[GHC]

OK, so I was at HRM and I asked Nick Adams Lotus project manager if production of the Federals started.

(I have to admit I was holding my breath waiting for his reply)

DRUM ROLL please!

He said, the very first Federal Elise came off the line last Saturday (one week ago). It was Artic Silver. Chassis number lots of zeros and a one. It won't come here, as it will go into their stable.

Production will be 6000 units a year with 2400 headed here. Ramped up from current levels.

On schedule for May arrival.

So sez Nick. (or so I heard ... <g>).

 

[ivan1]

I heard him say there were a lot of untrue rumors going around about the way the cars are painted (eg apparently there was a rumor that CO cars were painted somewhere else - I hadn't heard that one)

 

[SeaBayR]

Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

 

[GHC]

About 12 Fed Cars per Day

I think this works

Work days in a Year 200
Cars per Year 6000
Fed cars per Year 2400
Proportion Fed 0.4
Cars per Work Day 30
Fed Cars per Work Day 12

Or about 240 each month ... very roughly ...

Nick said the US and European versions are built on the same assembly line. The tooling for interior of the S2 cost more than the whole program to launch the S1 ...

 

[Randy Chase]

lol...

Another "secret" from Nick! Any more??

We were not allowed to say anything about this.

 

[ex-M3]

George - Sorry I did not get to meet you. You asked some good questions!

Randy - we need a secret handshake. There were at least two Elisetalk members at the gathering that I did not get a chance to meet.

 

[Derek]

OK, so I was at HRM and I asked Nick Adams Lotus project manager if production of the Federals started.

(I have to admit I was holding my breath waiting for his reply)

DRUM ROLL please!

He said, the very first Federal Elise came off the line last Saturday (one week ago). It was Artic Silver. Chassis number lots of zeros and a one. It won't come here, as it will go into their stable.

Production will be 6000 units a year with 2400 headed here. Ramped up from current levels.

On schedule for May arrival.

So sez Nick. (or so I heard ... <g>).

Ahhh... More confirmation my dealer's info is spot on. He said May and here we see that's the date Nick said too. It's gonna be a great summer

 

[zvezdah1]

Well, maybe my cars' already built then. Actually, I'd be the first 40 are the dealers demo cars which most assuredly will get here in May (hoping ever so much that my car comes in May too!!)

Chris

 

[adamant]

Why, on earth would this be kept SECRET!!! For what purpose? I really do not see any point in keeping this information away from customers. At this point, I would think the more accurate the information the happier everyone would be. Personally I like Porshes tracking system where you can look a car up and get a status on every particular vehicle but I understand that Lotus are under a lot of pressure to not impact production. I would really like some kind of a hint though, like the car is on a boat rather than just getting a call SOMETIME this summer from the dealership sayiing my car is ready to pick-up!!! That will be rather annoying!

 

[jml1952]

I would hope that once cars ship, Lotus would notify the appropriate dealers that the cars are on the way and the dealers would notify the customers. That would give us time to get excited and get financing and insurance in order.

Seems like a pretty simple and reasonable way to proceed.

 

[Paul MD]

So why can't they give you early 'lucky buggers' the Goddamned VIN'S???????? That is perplexing me...

 

[babak]

So the big question for the rest of us not in the first batch is that, 'does this news change the supposed arrival of later batches?' Or will it be may/june for first batch and then wait till late summer for the rest?

 

[jeff8875]

OK, so I was at HRM and I asked Nick Adams Lotus project manager if production of the Federals started.

(I have to admit I was holding my breath waiting for his reply)

DRUM ROLL please!

He said, the very first Federal Elise came off the line last Saturday (one week ago). It was Artic Silver. Chassis number lots of zeros and a one. It won't come here, as it will go into their stable.

Production will be 6000 units a year with 2400 headed here. Ramped up from current levels.

On schedule for May arrival.

So sez Nick. (or so I heard ... <g>).

Now that just dosen't seem right.....why do they get 1200 more cars then us... we should get 5000, or all of em for that matter, they already have the Elise in the UK!!!

 

[zvezdah1]

I don't know where they plan to sell the remaining 3600 cars, they've approached that number sold in a year for ANY of the elises!

Chris

 

[BrianK]

Re: Re: Nick Adams (Federal Project Mngr) Sez Production Started last Saturday

Now that just dosen't seem right.....why do they get 1200 more cars then us... we should get 5000, or all of em for that matter, they already have the Elise in the UK!!!

keep in ming that we're only one country. The Elise sells in a whole lot more of them than this one.

Besides, exclusivity is a deciding factor for some people.

 

[RedwineGuy]

posted be GGLC

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Are US Customer Cars In Production
April 17, 2004 - Reports of US Customer Elise in Production

The GGLC received a report from a US customer very low on a list that his car was in production. The customer was contacted by his dealer who who was asked to contact him by Lotus to clarify a the spec of this car because it was being built. Obviously excited he is now spending the next month enduring sleepless nights!

Has this been confirmed? Wouldn't it be nice if every customer got a call from his dealer when his car went into production, so we could start hyperventilating now! How about it Lotus, e-mail your dealers production updates once a week. We would all be impressed how up to date they are. As opposed to just one day getting a call, oh b.t.w, your car got here yesterday.

 

[Steve W]

I'm with Adamant on this, why in gods name would this be a secret???

It would be nice to have a clue in advance to sort out insurance, financing and pickup of the car.

I say to you lotus: "bah."

 

[Lotus F1]

I'm with Adamant on this, why in gods name would this be a secret???

It would be nice to have a clue in advance to sort out insurance, financing and pickup of the car.

I say to you lotus: "bah."

Whats even more ironic is that Lotus is bothered and suprised by all the rumers that get spread...gee I wonder why Lotus

 

[Steve W]

I don't think I'd mind if it weren't for the fact that in theory I should be getting my car in 5 weeks. is it 5? is it 9? is it 17?

And helpful as this forum is, I don't have much time to read everything and try and separate fact from wild rumour.

I've said it before, all I want is for lotus to say on their web site its goal for the cars to arrive in the US. That way I can add a couple of weeks for it to get over here (west coast), and start with my preparations in a timely manner.

Failing that, simply stating a date when I can find that info out.

A personal issue with all of this is that I go on business trips fairly regularly and I am expecting one in the second week in June. Will I came back to 12 messages on my answer machine, the last of which telling me I lost my slot because I wasn't responding to their calls?

Ok, I'm being over paranoid, but on the other hand I have been waiting for this car for over 2 years now.

please please please give us a clue Lotus.

 

[adamant]

I am #4 at Steve Harris and they told me last week that they don't expect to get their Demo car until mid June. I was already planning the events I was taking the car too. I guess I have to expect it in July now I hope. I've been waiting around two years also.
I don't understand why they do not make the delivery information avaialble. No-one would get mad becuase delivery was slowed on a new production. But everyone would be much happier knowing roughly when there car is scheduled even if they cannot narrow the timeline to within a month. I know I would feel much better having just a clue when delivery is expected.