My trip to Hethel

[ADC]

I’m thinking of going on the factory tour too. I’m just wondering if ‘moose’ could let us know what the price of a coffee and a mars bar is in the canteen, I don’t like to carry more cash than is necessary TIA

I think you'll find they are too busy weighing the wheels... be reasonable dude

 

[3MIRA]

I have also booked a tour of the factory now! Very nice, never seen the car in the flesh.
@3MIRA is there a place where one can view and sit in a show car and view the options on sight?
Thinking if i should arrive early for my tour and spend some time in the showroom (if they have).
Says not to arrive early in the invite.

When I visited there is a clay car, i.e. solid parked next to Exige and Elise. Maybe they will put a real finished car in the front show room for the official tour?

 

[3MIRA]

I’m thinking of going on the factory tour too. I’m just wondering if ‘moose’ could let us know what the price of a coffee and a mars bar is in the canteen, I don’t like to carry more cash than is necessary TIA

In the show room they have fabulous free freshly made coffee of all varieties

 

[3MIRA]

I have also booked a tour of the factory now! Very nice, never seen the car in the flesh.
@3MIRA is there a place where one can view and sit in a show car and view the options on sight?
Thinking if i should arrive early for my tour and spend some time in the showroom (if they have).
Says not to arrive early in the invite.

There is a show room with seating, an Elise, Espirit and Exige and at the time I went a Senna Clay model. Maybe by the time the official tours start they will install a real car so you could sit in it. There is an awesome coffee machine too, it happens to be free.

 

[NickR]

I was going to book a tour but customer services said that if you collect your car from the factory a tour is included. As I’m meant to get the car early July and live less than an hour away I think I’ll wait!
Otherwise it would be a no brainer!

You got to pay for the tour!! A bit cheeky that.

 

[NickR]

but what a train ride!

Im taking a lot of beer.

 

[Jonno]

Really looking forward to your report, especially regarding Dark Verdant (my spec) and Nimbus - which keeps calling to me!

It's going to be an interesting couple of hours I think. Hopefully I don't leave the factory more confused on the colours than when I went in....

 

[eclat2emira]

It's going to be an interesting couple of hours I think. Hopefully I don't leave the factory more confused on the colours than when I went in....

Buying one in each colour may be the only answer!

 

[BeHappy]

That is impressive dedication travelling from Portugal! I've just booked for May 3rd and I thought I was a bit mad travelling down from Edinburgh

As far as I know no showroom on site, but perhaps that might change. I am sure everyone visiting would at least want to sit in the car.

Wow quiet a travel indeed are you driving, flying ? how long is that journey going to take

 

[freefall_junkie]

Wow quiet a travel indeed are you driving, flying ? how long is that journey going to take

Flying Edinburgh to Stansted (a very reasonable £56 return), then hiring a car. Well, I say car, actually a van. Cheapest car hire for the day from the airport was over £100, but a van was only £50 from Hertz, so I thought it would be entertaining to rock up to Hethel in a Transit! Obviously I will have a copy of The Sun and a litre bottle of Coke on the dash You can fly Edinburgh direct to Norwich which I have done before, but only one flight a day and the times didn't really work.

 

[Tonyshepp]

Flying Edinburgh to Stansted (a very reasonable £56 return), then hiring a car. Well, I say car, actually a van. Cheapest car hire for the day from the airport was over £100, but a van was only £50 from Hertz, so I thought it would be entertaining to rock up to Hethel in a Transit! Obviously I will have a copy of The Sun and a litre bottle of Coke on the dash You can fly Edinburgh direct to Norwich which I have done before, but only one flight a day and the times didn't really work.

and when you have finished with the drink you can use it on the way back when you are caught short and then chuck it out onto the layby.

 

[note89]

That is impressive dedication travelling from Portugal! I've just booked for May 3rd and I thought I was a bit mad travelling down from Edinburgh

As far as I know no showroom on site, but perhaps that might change. I am sure everyone visiting would at least want to sit in the car.

