Factory Tour Thread

[eriegz]

Keep 'em coming!

 

[eriegz]

Adding these here to have them all in one place:

 

[Wizardwings]

Hopefully we get more angles of the various colors (+ Dark Verdant + Nimbus Grey) and some videos showing the cars in motion over the next few days.

 

[NicolasB]

What is that last picture of? It looks like a chalky Gray...

 

[Wizardwings]

What is that last picture of? It looks like a chalky Gray...

One of the 7 base colors for non FE cars called Zinc Grey, evocative of Nardo grey.

 

[kratedisease]

Were these cars I4 or V6 engine cars ?

 

[Wizardwings]

 

[FlyNavy01]

Hopefully we get more angles of the various colors (+ Dark Verdant + Nimbus Grey) and some videos showing the cars in motion over the next few days.

Not the best quality but at least you get to see them chase down the red one at Hethel:

 

[scarzie]

So satisfying to finally get some fresh content.

It looks like none of the cars pictured have privacy glass fitted

 

[frazzer]

One of the 7 base colors for non FE cars called Zinc Grey, evocative of Nardo grey.

with black wheels would be

 

[kitkat]

Not the best quality but at least you get to see them chase down the red one at Hethel:

This video is clearly fake on account of it passing a magma red Emira, and everyone knows the Magma Red Emira is faster than any of the other colors.

Waiting for all the angry "likes" from hethel yellow pre-orderers.

 

[kitkat]

I don’t think I saw this one posted yet right?

 

[Eagle7]

I don’t think I saw this one posted yet right? View attachment 4922

Dark Verdant!

 

[PaulP]

I don’t think I saw this one posted yet right? View attachment 4922

 

[PaulP]

Is this Seneca? Because If it is then the green probably doesn’t look like that

 

[TomE]

This is good info. Why doesn't Lotus say this? They should be talking about how much effort they're putting into the design and build quality of their cars. That would gain interest and confidence from prospective buyers, especially the Porsche demographic that Lotus wants to appeal to.

Because they CBA to have a decent comms strategy and execution. So we get Matt in interviews saying "trust me, our focus is quality quality quality" and then nothing else to show all the amazing stuff they are doing.

Remember too, quality isn't just about how you build and QA each car - it goes back to design and engineering of the car and the design of the whole production process. In the Harry's Garage video they looked at a prototype car and it was covered in stickies with comments added by the Perceived Quality team. That's just one of hundreds of examples of designing in quality.

There's a brilliant and interesting story here, if only they'd share it. Maybe they're saving it all for a "re-engineering Lotus" documentary.

 

[Eagle7]

Because they CBA to have a decent comms strategy and execution. So we get Matt in interviews saying "trust me, our focus is quality quality quality" and then nothing else to show all the amazing stuff they are doing.

Remember too, quality isn't just about how you build and QA each car - it goes back to design and engineering of the car and the design of the whole production process. In the Harry's Garage video they looked at a prototype car and it was covered in stickies with comments added by the Perceived Quality team. That's just one of hundreds of examples of designing in quality.

There's a brilliant and interesting story here, if only they'd share it. Maybe they're saving it all for a "re-engineering Lotus" documentary.

Yeah, if it was me, I'd be doing focused video vignettes of different areas of the car's story. I'd start with design, with interviews and various imagery of the people involved to the final design we all now know. I'd do one on performance, with the same style of interviews and such, talking about all the effort that went into its ride and handling. I'd do one on ergonomics and all the work that went into creating the interior, all the choices that were considered, etc. to arrive at a finished product. I'd do one on paints and painting the car; same style, interviews, imagery, etc. Then I'd do one on construction, showing how much thought, effort and work goes into each and every car.

Yes there is SUCH an interesting success story in the making here, and now would be a great time to start talking about and showing it, instead of those bizarre 'lifestyle' ads that tell me virtually nothing I would like to know about the brand and the people who create and make the cars.

 

[eriegz]

Yeah, if it was me, I'd be doing focused video vignettes of different areas of the car's story. I'd start with design, with interviews and various imagery of the people involved to the final design we all now know. I'd do one on performance, with the same style of interviews and such, talking about all the effort that went into its ride and handling. I'd do one on ergonomics and all the work that went into creating the interior, all the choices that were considered, etc. to arrive at a finished product. I'd do one on paints and painting the car; same style, interviews, imagery, etc. Then I'd do one on construction, showing how much thought, effort and work goes into each and every car.

I want to agree with everything you say here (I want to watch all of the hypothetical videos you just listed!), but the sad reality is probably that by making said videos it would necessarily take employees' time and attention away from what they're doing (even just in order to be interviewed, etc.), plus the increased cost of production for those videos, etc.

That's how I explain to myself why we haven't seen such video comms yet, anyways...

 

[TomE]

I suggested something similar when I was invited to the factory in January to give feedback. There’s a wealth of topics and it could be done in a Lotus and “for the drivers” way.

They did one video of Gav driving an Emira on track and talking about the drive modes. Several weeks after I’d already published a write up with more detail than the video.

They’re just not interested sadly.

 

[Eagle7]

Actually, surprisingly, employees enjoy seeing and knowing what they're doing is being seen and appreciated. They don't see it as an interruption at all. It's actually interesting to see it all being put together, then watching the final result, always looking to see if they can spot themselves in some of the footage.

I know what you're saying though. For all the incredible ingenuity and creativity that's gone into creating and now producing the Emira, it's just baffling to me that those same type of people don't seem to be interested in doing something similar to showcase it. I guess the tsunami of sales has convinced them it isn't necessary, and for the Emira that's more or less true, but for everything else coming after it, it would be a good credo statement that anyone looking at Lotus for the first time would see. In the case of Lotus which is largely unknown to the general population, this would be an important first impression piece, and as everybody knows, first impressions are very important.

When the general public starts to see these out on the street, and go online to look up Lotus, you want them to see something solid and reassuring instead of the drama that's gone on in the forum.