Factory Tour Thread

I did the factory tour yesterday, 27th Oct. I was the only attendee and so got a full personal tour, the guide was excellent (I think it was Nick, I am crap with names !!!). He gave me the full tour and explained everything in great detail. I would recommend anyone who has the chance to do the tour. My technical and mechanical knowledge is almost zero, so it was great to get to understand some of the technology behind the car and how Lotus have applied it from cut aways of the supercharger to how the dual clutch works and the work that goes into making the gear box fit to the engine. What struck me most was the focus on quality, I can finally throw away the rag in my car for mopping up the rain! I now understand simple things such as how dampers work and watched them setting touring and sport mode on the springs
I can't add much to the recent posts on delays or production, but the factory had a real buzz about it, there were cars coming off the line at regular intervals and quite a few in the car park. There seems to be an equal split between left- and right-hand drive cars, many of the left-hand drive going to China. (where they are badged Lotus NYO). Loads of Senaca blue and Hethel yellow, I only saw one Magma red going down the line( a shame because it looks stunning), Dark verdant lives up to the name of being very dark but get it in the right light and it looks great.
I was asked to check about the mesh on the gear mech and it is defiantly open with mesh on all the cars that I saw.
I understand the target is 20 plus cars a day and they are currently getting working towards this, they were not giving anything more away about current production or delivery, but the good news is the car looked even better than I remember from the roadshow last year, it has a real presence on the road and sounds fantastic.
I had been wavering after all the delays but everyone I met and spoke to was excited about the car and eager to talk about it and answer my questions, can't wait for January!!
 
I did the factory tour yesterday, 27th Oct. I was the only attendee and so got a full personal tour, the guide was excellent (I think it was Nick, I am crap with names !!!). He gave me the full tour and explained everything in great detail. I would recommend anyone who has the chance to do the tour. My technical and mechanical knowledge is almost zero, so it was great to get to understand some of the technology behind the car and how Lotus have applied it from cut aways of the supercharger to how the dual clutch works and the work that goes into making the gear box fit to the engine. What struck me most was the focus on quality, I can finally throw away the rag in my car for mopping up the rain! I now understand simple things such as how dampers work and watched them setting touring and sport mode on the springs
I can't add much to the recent posts on delays or production, but the factory had a real buzz about it, there were cars coming off the line at regular intervals and quite a few in the car park. There seems to be an equal split between left- and right-hand drive cars, many of the left-hand drive going to China. (where they are badged Lotus NYO). Loads of Senaca blue and Hethel yellow, I only saw one Magma red going down the line( a shame because it looks stunning), Dark verdant lives up to the name of being very dark but get it in the right light and it looks great.
I was asked to check about the mesh on the gear mech and it is defiantly open with mesh on all the cars that I saw.
I understand the target is 20 plus cars a day and they are currently getting working towards this, they were not giving anything more away about current production or delivery, but the good news is the car looked even better than I remember from the roadshow last year, it has a real presence on the road and sounds fantastic.
I had been wavering after all the delays but everyone I met and spoke to was excited about the car and eager to talk about it and answer my questions, can't wait for January!!
Sounds like they are already falling behind then,not making the already low targets...

I'm January too,although if they still aren't ahead of the projected plan,it doesn't look promising...
 
Sounds like they are already falling behind then,not making the already low targets...

I'm January too,although if they still aren't ahead of the projected plan,it doesn't look promising...
I got the impression this was when they are at full production, I am sure they will have based the current delivery dates around the production levels.
 
20 per day is slightly below full production for one shift, which is 25. I believe current output is about 25-30%, so around 7 but expected to increase in Nov to 10-12.
 
I did the factory tour yesterday, 27th Oct. I was the only attendee and so got a full personal tour, the guide was excellent (I think it was Nick, I am crap with names !!!). He gave me the full tour and explained everything in great detail. I would recommend anyone who has the chance to do the tour. My technical and mechanical knowledge is almost zero, so it was great to get to understand some of the technology behind the car and how Lotus have applied it from cut aways of the supercharger to how the dual clutch works and the work that goes into making the gear box fit to the engine. What struck me most was the focus on quality, I can finally throw away the rag in my car for mopping up the rain! I now understand simple things such as how dampers work and watched them setting touring and sport mode on the springs
I can't add much to the recent posts on delays or production, but the factory had a real buzz about it, there were cars coming off the line at regular intervals and quite a few in the car park. There seems to be an equal split between left- and right-hand drive cars, many of the left-hand drive going to China. (where they are badged Lotus NYO). Loads of Senaca blue and Hethel yellow, I only saw one Magma red going down the line( a shame because it looks stunning), Dark verdant lives up to the name of being very dark but get it in the right light and it looks great.
I was asked to check about the mesh on the gear mech and it is defiantly open with mesh on all the cars that I saw.
I understand the target is 20 plus cars a day and they are currently getting working towards this, they were not giving anything more away about current production or delivery, but the good news is the car looked even better than I remember from the roadshow last year, it has a real presence on the road and sounds fantastic.
I had been wavering after all the delays but everyone I met and spoke to was excited about the car and eager to talk about it and answer my questions, can't wait for January!!
Thanks for the update. Don’t suppose you saw any with auto boxes, or any news on them? Thanks.
 
Thanks for the update. Don’t suppose you saw any with auto boxes, or any news on them? Thanks.
I wqas just about to ask the same, I've an auto on order since December and the dealer has no clue at all on when will be delivered
 
Sorry no update, I did start to probe about delays and reasons including auto but they would not commit or comment. I think they are very aware that things shared get posted online so I just focused on enjoyed the tour
 
I think my top request for anyone doing the tour would be to write down the IN/OUT board totals, if the display is on. Or at the least just memorize whatever the OUT total is. Knowing that number over time is the most critical info for estimating deliveries.
 
Sorry no update, I did start to probe about delays and reasons including auto but they would not commit or comment. I think they are very aware that things shared get posted online so I just focused on enjoyed the tour
Ok thanks.
 
Sorry no update, I did start to probe about delays and reasons including auto but they would not commit or comment. I think they are very aware that things shared get posted online so I just focused on enjoyed the tour
Thank you
 
I think my top request for anyone doing the tour would be to write down the IN/OUT board totals, if the display is on. Or at the least just memorize whatever the OUT total is. Knowing that number over time is the most critical info for estimating deliveries.

I heard they no longer have those stats posted on that specific display.
 
Nick is fantastic. He did mine as well and went above and beyond.

Cool that you saw the dual clutch mechanism. It wasn't there when I went on my tour.

Do you feel the mesh can be removed without it looking unfinished? @TomE .
 
Does anybody know how many people you are allowed to bring with you when you go to Hethel to pick up your new Lotus? I have 3 people who are dead keen to come and get the opportunity to see the factory when I collect it.
 
has anyone who has collected from the factory had the full PPF package through Lotus, or decided to source elsewhere?
 
We're stopping by the factory as part of an add on to our vacation on June 8th. Doing the 'intro' track package and plant tour that day. If anyone gets a notice their car is being built then let me know closer to then and can try to get photos of their car being built.
Had hoped (doubted it even then) it would be my car when we initially planned. I think we should've done 2024 instead of June 2023 :p.
Lotus should offer some kind of package where they take pics of ordered customer cars along the assembly line to give to customers at delivery. Would be easy if they setup webcams along the line.
 

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