[MattG]

I heard a nasty 'ol rumor from a source more credible than myself that Lotus might be working on an SUV-like vehicle. Now, I don't mean for this unsubstantiated rumor to start any serious debate, because c'mon, it's probably not true. The purpose of this thread is for me to express my fierce opposition to this idea, and hopefully for others to join in, in the hopes that Lotus sees this thread and hears the voice of its customers.

I believe than an SUV violates the core principle of the Lotus Car company that Colin Champan founded. If Lotus wants any credible connection to its history, it must be true to its roots. Porsche abandoned its, and lots much respect as a result. I take pride in knowing I bought a sports car from one of the few car companies that has not jumped on the SUV bandwagon.

Giving an SUV-like vehicle a different name, like "Crossover" or "Sport Activity Vehicle" will not fool us! We're smarter than your average car customer. Now, if you design a proper and true station wagon, I'll buy one!

Lotus: please, please let this be nothing more than a wild, unsubstantiated rumor!

 

[offroadr35]

not a chance

 

[MattG]

not a chance

I hope you're right. I doubt anyone expected the Cayenne to happen, either.

 

[Robert Puertas]

Are you saying that if Lotus offered a 4wd wagon that was lighter, faster and handled better than a Lancer Evo or WRX STi you wouldn't be interested?

I think I would be...

 

[Patricko]

I hope you're right. I doubt anyone expected the Cayenne to happen, either.

That is a VW

 

[Gromit]

I'm no SUV fan. If lotus was to make one, I wouldn't buy it. But it wouldn't lessen my enjoyment in the Elise

I wouldn't be suprised if the future saw only two types of car: the SUV and the sports car.

Hey, maybe they could do a porsche/VW deal and make an SUV with Noble !!

 

[del105]

Are you saying that if Lotus offered a 4wd wagon that was lighter, faster and handled better than a Lancer Evo or WRX STi you wouldn't be interested?

I think I would be...

No those are all qualities I'm not looking for in an SUV. I look for comfort, refinement, durability and towing cap. things along those lines are what I want in an SUV. Handling and quickness definitely take a backseat.

 

[sonza68]

An SUV seems to be too much of a polar opposite to what Lotus has always been.

I look for rugged simplicity and good off-roading capabilities in a SUV. Hence my '68 Bronco and a longing for a Defender 90.

 

[NMRJock]

Is it possible that they're 'working on' an SUV for another company? Lotus does a ton of consulting work.

 

[adamant]

If they can make money at it , and use the money to build performance cars I would not mind.

 

[wallabyguy]

I wouldn't mind a newer car like a Lotus Omega/Carlton with AWD. I would likely buy one in fact. I could put aside the idea of a A6 and stay in the Lotus family. A SUV to me is as was stated by other on this thread (tow cap, seating cap, off road capability, etc.) If Lotus builds it I would definitely consider it but it doesn't seem to fit well into the basic concept of what Lotus does as a manufacturer.

 

[babak]

If they can make money at it , and use the money to build performance cars I would not mind.

Ding.

If it makes the company more viable then great. It just means that they'd be around for another homerun like the Elise. But realistically, I don't see it happening. Lotus is entirely too small to have the means to support a SUV and it's production run unless:
--They do a major overhaul of their production line, handbuilt SUV's wont cut it in that segment.
--They design it and somebody builds it for them. This I think is the more likely.

 

[Genjuro]

.

 

[MattG]

Are you saying that if Lotus offered a 4wd wagon that was lighter, faster and handled better than a Lancer Evo or WRX STi you wouldn't be interested?

Heck yeah, I'd be interested! I love station wagons, they're the perfect family car. What I don't like are crossovers - where they take a perfectly good station wagon and make changes to it that decrease its on-road capabilities (increase ground clerance, increased height and thus higher cg). If Lotus designs a four door vehicle that adheres to the principles that have driven their designs since day one, I'm sure it'd be a great vehicle and I'd want one. My fear is that, let's face it, SUVs are very profitable vehicles for any car manufacturer. I worry that corporate influence (Proton) will view what the Cayenne has done for Porsche and seek to apply a similar strategy to Lotus.

 

[khamai]

There was an announcement made on 4/1/03 about a Lotus SUV... some of you may recall this one...
http://www.gglotus.org/ggpast/april1-2003/hoax.htm

 

[Elise Seller]

SUV?

Well... That isn't of much concern to me at this time. I am praying that we'll see a Porsche & Ferrari eater in the $90,000 price range within two years. That is the direction they need to attack with full force. That market has been growing dramatically over the past few years. While we sell Astons; which are superb grand touring supercars, I'd like to see Lotus build a lightweight, technologically advanced brute-force supercar. They need to recapture that market.