USA/Canada Delivery Thread

[K_Squared]

I just got a call from Lotus Cape Fear in Wilmington, NC this morning. My Emira is on a boat and I have a confirmed VIN for my Nimbus! I checked NHTSA site and the VIN came up clean with all the right details. Dealer stated that "end of January was a very conservative estimate" for CARB approval so there's still a chance we get our cars by Christmas (although I suspect we should still expect January so as not to be disappointed again).

 

[Aero]

I just got a call from Lotus Cape Fear in Wilmington, NC this morning. My Emira is on a boat and I have a confirmed VIN for my Nimbus! I checked NHTSA site and the VIN came up clean with all the right details. Dealer stated that "end of January was a very conservative estimate" for CARB approval so there's still a chance we get our cars by Christmas (although I suspect we should still expect January so as not to be disappointed again).

Were you FE2.0? Weird how some FE2 specs got built before FE1

What was your latest build date estimate?

 

[K_Squared]

Were you FE2.0? Weird how some FE2 specs got built before FE1

What was your latest build date estimate?

I was a late FE 1.0 (Cape Fear was a new dealer so I lucked out). I never had a build date estimate.

 

[Pegasi]

I am repeating myself here. If anyone speaks to their dealer, please ask about BASE allocations and when the configurator might be open. We just had a popular forum member cancel. I know it would be mostly speculation but they deserve something too. Just trying to use our collective power to help each other hold on.

My dealer "estimated" that the configurator for BASE models would open Q4 of 2024. I don't understand this. Based on what's been said in this forum Lotus is building cars close to their max level. It seems to me that most of the worldwide FE 1.0 & 2.0 will be built soon. Why so long to start taking BASE configurations?

 

[benjh1028]

My dealer "estimated" that the configurator for BASE models would open Q4 of 2024. I don't understand this. Based on what's been said in this forum Lotus is building cars close to their max level. It seems to me that most of the worldwide FE 1.0 & 2.0 will be built soon. Why so long to start taking BASE configurations?

Nuclear fission is easier to make sense of than the logic of Lotus.

 

[EZcheezy]

My dealer "estimated" that the configurator for BASE models would open Q4 of 2024. I don't understand this. Based on what's been said in this forum Lotus is building cars close to their max level. It seems to me that most of the worldwide FE 1.0 & 2.0 will be built soon. Why so long to start taking BASE configurations?

wow thats immensely disappointing i sure hope thats not true.

 

[Aero]

My dealer "estimated" that the configurator for BASE models would open Q4 of 2024. I don't understand this. Based on what's been said in this forum Lotus is building cars close to their max level. It seems to me that most of the worldwide FE 1.0 & 2.0 will be built soon. Why so long to start taking BASE configurations?

Maybe they're changing the estimates to be ultra conservative so they can easily meet expectations for once. I think they were using the Elon Musk time estimator method before.
I wouldnt believe any time estimates from a dealer though. I think Q1 or Q2 for the base configurator is more likely. But its Lotus so who knows.

 

[Nova]

My dealer "estimated" that the configurator for BASE models would open Q4 of 2024. I don't understand this. Based on what's been said in this forum Lotus is building cars close to their max level. It seems to me that most of the worldwide FE 1.0 & 2.0 will be built soon. Why so long to start taking BASE configurations?

They are probably trying to sell as many "First Edition" cars as they can. These probably represent better margins on a per-unit basis than the base model with minimum options. For certain they are better in terms of revenue. Once FE sales start to slow down, then they will likely open ordering for the base cars.

Delaying base availability also allows more time for people to become accustomed to higher prices. Based on my and other people's guesses, the base model for the US will likely be not that much less than the FE 1.0 prices. My guess would be $89,999. The more time Lotus allows to pass between the delivery of FE 1.0 cars and the availability of base cars, the fewer customer complaints they have to deal with.

 

[ttvetdoc]

I just received a call that my FE 2.0 (early 2.0 deposit) is on the Atlantic Ocean!! I'm with Cape Fear Lotus (Wilmington, NC). Hopefully I'll be able to 'visit' her in the showroom soon. Amazing news!!

 

[benjh1028]

I just received a call that my FE 2.0 (early 2.0 deposit) is on the Atlantic Ocean!! I'm with Cape Fear Lotus (Wilmington, NC). Hopefully I'll be able to 'visit' her in the showroom soon. Amazing news!!

Color? When did you finalize your build?

 

[Dr.JDK]

View attachment 34101

I am waiting for an update on arrival pics

 

[Pegasi]

They are probably trying to sell as many "First Edition" cars as they can. These probably represent better margins on a per-unit basis than the base model with minimum options. For certain they are better in terms of revenue. Once FE sales start to slow down, then they will likely open ordering for the base cars.