Haha seems more mad to put down 100k on a car you never seen XD.
Talked to lotus and they said you can sit in and touch the car and materials on the tour

 

[JPS_67]

Something seems quite "off" with those numbers. €115k? On a car that costs £72k in the UK? The base price converts to €86k, so where is the additional €29k coming from? Or is that €115k figure inclusive of bpm? I could see that... but if they're talking €115k PLUS €23,5k bpm for a €138.5k total, then they've lost the plot.

I don't know what they're talking about with the V6 FE price of €140k... that doesn't even remotely match the pricing delta between the I4 FE and V6 FE in other markets. It's a huge, huge disparity. Is this some sort of exclusive importer dealer markup situation, where they are taking advantage of a local market monopoly?

Would be great to get a third hybrid variant. Then we get enough horsepower and low emissions and a reasonable amount of tax...

 

[mjw930]

I just want a gearbox that will allow me to access all power available in the V6. If you are willing to dive into the motor there's a ton of HP available but go much past the factory torque spec and it's seems you end up with a box of neutrals.

Even without getting onto the motor 460 bHP seems quite simple to muster.

 

[TomE]

Would be great to get a third hybrid variant. Then we get enough horsepower and low emissions and a reasonable amount of tax...

Lotus did a prototype hybrid Evora and a full EV technology demonstrator. Infiniti also did an Evora-based hybrid prototype.

Unfortunately none of them made it beyond prototype as they were somewhat compromised between power and weight and range.

That will have been one influence on Lotus deciding to go from ICE to full EV without a hybrid. The i4 is supposed to be the “lower emissions and cheaper tax” Emira version.

The Type 135 joint venture EV sportscar with Alpine will be along in 3 years. Based on the target specs and what we’ve seen of Emira, Evija and Eletre it should be very interesting.

 

[Yachtie]

Lotus did a prototype hybrid Evora and a full EV technology demonstrator. Infiniti also did an Evora-based hybrid prototype.

Unfortunately none of them made it beyond prototype as they were somewhat compromised between power and weight and range.

That will have been one influence on Lotus deciding to go from ICE to full EV without a hybrid. The i4 is supposed to be the “lower emissions and cheaper tax” Emira version.

The Type 135 joint venture EV sportscar with Alpine will be along in 3 years. Based on the target specs and what we’ve seen of Emira, Evija and Eletre it should be very interesting.

Any idea of a price point they are aiming at for the Type 135?

 

[christophermalex]

Lotus did a prototype hybrid Evora and a full EV technology demonstrator. Infiniti also did an Evora-based hybrid prototype.

Unfortunately none of them made it beyond prototype as they were somewhat compromised between power and weight and range.

That will have been one influence on Lotus deciding to go from ICE to full EV without a hybrid. The i4 is supposed to be the “lower emissions and cheaper tax” Emira version.

The Type 135 joint venture EV sportscar with Alpine will be along in 3 years. Based on the target specs and what we’ve seen of Emira, Evija and Eletre it should be very interesting.

Is there any way to shift my i4 FE deposit to the Type 135? They may be racing to the finish line at this point if 135 is due out in 3 years (unless this is being given in "Lotus Years" which means the Type 135 is due out in 5-7 years).

 

[TomE]

Any idea of a price point they are aiming at for the Type 135?

Trade press are speculating £80-100k. Lotus said last year it would be more expensive than the entry level Elise but not as expensive as the top spec Exige.

 

[TomE]

Is there any way to shift my i4 FE deposit to the Type 135? They may be racing to the finish line at this point if 135 is due out in 3 years (unless this is being given in "Lotus Years" which means the Type 135 is due out in 5-7 years).

Some dealers are taking dealer deposits on Type 133, 134 and 135. The expectation is Lotus will honour the original deposit date when the official deposit book opens. In the UK Lotus did do this on Emira, even though the whole sales model was changing from dealer sale to direct or agency. I know several US dealers did this too with early deposits.

Have a chat with your dealer and Lotus Cars USA.

 

[Tiago_Couto]

@3MIRA Do you know if these parts (pointed on the picture) of the Emira are indeed soft materials as well? Also, the glove box quality?
And Also, I know it will have apple carplay but it is wireless?

Cheers and thanks for the insights!