[Sownman]

I just got off the phone with Steve Harris, where my order is. News is not very good. As of last Wednesday Lotus announced
350 cars to the USA between now and August. After that production should spool up to some higher but unmentioned number. Last Wednesday my order was taken and I was under the impression I might see a car in June or July from my position
as #28 (which improved to 25) Now I'm hearing sometime before the end of the year as an estimate. Tim at Steve Harris said he won't even have the complete first batch of ten cars by August. He is told they'll get 8 cars by August. He mentioned that he has an Esprit he's about to sell and that "might help" So without specific acknowledgement he did let on that alocation IS tied to Esprit sales.

Steve

 

[ace3]

i'm between 15 and 20 on the list with Autostrada, and i've always been told to not anticipate arrival before September.

:dunno:

 

[_JD_]

OK so how do we find out the level of Esprit sales for the dealers?

 

[agent.5]

What is Lotus thinking? The dollar is not going to bounce. You are better off to sell as many car as possible now rather than later, because all commodities are flying. Even butter is going up 60% last year.

What is Lotus going to do, if Elise turns out to not make much money for Lotus?

 

[atyclb]

i'm between 15 and 20 on the list with Autostrada, and i've always been told to not anticipate arrival before September.

:dunno:

that's because they don't talk out of their asses

seriously, anyone who hinted that a mid-20's placeholder would get their car by June/July was just not shooting straight.

 

[jml1952]

Lotus guys warned us at the LA Auto Show that production would be slower during the first few months, then ramp up, but this seem like a very slow production rate if they are planning to make 2300 cars during the first 12 months. Wonder why the rush to accumulate so many orders (38 x 30 = 1140) if they only plan to produce 350 cars by August?

 

[OneFastLotus]

I was told today.

Dealers get demo's in mid May. First customer cars in the first week of June.


Cheers
Jennifer

 

[Sownman]

What is Lotus thinking? The dollar is not going to bounce.

I doubt there is any thought to this, at least not in the way you are going. I think they just can't buid cars fast enough.

I am a bit perturbed that they have chosen to give our car (The Federal Toyota Elise) to Europe and Australia first as the 111R
Those buggers aleady had Elise. We still have nothing and are going to be waiting longer than we thought.

Steve

 

[MikeAR303]

Would it really be a Lotus if we didn't find out that there will be more delays?

I'm still holding out hope that I'll have my car before the end of summer

 

[agent.5]

Is it possible that Lotus still has not finished "designing" the Fed Lotus?

 

[huggy bear]

that's because they don't talk out of their asses

seriously, anyone who hinted that a mid-20's placeholder would get their car by June/July was just not shooting straight.

WERD

 

[JonOrangeElise]

Wonder why the rush to accumulate so many orders (38 x 30 = 1140) if they only plan to produce 350 cars by August?

I don't know all that much about car production, but I wouldn't be surprised if Lotus is simply collecting data to get a better idea of what us Yanks are *really* interested in, options-wise (real-world distribution of colors, touring packs, and LSS packs). With a good sampling of reliable data in hand, the factory can make informed decisions about how to tweak production efficiencies.

Who knows, maybe right now they're "ordering" more Laser Blue paint, and less Aubergine.

(I know, I know --- this isn't how paint works ... but ya'll get my point.)

Plus, I will continue to posit that there is a difference between "ordering" and simply telling your salesman what colors and options you want.

 

[hermanslotus]

I am in the 10-20 spot at my dealer. I hope and pray to have my car sometime this summer. When it arrives I have no idea, but if I have it before the summer ends, I'll be a happy camper.




Best Wishes,
Mitch

 

[Vantage]

I don't know all that much about car production, but I wouldn't be surprised if Lotus is simply collecting data to get a better idea of what us Yanks are *really* interested in, options-wise (real-world distribution of colors, touring packs, and LSS packs).

I think that's a very reasonable assumption Jon, especially considering...

seriously, anyone who hinted that a mid-20's placeholder would get their car by June/July was just not shooting straight.

...that my second batch order was given a rough delivery date of September. I'm expecting the car anytime between then and the end of year. It helps the heart to wait with reasonable expectations.

 

[mikester]

I'm guessing that in addition to (maybe) making minor, last-minute design tweaks of the fed car, the reason the 111R is out first is that supply for the new parts needed for the fed car may not have been completely sorted. Since the interior of the 111R is more like the standard Euro Elise than the Fed car, Lotus is kind of "easing into" the transition from the car for the rest of the world to the federalized car. Parts sourcing difficulties may also explain the prediction of slower-than-hoped-for deliveries of the fed car.

 

[LarryB]

Another factor may be that Lotus USA and the dealers have only been selling 1-3 Esprit per year. It may take them a bit of time to ramp up and handle full production. Most Lotus dealers aren't use to such a high volume car. Sure they've had a fair amount of time to get ready... but there's nothing like real world experience.

 

[ivan1]

I hear the delay is due to difficulty in ramping up production rate of the newly designed side reflectors

 

[ivan1]

Correct me if I am wrong - but for most of us, deposit went from refundable to non-refundable when order info was finalized. Now if there was going to be a significant production delay for some reason and Lotus and/or dealers were concerned about people dropping off the list they would want to accept orders from as many people as possible before announcing the delay. Don't want to be a pessimist, but why else a sudden need to gather not just the next 10 orders from each dealer but in some cases people much further down the list are being contacted....I hope I am wrong probably just my paranoia

 

[zvezdah1]

ivan,
As I understand it, they need to be able to map out production months in advance, ie to group colors and options to a certain extent to make production go a bit easier.

I"m not aware of any significant delay existing for the elises, they've stated all along about 2200-2300 the first year with the first couple months to "ramp up" to full production. This has been the story all along. I think some of the confusion has developed on the boards because some dealers were telling people that were #100 on the list they'd have their cars in the late fall early winter 04. Never gonna or coulda happened.

Plus also keep in mind, Lotus planned all along to build the demos first to help develop production. So that's 40 odd cars to be built before they even get to customer cars.



Chris

 

[khamai]

This is not a delay. Lotus is still on or close to their original production plan. Roughly 300 cars in the 1st 60-90 days. Late May +90 days = late August.

While I'm sure LCU and dealers would like to get 600 cars in the 1st 60 days, let's be realist here, Lotus is NOT GM. These cars are hand made. There isn't a giant empty lot holding a bunch of pre-made cars and the US production has to compete with order fulfillment for other markets.

I think Lotus is doing the right thing, making sure the US cars are right. Taking a bit longer in the beginning to assure that the quality we expect is there. The last thing Lotus needs is to hurry a bunch of cars out the factory just to meet early demand with sub-standard quality. Such an event would be DISASTER!!! It could potentially kill the Elise in the US and quite possibly and future for Lotus in the states.