When will UK customers be a delivery date?

Hi all, received my phone call in October from Lotus for my second deposit and I have read some comments that there maybe a third requested at some point in Dec/Jan.

What I’m interested in knowing is, at what point will UK FE customers be informed when their scheduled delivery date is? So far it seems it’s been largely discussed amongst the consumers but has anyone actually been told by Lotus at what point this will be decided?

 

[TXEMIRA]

Somewhere there are Zoom calls happening with a bunch of nerds plotting all of this out. We love nerds!

Yes, there may also be a dartboard and possibly a few coin tosses…

Great news - lots of people showing love for the vehicle and the brand here who would love to have more information.

Typically a sign of success.

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

And by the way, the different pricing for all the countries in Continental Europe magically disappear in Lotus Web page a few weeks ago and never came back.
Heard some news that Lotus is going over a restructuring of their Commercial team for Europe, like moving them to new premises in Netherlands. Guess not everybody will be happy internally as usual in these decisions. Maybe, if this is true, is also a factor for all the confusion we are facing over here regarding price and delivery info.
New times, old problems

 

[TXEMIRA]

It’d likely be 90%+ that would prefer a later delivery date for a better product with the caveat that we just simply get up-to-date and amazing communication on timelines.

 

[Emirahep]

sorry guys, I realized I had to edit a couple of typo errors


Following this question, which we all repeat ourselves in different parts of the World,
only my personal opinion in my specific case in Spain.

When the whole thing started back in July, the info we had here from Lotus Spain version of the web page, and same info from local dealer at the time, was:
Global sales available Spring 22.
Way after this, Lotus modified the web page as says only about FE V6 available Spring 22, and this is all we got from this end till now.
In parallel, our dealer´s last info (not much) is that they will have a show car FE V6LHD probably in May 22.
And that our deposit cars will come either 2 months after the start of production or after they finish the UK FE V6 queue.
As you can see everything is confusing to say the least.

In my case, I am starting to get a little annoyed about the lack and/or different informations from both Lotus and dealer, specifically related to possible changes in estimated delivery dates.

Being committed in the order since beginning July and Nr. 1 in the queue of my local dealer, only way we con go through in Spain, I am evolving in some thoughts:

Even if they said at the beginning this was a Global Launch, I assumed, with no complaint at all, that Lotus would start delivering in priority UK spec, by recognizing it's the main, original, and with possible production matters (RHD)
What I would consider not fair is to have to wait for delivery until all FE UK units have been delivered.
I just don't think it is is fair that possible long delay. This would go against what they made us believe about Global, and some of us made deposit at an early stage based on a supposedly delivery Spring 22, not Autumn, or even worse into 2023 if we have to wait for all Uk deliveries first, and fearing that now they change again, and will even say after US deliveries as well, which I believe is the 2nd volume market for Lotus, which would mean for Continental Europe probably way into 2023 for an FE V6.
Not to mention if after that they even start deliveries prioritized on different European countries with more different schedules, which for me based on the little volume of orders for Spain (info from dealer is less that 20 for all Spain and Portugal) compared to countries like Germany, France or Italy where I am sure there will be many more orders, then after all at the end I find myself reiceiving the car in Summer Autumn 23, where 5.000 customers got their unit delivered before whilst most of them placing the order after me.
I don't like to be apocalyptic but Lotus is not helping at all.
I wouldn't like to have to cancel the order for feeling teased, but if they continue this route, I might have to consider it.
Now, let me sit on the positive and IMHO logical schedule:
LOTUS, please start production of LHD cars maximum two months after the beginning of UK production, and start delivering to Continental Europe straight after (same for US and rest of the World), and please follow the proportional deliveries as per the First In First Out Basis proportional to the amount of cars actually sold by date, (Same as for the UK buyers) but on a separate list 2 months behind for the rest of the World.
I think this is only asking about giving everybody in the World more or less the same option to enjoy there purchase in the right time. Can't be so difficult!
And if it cannot be, at least tell as why, and then each one will decide what to do.

Bilbao-Emira, seems like there are many people who put deposits down grappling with a lack of information on delivery. Whilst I have sympathy with setting up a new production facility etc, and the challenges of supply chains (Brexit and Covid haven't helped) at the moment, it is still better to be transparent and give realistic info to people who ask.

I hadn't appreciated the challenges of being in a smaller overseas market (for Lotus cars) like Spain, and potentially having larger market cars like UK/US take precedence.

To me, if its a global car they should either 1) offer people to put down deposits at the same time, and then allocate build slots on first come first served (albeit it might make sense to group orders for a certain market - no point sending a single car to Australia every month...) or 2) stagger the launch around the world where the chance to put a deposit down varies by region/market and then the approx delivery time between making a deposit and delivery of a car is the same worldwide e.g 9-12 months.

Good luck !

 

[tmardon]

Bilbao-Emira, seems like there are many people who put deposits down grappling with a lack of information on delivery. Whilst I have sympathy with setting up a new production facility etc, and the challenges of supply chains (Brexit and Covid haven't helped) at the moment, it is still better to be transparent and give realistic info to people who ask.

I hadn't appreciated the challenges of being in a smaller overseas market (for Lotus cars) like Spain, and potentially having larger market cars like UK/US take precedence.

To me, if its a global car they should either 1) offer people to put down deposits at the same time, and then allocate build slots on first come first served (albeit it might make sense to group orders for a certain market - no point sending a single car to Australia every month...) or 2) stagger the launch around the world where the chance to put a deposit down varies by region/market and then the approx delivery time between making a deposit and delivery of a car is the same worldwide e.g 9-12 months.

Good luck !

Anyone know delivery date if 60k base model ??

 

[TomE]

Spring 2023 for the base model V6 and i4. Not yet clear if that's all markets globally at the same time, might be UK first then others 1-2 months later as with the First Editions.