[Ridgemanron]

California has 7 dealers= 18%
Florida has 5 dealers = 13%
Texas has 4 dealers = 11%
New Jersey has 3 deal. = 8%
New York has 2 dealers = 5%
Pa. has 2 dealers = 5%
Conn. has 2 dealers = 5%
13 remaining States = 35%
(all have 1 dealer)
TOT. 100%

 

[Canyon Carver]

What is your point? Taking strictly the numbers into account, dealer allocations would range anywhere from 55-60 cars the first year but that won't be the case.

 

[Lotus F1]

What is your point? Taking strictly the numbers into account, dealer allocations would range anywhere from 55-60 cars the first year but that won't be the case.

It is called anticipation break-down! I too become delerious in the wait. I just knew getting more info was just going to make it worse.

 

[slacy]

Okay, I'm going to spend the time to do what I've been wanting to do. Population numbers are from census.gov, pop of 2000. I've sorted them highest to lowest. So, theoretically, the ones at the top of the list should get the most allocation (assuming no regional differences in buying, which is absolutely not true)

If anyone knows good stats about the numbers of new cars sold per state per year (per capita) that would be a really great thing to post here.

IL(1): 12.0M people per dealer
OH(1): 11.3M people per dealer
MI(1): 9.7M people per dealer
NY(2): 9.0M people per dealer
GA(1): 7.8M people per dealer
NC(1): 7.7M people per dealer
MA(1): 6.7M people per dealer
PA(2): 6.1M people per dealer
WA(1): 5.9M people per dealer
MO(1): 5.5M people per dealer
MD(1): 5.2M people per dealer
MN(1): 4.8M people per dealer
AZ(1): 4.8M people per dealer
CA(7): 4.6M people per dealer
TX(4): 4.0M people per dealer
FL(5): 3.0M people per dealer
NJ(3): 2.7M people per dealer
CT(2): 1.6M people per dealer
UT(1): 2.2M people per dealer
HI(1): 1.2M people per dealer

Steve

 

[slacy]

Well, I was able to find data (from factfinder.census.gov) about number of dealerships and total $$$ spent on cars per year (in 1997), by state. Here's the breakdown by $$$/state/lotus dealer.

OH(1): 24.9B / dealer
IL(1): 25.1B / dealer
MI(1): 24.6B / dealer
NC(1): 17.3B / dealer
GA(1): 17.0B / dealer
NY(2): 12.8B / dealer
PA(2): 12.3B / dealer
MA(1): 12.1B / dealer
MO(1):12.0B / dealer
TX(4): 11.0B / dealer
MN(1): 10.6B / dealer
MD(1): 10.4B / dealer
AZ(1): 10.3B / dealer
WA(1):10.0B / dealer
CA(7): 7.9B / dealer
FL(5): 7.6B / dealer
NJ(3): 6.1B / dealer
UT(1): 4.6B / dealer
CT(2): 3.7B / dealer
HI(1): 1.5B / dealer

Here's my source URL: (in case I want to double check my numbers)

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/IQRTable?NAICS=4411&ds_name=E9700A1&_lang=en

Steve

 

[ConeFusion]

Those numbers don't tell much. What about the ~30 states that have no dealer? Many of the dealers will cover demand from more than their own state.

 

[Ridgemanron]

What is your point? Taking strictly the numbers into account, dealer allocations would range anywhere from 55-60 cars the first year but that won't be the case.

Between Ca. & Fla., 31 out of every 100 cars produced would go to
those locations. Still, all I hear is 'we should get many more cars than the rest of the country!' Tell me how many you feel should go (out of each 100 cars produced), then?

 

[TimMullen]

Those numbers don't tell much. What about the ~30 states that have no dealer? Many of the dealers will cover demand from more than their own state.

Yep...

For instance, the Maryland dealer covers Virginia, Maryland, District of Columbia, and who knows how many other states in the area - I didn't notice Delaware, West Virginia, etc. having a dealer

Then there are three dealers in New Jersey, which will also be servicing buyers in New York area... Etc. Etc...

There is a lot more information necessary before these statistics actually mean much. Things need to be broken down into geographic regions, and the people in those regions...

Tim Mullen

 

[jml1952]

Between Ca. & Fla., 31 out of every 100 cars produced would go to
those locations. Still, all I hear is 'we should get many more cars than the rest of the country!' Tell me how many you feel should go (out of each 100 cars produced), then?

I wouldn't be surprised if each California dealer received 100 cars in the first year. I don't know about Florida; the weather is great, but there isn't a twisty road in sight in the entire state, so why bother with a great handling car?

So, although California's dealers only represent 18% of the 38 in the US, I predict that they will receive at least 30% of the first year's production. If I'm right, I will receive my car a little sooner; if I'm wrong, too bad!

