U.S. Update: Allocation & Order Date

[DPB]

This seems to be V6 talk only. Yes?

Could you also land in an i4 FE spot?

Correct, it seems most, if not all, of deposits they have are for V6 (including me) so all the V6 FE slots are spoken for. Believe me, after reading all of the intensity on the various I4 threads I was just hoping there might be enough I4 deposits ahead of me for me to sneak into the V6 FE allocation. But alas, it was not to be. Even if an I4 FE slot opened up I'm squarely in the V6 camp, so I would have just held out anyhow.

In the end, I really am only looking at a few extra months wait anyhow, so it's all good. As I get older the years just seem to go by faster and faster - this is one case where that may actually be a good thing!

 

[TXEMIRA]

Correct, it seems most, if not all, of deposits they have are for V6 (including me) so all the V6 FE slots are spoken for. Believe me, after reading all of the intensity on the various I4 threads I was just hoping there might be enough I4 deposits ahead of me for me to sneak into the V6 FE allocation. But alas, it was not to be. Even if an I4 FE slot opened up I'm squarely in the V6 camp, so I would have just held out anyhow.

In the end, I really am only looking at a few extra months wait anyhow, so it's all good. As I get older the years just seem to go by faster and faster - this is one case where that may actually be a good thing!

So now you can rest assured, wait, and build custom a bit. Once pricing is out you can then compare properly as well. Plus you may allegedly have 7 more color choices!

 

[Mike-engel]

This issue of pricing now takes on substantial meaning for many people who don’t make the FE cut. If they now have to order a base V6 and configure it like a FE they will loose out on the pricing benefit of getting a FE car with special package pricing. For those who placed their deposit (which is all they could do) in July shortly after the reveal and yet didn’t get a FE car, I can understand them being very upset. Their car will be more expensive than the FE car ordered by someone else just days earlier and yet they will be waiting substantially longer for their car. Perhaps lotus should consider honoring FE pricing for those customers who placed an early deposit (say within a month of the reveal) and configure their car as a FE. If they did that, I don’t think anyone would mind the wait, as they would get the car they want for the price they were expecting on a timeline that is the best lotus could achieve under the circumstances. Otherwise, some of these buyers may just feel cheated and drop out. I hope lotus is thinking very carefully about this to avoid alienating the very buyers whose loyalty they are trying to secure. @TomE, any way to transmit this message to leadership?

 

[TXEMIRA]

This issue of pricing now takes on substantial meaning for many people who don’t make the FE cut. If they now have to order a base V6 and configure it like a FE they will loose out on the pricing benefit of getting a FE car with special package pricing. For those who placed their deposit (which is all they could do) in July shortly after the reveal and yet didn’t get a FE car, I can understand them being very upset. Their car will be more expensive than the FE car ordered by someone else just days earlier and yet they will be waiting substantially longer for their car. Perhaps lotus should consider honoring FE pricing for those customers who placed an early deposit (say within a month of the reveal) and configure their car as a FE. If they did that, I don’t think anyone would mind the wait, as they would get the car they want for the price they were expecting on a timeline that is the best lotus could achieve under the circumstances. Otherwise, some of these buyers may just feel cheated and drop out. I hope lotus is thinking very carefully about this to avoid alienating the very buyers whose loyalty they are trying to secure. @TomE, any way to transmit this message to leadership?

Oh boy. Isn’t this fun?!?!?

I think a few folks would wait, get the FE build without the FE badge, for the FE price, but with more color options.

but for real there’s gotta be more solutions like you’ve brought here.

 

[xen]

To be honest I always thought the idea of a window defined (as opposed to limited number) FE allocation system odd and impractical. With the window model you’d have FE cars being delivered out to 2023 / 2024 alongside base cars (btw the ‘base’ monicker itself is a marketing fail).

Anyone who placed a deposit against the advertised car, specs and price should have it honoured - FE or not.

Lotus really really need to sort out their customer relations team / department and let buyers actually know what’s going on. Skulking around the forums waiting for any morsel of information from (very helpful) forum members isn’t the way to receive information.

