USA/Canada Delivery Thread

[benjh1028]

**Big news**

And it's something positive this time.. US production has officially started! Yes, really.

Does that mean deliveries will actually happen this year? Who knows.. We're still waiting on certs/approvals, but this is a good sign for everyone who's been waiting.

*Removed the screenshot to keep my source anonymous as this is one of the first US builds and could be traced. For those wanting proof, you'll just have to take my word for it.

Do you realize just how much money you saved forum members on Thorazine prescriptions! Well done!

 

[eriegz]

**Big news**

And it's something positive this time.. US production has officially started! Yes, really.

Does that mean deliveries will actually happen this year? Who knows.. We're still waiting on certs/approvals, but this is a good sign for everyone who's been waiting.

*Removed the screenshot to keep my source anonymous as this is one of the first US builds and could be traced. For those wanting proof, you'll just have to take my word for it.

 

[Maurice R]

Sorry, nope. I'm not buying it.
I'm going to wait for the official Lotus Customer bulletin
that is customary in these sort of milestone situations.
Just kidding.

What Lotus customer bulletin are referring to. Is there such thing Lotus sends out

 

[DerTheDer]

You would think Lotus would send out emails or announce US was starting production. As ive said before, what a joke!

 

[Wiz33]

Just an update on my order. To be taken with a large grain of salt especially with the news of further delay. I secured a i4 with a march production slot and a mid summer delivery but my dealer is out of FE V2 allocation and any V6 will have to wait for the V6 base configurator to go live so nothing until sometime in 2025 soonest. I figure that I'm ok with the i4 and I can live with it for a few years and if I really want and V6, I'll just place an order on the last allocation of V6 build in a couple years.

 

[KCMO68_510]

Just an update on my order. To be taken with a large grain of salt especially with the news of further delay. I secured a i4 with a march production slot and a mid summer delivery but my dealer is out of FE V2 allocation and any V6 will have to wait for the V6 base configurator to go live so nothing until sometime in 2025 soonest. I figure that I'm ok with the i4 and I can live with it for a few years and if I really want and V6, I'll just place an order on the last allocation of V6 build in a couple years.

This logic becomes a little dicey for me. So let's say base comes in 2025 for V6. There are already a number of orders for base placed. Lotus has said 2026 will be last ICE production year. How many V6 US slots do you think are unaccounted for in that two year window?

 

[EspritGuy]

What Lotus customer bulletin are referring to. Is there such thing Lotus sends out

This thing you speak of is part of Lotus lore.
#ForTheBelievers

 

[Wiz33]

This logic becomes a little dicey for me. So let's say base comes in 2025 for V6. There are already a number of orders for base placed. Lotus has said 2026 will be last ICE production year. How many V6 US slots do you think are unaccounted for in that two year window?

Don't know but I guess they're not on their last base V6 allocation yet. I have already told my dealer that I still want a V6 so he'll let me know before he has to hand in the last order.

 

[MIGZ]

I will be at the factory Oct 9th
Just a few more weeks to go.

 

[DerTheDer]

The 2026 was BEFORE they knew the Emira would be a hit. As long as the money is rolling in and they are messing up logistics, they will keep producing them well after that.

 

[benjh1028]

The 2026 was BEFORE they knew the Emira would be a hit. As long as the money is rolling in and they are messing up logistics, they will keep producing them well after that.

This. Would be beyond stupid to stop production of the company’s most successful offering ever.

 

[Porter]

This. Would be beyond stupid to stop production of the company’s most successful offering ever.

Well, don't forget the imaginary 100k Eletres a year they think they are going to sell.

 

[Lotustoronto]

Just an update on my order. To be taken with a large grain of salt especially with the news of further delay. I secured a i4 with a march production slot and a mid summer delivery but my dealer is out of FE V2 allocation and any V6 will have to wait for the V6 base configurator to go live so nothing until sometime in 2025 soonest. I figure that I'm ok with the i4 and I can live with it for a few years and if I really want and V6, I'll just place an order on the last allocation of V6 build in a couple years.

