I was Charged FE 2.0 price for a FE 1.0… but there is a twist

[KCMO68_510]

Lotus emira release V2

“Emira First Edition V2 will be available in seven additional exterior paint colors. These will be in addition to the six exterior paint colors already in production and these new color options will be a no-cost option for First Edition models. V2 Emiras will also have an addition of a practical footwell stowage net, ideal for storing items such as an umbrella or a drinking bottle.”

Dealers can call it whatever they want on their websites/order forms. When you get your car/title/anything official it will NOT be called V2 or FE2.0

 

[Go Kart]

It’s literally not a thing. I bought a “FE2.0”. Nowhere does it ever say 2.0

My guy, you have been provided official press releases, and a copy of a build order form.

You said Lotus enthusiasts made it up. That was incorrect. I can give you a slice of humble pie, but you’d probably say it was cake, not pie.

 

[Go Kart]

View attachment 39957
Dealers can call it whatever they want on their websites/order forms. When you get your car/title/anything official it will NOT be called V2 or FE2.0

Are YOU sure you don’t have the original FE 1.0.

Serious question…. What’s your spec?

 

[Emirahouston]

Oh I’m not disagreeing that they are slimey about saying how they got to $119k. All I’m saying is the $98k lock-in was with someone else. After that they can charge what they want. Would be better if they made their math more clear/honest.

Agreed I will say the Service dept manager is the only thing saving this dealership… he is on point, honest, helpful and responsive. Everything else was a mess from the lack of communication from sales to over priced dealer fees, questionable ADM pricing etc… and the fiasco of delivery attempts which spammed over 5 days and made me miss 2 days of work.

At least they are taking care of the issues I have like replacing the keys or getting the scratches and ceramic coating redone locally for me so I will give them that but also… it should have not needed any fixing in the first place on a new car so technically they are just fixing issues I should have not had to deal with so they are basically just doing their job.

 

[KCMO68_510]

Are YOU sure you don’t have the original FE 1.0.

Serious question…. What’s your spec?

Mist White. My order form just calls it First Edition. My Bill of Sale calls it First Edition. The Window Sticker calls it First Edition. But my MSRP was the $105k starting price.

So yes they made a second run of First Edition cars. And I’m sure some dealers put some designations in their systems. But at the end of the day, they all are solely First Editions.

 

[Go Kart]

Mist White. My order form just calls it First Edition. My Bill of Sale calls it First Edition. The Window Sticker calls it First Edition. But my MSRP was the $105k starting price.

So yes they made a second run of First Edition cars. And I’m sure some dealers put some designations in their systems. But at the end of the day, they all are solely First Editions.

Interesting
Thank you for clarifying… I would think it would be on the bill of sale somewhere and/or the sticker. Not necessarily on the title or registration though. My Porsche title only specifies the model, the special designation of the model is nowhere on the title or registration.

Edit:
Meaning on the title for the Emira, “First Edition” is probably not going to appear. Let alone V1 or V2, since that’s an internal designation like Porsche’s 991.1 and 991.2 for example.

 

[KCMO68_510]

Interesting
Thank you for clarifying… I would think it would be on the bill of sale somewhere and/or the sticker. Not necessarily on the title or registration though. My Porsche title only specifies the model, the special designation of the model is nowhere on the title or registration.

This is what I’m trying to explain. There is nothing more for them to put anywhere because the 2.0 designation isn’t a REAL Lotus designation. They all are just First Edition V6 (there is a difference I guess for the I4, but that’s not what we are talking about)

 

[Go Kart]

Agree to disagree. I think at this point you’re back pedaling… you initially said “it’s literally not a thing” and that Lotus enthusiasts made it up to distinguish between the two.

That is clearly not accurate and you’ve been shown one of many official Lotus press releases as well as an official Lotus order form that lists the V2 designation.

I kiiiinda see your point in the configuration website, but that doesn’t support the initial argument here. It is a thing. It’s actually an “official LOTUS thing”.

… but something tells me you will argue that the sky is not blue as well.

 

[Subw00er]

Here’s a snap of the official “Lotus Emira Order Entry” for those of you believing otherwise.

This @KCMO68_510

 

[Go Kart]

Also this in case you missed it previously:

Lotus Emira FE Version 2 Product Update | Lotus New London

We are very excited to announce that the production of the 2024 Emira V6 First Edition V2 begins in January 2024. Learn more about the 2024 Emira now!

www.lotusnewlondon.com

 

[Subw00er]

Agreed I will say the Service dept manager is the only thing saving this dealership… he is on point, honest, helpful and responsive. Everything else was a mess from the lack of communication from sales to over priced dealer fees, questionable ADM pricing etc… and the fiasco of delivery attempts which spammed over 5 days and made me miss 2 days of work.