Delaying base availability also allows more time for people to become accustomed to higher prices. Based on my and other people's guesses, the base model for the US will likely be not that much less than the FE 1.0 prices. My guess would be $89,999. The more time Lotus allows to pass between the delivery of FE 1.0 cars and the availability of base cars, the fewer customer complaints they have to deal with.

I want to ask a follow up question, but why bother. We all don't just want our cars, we want a healthy Lotus company, dealer network, parts network, and customers. Maybe they think the Electre will help achieve this.

 

[2Lotus]

Word on facebook is that dealers are being invoiced for transport costs from port to the dealer and cars are on trucks right now.

No I don't know which dealers.
No I don't know if all dealers are getting their cars.
No I don't know if cars from dealers in carb states are getting their cars or not.

Kick in the teeth for dealers having to pay Lotus for the cars but can't sell them. Possibly having to pay for storage also.

 

[EZcheezy]

They are probably trying to sell as many "First Edition" cars as they can. These probably represent better margins on a per-unit basis than the base model with minimum options. For certain they are better in terms of revenue. Once FE sales start to slow down, then they will likely open ordering for the base cars.

Delaying base availability also allows more time for people to become accustomed to higher prices. Based on my and other people's guesses, the base model for the US will likely be not that much less than the FE 1.0 prices. My guess would be $89,999. The more time Lotus allows to pass between the delivery of FE 1.0 cars and the availability of base cars, the fewer customer complaints they have to deal with.

what do you mean sell more FE cars, the limited slots are already sold tho. I have a base addition allocation not because I want to but because the FE allocations are already gone.

if given the option I would switch, probably. maybe. idk the September 2024 estimate timing works real well for me

 

[dgrace]

Kick in the teeth for dealers having to pay Lotus for the cars but can't sell them. Possibly having to pay for storage also.

It would be not uncharacteristic for Lotus to invoice the dealers but provide no delivery date. "The cars will arrive... soon."

 

[Nova]

what do you mean sell more FE cars, the limited slots are already sold tho. I have a base addition allocation not because I want to but because the FE allocations are already gone.

if given the option I would switch, probably. maybe. idk the September 2024 estimate timing works real well for me

As far as I know, they are still taking FE orders outside of the US. And who is to say there won't be a FE 3.0 for the US?

 

[ttvetdoc]

Color? When did you finalize your build?

I'm a Nimbus and I finalized by build in mid-August of this year. My dealer did tell me that he still has some outstanding FE 1.0's that he hasn't received yet, so they are indeed building some 2.0's ahead of 1.0's it seems. I was told several months ago I was a December build with expected delivery in March - it obviously got bumped up apparently.

 

[Dr.JDK]

I'm a Nimbus and I finalized by build in mid-August of this year. My dealer did tell me that he still has some outstanding FE 1.0's that he hasn't received yet, so they are indeed building some 2.0's ahead of 1.0's it seems.

Interesting. Do they prioritize by color, or by sport/touring chassis? We know the only produce V6 MT. We also know if one dealer hasn't received all the FE1.0 and they are getting some FE 2.0, the CARB state vs. Non-CARB state argument is out of discussion.
I found the third explanation more reasonable, Lotus has no f@$'in idea what cars to prioritize, so they just randomly got the keys and drive them to the UK ports.

 

[Nova]

Interesting. Do they prioritize by color, or by sport/touring chassis? We know the only produce V6 MT. We also know if one dealer hasn't received all the FE1.0 and they are getting some FE 2.0, the CARB state vs. Non-CARB state argument is out of discussion.
I found the third explanation more reasonable, Lotus has no f@$'in idea what cars to prioritize, so they just randomly got the keys and drive them to the UK ports.

Why is that? I remember it being confirmed (not sure by who) that the first 150 cars to land were all non-CARB state cars. If they are indeed prioritizing non-CARB state cars because those dealers can receive/store the cars with less regulatory risk, then they may have decided to build the FE 2.0 cars for those dealers as well.

That brings a bigger question of 500 cars being shipped, because that just about matches the number of manuals for FE 1.0 cars, but not for combined FE 1.0 and FE 2.0 cars. If 500 cars include all the manual V6 cars Lotus is shipping for now for FE 1.0 and 2.0 cars, then *some* FE 1.0 manual cars are simply not being shipped (they may have been built). Which cars are those?

 

[benjh1028]

I'm a Nimbus and I finalized by build in mid-August of this year. My dealer did tell me that he still has some outstanding FE 1.0's that he hasn't received yet, so they are indeed building some 2.0's ahead of 1.0's it seems. I was told several months ago I was a December build with expected delivery in March - it obviously got bumped up apparently.

Thanks. I'm a 2.0, non-CARB state (Charlotte dealer), Seneca. Also finalized my build in August after dealers were provided their 2.0 allocations. This gives me hope that mine could be earlier than expected.