Anyone received their 30 day notification yet?

[Leonard]

There's a large part of me which is hoping that close inspection of the build quality and test drive of the Emira are going to be disappointing. I love the look of the thing, the performance will be adequate for my needs but I find Lotus treatment of the UK depositers shockingly poor, so much so that I'm seriously questioning whether I want to buy a car from them. For Windle to go on camera and not be truthful about why the 2000 plus UK depositers aren't going to be getting their cars anytime soon whilst cars are being built for Europe, China and even Australia just compounds my intense irritation. He could easily have said it was a Lotus business decision and they'll try to make up the lost time, but he didn't.

I am genuinely pleased for those people in Europe who have received their cars and for the people in the US who've had test drives. Good for them, they seem pleased and I'm interested in their feedback, even the US hoaxers from a month ago with what little they did say.

I'm not at all confident that the promised communication is going to be positive or make me feel any different, or that it's actually going to come at all. I do frankly need something positive to get my enthusiasm back.

100%
Im looking for excuses at this point. BUT they have to be deal breakers specific to the Emira.
The only thing keeping my interest at present whilst everything around us turns to is that they do at least appear to be holding both the price and finance rates as promised (although they didnt specifically say they would hold the rates...)
Going to be REALLY unfair on UK deposit holders if they had their deposits in first and then suffer increased costs due to known and planned delays in UK production BY Lotus.
I cant forgive that

 

[Leonard]

Why do you hope that the processing and the test drive with the Emira are disappointing? And why are you posting something like this in the forum? Do you want to take away the joy of the many here who will soon have an Emira?

No 100% no. But as per my post above early UK deposit holders are being treated pretty poorly, especially as some have been long standing Lotus customers from a time when other people wouldn't even give Lotus a second look and they were thought of as a bit of a joke in regards to customer service and reliability etc

 

[Lotustoronto]

100%
Im looking for excuses at this point. BUT they have to be deal breakers specific to the Emira.
The only thing keeping my interest at present whilst everything around us turns to is that they do at least appear to be holding both the price and finance rates as promised (although they didnt specifically say they would hold the rates...)
Going to be REALLY unfair on UK deposit holders if they had their deposits in first and then suffer increased costs due to known and planned delays in UK production BY Lotus.
I cant forgive that

No 100% no. But as per my post above early UK deposit holders are being treated pretty poorly, especially as some have been long standing Lotus customers, from a time when other people wouldn't even give Lotus a second look and they were thought of as a bit of a joke in regards to customer service and reliability etc

I think it was purely a marketing / business decision to spread Lotus brand awareness. Geely are a smart bunch and I am sure have weighed the pro's and con's of upsetting the Lotus UK depositors. It was a risk they decided was in their best interest. They are probably right. I do think UK pricing @ 59,999 GPB will hold for the base, and will be the only market to hold that price. It will be their way of saying thank-you for the patience. On a positive note, the interior pics I have seen from the Euro deliveries seemed to be greatly improved over the pre-prod cars from reviewers.

I have heard now that Geely is holding a stake in Aston Martin they will try to get some of the AM dealer groups to bring Lotus on board as a brand. I have heard this from a reputable friend in the AM world in Toronto. (He knows Mr. Stroll personally) but who knows. I could see it happening and makes sense to increase the Lotus dealer network.

 

[digilotus]

Let's not make an assumption that all long standing Lotus customers reside only in Britain. There has been much love for Lotus down under for many decades, even though the market is comparatively smaller.

 

[Leonard]

I have heard now that Geely is holding a stake in Aston Martin they will try to get some of the AM dealer groups to bring Lotus on board as a brand. I have heard this from a reputable friend in the AM world in Toronto. (He knows Mr. Stroll personally) but who knows. I could see it happening and makes sense to increase the Lotus dealer network.

This makes a lot of sense. AMG trained mechanics as well!

 

[Leonard]

Let's not make an assumption that all long standing Lotus customers reside only in Britain. There has been much love for Lotus down under for many decades, even though the market is comparatively smaller.

100% not dismissing anyones commitment to the brand I wouldn't do that and you are right to pull me up on it.
But lets be honest the majority are UK based

 

[TomE]

Does it seem odd to anyone else that there are 20 right hand cars built bound for Australia, but UK dealers still have not received their demonstrators.

This suggests to me that type approval is a major stumbling block for UK. If they can build RHD for Australia it’s not RHD parts issues. And if they ship 20 cars to an important but relatively smaller market, that suggests there’s a fundamental problem with the UK.

They could get cash from 100s of UK folks queuing up to take the cars, but they can’t seem to get the flow started. Hence even 20 cars sent to Australia is seen as a contribution to cashflow.

TA issues could be down to the process itself, unexpected things that were found and are being rectified, and/or Lotus mis-judging or re-prioritising the timeframes for approvals.

 

[Leonard]

This suggests to me that type approval is a major stumbling block for UK. If they can build RHD for Australia it’s not RHD parts issues. And if they ship 20 cars to an important but relatively smaller market, that suggests there’s a fundamental problem with the UK.

They could get cash from 100s of UK folks queuing up to take the cars, but they can’t seem to get the flow started. Hence even 20 cars sent to Australia is seen as a contribution to cashflow.

TA issues could be down to the process itself, unexpected things that were found and are being rectified, and/or Lotus mis-judging or re-prioritising the timeframes for approvals.

Surely this must all be about currency $ trading and getting in what they do want and leaving what they don't £

 

[TomE]

No, currency and pricing differences between UK and AU on 20 cars aren’t material compared to shipping 100s in UK.