At least they are taking care of the issues I have like replacing the keys or getting the scratches and ceramic coating redone locally for me so I will give them that but also… it should have not needed any fixing in the first place on a new car so technically they are just fixing issues I should have not had to deal with so they are basically just doing their job.

Oh were you the same guy with the dropped keys? OMG given the overpayment I'd definitely demand new ones.

 

[Emirahouston]

Oh were you the same guy with the dropped keys? OMG given the overpayment I'd definitely demand new ones.

Yes I was and Gio from the service department has been great and is taking care of it and they are sending me 2 new keys . Like I said he is the only person why tried to make things right even when it was not related to service.

 

[KCMO68_510]

Agree to disagree. I think at this point you’re back pedaling… you initially said “it’s literally not a thing” and that Lotus enthusiasts made it up to distinguish between the two.

That is clearly not accurate and you’ve been shown one of many official Lotus press releases as well as an official Lotus order form that lists the V2 designation.

I kiiiinda see your point in the configuration website, but that doesn’t support the initial argument here. It is a thing. It’s actually an “official LOTUS thing”.

… but something tells me you will argue that the sky is not blue as well.

It’s an increase to the number of First Edition cars allocated to North America. The nomenclature of FE1.0 & FE2.0 is not a model variation. It literally is just short hand for First Edition Initial Allocation and First Edition Second Allocation, but ALL of them are just First Editions.

 

[Go Kart]

@KCMO68_510

I think it’s funny you reference an article from Autoblog to argue against an official Lotus press release and an official Lotus build form. They are not Lotus.

I do concede that the V1 and V2 are most likely internal designations. Much like the Porsche 991.1 and 991.2 models that are early and later models of the same car. That is probably the proper way to look at this in the end. I doubt you’ll concede being wrong about anything though.

I would also say that the V2 IS a different variant (per the Lotus press releases) because there are additional colors not available to early purchasers of the V1. They paid less for their V1, but they couldn’t order your Mist White if they wanted to. That passenger footwell cargo net in the V2 is also well worth the extra 10k over a V1 from what I hear… you can fit water bottles in it.

We did not make up V1 or V2, and the sky is blue. Go look for yourself after you read some Lotus press releases on the V2. Or just go enjoy your car while the rest of us are still waiting

 

[PsymonR]

@KCMO68_510

I think it’s funny you reference an article from Autoblog to argue against an official Lotus press release and an official Lotus build form. They are not Lotus.

I do concede that the V1 and V2 are most likely internal designations. Much like the Porsche 991.1 and 991.2 models that are early and later models of the same car. That is probably the proper way to look at this in the end. I doubt you’ll concede being wrong about anything though.

I would also say that the V2 IS a different variant (per the Lotus press releases) because there are additional colors not available to early purchasers of the V1. They paid less for their V1, but they couldn’t order your Mist White if they wanted to. That passenger footwell cargo net in the V2 is also well worth the extra 10k over a V1 from what I hear… you can fit water bottles in it.

We did not make up V1 or V2, and the sky is blue. Go look for yourself after you read some Lotus press releases on the V2. Or just go enjoy your car while the rest of us are still waiting

The press release linked is from a dealer not Lotus, also the form you posted shows a web address of jotform.com at the bottom, again not Lotus - suggesting to me it could be a form put together by a dealer to gather the information to supply to Lotus. Neither of these can be classed as official Lotus evidence of two different variants.

The FE1 vs FE2 is unique to the NA cars, here in the UK there has never been a V1 or V2 for the FE, there was simply additional colour options made available, but has still only ever been classed just as First Edition, if you were to say FE2.0 to someone in the UK they'd think you were talking about the 2 litre I4 variant.

Semantics aside, at the end of the day though FE1 and FE2 do at the very least refer in the NA market to the two different batches of allocations with the main difference in this case being a substantial price hike for the second batch, which definitely means some rather untoward practice from the dealer hiding their own premium on the FE1 car by saying it was a FE2 prior to purchase.

 

[Emirahouston]

Exactly, it’s not even about 1.0 or 2.0 it’s about sticker +$10k which is what I was told.