 

[agent.5]

I called several CA dealers before I placed my deposits, and it was my impressions that there were conversations between each dealer and Lotus USA. Different dealers are "promised" so many cars, and such promise was a deciding factors in Smith in San Luis Obispo, and Boardwalk in Redwood City in charging above MSRP. On the other hand, it appears that Los Gatos and the virtual dealer in Beverly Hill are "promised" many more allocations. So, I am not sure what any of these "promises" mean, but I have a feeling that both the dealers and Lotus USA have an assumption that not all dealers will have the same allocations even if they reside in the same state.

 

[Ridgemanron]

According to Lotus, the 38 dealers cover 29 separate markets. Overload Ca. & Fla.
with 1/2 the year's allotment and the rest of the dealerships, minus a few, will dry up. This is not the way to get a national
foot hold and I cannot see Lotus doing it.
Down the road, after the first year's production is disbursed fairly evenly, then
it sounds more logical

 

[jml1952]

According to Lotus, the 38 dealers cover 29 separate markets. Overload Ca. & Fla.
with 1/2 the year's allotment and the rest of the dealerships, minus a few, will dry up. This is not the way to get a national
foot hold and I cannot see Lotus doing it.
Down the road, after the first year's production is disbursed fairly evenly, then
it sounds more logical

I don't understand how dealerships that have survived with almost no cars from Lotus will dry up when they are getting more cars than ever before. Suppose Ca and Fla received half of 2300 cars - the 26 other dealers still would get 44 cars apiece, which is not exactly cutting them off.

 

[_JD_]

I wouldn't be surprised if each California dealer received 100 cars in the first year. I don't know about Florida; the weather is great, but there isn't a twisty road in sight in the entire state, so why bother with a great handling car?

If you've only driven "through" Florida, I could see why you would disparage our state's roads b/c the interstate views only feature pines and stripes. But..

You would be surprised at the elevation changes that do exist in the northern portion of the state and we do have our share of twisties- you just have to know where they are. Just a word in defense of the sunshine state.

 

[Sownman]

If you count the dealers on the one page spec handout at the LA Show there are 35 dealers not 38. Even counting Symbolic Bev Hills and La Jolla as two dealers its still just 35.

Steve

 

[Ridgemanron]

R. Becker of Lotus said 38 in a recent interview. The Lotus car site also lists 38.
You could check your info sheet against
the 'on site' listing and see which ones
disappeared. Then find out if they still
exist.

 

[hermanslotus]

If you count the dealers on the one page spec handout at the LA Show there are 35 dealers not 38. Even counting Symbolic Bev Hills and La Jolla as two dealers its still just 35.

Steve

I counted 36 dealers on my sheet from Lotus cars at the LA show.Thats with Symbolic of Beverly Hills. I am certain this sheet is 100% on the money. Clyde Sheperd from Lotus Cars USA personally handed it to me and said it was up to date. He did say that they would be adding more dealers as time goes on.

Best Wishes,
Mitch

 

[shinoo]

Between Ca. & Fla., 31 out of every 100 cars produced would go to
those locations. Still, all I hear is 'we should get many more cars than the rest of the country!' Tell me how many you feel should go (out of each 100 cars produced), then?

Um, how about 50 out of 100?

Seriously, how many deposits are being held by CA/FL dealers? This should be the measure Lotus uses to allocate cars. At least until the deposits are exhausted. Seems foolish to send a car to a dealer who does not have an order, when others dealers have people in waiting.

I still say Lotus should have allocated cars based on when a deposit was made. If they had done this, I suspect I would be getting my car in the first batch instead of ????

Don't we have a tally someplace with the total orders at the various dealers?

 

[shay2nak]

i just hope that i get my car in December being #51 at Newport Beach, CA no matter what the allocation is. I'm getting tired of my Merc. Sorry to say it's an automatic but I'm sacrificing and giving it to my parents when I get my elise. Damn, i can't wait!

 

[Prolene]

I would like to see equal allocation until a dealership runs out of orders/deposit holders, then the next batch can go to all others on an equal basis, until another dealer fulfills all orders, and so on. This might be the best way to help fulfill all deposits without anyone being 'left out'.

Whatever happens, happens, though. Que sera and all that!

I hope I can get my #33 Valenti Lotus car in December....

 

[khamai]

Amazing... too much free time!!! LOL

FACT: LCU has NOT finalized any allocation plan.

FACT: Dealers are guessing because they've not been told anything firm. If they are saying something different they are saying with tongue in cheek...

GUESS: LCU will likely reward those dealers that supported LCU over the past few years (ie. sold more Esprits)... That's a very common practice in the auto industry. Go back and ask dealers how many Esprits they sold for the past two years and stick that into the hypothetical formula...

FACT: Use of a Quija board or Tarot cards or dart board will likely produce as good as estimation of the allocation....