JAMES ANDREW APPOINTED CHIEF BRAND OFFICER

Group Lotus announces a new Global Brand and PR centre structure has been established. The new centre will be headed up by James Andrew, who has been appointed Chief Brand Officer.

Initially with offices in the UK, Netherlands and China, the new centre will oversee the evolution and deployment of the Lotus brand around the world.

The Global Brand & PR Centre will report into Group CEO Mr. Feng Qingfeng, with the regional divisions headed up by Nigel Bromley (UK office – covering UK and RoW regions), Giuseppe Mele (Netherlands office – covering Europe region) and Chen Qi (China office – covering Greater China region).

The newly formed team will embark on establishing systems, processes, teams and facilities around the world, ensuring the most impactful and consistent treatment of the Lotus brand as the business evolves and develops in line with the company’s Vision 80 strategy.

In addition to heading up the Global Brand Centre as Chief Brand Officer, James Andrew will also continue his responsibilities as Executive Director of Communications for Lotus Cars Limited, reporting to Group VP and Managing Director of Lotus Cars, Matt Windle.

It was an exceptionally busy day for Lotus at Goodwood Festival of Speed as crowds flocked to the stand for the world public debut of the Eletre.

The highly anticipated hyper-SUV was a star attraction. with visitors eager to see the car and ask questions of the many product specialists on hand. The bold, progressive and exotic EV has the soul of a Lotus and the usability of an SUV, and the retail team reported that several customers placed orders immediately after seeing it in the metal.

Yesterday also marked the premiere of the ultimate three-car garage from Lotus, as the Eletre was joined on stage by the beautiful Emira sports car and the pioneering Evija hypercar. Also there – in a vibrant yellow competition-inspired finish – was the Emira GT4 race car, unveiled just last month and already sold out for the first year.

All four cars are taking part in the iconic Goodwood Hill Climb over the weekend, with Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button behind the wheel and on the Lotus stand throughout the weekend.

Visitors were also treated to a ‘VIP walkaround’ of the Lotus stand, hosted by motoring TV presenter Andy Jaye. He interviewed Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars; Ben Payne, Head of Studio at Lotus Tech Creative Centre and the man who led the Eletre design; and Russell Carr, Lotus Design Director and the man behind the Evija and Emira.

Matt Windle commented: “What an amazing first day at Goodwood – with such a passionate and knowledgeable crowd it never disappoints! The Lotus stand was busy from the moment the gates opened at 7am, and was great to see the fans new and old getting up close to our cars and chatting with our team. If day one was anything to go by, the rest of the weekend will be a massive success too!”

Adamas Motors L.L.C. – the Lotus dealer for the UAE, welcomes Matt Windle, Managing Director of Lotus Cars, on his maiden visit to Dubai. He has been instrumental in the ongoing transformation of Lotus from a UK sports car company to a truly global performance car brand.
During his visit to the United Arab Emirates, Matt Windle met the management of Adamas Motors, key personalities and the media. He also toured the facilities and visited the showrooms of Adamas Motors. Indeed, Lotus Cars global retail sales rocketed 24% in 2021 – the best performance in a decade; the UAE dealer has been the No. 1 in Lotus Car Sales worldwide for Q1 2022.

Lotus’ ambitious Vision 80 strategy commits the business to meet its transformational targets by the time of its 80th birthday in 2028. Outlining strategic direction and including new product announcements, the plan is based on three key pillars – transforming the business, revolutionising the product range and delivering results every year.

Karl Hamer, CEO of Adamas Group, commented: “We are very honoured to have Matt Windle and the senior management of Lotus Cars visit us in the UAE. This year, we are commencing deliveries for the all-new Emira to our customers. It is a sports car with supercar aesthetics and everyday useability. The Emira is everything you’d expect from a Lotus; remarkable, beautiful and a pleasure to drive.”

Slated for customer delivery in 2024, Eletre – the all-new and all-electric Hyper-SUV from Lotus is bold, progressive and exotic, with iconic DNA evolved for the next generation of Lotus customers.

The Eletre takes the heart and soul of the latest Lotus sports car – the Emira – and the revolutionary aero performance of the all-electric Evija hypercar and reinterprets them as an electrified Hyper-SUV.

As part of its ongoing transformation, Lotus has officially opened its new sports car manufacturing facility at Hethel, naming it in honour of its founder and inspiration.

