and diamond- cut wheels……and I am very happy with my choice after seeing my spec.

Overall, I would recommend going on the tour if you get a chance. You learn a lot about the design of the car, etc.

I’m sure I have left out a lot. If you have questions, I’ll try and answer!