 

[GreenDeal]

No 100% no. But as per my post above early UK deposit holders are being treated pretty poorly, especially as some have been long standing Lotus customers from a time when other people wouldn't even give Lotus a second look and they were thought of as a bit of a joke in regards to customer service and reliability etc

Of course I can understand that!

 

[JohnHoward]

It REALLY doesn't allow you to plan anything though does it.
If I'm getting the car in March then I will go out and buy an Alpine A110 tomorrow, if I'm just told sometime Q1 2023 its probably not worth it. Could be the straw that breaks me.

Exactly the same as me. That A110 at Scott Hardy is calling me! Looks like we may be fighting over it - bring your boxing gloves

---

This suggests to me that type approval is a major stumbling block for UK. If they can build RHD for Australia it’s not RHD parts issues. And if they ship 20 cars to an important but relatively smaller market, that suggests there’s a fundamental problem with the UK.

They could get cash from 100s of UK folks queuing up to take the cars, but they can’t seem to get the flow started. Hence even 20 cars sent to Australia is seen as a contribution to cashflow.

TA issues could be down to the process itself, unexpected things that were found and are being rectified, and/or Lotus mis-judging or re-prioritising the timeframes for approvals.

I wonder if somehow Lotus has fallen foul of the change to regulations re speed limiters for all new cars in the UK. I know that the car was already launched before the July 2022 deadline and Type Approval was granted for manual cars originally (explained by being able to get UK insurance quotes), but then something fundamentally changed and they need to gain approval again. Perhaps someone in the Vehicle Certification Agency has said that with no UK cars delivered and a new approval being needed post July, the actual launch date is called into question.
If this is the case, I wonder if Harry's car will be subject to an Individual Vehicle Approval to get around the issue.

I know I have posted a lot about Type Approval for the V6 auto, but I never imagined that there would be an issue with the manual also.

 

[Leonard]

No, currency and pricing differences between UK and AU on 20 cars aren’t material compared to shipping 100s in UK.

No I can understand that, I more meant in general taking into account the weakness of the pound and aimed more at the Asia export cars.
With OZ maybe they are also simply taking into account ship times so that certain markets arent left waiting an inordinate amount of time due to the general delays. Good to have 'some' cars in all export markets early on to drive desire and demand

 

[DJS]

This suggests to me that type approval is a major stumbling block for UK. If they can build RHD for Australia it’s not RHD parts issues. And if they ship 20 cars to an important but relatively smaller market, that suggests there’s a fundamental problem with the UK.

They could get cash from 100s of UK folks queuing up to take the cars, but they can’t seem to get the flow started. Hence even 20 cars sent to Australia is seen as a contribution to cashflow.

TA issues could be down to the process itself, unexpected things that were found and are being rectified, and/or Lotus mis-judging or re-prioritising the timeframes for approvals.

I completely agree with this more to it than meets the eye.

 

[TomE]

No I can understand that, I more meant in general taking into account the weakness of the pound and aimed more at the Asia export cars.
With OZ maybe they are also simply taking into account ship times so that certain markets arent left waiting an inordinate amount of time due to the general delays. Good to have 'some' cars in all export markets early on to drive desire and demand

You mean compared to waiting a “modest” amount of time in the UK?

 

[TomE]

Exactly the same as me. That A110 at Scott Hardy is calling me! Looks like we may be fighting over it - bring your boxing gloves

---

I wonder if somehow Lotus has fallen foul of the change to regulations re speed limiters for all new cars in the UK. I know that the car was already launched before the July 2022 deadline and Type Approval was granted for manual cars originally (explained by being able to get UK insurance quotes), but then something fundamentally changed and they need to gain approval again. Perhaps someone in the Vehicle Certification Agency has said that with no UK cars delivered and a new approval being needed post July, the actual launch date is called into question.
If this is the case, I wonder if Harry's car will be subject to an Individual Vehicle Approval to get around the issue.

I know I have posted a lot about Type Approval for the V6 auto, but I never imagined that there would be an issue with the manual also.

It might be a factor but I don’t think so. I know the UK dealer demo cars are being built under full TA, but these are the cars originally intended to be delivered second and be showroom-only.

The first demo cars, which had been pre-built, are having to go through IVA/SVA individual approval car-by-car, so will now follow later.

 

[Leonard]

You mean compared to waiting a “modest” amount of time in the UK?

Well.... I didn't want to say. But its the easy win isn't it
UK cars could be produced and shipped to customers in 2 weeks if they REALLY wanted.
And they know it will take us longer than 2 weeks to sharpen our pitchforks, light our torches and march an average of 200 miles to Hethel

 

[Tonyshepp]

Well.... I didn't want to say. But its the easy win isn't it
UK cars could be produced and shipped to customers in 2 weeks if they REALLY wanted.
And they know it will take us longer than 2 weeks to sharpen our pitchforks, light our torches and march an average of 200 miles to Hethel

View attachment 9925

If it had been Renault the French would have torched the dealerships the next day! - no offence to the French intended or stereotyping

 

[Leonard]

If it had been Renault the French would have torched the dealerships the next day! - no offence to the French intended or stereotyping

Its got to the stage here in the UK economically and politically that I actually WANT to be French and move to France!
Unfortunately thanks to Brexit that is harder than ever...
Vive La France and their amazing wont stand for any crap attitude

 

[Jimblob]

I was told today that the email with major communications for all deposit holders is due out tomorrow and that checkout emails are on hold till then…

 

[Evotion]

You mean the delay has been delayed? Marvellous.