PRICE INCREASE...AGAIN

[Allan Gibbs]

Well, Lotus needs to offer a mass market, upscale SUV to generate some profits. hehehe.

Or atleast least a sports car with more real world functinality than the Exige/Elise. Then, they can get anyway with charging a bit more since it's a broader market. I think most who would be potential buyers feel the Elise/Exige is too narrow focus and either shy away -or really try to make it work. M250 (cough, cough)

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by Allan Gibbs

Well, Lotus needs to offer a mass market, upscale SUV to generate some profits. hehehe.

Or atleast least a sports car with more real world functinality than the Exige/Elise. Then, they can get anyway with charging a bit more since it's a broader market. I think most who would be potential buyers feel the Elise/Exige is too narrow focus and either shy away -or really try to make it work. M250 (cough, cough)

I KNOW you don't think Lotus should c.. coo... comp.... I can hardly say it..

"Compromise?!?!"

I think they tried that with the Europa S, and the reviews indicated a disappointment. I know what you mean though, don't get me wrong.

[greenbluff]

Originally Posted by MitchT

Just like all cars, they go down in value, what production car goes up, a tt 996 sold new for 125-130k and now they are 70k used in perfect condition, 4 years old, vettes , maybe ferraris 430, 360, but the maintence and they still go down. This has been discussed before, by the way what other manufacture brings a car into the US of A with a Harness Bar?, Adjustable suspension?, can drive on the track all day pulling a g stock and not break down or eat brakes or over heat?, The car is better than they promised us and you still bitch. Go buy a new camaro when it comes out.

Ditto. I would still buy it with the price increase, but glad I got mine. For sure a business decision balancing act, hope Lotus can make some money and develop their business further. Where can I send my deposit for the M250? Oh right, not going to build that one, hmm....I think that was a mistake but I'm not a marketing guy....

Jim

[Chris D.]

I really don't care how many cars they sell or what anyone elses perception of the value of the car is. I am completely satisfied that I got what I paid for and then some and I would definitely pay the same price (or even a little more) again.

[008]

Doh, had the currencies inverted. Deleted that part. You guys got my point though.

[JWA]

I don't see this as that big of an issue. I bought my car a couple increases ago, but I would still buy it at todays price - no question.

[Allan Gibbs]

Just for reference:
MY 07 ELISE $46,270
MY 06 Elise $42,990
Price difference: $3,280


MY 07 Exige S $59,890
early 07 Exige S $56,990
Price difference: $2,900

Also, could all 2007 Elise come with standard equipment that was once optional (like the touring package and star shield)?

Source:edmunds.com and
http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/show...ght=exige+msrp

[Abe]

Originally Posted by Allan Gibbs

Just for reference:
MY 07 ELISE $46,270
MY 06 Elise $42,990
Price difference: $3,280


MY 07 Exige S $59,890
early 07 Exige S $56,990
Price difference: $2,900

Also, could all 2007 Elise come with standard equipment that was once optional (like the touring package and star shield)?

Source:edmunds.com and
http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/show...ght=exige+msrp

According to Lotus, no. Everything is still an option and the option prices remain the same...the only difference is the base price for both models have increased substantially.

[Dietrich]

Owners should be happy, now the 05 and 06 Elises will be worth more.

[008]

Originally Posted by Dietrich

Owners should be happy, now the 05 and 06 Elises will be worth more.

MSRPs don't set prices, the markets do. Ask anyone who just bought an Elise, Exige or Exige S at invoice. The dealers can't sell them at the current msrp raising it isn't going to change the market. Having less sold and bringing fewer here might slow the depreciation.

[SimonMExS]

Originally Posted by 008

MSRPs don't set prices, the markets do. Ask anyone who just bought an Elise, Exige or Exige S at invoice. The dealers can't sell them at the current msrp raising it isn't going to change the market. Having less sold and bringing fewer here might slow the depreciation.

I don't think anybody will be getting the Exige S below MSRP.

[008]

Think again, I was just offered one at 1.5k off when I went in for a part.

[SimonMExS]

Originally Posted by 008

Think again, I was just offered one at 1.5k off when I went in for a part.

That's interesting, where was that? I mean, what dealer was that?

[andykeck]

Originally Posted by SimonMExS

I don't think anybody will be getting the Exige S below MSRP.

Oh, it's happened...

[Allan Gibbs]

Originally Posted by andykeck

Oh, it's happened...

And how long has the Exige S been out?

Well, with the price increase, Lotus should not have too much trouble selling the lower MSRP Exige S (except their usually full loaded).

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by RegGuy

Well the same thing will happen to all imports in 2007 and going forward for the foreseeable future.

Of course a lot of "foreign" cars are not imports any more, that is one of the advantages of Mercedes/VW/Honda/Toyota/etc building most of their cars for the Americas in the Americas.

[mattwhite]

Originally Posted by 008

MSRPs don't set prices, the markets do. Ask anyone who just bought an Elise, Exige or Exige S at invoice. The dealers can't sell them at the current msrp raising it isn't going to change the market. Having less sold and bringing fewer here might slow the depreciation.

It's not quite that simple. True assuming a "perfect" market, but in practice, an increase in the MSRP is coupled with an increase in the cost of the car to the dealer. And dealers don't have any say in this process - the dealer buys the car at the price set by Lotus.

In a perfect market, the dealer would sell the car for its fair market value, which could be less than they paid for it, if this was the most rational course of action. In the real world, however, the dealer will just sit on the car for months hoping to get at least what the dealer paid for it. Because the minimum price the dealer will sell the car for has increased, individual sellers are no longer competing with dealers to the same extent they were before the price increase, hence increased resale values of individually owned cars.

[008]

Well while we're going down that route you'll have to start calculating the true cost of the vehicle to the dealer which will include floor planning costs and rebates. At current inventory velocity and the cost of money every dollar of cost of an Elise costs the dealer about $1.15. So you're right it isn't quite that simple but my point is simply they're not selling at msrp xx,xxx they are not going to sell at new msrp xx,xxx+. This is of course assuming that Lotus USA has received an increase from lotus cars and are passing that increase to the dealers or that Lotus USA has raised the price to the dealers on their own. At the end of the day it may just be an increase in MSRP.

[Daedelous]

I'm confused as to how a car like the VX220 Turbo can perform as good, if not better, than the Elise, and still cost about half as much. And now the price is rising again......?

[Allan Gibbs]

Originally Posted by Daedelous

I'm confused as to how a car like the VX220 Turbo can perform as good, if not better, than the Elise, and still cost about half as much. And now the price is rising again......?

Hmmm. Where in Southern California can I go to get a VX220 Turbo?