[James A]

I just got a call from the dealer I have my deposit with, he said Laser Blue is now available as an exterior color. He remembered that I had requested that color when I put my deposit down. It is a color available in Europe on the SII but not originally available here. I have seen the car in Laser Blue in the UK and have a brochure from a dealer in the UK that has color panels and it is definately my favorite color. I just never warmed up to the two shades of blue coming to the US.
I'm thrilled! Laser Blue it is!

 

[ivan1]

extra charge as metallic or lifestyle color???

 

[James A]

Life style at $1200 ! Yikes!

 

[hermanslotus]

James,

Didn't you get my post from the LA show telling everyone on this list that Lazer Blue was announced as a new Lifstyle color on January 8 at the LA show? I arrived at the LA show on the 9th and Clyde Shepherd from Lotus Cars USA told me that Lazer blue had just been added. I went to my hotel that evening and posted that info to this list. Oh well I guess you didn;t get it.

Best Wishes,
Mitch - Lazer Blue, hardtop and sport pack on order from Huntingridge Motors, CT.

 

[James A]

Sorry I missed your post Mitch. Every since I saw a Laser Blue Elise in the UK I have liked the color and was disappointed it did not show up on the US list. Yesterday my dealer called me saying he could get it, man oh man was I happy. I guess I am a week behind the curve!

 

[slacy]

Whats the difference between Laser Blue and Magnetic Blue? I can't tell from the pics I've seen which is which.

Does anyone have a clear differentiation?

Steve

 

[MattG]

Lazer Blue:

Magnetic Blue:

 

[MattG]

More pics of Lazer Blue here.

More pics of Magnetic Blue here.

 

[420HP]

Did they mention what interior options exist with Laser Blue?

Black obviously, but anything else? The dark blue Leather might look good.....

 

[MattG]

I've heard no talk of interior choices with Lazer Blue. If you ask me, if you're spening $1200 to get one of those lifestyle paint colors, Lotus better darn well let you choose any (standard) interior color you want!

 

[wallabyguy]

I have been pushing Lotus internally for Lazer Blue for the past 2 years. As you may remember from my earlier posts, there were several problems in adding it to the list of color choices in the US. First, it has been discountinued. Second, the emmisions from the painting process combined with the additional number of cars being built for the US cause a problem if the color became a "big seller". Third, in order to paint the cars this color they need to be removed from the line and painted seperately. This means slowing down the production process which is already strained by the preorders in place.

The end result after bothering Lotus relentlessly for the past month and working with them on some unrelated matters, they gave in on the 6th so that those individuals in the first 10 positions could order the color. The annoucement was given no fanfair on purpose. I was told Lazer Blue had been added but it's life span may be very temporal. Enough paint was ordered to handle a select few "first batch" cars only. Don't expect the color to be around if your car is due the end of summer. The 1st batch of cars will be produced at a slower pace thus allow less impact when a couple of cars are removed for the special paint. Things may change but this is the situation as I understand it now.

BTW........ Lazer Blue, Black Leather, Touring Pack, Hardtop

First Position (after the demo) at Princeton Sport and Specialist Cars (NJ)
MSRP

 

[jml1952]

Glad for you, but too bad you weren't an Ice Blue fan. Seems to me that they are making enough extra money to justify adding extra colors; $600 or $1200 should cover a fair amount of extra labor. Just hire an extra guy to handle the special paint orders.

 

[James A]

I am surprised Lotus doesn't have a system like BMW, BMW will paint your car any color you want for an additional (I think) $800. If you order your car built you can send a color sample or request a known color and they will paint your car that color. Caterham will do the same thing, although they only make 500 cars a year, they will do custom paint including stripes and contrasting panels if you like. In any event Lotus has number of colors I like and more importantly colors and wife and son like.

 

[wallabyguy]

James,

the big problem for Lotus right now is the fact that they have so many orders to fill. If I were in the middle of the customer order somewhere, i wouldnt have gotten Lazer Blue through. The only reason I'm getting the color is A) they offered it at one time, and B) my car will be built during the ramping up period. It didn't hurt to mention to the guys at Lotus that they have a Motorsports division which will already customize cars. And we're not just talking about paint either. We're talking about suspension, bodywork, really anything..........at a price. I also submitted that price was not going to be an issue (I didn't really mean it but I thought if I acted crazy and commited they might have to give).

Lotus is most conserned about getting cars to customers. I think once they have bitten into the wait list a bit, you'll see all sorts of new options and choices.

 

[hermanslotus]

Whats the difference between Laser Blue and Magnetic Blue? I can't tell from the pics I've seen which is which.

Does anyone have a clear differentiation?

Steve

Laser Blue is more of a true blue and Magentic is a purplish blue. I have seen both blues and like the laser blue much better.

