Twelve Go Wild On An Island

[NickR]

Updated list below. Still three spare slots in the main group for 1x Verdant Green and 2x Shadow Grey.

The reserve list will stay open for additions until at least January, when we should have info on individual delivery dates.

The main group will be getting the ferry via Liverpool. If you're planning to go via Heysham, Dublin or Belfast can you message me and I'll make sure I get those sailing times too.

Participant list:

#	Colour	Forum name	Participants	2-6 Sept	9-13 Sept
1	Seneca Blue	Yachtie	2	Yes	No
2	Seneca Blue	PhilCP (TLF)	1 or 2 tbc	Yes	Yes
3	Hethel Yellow	TomE	1	Yes	Yes
4	Hethel Yellow	Wake (TLF)	tbc	Yes	Yes
5	Magma Red	NickR	1	Yes	Yes
6	Magma Red	Pugwash (TLF)	1 or 2 tbc	Yes	Yes
7	Verdant Green	Mctaff (TLF)	2	Yes	Yes
8	Verdant Green
9	Nimbus Grey	Bilbao-Emira	2	Yes	Yes
10	Nimbus Grey	Frickin_idiot (TLF) *	2	Yes	Yes
	Nimbus (or Magma)	Evotion (TLF)	tbc	Yes	Yes
11	Shadow Grey
12	Shadow Grey

* = deposit after 8 July

Local participants:

• Manx-Emira, Emira, Magma Red (13 July deposit)

Reserve list (Emira):

• Billyidoliser, Seneca Blue, paid deposit 26 July
• Calran, colour tbc, paid deposit 11 July
• marclurr (TLF), Magma Red, paid deposit 7 July
• James Baly (TLF), Nimbus Grey, paid deposit 12 July
• boozyjay, Nimbus Grey, paid deposit 8 July
• Pav, Hethel Yellow, deposit date tbc
• Tommyboy1986, Nimbus Grey, paid deposit 6 August

Reserve list (other Lotus):

• Lankan, Exige RGB, White, 2

Would you take non shadow grey cars?

 

[TomE]

Happy to add more to the reserve list and take a view in January. Ideally I'd like to have 2 of each colour but if we can't achieve that then I'll adjust. I'm trying to get another 6 slots held open so I have an option to increase to 18 cars.

Some things get more difficult with a larger group, such as finding a restaurant for a group meal and getting all the cars into one of the car parks for one of the group activities.

 

[Singularity]

For several years pre-Covid I organised or participated in an annual Lotus owners trip to the Isle of Man. Famous for the TT motorbike races, there's a lot more to the island. Fantastic scenery, interesting history, friendly people and a range of places to visit from industrial heritage and old railways to castles, beaches and forest walks. Plus some brilliant roads and no speed limits outside the towns.

I'm organising a trip next year for Emiras and their owners. I'm looking at a couple of dates in September, so there's a decent chance of several hundred cars having been delivered and it's still likely to be decent weather. It'll either be 2-6th or 9-13th September 2022.

Format will be to get the ferry over from Liverpool on Friday morning. There are also options from Heysham, Dublin and Belfast. We'll have four nights on the island, returning on the Tuesday afternoon. I can recommend places to stay in/near Liverpool with parking, if people want to stay over before or after the ferry crossing. If you want to go out earlier or stay longer that's possible too.

We'll be staying at the Ramsey Park Hotel on the north of the island. This gives us access within a few minutes to the Mountain Road, one of the iconic sections of the TT course, which runs entirely on public roads. The 3-star hotel overlooks the sea and a lake and has plenty of safe parking. It has a bar and restaurant, as well as being a few minutes walk from Ramsey town centre with a range of pubs, cafes, restaurants and shops. More info here:

Ramsey Park Hotel in Ramsey | Isle of Man | Classic Lodges

Perfectly place between Mooragh Lake and the Isles coast, Ramsey Park Hotel offers stunning views and serves a great base for exploring the island.

www.classiclodges.co.uk

The cost will be around £310-325 per person for couples sharing a car and hotel room or £535-565 for singles. This includes return ferry crossing, 4 nights room & breakfast and associated taxes. Excludes other meals, insurances and any accommodation near Liverpool.

If you're interested please sign up in the table in the post below. I have a block allocation of rooms and you will need to pay a £40 deposit per person direct to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company by 31 December 2021 to secure a place. Final balance will be due six weeks beforehand.

I appreciate Emira delivery timeframes are not fixed yet, so if you need to drop out between deposit and final balance that's OK and there will be a reserve list. My hunch is you'll need to have one of the first 800ish UK deposits (so first 400ish V6 FE build slots) to have your car in time for this, which means a deposit placed before end of Thursday 8 July, the first day of Goodwood.

