NO MORE Elise/Exige for America; ONLY Evora

[nitroman]

Returning to the many years when Lotus only offered the Esprit here, all models save the Evora are dropped after 2012. No new American models are expected until at least 2015! http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2011 ... ugust.html

These are not the actions of a mature auto marketer, as it indicates management has changed its mind on too many occasions, as well as a lack of development funds. How hard could it have been to stockpile enough Toyota 2ZZ engines? Could they not scrape together the cash? Apparently not. I think of the workers who will lose their jobs. Disappointed. When a company has demand for their product but cannot be bothered to supply it, they have committed a personal crime against their own employees & families. If that makes me a member of the Labour Party then so be it.

Since Proton purchased the British niche sports car brand in 1996, Lotus has never turned a profit. Lotus will have to sell 8,000 vehicles a year to be profitable compared to the 1,985 units Lotus sold in the past year. As a point of reference, Ferrari will post record sales of 7,000 vehicles this year.

Is dropping the Elise/Exige in America the best way to increase sales? Proton, SELL LOTUS TO ANYONE! You're a government-owned company. Make toasters.

[esprit888]

Matt, I don’t disagree with your comments (having lived in Malaysia for 10 years and bought an Elise from the Shah Alam factory, which i had to go over every nut and bolt with a wrench!) but Proton has not owned Lotus for a while now. DRB Hicom bought the Lotus company from them, but I would say judging by this article that is the least of the workers problems right now !!! http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/indus ... -suspended
And these three, Dato’ Lukman Ibrahim, Mohd Khalid Yusof and Aslam Farikulla, are not going to help the situation

[DeanG]

Very few Elise/Exige were being sold in the USA anyway. The exemptions for thing like lights and air bags ran out.

Its tough to make low volume cars when you can't command $200,000 price tags.

Still, I think the M100 is a better car for the type of driving I do.

[Jeff]

I believe the V6 Exige might come over to the US, as a track use only,not street legal variant. Just like the Exige Cup cars,211s, and Elise S1 Sport 190's that came here from Lotus Cars USA.