World's first Emira customer delivery?

[Eagle7]

The RHD DV car at the Hampton Court Concours was a Lotus press car, sponsored by Bridge of Weir at the event to showcase their leather work.

As mentioned on other threads, there are problems with parts supply for the 50+ parts that are different between the RHD and LHD cars. The shortages affect production of RHD cars more than the LHD ones, but the LHD ones aren't exactly flying out of the factory either and only about 20 have been delivered so far, of which half are dealer demos.

The "first car" that's more of a mystery is the RHD Nimbus one that Matt Windle showed in his delay video back in June, which he said was the first customer car to be built and had been finished on 10 June. Maybe Lotus have filmed a handover already and are waiting to release it. I haven't seen any evidence of this car or any other RHD customer car being delivered.

I'm sure Lotus would like to get early cars out to people like Harry and Schmee. They don't know when theirs are coming. I suspect the UK people who've already had the Checkout email will get their cars before them. I was told by Lotus folks last year that YouTubers buying cars wouldn't necessarily get to jump the queue for their own cars, although of course they'd get access to press cars to do reviews.

Senior Lotus folks and UK dealers also said UK deliveries would be based on deposit date order - at Goodwood 2021 and at the dealer roadshows. They spent a lot of time ensuring people who paid pre-reveal deposits direct to dealers were converted across to the central Lotus system correctly (they got it wrong initially and then corrected it). Why do all that if deposit date wasn't a factor?

Lotus had also said vey clearly that they intended to start delivering UK cars first, then European cars would start being delivered about 2 months later and the first US cars about 2 months after that.

Clearly since then the parts supply and approvals issues have thrown that approach up in the air. I don't think any UK deposit holders are asking to be given special VIP treatment, they'd just like to be treated in line with what Lotus told them before. And if that needs to change due to parts issues, then tell people what the implications of that are. Outside the UK it's a different model and a different story.

Is it really too much to expect a company to honour the promises it publicly made, or explain and re-set expectations if they can't?

Well it seems like you already know.

It's pretty clear by now, that Lotus simply doesn't want to publicly talk about whatever struggles they're having internally with parts and supply. Who knows why. It may be their legal department controlling public comments and discussion for all we know. We're not living in benevolent times. People sue at the drop of a hat over anything and everything nowadays.

I'm just glad we're finally at the point where customer cars are being built and delivered. At least there's something new for people to complain about. The old complaints had gotten quite worn out.

 

[Maurice R]

Well it seems like you already know.

It's pretty clear by now, that Lotus simply doesn't want to publicly talk about whatever struggles they're having internally with parts and supply. Who knows why. It may be their legal department controlling public comments and discussion for all we know. We're not living in benevolent times. People sue at the drop of a hat over anything and everything nowadays.

I'm just glad we're finally at the point where customer cars are being built and delivered. At least there's something new for people to complain about. The old complaints had gotten quite worn out.

True on this. There will definitely be people complaining on silly small stuff when they get the car.
Personally I’m excited that if all goes somewhat smoothly in the next few months I will have mine sometime in March.

 

[NickyBuddy]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the nice welcome messages following my first post last week.

Since last week I have got the car insured and the plates are coming in the next days, so I should drive the Emira next weekend

In the meanwhile, I went to see the car today and frankly, I am lost for words. There were 5 Emiras at Lotus Antwerp, turning the showroom into a museum of modern art. The car has so much presence in the flesh!

A lot has been said about the dark verdant but you really have to see the car with your eyes as pictures/videos do not do justice to all the subtle variations of dark green that the curves of the Emira offer. With that disclaimer in mind, please see below a quick video I have put on youtube.


More updates next weekend hopefully once I get to take the car out of dealership

Good weekend to all and keeping fingers crossed hoping your cars shall arrive soon as well!

 

[First Lotus]

@NickyBuddy co gratations on at least seeing your new car! Hope you get to drive it soon! Was that an emira starting up at the end of the video?
And if there were 5 other emira, a little walk 'down the line' would be appreciated so we can all look at other spec combinations!

 

[KaizokuCoder]

@NickyBuddy Thanks for the video. Looks great. Congratulations! I also ordered Dark Verdant and love seeing the recent images and videos coming in. Very excited for you.

 

[NickyBuddy]

Thank you guys! There were 3 DV, 1 Seneca and 1 Hethel ; I'll snap some more pics next week when I return to the dealership.

Yes, the engine at the end is an Emira starting up. Was so excited to be around the car that I have not recorded when I could start up mine but I can tell you that the music of the V6 gave me goosebumps; with a noticeable difference when switching the driving mode (much more "throaty/deep" on sport/track mode).

 

[Lotustoronto]

@NickyBuddy Congrats! We all wait patiently for your driving review once you get it on the roads. I hate to ask this question but are you still happy with DV, now seeing it in the flesh next to Seneca? Love to hear your thoughts on the colour. It does look fantastic in the pics/vid!

 

[Tonyshepp]

@NickyBuddy thanks for posting these teasers

 

[Lankan]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the nice welcome messages following my first post last week.