Odd... from what I heard is that V6 F/E 2.0 will be handed out monthly allocations until base V6 comes online. Which I suspect will be Q1 2024. Ive been trying to assess if you can still order a V6 F/E in the UK, which would be a telling sign that the F/E order book is still open and would be in production probably for the majority of 2024 - along with i4 F/E. Probably switching over to base orders in September 2024 to be a 2025 model year. But no one has confirmed if you can still order a UK F/E.

I imagine, if current production estimates are correct (first half of 2023 @ 2200 + Emira's) then it is safe to assume another 5K Emira's will be produced between now and July 2024. (rough estimate) This will include the 1,300 V6 F/E V1&V2 for N/A + i4 F/E's. I assuming a good chunk of i4 F/E's for china are completed and shipped, I don't think the remaining 3,500+ Emira's will all be i4's. But it could be. I think we will see a few more V6 F/E V2 allocation slip into North America before the base starts production.

Right now I have no sense of the demand for the V6 Emira outside N/A. Is there still a wait list in UK/EU? How is Japan's and other Asian countries demand at the moment? Will they allocate another round of i4's to China within the next 7 months? This are all things only Lotus knows and how it plays out we shall see.

 

[Dr.JDK]

Based on the news Alex shared, I think it is time for being optimistic that we may see Emiras landing in the US this year. Call that a Christmas miracle or anything you want. I have faith in Lotus god

The reason I won't drop my allocation (FE 1.0 July 21 depositor) is simply that I don't think any car in that price range can beat the emira. I have owned a 718 spyder, drove a couple GT4. Spyders and GT4s are great cars, the engine is superb, handling is great, but it is not that unique. When I took delivery of a 992 GT3, I lost interest in driving my spyder because the gt3 is superior in every dimension. I cannot say the same for the emira. I drove my gt3 to test drove emira, which means I got the chance to do back-to-back comparisons. The handling of the emira is different than gt3, and I can say it is better than my gt3, especially on steering feedback. Comparing emira to gt4/spyder, emira is prettier, rarer, sounds more unique, and handles much better, but less reliable, inferior build quality on the interior, and maybe slower.
I am looking for a car to complement my track machine (gt3), and I cannot think of any better car in the 100k price range that can replace the emira.

 

[Balboa]

It's all well and good they are producing US cars but until we see word of DOT/EPA clearance for import into US (I'm sure I'm using the wrong terminology) it 'doesn't really count' - Am I wrong?

 

[kitkat]

It's all well and good they are producing US cars but until we see word of DOT/EPA clearance for import into US (I'm sure I'm using the wrong terminology) it 'doesn't really count' - Am I wrong?

Would you rather they wait to make them until they have clearance?

 

[Maurice R]

Would you rather they wait to make them until they have clearance?

Yes make them definitely. Get them shipped. Let me know what port they are arriving at.
I will break in and drive my car home.
Oh I will pay my dealer in full before I do that so it won’t be stealing it. Just circumventing the certification part

 

[KCMO68_510]

It's all well and good they are producing US cars but until we see word of DOT/EPA clearance for import into US (I'm sure I'm using the wrong terminology) it 'doesn't really count' - Am I wrong?

To me if they are starting the full US production (which is still in question maybe a tiny bit) it means that they know exactly when and how the certification process will resolve itself.

 

[981KMAN]

Just checked the EPA Certification Database. Latest info dated August 2023.

Lotus still not listed in the Certified Vehicle list

 

[Porter]

UPDATE

Pursuant to my FOIA request, NHTSA responded to me last week to let me know that no records or correspondence with Lotus existed in their system related to the Emira.

This isn't necessarily a showstopper, in years past the regulatory filing with NHTSA has been mostly a formality that they've submitted about 45 to 60 days ahead of active import and sale.


This is in contrast to EPA, who have an active correspondence file with Lotus on the Emira but wouldn't release it under FOIA (yet) because of business confidentiality. That will change once the approvals are finalized, the documents become public records then.