I hope this change in stance with Lotus comms will mean Tom can answer questions in conjunction with Lotus in a more structured way (so he doesn't burn out as well!) Be great to set up a Lotus sponsored FAQ section on this site.
Great to have you back Tom, totally understand your recent arc.As some of you noticed, I stopped posting on here about 3 weeks ago. A couple of observant folks saw I came back to lurk and a few people sent private messages. It was funny seeing some of the speculation on the "Three cheers..." thread. Thanks for your messages and kind thoughts.
First off, I needed to take a break from some of the stuff going on here and elsewhere online. After Phil posted the pictures from his visit to the factory with Matt, I realised things had (from my point of view at least) got out of hand. The poor Lotus comms and inconsistent info meant every leaked picture, rumour and snippet of half news was generating a wave of speculation and often perpetuating stuff that was just wrong. Trying to be helpful and explain or correct stuff meant I often ended up caught in the crossfire. Sometimes I got wrong info from my own sources, which then undermined my attempts to help. I was also spending way too much time reading and posting, often on the same points across multiple channels. I was also concerned my involvement was inadvertently fuelling the debates.
So I needed a reset.
With the weather improving I also decided to scratch a long-held itch, add another keeper to the fleet to enjoy while I wait for my Emira to arrive in June, and take some time off to do some driving:
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A couple of other things have been keeping me busy. I think many of you know I was involved with the Emira launch at Hethel last July. Due to Covid restrictions the group of 131 superfans had to join that via video rather than be on site - the upside was we didn't get drenched like the people who were there! I got special access to the show car on the first day of Goodwood to make up for it. Well, I was honoured to be asked to join the superfans again for the Eletre launch.
This also involved some "secret squirrel" stuff to help with preparation and rehearsals. Someone very sharp-eyed spotted the Hethel Yellow Emira used at the launch was the same spec as mine. Funny that, eh?We had fun doing the setups and dummy runs for camera angles. No registration plates on the car, so we couldn't take it on the road or get much above walking pace. But the noise! You might have spotted Scott Walker driving the white Esprit. I wonder who drove the Emira?
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The launch event was really impressive. So many participants, lots of rehearsal, very slick and high production values. Not all of it was everyone's cup of tea (interpretive dance, anyone?) but a huge splash and a statement about New Lotus. I'm not sure if it was apparent to people watching online but there were actually two events running in parallel. The whole thing was also being broadcast simultaneously in Chinese, hosted by presenter Fenfen Huang:
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I'll write some more thoughts on the car on the other threads (it's big!), but here are a few pics ... and of course of that Emira:
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The second project I've been working on has been following on from the Hethel visits we did to feed back about comms and customer care. I finally got to meet some of the people now charged with improving the customer experience. Equally importantly, Lotus have decided to pursue more owner community involvement, including direct liaison between the factory and several of the Lotus forums through a group of reps and Lotus ambassadors.
It's great to have Lotus backing this. I don't think there will be a big launch event but individuals and forums are being brought in to the new Lotus Community Representatives and Ambassadors Programme over the coming months. This will replace the old Lotus Community Relationships And Partnering initiative. So guess who is now one of the Community Ambassadors for Emira in the UK?
Excited that this is going to provide more access to teams at Lotus. I'm hoping at some point fairly soon we'll get to host a live Q&A on Zoom with Gav Kershaw about suspension choices, get definitive details on the finalised production seat (it's great!) and various other insights. You never know, we might even get some actual pictures of painted cars!
More to follow...
#uslot
#ForTheCommunity
Footnote: any of you folks who like to take my write-ups and pictures and cross-post them elsewhere, could you please give due acknowledgement to me and publicise the Community Representatives and Ambassadors Programme. Better still, you could direct people to come and visit this lovely forum. Thanks!
You win, I've been rumbled!I’d like to say welcome back Tom but have you guys checked the date? I’m not that easily fooled
It's great to have Lotus backing this. I don't think there will be a big launch event but individuals and forums are being brought in to the new Lotus Community Representatives and Ambassadors Programme over the coming months. This will replace the old Lotus Community Relationships And Partnering initiative. So guess who is now one of the Community Ambassadors for Emira in the UK?
Oh sh..!Congratulations @TomE .
I fully understand. We all need e break at some point.
Welcome back, although you never really left for us!
Don't feel let down by some posts here. I am sure we all really appreciate all you have done for us in this long trip to the Emira, and I am sure you will continue doing in the new Ambassador role.
Beautiful that McLaren, by the way!
Me not affected by April's fool day, since in Spain we have it on 28th December!! Hopefully I will have my Emira for real before that!
Cheers @TomE !
Ah man, why you do that to usYou win, I've been rumbled!
For the rest of you "gotcha" and Happy April Fool's Day everyone
The first part was true about taking a break. But no McLaren, no involvement in the Eletre launch and no playing with the yellow Emira. I've been chuckling all morning - sorry!
I'm surprised no one spotted the old Lotus CRAP had been replaced by new Lotus CRAP
Sadly, there is no Lotus community engagement programme and I'm not an ambassador. Same old same old, the usual radio silence and inconsistencies. Very little contact with deposit holders or new info released. But I am starting to get better info on a few topics and my post earlier about speed limiter/cruise control/ADAS is correct. Not long now and we'll have press drives on production cars, test drives and first customer deliveries. Hang on in there!
Thanks for playing along, including all the volunteers to be regional ambassadors - we might be on to something here! I'll respond to the private messages now the cat is out of the bag.
I liked the private messages from Lotus folks saying "I didn't know we had a new community engagement programme, that's excellent". Maybe you can suggest something
#ForTheGiggles
had been answered. Think I prefer it when you aren't here 
#ForTheFooledYou win, I've been rumbled!
For the rest of you "gotcha" and Happy April Fool's Day everyone
The first part was true about taking a break. But no McLaren, no involvement in the Eletre launch and no playing with the yellow Emira. I've been chuckling all morning - sorry!
I'm surprised no one spotted the old Lotus CRAP had been replaced by new Lotus CRAP
Sadly, there is no Lotus community engagement programme and I'm not an ambassador. Same old same old, the usual radio silence and inconsistencies. Very little contact with deposit holders or new info released. But I am starting to get better info on a few topics and my post earlier about speed limiter/cruise control/ADAS is correct. Not long now and we'll have press drives on production cars, test drives and first customer deliveries. Hang on in there!
Thanks for playing along, including all the volunteers to be regional ambassadors - we might be on to something here! I'll respond to the private messages now the cat is out of the bag.
I liked the private messages from Lotus folks saying "I didn't know we had a new community engagement programme, that's excellent". Maybe you can suggest something
#ForTheGiggles
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