Dealer Demo cars in Europe and UK

[fatjase]

I’m in the north east too (Nunthorpe near stokesley) went to premier at JCT Bradford but ordered through Oakmere (Ex Christopher Neil) Northwich given previous relationship with them

We live in Yarm so I know Nunthorpe quite well and I know Stokesley very well as I often drive over to the Moors that way. We went to the premier at Bradford too.

 

[TomE]

Tom yes tbh I certainly won’t be paying almost £80k for a car that’s not right spec for me. For example if I have chosen wrong suspension hopefully that won’t be the case but I’ve waited this long and during winter it will be just sat in garage anyway. So if it gets bumped into next year then that’s better than living with wrong spec. But with the demos delayed so much now are they really going to get all the timings with customers right - Suppose depends how many need demo before they willing to purchase and of course if car doesn’t excite someone will be getting offered an earlier delivery

It's a tricky one. They've previously said to several people they don't have to commit until after a test drive, if that's what they want. For people already at "Checkout" that doesn't seem to have been mentioned by Lotus, but I assume it's still an option. Does that delay your build, or will Lotus take a gamble and build your car but wait for you to confirm post test drive?

The parts lead times and production scheduling are so complicated, it doesn't seem very easy to delay a build by a month. So anyone deferring due to test drive or changes to spec will probably find their car gets built but then offered to someone further down the queue, like the cancellations. Or they'll become the second dealer demo car.

With UK demos further delayed into Oct it looks like there will be a larger group being contacted about the checkout process before test drives are available.

 

[Pops68]

Well the revolution is over! Return to the left side you noble folks. Or revolt against the high energy prices and stay on the right.

Here in CA, a revolution around EVs will start soon. First, we are told that from 2035 we can only buy EVs when considering new cars. And today our transmission system operator asks that we don't charge our EVs to prevent the grid from collapsing. Go figure

Follow Kalifornian here and yep, not acceptable in our "free" country!!! None of us got a say in the ridiculous "climate change" hoax...oh sorry, I mean movement.

 

[Pops68]

To be fair, it’s not 2035 yet. CA has 13 years to upgrade the grid, and they already require every new residential development up to 3 stories to install solar, with a commercial mandate expected to start 2023. Each new project is taking pressure off the grid, and working toward a system of micro-grids.

Not holding my breath. I've seen how "fast" projects move in my State. And that's assuming the money hasn't been "reappropriated" to something else.

 

[Cachaco131]

Not holding my breath. I've seen how "fast" projects move in my State. And that's assuming the money hasn't been "reappropriated" to something else.

Offshore wind (floating) projects off Santa Barbara and Eureka will take a decade to develop. Transmission is an issue. We continue to import a ton from NV and AZ...

 

[BeHappy]

It's a tricky one. They've previously said to several people they don't have to commit until after a test drive, if that's what they want. For people already at "Checkout" that doesn't seem to have been mentioned by Lotus, but I assume it's still an option. Does that delay your build, or will Lotus take a gamble and build your car but wait for you to confirm post test drive?

The parts lead times and production scheduling are so complicated, it doesn't seem very easy to delay a build by a month. So anyone deferring due to test drive or changes to spec will probably find their car gets built but then offered to someone further down the queue, like the cancellations. Or they'll become the second dealer demo car.

With UK demos further delayed into Oct it looks like there will be a larger group being contacted about the checkout process before test drives are available.

I should think they will build it they will be no option to change anything you either take it or it will be offered to next person with nearest spec - like you say it could be sat part built now who knows

 

[Forlorn]

Feeling your pain, bought an SLK55 to help ease that pain. Also in the North East so guess your dealer is also Bradford then?

Yes JCT600 Bradford bought both my Evora’s from them and serviced always been excellent,

 

[BeHappy]

Latest info from CS today not that it tells us anything

 

[Leonard]

Latest info from CS today not that it tells us anything

View attachment 9025

I'd drive a left hand drive one at this point....

 

[JohnHoward]

Latest info from CS today not that it tells us anything

So they are only expecting an update from HQ by the first week of Oct. The update could easily be news of another update later in the month (of Oct). I wonder if the delays may be partly down to the V6 Auto Type Approval issue, they could be buying extra time whilst they look for a solution or deciding what to do with the auto. I think once they announce the demo vehicles, they will have to have an answer for the auto question as there will be a demand for test drives in autos.

If this is not the case, they must be desperately short of parts to not be able to build however many UK demonstrators they need. I just did a quick count on Google for Lotus dealers in the UK and it came out at 19, not sure if all of these are retailers, some may just be service centres. Even if they all get one each, it is 19 cars. I do recall reading on another thread that there may be a software issue concerning RHD cars, which may possibly make more sense as everything would be delayed, but easily fixed once the software is patched.

 

[Maurice R]

I believe Dallas has the fist Emira FE for test drives
Just saw the car it is imho stunning. Shadow grey, sport and Michelin tires
Have test drive tomorrow. But the few guys I spoke to that have done the drive this morning are all raving about the car.
Will post my view/ opinion after I drive it
Not the best pictures

 

[Leonard]

Fist test drive in US

No thank you

 

[Den]

I know Stokesley very well as I often drive over to the Moors that way. We went to the premier at Bradford too.

Me too.

 

[Maurice R]

No thank you

apologies on that will repost just got interrupted by a client. could not tell him i would be with him soon..

 

[TomE]

I believe Dallas has the fist Emira FE for test drives
Just saw the car it is imho stunning. Shadow grey, sport and Michelin tires
Have test drive tomorrow. But the few guys I spoke to that have done the drive this morning are all raving about the car.
Will post my view/ opinion after I drive it
Not the best pictures
View attachment 9034View attachment 9035View attachment 9036View attachment 9037

There are demo cars at dealers in Europe, just no write ups have appeared yet. Good to see the first US test drives and write ups.

 

[Tonyshepp]

I'd drive a left hand drive one at this point....

Or a simulator

 

[Marv]

There are demo cars at dealers in Europe, just no write ups have appeared yet. Good to see the first US test drives and write ups.

My dealer in Germany got two cars but one is for the showroom and one is supposedly for a customer. When test drives are possible, he could not say.

He was also surprised why Belgium already receives so many customer cars.
When my car will arrive is meanwhile a big question mark. First it said September Build, then October, now the statement is, perhaps it comes in 2023 and due to HQ it’s unclear which orders will shift to 2023. Very frustrating!
He expects only 10% of the originally planned deliveries to arrive this year

 

[fatjase]

Me too.

The Emira is going to be as common as a Cayman up here

 

[BeHappy]

The Emira is going to be as common as a Cayman up here

Maybe we shud get us a bus trip organised to land on them for our demo rides

 

[VTECMatt]

Dealer told me mid October for demo car now.