Re Lotus being kept as a secondary product line...both Rothrock and Criswell remained Lotus dealers all through the very lean Esprit years, when maybe they'd sell one or two cars a year, less than 100 per year nationwide among all dealers.
That said, IF Lotus keeps the COST of retaining dealerships high, that might hurt them. One dealer told me they are not sending their tech (they have only 1, I think) to school to learn to install the Lotus SC...saying the cost for the training is too high against their anticipated demand for installs, and the $$$ they would make (or not) on each install. If Lotus insists their dealers must pay for and get this kind of training, you may see more dealers opt out.
As for the product line being state, I can see the point, but I don't know if it's a simple as that.
There are still MANY people that don't know what the car is, have never seen one before, or who know what it is, lust for it, but see it as unattainable. It still draws attention, wanted and unwanted, from Vette, Porsche, S2000, EVO, 350/370Z etc.
I was glad to get my first Elise with all available options at the time for under $50K on the road. Even at that, one had to rationalize the cost, but there was nothing rational about it.
The cost for even a base Elise now I think has gone beyond the tolerance for the average Lotus buyer who is willing to allow the car its shortcomings and compromises for the sake of the experience.
Now with lots of very, very low mileage used cars on the market at or near the $30K point, why would anyone pay $50K for a new car unless you are immovable on choices of color and options? Aside from the SC, the upgrades from year to year are marginable for most people. Come to think of it, perhaps that DOES speak to the point about being stale.
I love my Exige S, but I got an outrageous deal on a leftover new 07 that was cheaper than my Elise off the lot. I would have never considered the car if I had to go MSRP.
I'd like a 260, but at its MSRP, I just think Lotus is stretching the value point to a place where it makes sense for a very, very few.