 

[EspritGuy]

To be honest I always thought the idea of a window defined (as opposed to limited number) FE allocation system odd and impractical. With the window model you’d have FE cars being delivered out to 2023 / 2024 alongside base cars (btw the ‘base’ monicker itself is a marketing fail).

Anyone who placed a deposit against the advertised car, specs and price should have it honoured - FE or not.

Lotus really really need to sort out their customer relations team / department and let buyers actually know what’s going on. Skulking around the forums waiting for any morsel of information from (very helpful) forum members isn’t the way to receive information.

How about considering an Early Adopter anyone who placed a deposit before the September price announcement, and rewarding them accordingly??. First Edition means First Adopters.

 

[Skinwarrior]

This issue of pricing now takes on substantial meaning for many people who don’t make the FE cut. If they now have to order a base V6 and configure it like a FE they will loose out on the pricing benefit of getting a FE car with special package pricing. For those who placed their deposit (which is all they could do) in July shortly after the reveal and yet didn’t get a FE car, I can understand them being very upset. Their car will be more expensive than the FE car ordered by someone else just days earlier and yet they will be waiting substantially longer for their car. Perhaps lotus should consider honoring FE pricing for those customers who placed an early deposit (say within a month of the reveal) and configure their car as a FE. If they did that, I don’t think anyone would mind the wait, as they would get the car they want for the price they were expecting on a timeline that is the best lotus could achieve under the circumstances. Otherwise, some of these buyers may just feel cheated and drop out. I hope lotus is thinking very carefully about this to avoid alienating the very buyers whose loyalty they are trying to secure. @TomE, any way to transmit this message to leadership?

Per my dealer in California (his email to me is copied below):

What Lotus didn't anticipate is having 3000 First Edition orders for US market alone. Having said that they are working on a plan for those who didn't get a First Edition vehicle they can build that same vehicle as a 2023 for a small increase. There will not be any additional First Edition vehicle built after the 700.

 

[TXEMIRA]

Lotus has $7.5m in US deposits?

Just the interest on that should help pay for much better communication.

Seven point five million dollars… Yikes

 

[CHEESE]

Lotus has $7.5m in US deposits?

Just the interest on that should help pay for much better communication.

Seven point five million dollars… Yikes

The post specifically said "3000 First Edition orders." I take that to mean V6 pre-orders, so there would potentially be more money involved given that there is some number of I4 pre-orders.

 

[jmn444]

It's still kinda pointless though to worry, freak out or get upset. Those things don't fix anything, nothing changes, cars won't come faster.

Lotus has $7.5m in US deposits?

Just the interest on that should help pay for much better communication.

Seven point five million dollars… Yikes

I would bet that money is held by the dealers, not Lotus.

 

[4GIV8M3]

I think it's funny people think the Emira will be faster than a base c8. It won't even compete lol

 

[jmn444]

I think it's funny people think the Emira will be faster than a base c8. It won't even compete lol

I mostly agree, but depends on track and tires a bit. the vette is on ps4s tires I think, the emira on the cup2's on a technical track will be close IMO.

 

[raho]

I think it's funny people think the Emira will be faster than a base c8. It won't even compete lol

C8 mag vielleicht schneller sein, Emira ist definitiv um Lichtjahre schöner...Jm2c

 

[jmn444]

C8 mag vielleicht schneller sein, Emira ist definitiv um Lichtjahre schöner...Jm2c

agreed

 

[TXEMIRA]

It's still kinda pointless though to worry, freak out or get upset. Those things don't fix anything, nothing changes, cars won't come faster.


I would bet that money is held by the dealers, not Lotus.

Makes sense/cents…

Dealers should have a nice little network of communicators then.

 

[jmn444]

haha, didn't notice that a response i started for another post got added in there... oh well..

 

[Pegasi]

I guess the party is over me. It was fun while it lasted. No FE for me and it looks like the next date will be summer 2022 to see if I can get a base but as I understand this allocation business a base model is no guarantee either. I will leave my deposit in for now. It was great talking to everyone about this car over the last several months.

