[420HP]

(Say that subject fast 5 times...)

Can we get a clarification on the "Recommended Combination" in the Elise Order book? Will we be able to order outside the matrix listed?

I was thinking the Red Leather looked really good and might look rather bold in the Magnetic Blue car, but it's not listed as a possible combination.

Have to see the colors in person to see if the shades make sense.....

 

[babak]

Being recommended I can't imagine why they wont let you have any combo. I'd love to have seen a yellow option, can you imagine yellow car, black trim with yellow inserts? It would have been great.

 

[XconZ]

Do you think the red seats will look bad in Ardent red?

-Eric

 

[smoseley]

The semantics of the catalog are ambiguous.

Although one would THINK that it's alright to order a non-recommended color combination, it's entirely possible that the color combinations are fixed. It's also entirely possible that hte colors are not options at all, and the combinations will be chosen by the factory. Finally, it's possible (please, no!!!) that we won't get to "order" our cars at all, and that we'll get what we get and have to be happy with it.

 

[Nathan111]

Transio, we do get to order our cars how we want. Some of us allready have.

 

[ivan1]

don't rub it in

 

[xxxotic]

Do you think the red seats will look bad in Ardent red?

-Eric

I was thinking of that too, but the inside metal parts of the doors are painted the body color, so it would be red metal and then have red leather inserts in the door panel. There would be no contrasting color, so it might not look good.

I was wondering about a yellow exterior with a red interior too
but this isnt on the recommended list either

The Austrailian site lets you pick from a lot of interior carpet colors that are not on the US site and you can basically design it the way you want for an additional charge.

The US seats are differant from the other countries and the carpeting might be cut differantly differant since the gearshift has been moved too, so maybe black carpet is all that is available right now, but I cant see why we cant switch seat colors since each car is being custom ordered.

I can see the posts 6 months from now- Will trade black cloth seats and hardtop in exchange for red leather seats, updated radio, and insulated softtop.

I wish we could get differant colored softtops too. However if this is an option in the future, most dealers can order them on a new car and then switch them out.

I once wanted a black car with a red leather interior, but the black car on the lot has red cloth, so the dealer switched interiors from another color car that had red leather.

Also did the same things with wheels. The car I wanted didnt have the upgraded wheels, so they switched them with another car that had them. I just had to pay the differance in the cost, and whoever was buying the other cars got a discount because the optional leather and updated wheels were switched.

 

[smoseley]

Transio, we do get to order our cars how we want. Some of us allready have.

There has been some speculation that orders being taken are not necessarily what you'll get. For instance, if 1000 people order LSS, and they're only making 300 in total, the fulfillment rate on LSS orders is limited to 33%.

The dealership's order from you is a guideline used to place an order for an allotment of cars. It doesn't mean that your car will be exactly as you wanted it.

 

[xfactor]

Lotus History

Lotus cars are made to order, they are not like a ford or vette where you order it and they tack on whatever they feel like. When my dad ordered his elan some 30 years ago, they called him on several occasions because parts had changed and they wanted his input on what he wanted.

I could be wrong, but if demand for LSS is higher then the 300 number Randy gave us, Lotus is just going to order more parts and ask if you want delayed shipment with LSS or earlier shipment without.

 

[Randy Chase]

Re: Lotus History

I could be wrong, but if demand for LSS is higher then the 300 number Randy gave us, Lotus is just going to order more parts and ask if you want delayed shipment with LSS or earlier shipment without.

I would agree with this. The cars are being built to order based on the first orders. Lotus asked the dealers to start taking orders (forst 10 on the waiting list) to determine the choices they need to build. In at least one case, one dealer went a little overboard and told all his customers to firm up their choices.

Lotus is a small company. They set up deliveries with their suppliers for enough LSS options for 300 cars. Like any company, I would think if the sales projections started to show that 25% of the orders from US were LSS, they could see that they are going to need more parts and tires. And they would order them.

No doubt that LSS is a profit center (as is the Touring Pack) so they are not going to decline orders. But there may be a delay *possibly* as suppliers scramble to deliver more rims, struts, tires, etc.

 

[smura]

Agree. I highly doubt Lotus will limit LSS and give up the extra cash it's making on that option price. I don't have the price in front of me, so forgive me, but I believe LSS was about $2,400. I'll bet the extra parts (minus the cost of standard parts that are substituted) only cost Lotus $400 max. So that's likely $2K Lotus would give up in profit by limiting this option. I just don't see it as a likely possibility.

But I also would imagine that this option will not be ordered by very many people. If you took a poll on this board you'd get a disproportionate amount of "yes" orders but this board is not representative of the general public that has a deposit down on the car.

 

[Randy Chase]

But I also would imagine that this option will not be ordered by very many people. If you took a poll on this board you'd get a disproportionate amount of "yes" orders but this board is not representative of the general public that has a deposit down on the car.

I am also hoping that most people understand the compromises of the LSS before they order it. There is a reason that Lotus only forecasted 300 cars having it.

 

[ivan1]

I think most people do. I do not plan on tracking my car, I had considered the LSS but have pretty much decided against it now. I think the regular suspension should be just fine for my needs and I would rather spend the money on something else - sport exhaust, driving school, etc. I do like the LSS wheels and don't really care for the standard wheels though. I would be happier if I could get them in black, or get the 6 spoke wheels, but I guess I can always change them later...

 

[ConeFusion]

I'll bet the extra parts (minus the cost of standard parts that are substituted) only cost Lotus $400 max. So that's likely $2K Lotus would give up in profit by limiting this option.

Forged rims are quite expensive. Retail price for a nice set of forged wheels is typically around $2000, while you can buy a decent set of cast wheels for not much more than $500. I'm sure that Lotus gets them considerably cheaper, but it's probably still a substantial difference for them. For the other parts (shocks, springs, tires), it should be a small difference.

But I agree, options are a money source for car manufacturers. It wouldn't be a smart move to limit availability.

 

[babak]

Do you think the red seats will look bad in Ardent red?

-Eric

Eric,
Perhaps, figure blue on any of the blue ones would stand out in a good way if it doesn't match, i.e. the alcantera blue on the Audi S4, whether santorin blue or nogaro blue would look good. Same might have been the case for yellow interior on saffron. However, red is a very peculiar color and it might fade quicker and not match. Furthermore, it is a stimulating color and eyes get tired of it quicker than other colors.

 

[adamant]

About the LSS, didn't anyone else notice this in the ordering information
Optional Equipment

There will be no limit on options at start of production
I read that to mean that the 300 limit was no longer being applied.
I also noticed this under dealer fit accessories
Front lower lip polycarbonate scuff guards
Anyone know what this looks like? Is it some kind of a splitter?

 

[ivan1]

polycarbonate is what the headlight covers are made from, so I assume it would just be a clear cover for the bottom lip....

 

[bobford]

xfactor, Your comments resonated with me. When I ordered my elan some 30 years ago, there was no choice of anything. Bob Challman told me if I really wanted a radio after driving a thousand miles, to come back and he would put one in. I never did!

 

[Ridgemanron]

Go to www.puresportscar site and you
will see what color interiors can be combined with specific exterior colors.
I do remember seeing red seats/door panels being able to be ordered with
Nightfall Blue but not Magnetic Blue.

 

[Randy Chase]

...and you
will see what color interiors can be combined with specific exterior colors. [/B]

Actually that is probably not correct that there is a definitive answer to what combinations are allowed. The same information is here on the dealer ordering sheet and it only represents suggested color combinations.