Mitch
Laser Blue on order at Huntingridge Motors in CT

 

[hermanslotus]

I have been pushing Lotus internally for Lazer Blue for the past 2 years. As you may remember from my earlier posts, there were several problems in adding it to the list of color choices in the US. First, it has been discountinued. Second, the emmisions from the painting process combined with the additional number of cars being built for the US cause a problem if the color became a "big seller". Third, in order to paint the cars this color they need to be removed from the line and painted seperately. This means slowing down the production process which is already strained by the preorders in place.

The end result after bothering Lotus relentlessly for the past month and working with them on some unrelated matters, they gave in on the 6th so that those individuals in the first 10 positions could order the color. The annoucement was given no fanfair on purpose. I was told Lazer Blue had been added but it's life span may be very temporal. Enough paint was ordered to handle a select few "first batch" cars only. Don't expect the color to be around if your car is due the end of summer. The 1st batch of cars will be produced at a slower pace thus allow less impact when a couple of cars are removed for the special paint. Things may change but this is the situation as I understand it now.

BTW........ Lazer Blue, Black Leather, Touring Pack, Hardtop

First Position (after the demo) at Princeton Sport and Specialist Cars (NJ)
MSRP

Robert,

You are correct in saying that Lazer Blue will NOT be around for long. At the LA show Clyde Shepherd told me the color will stop by end of the year or sooner.

Personally I fell in love with Lazer Blue while on a recent trip to Australia. I love that color and it is the closest color I could find to my race car an old E30 M3 that I had custom painted last year.I am a very big fane of blue and Lazer Blue is just beautiful!!!

Mitch - Lazer Blue on order at Huntingridge Motors in CT.

 

[Sownman]

I am surprised Lotus doesn't have a system like BMW, BMW will paint your car any color you want for an additional (I think) $800. If you order your car built you can send a color sample or request a known color and they will paint your car that color. Caterham will do the same thing, although they only make 500 cars a year, they will do custom paint including stripes and contrasting panels if you like. In any event Lotus has number of colors I like and more importantly colors and wife and son like.

So it's solved then, buy your Lotus unpainted and send it to BMW to paint. Any color you want for $800 bets the heck out of $1200 and only in their choices

Steve

 

[Knute]

I am surprised Lotus doesn't have a system like BMW, BMW will paint your car any color you want for an additional (I think) $800. If you order your car built you can send a color sample or request a known color and they will paint your car that color.

OK, I know this is a digression, but I have to respond! BMW's "Individual" program is for whatever reason barely acknowledged by BMWNA, and with lots of pleading and begging they will (on occasion) grant permission to supply colors from the "Individual" choices (at an outrageous premium- several thousand dollars minimum), but in Europe (and elsewhere outside the US?) the program is far more extensive- there are special interiors (wood, alcantera, etc.) that we don't get, period, short of privately importing parts from Europe.

I tried for a frigging YEAR (2001-2002) to get cloth seats on a 5-series BMW, and BMWNA wouldn't touch it; I think they just don't want to deal with the extra paperwork. (I finally did get a commitment to get cloth seats if I paid the upcharge for leather, but they refused to even negotiate on doing so associated with european delivery)

I'm very much in favor of programs like BMW's "Individual", but it boggles my mind that such a great program is completely ignored by BMWNA- for all intents and purposes, we really don't have access to it unless the buyer has really good connections- "you'll take it the way we want to sell it to you."

I have heard it something to do with the American legal system- the buyer can back out, potentially leaving BMWNA in possession of a very difficult car to sell. (Some of the possible color choices are pretty heinous!) And then Bangle came along, intent on making BMWs funny looking regardless of what color you choose, but I digress further...

(rant off)

Having said all that, I think Lotus _is_ offering a pretty decent choice of colors, especially considering the size of the production run. (small) I'm very curious to see what the rotating lifestyle colors are by the time my order rolls around late next fall!
Ice Blue could be a fun color...

-Knute

 

[wallabyguy]

Knute,

Considering the first batch of option changes are due by fall, I'd say expect the "lifestyle colors" or option to rotate no more frequestly than 6 months but at least 12 month periods. This may also eventually include special additions like the 99 and 25 (?). Remember also that this car, in it's current form, will only be in production until mid 2006 (approx 24 months). After this time the new 2007 will be launched and all bets are off. The cars coming will be rare to start. Colors like Lazer blue and other lifestyle colors will be even rarer. This is even further exaggerated by the limited production run.

BTW, Mercedes European delivery program is much better than BMW. Lotus looked at both of them in an attempt to establish their own. The closest they could get was the Saab program (no frills). I think everything is on hold now that demand is so high.

 

[Randy Chase]

Having said all that, I think Lotus _is_ offering a pretty decent choice of colors, especially considering the size of the production run. (small)

A very good point. Truly, if someone told me that a small company was going to bring over 2200-2500 cars a year for a niche market, I would expect 2-3 colors. We actually have a lot of options considering. 15 colors!

http://www.elisetalk.com/colors.html