Since last week I have got the car insured and the plates are coming in the next days, so I should drive the Emira next weekend

In the meanwhile, I went to see the car today and frankly, I am lost for words. There were 5 Emiras at Lotus Antwerp, turning the showroom into a museum of modern art. The car has so much presence in the flesh!

A lot has been said about the dark verdant but you really have to see the car with your eyes as pictures/videos do not do justice to all the subtle variations of dark green that the curves of the Emira offer. With that disclaimer in mind, please see below a quick video I have put on youtube.


More updates next weekend hopefully once I get to take the car out of dealership

Good weekend to all and keeping fingers crossed hoping your cars shall arrive soon as well!

Congratulations @NickyBuddy ! Dark Verdant certainly looks lovely.

Look forward to hearing your feedback on your initial impressions and once you get to drive it for a while.

Enjoy!

 

[lynchy73]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the nice welcome messages following my first post last week.

Since last week I have got the car insured and the plates are coming in the next days, so I should drive the Emira next weekend

In the meanwhile, I went to see the car today and frankly, I am lost for words. There were 5 Emiras at Lotus Antwerp, turning the showroom into a museum of modern art. The car has so much presence in the flesh!

A lot has been said about the dark verdant but you really have to see the car with your eyes as pictures/videos do not do justice to all the subtle variations of dark green that the curves of the Emira offer. With that disclaimer in mind, please see below a quick video I have put on youtube.


More updates next weekend hopefully once I get to take the car out of dealership

Good weekend to all and keeping fingers crossed hoping your cars shall arrive soon as well!

Thanks for taking the time to post and upload some pics

I only saw an Emira in the flesh the first time in recent days. First day I saw it, it looked great, then I went back again yesterday to have another look, and it looked even better!

 

[emiraspain]

Thanks for taking the time to post and upload some pics

I only saw an Emira in the flesh the first time in recent days. First day I saw it, it looked great, then I went back again yesterday to have another look, and it looked even better!

Imagine what it will look like tomorrow then......

 

[lynchy73]

Imagine what it will look like tomorrow then......

Even better?

 

[emiraspain]

Even better?

You best bring a defibrillator by the 5th visit.. haha... and yes I did watch Casino Royal last night with the portable one in the DBS..and yes I have driven that car... and yes it still looks good today.... and no.. its not a sports car..... and yes I was proposed marriage because of it by a 16 year old italian girl..... and no, I didnt say yes.... and yes, thats the end of it.

 

[lynchy73]

You best bring a defibrillator by the 5th visit..

appreciate the heads up and concern

 

[lynchy73]

and yes I did watch Casino Royal last night with the portable one in the DBS..and yes I have driven that car... and yes it still looks good today.... and no.. its not a sports car..... and yes I was proposed marriage because of it by a 16 year old italian girl..... and no, I didnt say yes.... and yes, thats the end of it.

Yeah, you lost me a bit there. Sounds fun

 

[emiraspain]

Yeah, you lost me a bit there. Sounds fun

James Bond...ASTON Martin DBS in Casino Royal.. he gets poisoned and goes into cardiac arrest.... staggers out to his car... well, if you're still lost now.... there is no saving you haha

 

[eriegz]

Yeah, you lost me a bit there. Sounds fun

Basically, everyone on this forum deals with their grief about the Emira in different ways. @emiraspain 's method is to ramble on about nothing, and tell stories that don't go anywhere. Like the time he caught the ferry over to Shelbyville? He needed a new heel for his shoe. So, he decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So; he tied an onion to his belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel. And in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em! "Give me five bees for a quarter", you'd say. Now, where were we? ..... Ohhh yeah, the important thing was that he had an onion on his belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones....

 

[emiraspain]

Basically, everyone on this forum deals with their grief about the Emira in different ways. @emiraspain 's method is to ramble on about nothing, and tell stories that don't go anywhere. Like the time he caught the ferry over to Shelbyville? He needed a new heel for his shoe. So, he decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So; he tied an onion to his belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel. And in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em! "Give me five bees for a quarter", you'd say. Now, where were we? ..... Ohhh yeah, the important thing was that he had an onion on his belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones....

what ever gets you through it I guess.......

 

[eriegz]

what ever gets you through it I guess.......

Haha, all in good fun! I often get a kick out of your "meandering musings".

 

[EspritGuy]

Basically, everyone on this forum deals with their grief about the Emira in different ways. @emiraspain 's method is to ramble on about nothing, and tell stories that don't go anywhere. Like the time he caught the ferry over to Shelbyville? He needed a new heel for his shoe. So, he decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So; he tied an onion to his belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel. And in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em! "Give me five bees for a quarter", you'd say. Now, where were we? ..... Ohhh yeah, the important thing was that he had an onion on his belt, which was the style at the time. They didn't have white onions, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones....

The moral of the story is that there is more than one way
to skin an onion, or pickle a herring.
Alternatively, toilets may flush counterclockwise below the equator during full moons, especially in a leap year.
A long road lies ahead....