For the moment I'm limiting this to 12 Emiras and trying to get two of each colour. There will be a reserve list and if necessary I'll open this up to other Lotus cars if we can't get enough Emiras. I may be able to add more cars if there is demand.

Here are a few pictures, videos and links if you're not familiar with the island:

Short summary:


Longer overview:


Scenery and roads:


TT course on board Subaru WRX setting the car lap record (outskirts of Ramsey and onto the mountain from 12:30):


Driving my Evora with fellow Lotus buddies on one of the Island's hill climbs:

Tourism information:

This is our... Extraordinary Isle.

Visit the Isle of Man and discover our Extraordinary Isle. The first entire nation in the world to be recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

www.visitisleofman.com

Hi Tom,

This looks fantastic.

I’ve always wanted to visit the Isle of Man (I can see it from the Cumbrian coast) but never got round to it so there’s no excuse now - a double reason to sign up! However, I’m plumping for an i4 so not worth me even speculating on 2022, but 2023 should be a sure thing so I’ll keep my eyes peeled for the posting next year.

Look forward to seeing some gorgeous Emira group photos from the Isle on this forum next year.

Cheers.

 

[TomE]

Hi folks, for those on the participant list can you drop me a private message with your email address and real name so I can send you the booking form and let the tour company know who to expect forms and deposits from.

If you're on the reserve list then it's OK to hold on until January when we will all hopefully have more info on delivery dates.

 

[TomE]

People are now hearing about expected delivery dates in June, July and August. We also have quite a few new members of the forum who may not have seen the original post about this.

If you're interested in joining this trip 2-6 September post up on here and drop me a private message with your email address.

 

[Calran]

People are now hearing about expected delivery dates in June, July and August. We also have quite a few new members of the forum who may not have seen the original post about this.

If you're interested in joining this trip 2-6 September post up on here and drop me a private message with your email address.

Suspect I’m cutting to cut it too fine. A confirmed September Delivery but not sure when.

I’m a much needed Shadow Grey too.

I’m a silent participant Tom, but have read loads of your threads/updates, so thanks very much for all your efforts. Top work

 

[TomE]

It's a shame, it does look like you might be borderline.

At some point nearer to our delivery month we must get told an actual date. My guess is it'll be at the T minus 30 days point when we have to confirm dealer or home delivery and pay the balance. Would be nice to have more notice, but I won't get my hopes up.

 

[SteveG]

Hi everyone,

I couldn't see any rules about promoting businesses so please excuse me if I have missed them, I will keep this brief.

I'm the Museum Administrator at the Isle of Man Motor Museum and one of my roles is to liaise with visiting car clubs.

If you are looking for things to do while you are on the island in September, the Museum is the perfect venue for petrolheads.

We also have a great paved display area in front of the Museum if you would like to park the cars together for group photos.

If you would like any further information about the Museum, I am happy to share it in here (if permitted) or if you would prefer it via email I can do that too if anyone wants to message me.

Either way, I look forward to seeing the cars on the island in September.

Steve.

 

[TomE]

Hi Steve, thanks for the contact. I’ve been a regular visitor to the Island with other Lotus clubs and have been to the museum several times. Always a fascinating visit. Definitely on the itinerary for our trip.

I need to review the viability of the trip in light of today‘s news Lotus is delaying customer deliveries. I’ll keep you posted.

 

[SteveG]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your reply and your kind words about the Museum. Hopefully you have enough cars to make the trip viable as it would be really great to see them over here.

 

[SteveG]

Hi guys, is the trip still on Tom?

 

[TomE]

It’s been postponed to next Spring as the delays meant none of us were going to get our cars in time.

I let people know who had placed deposits and I will re-advertise once a new date has been sorted.

 

[SteveG]

Oh that's a real shame.

Hopefully we'll see you all in the spring then.

 

[TomE]

Absolutely. Can’t wait to get back there. The annual SELOC trip has just taken place - wishing I’d switched to that with the Evora or Exige.

 

[Yachtie]

It’s been postponed to next Spring as the delays meant none of us were going to get our cars in time.

I let people know who had placed deposits and I will re-advertise once a new date has been sorted.

Hi Tom,
I intended to go on the original trip but had a work clash, hopefully the new date in spring will suit so put me down please!

 

[TomE]

Sure, I'll be giving first options to people who paid deposits this time, then people who previously expressed interest, then open it up to anyone else

 

[ADC]

If this is moving to next spring, presumably it need to expand slightly to A Few Hundred Go Wild And Completely Take Over On An Island

Sadly, I'm not even sure if i'll have taken delivery by then...

 

[digilotus]

This thread is starting to sound like casting for the next Love Island episode…

 

[TomE]

This thread is starting to sound like casting for the next Love Island episode…

"Dave is up for re-coupling tonight - will he stay with beautiful and racy Emira or see if he clicks with unattached and slightly aloof Portia [sic]"