 

[Magma]

I guess the party is over me. It was fun while it lasted. No FE for me and it looks like the next date will be summer 2022 to see if I can get a base but as I understand this allocation business a base model is no guarantee either. I will leave my deposit in for now. It was great talking to everyone about this car over the last several months.

No reason to leave. Stick around.

I didn't get an FE allocation either and already have another car coming to keep me busy. But I'm keeping my deposit in as well.
I plan to keep checking in as I still see an Emira in my future and I want the latest news.

 

[Porter]

Oh boy. Isn’t this fun?!?!?

I think a few folks would wait, get the FE build without the FE badge, for the FE price, but with more color options.

but for real there’s gotta be more solutions like you’ve brought here.

Don't assume that any of that will be possible. The post-FE cars might be MY24 rather than MY23, which would have new pricing altogether. The pricing across the board might jump by $20k for the new model year, we have absolutely no idea. By the time any of the next round of cars are even available to order, this could become a $120k+ car when optioned the same as the FE.

Is any of this likely? Who knows! But since Lotus isn't actually talking to anyone to give them an expectation, we have to plan for the worst case. The US dealers are certainly not helping matters, hell one of them just demanded a huge bribe from a guy to move him up the order list. So I don't know if customers should trust anything whatsoever about this entire product fulfillment scenario, from end to end, until Lotus explicitly releases some sort of corporate communication about what policies they are going to implement to protect their customers who have placed deposits in good faith.

What Lotus UK doesn't seem to grasp, that they need to get their heads around, is that customer communications in the US can NOT be left to the US dealers to handle, no matter what they say. US consumers simply don't trust dealers, and for good reason. To the ethical dealers that are out there and trying to treat your customers well, I'm sorry I know this probably stings... but you also know this to be true. There's simply too much naked incentive toward unethical behavior in the US dealer model for customers to ever be able to trust things that any dealer tells them.

 

[VL3X]

Don't assume that any of that will be possible. The post-FE cars might be MY24 rather than MY23, which would have new pricing altogether. The pricing across the board might jump by $20k for the new model year, we have absolutely no idea. By the time any of the next round of cars are even available to order, this could become a $120k+ car when optioned the same as the FE.

Is any of this likely? Who knows! But since Lotus isn't actually talking to anyone to give them an expectation, we have to plan for the worst case. The US dealers are certainly not helping matters, hell one of them just demanded a huge bribe from a guy to move him up the order list. So I don't know if customers should trust anything whatsoever about this entire product fulfillment scenario, from end to end, until Lotus explicitly releases some sort of corporate communication about what policies they are going to implement to protect their customers who have placed deposits in good faith.

What Lotus UK doesn't seem to grasp, that they need to get their heads around, is that customer communications in the US can NOT be left to the US dealers to handle, no matter what they say. US consumers simply don't trust dealers, and for good reason. To the ethical dealers that are out there and trying to treat your customers well, I'm sorry I know this probably stings... but you also know this to be true. There's simply too much naked incentive toward unethical behavior in the US dealer model for customers to ever be able to trust things that any dealer tells them.

We all know communication has been poor and we are all super excited (especially us forum member enthusiasts). When my dealer called me earlier this week to [finally] update me on ordering and delivery timeframe, I told him how nice it was to actually get an update and we've had basically radio silence since making the deposit and then getting the official pricing email from Lotus on October 1st. It was somewhat reassuring when he replied that they only contacts customers when there is 100% solid information to relay directly from Lotus and that they know there is a ton of information on these forums (some rumors and speculation and some only apply to certain regions), but when there is solid information to share, we'll get it.

I think the US dealers have their hands tied a bit. Not only are they few and far between here in the states, but Lotus corporate is clearly overwhelmed with the Emira response and doing everything they can to get production ramped up and working smoothly. Not to mention getting the press cars out and handling everything with PR and customer service. They're a small company and the demand is HUGE!!!

I think the car will be worth the wait and hoping there won't be any more major delays or hiccups along the way. Maybe we'll even get an earlier than expected production update! The pessimist inside is 100% certain these Oct-Dec deliveries will surely be pushed to 2023, but I'm really trying hard to stay positive here.