It’s like if you go to a store to buy a TV and and the sales guy tells you the TV cost $1000.
You pay for it and go home with the TV but then they email you the receipt and it says TV price: $700.

Wouldn’t you immediately go back to the store and ask why you were charged $1k for a TV that was in fact worth $700?

I emailed the dealer so if they are going to be to be true to their word, charge me the actual sticker price on my car +$10k and refund me the additional $11k they charged me “by mistake”… I will update this post and write them an amazing review on google and every platform because now THAT would be what it takes to make them an amazing and HONEST dealer..Do you think they will “correct” this one ? I seriously doubt it.

 

[Go Kart]

The press release linked is from a dealer not Lotus, also the form you posted shows a web address of jotform.com at the bottom, again not Lotus - suggesting to me it could be a form put together by a dealer to gather the information to supply to Lotus. Neither of these can be classed as official Lotus evidence of two different variants.

View attachment 39969
The FE1 vs FE2 is unique to the NA cars, here in the UK there has never been a V1 or V2 for the FE, there was simply additional colour options made available, but has still only ever been classed just as First Edition, if you were to say FE2.0 to someone in the UK they'd think you were talking about the 2 litre I4 variant.

Semantics aside, at the end of the day though FE1 and FE2 do at the very least refer in the NA market to the two different batches of allocations with the main difference in this case being a substantial price hike for the second batch, which definitely means some rather untoward practice from the dealer hiding their own premium on the FE1 car by saying it was a FE2 prior to purchase.

We were told the submission form was Lotus’ “portal”… specifically because the portal was down for several hours and they could not make entries. The verbiage at the top of the form suggests Lotus is giving the dealers instructions on how to submit the allocations… and actually cites cause to take allocations away from the dealer if not filled out correctly.

Whether the V1 or V2 is being marketed elsewhere, or how differently it’s being sold is another conversation. We are talking about a car sold in Dallas to a U.S. customer. Chinese customers could say their versions are a different variant because of the “NYO” badging on the steering wheel and the back bumper. I realize it’s the same car… it’s just being sold in a different market. The “NYO” badging is also not something made up.

The point is how LOTUS is separating the marketing for later FE orders… and that press release is just one of many press releases out there. I’m wholly sure all those dealers didn’t go around Lotus and release the V1 V2 news without direction from Lotus. It was never enthusiasts making up these designations for later cars and colors.

 

[Bimmernate]

To be honest I don’t see the problem…. You agreed to pay 10k over MSRP, not 10k over the MSRP present three years ago. V1, V2 doesn’t matter- they are the same exact car- 2024 first edition emiras. V2 just refers to a second batch of first editions, they aren’t actually worth 10k more than the V1.

The dealer probably could have been a little more clear though since I think you are mostly just annoyed that your window sticker says 98k

 

[Emirahouston]

To be honest I don’t see the problem…. You agreed to pay 10k over MSRP, not 10k over the MSRP present three years ago. V1, V2 doesn’t matter- they are the same exact car- 2024 first edition emiras. V2 just refers to a second batch of first editions, they aren’t actually worth 10k more than the V1.

The dealer probably could have been a little more clear though since I think you are mostly just annoyed that your window sticker says 98k

Correct I’m annoyed that I was told $10k over sticker price and that my sticker price was actually $10k UNDER what they charged me for on the invoice.

Again I did agree to pay the given price but that’s also because the sticker price was misrepresented , actually it was concealed from me until after the car was purchased. When I asked, I was told that it was a FE 2.0 which would warrant the higher sticker price since the dealer would also have to deal with the higher cost of acquisition. But in this situation it wasn’t the case.

I still decided to buy the car so that’s on me and I don’t regret it one bit.

I just wish they were more transparent and told me it was $20.8k over the car’s sticker price versus “ it’s only $10k over”

 

[KCMO68_510]

It does make me curious just about the legal mechanics of increasing the price during the same model year. I presume this is normally not an issue, because most manufacturers make small bumps and just change the price on cars manufactured after X date.

What’s interesting about this Lotus example is that the cars were not produced before the price increase, and they just gave price holds to specific people. I’d say based on order date, but that’s not even technically right, more of dealer allocation randomness. So they had to create specific window stickers with a lower price for “this specific list of orders”. But then people given that price lock back out, and the dealer only has this lower window sticker.

All of this is to say that Corporate Lotus really screwed this up. It would be a lot cleaner if the first allocation of cars had actually been produced and arrived first. Having 2 MSRPs being produced and shipped at the same time is just a really bad business practice.