The new Chapman Production Centre is one of the most advanced low-volume automotive manufacturing facilities globally and can build around 5,000 cars a year and is part of Lotus’ £100m investment in the UK

In addition, a new Lotus manufacturing plant in Wuhan, China will further accelerate innovation and oversee the manufacture of exciting new electrified lifestyle models for global markets. The new facility complements existing UK sports car manufacturing and performance facilities in Hethel and Norwich.

Speaking at the new showroom in Dubai, Matt Windle said: “With the support of our partners Adamas Motors, the Middle East has become a major market for Lotus globally. I have been very impressed by the facilities of Adamas across the region, and the business’s dedication to customer service and its excellent presentation of our brand. With the arrival of both the Evija hypercar and Emira sportscar imminent, I am very excited to open this fantastic new showroom in Dubai and look forward to many customers across the region making use of the fantastic services here in support of a new generation of Lotus high performance cars.”

Lotus has officially opened its new sports car manufacturing facility at Hethel, naming it in honour of the company’s founder and inspiration.

The Chapman Production Centre is a world-class centre of excellence that is already building the Emira, the last petrol-powered car from Lotus and best of breed.

The ceremony was carried out by Matt Windle, Managing Director of Lotus Cars, and Clive Chapman, Managing Director of Classic Team Lotus and the son of Colin Chapman and Hazel Chapman, co-founders of Lotus. Also attending was Jane Payton, Clive’s sister, plus several hundred Lotus employees.

Together with Lotus Advanced Structures (LAS), Lotus’ new sub-assembly facility in Norwich, the Chapman Production Centre is part of a £100 million investment by Lotus in the UK. It is also an investment in the skills and passion of the Lotus team, which has more than doubled since 2017 when Geely became the majority shareholder.

Lotus has recruited new staff across all areas of the business including skilled manufacturing operatives, engineers and technicians. In vehicle assembly and production operations specifically, 300 new staff have joined the company. Through the new Lotus Learning Academy, based at LAS, all recruits have been trained in the high quality manufacturing operations they need to begin their career at Lotus.

Performing the opening ceremony, Matt Windle said: “Lotus is transforming from a UK sports car company to a truly global performance car business and brand, and the new Chapman Production Centre is a symbol of us delivering on that ambition. We are proud of our past successes and excited about our all-electric future, which was started all those years ago by our founder Colin Chapman, and I am honoured that Clive and Jane could join us to mark this occasion.”

Clive Chapman added: “I am honoured to have been part of this significant day in the history of Lotus. For the Chapman family it is extraordinary to witness Lotus on the path to becoming a global car manufacturer. I am delighted to have this opportunity to wish every success to all those who will be working in the Chapman Production Centre, and to thank Geely and Lotus for honouring Hazel and Colin in such a splendid manner.”

The new Chapman Production Centre is one of the most advanced low-volume automotive manufacturing facilities in the world and has the capacity to build around 5,000 cars a year. The all-new paint shop is a state-of-the art facility that uses automation to apply primer, colour and clearcoat, ensuring an exceptionally high-quality finish, a high through-put of vehicles and perfect repeatability. The new Lotus system is highly efficient: dry filtration uses 60% less energy than a wet system, while an electrostatic primer on body panels will reduce paint usage by 30-40% compared to the previous hand-sprayed process. All Lotus sports car operations at Hethel and in Norwich are powered by 100% renewable electricity thanks to a partnership with energy supplier Centrica.

The buildings which housed the previous Lotus assembly lines have been converted to sub-assembly. They are now home to the all-new framing line which builds the car bodies as part of Emira pre-production, with robots applying bonding agent to the sides, roof and cantrails.

All-new Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) ensure the highly efficient movement of cars-in-build on set routes around the factory, allowing operations teams to focus on assembling the vehicles. By using AGVs, Lotus has future-proofed its sports car manufacturing system as changes can be made quickly and easily to accommodate different manufacturing processes as new vehicle models are introduced.

The main assembly line also includes Wheel Alignment and Headlamp Aim (WAHA) equipment, a Vehicle Configuration and Test System (VCaTS), monsoon water test booth, rolling road and fuel fill area.

Adjacent to the Chapman Production Centre is a new validation track where all production cars are tested as part of the quality assurance process. This dynamic test facility is a key element of the vehicle sign-off, one of many such processes ensuring visual the highest quality.

Lotus Advanced Structures, Norwich
All-new sub-assembly facility, Lotus Advanced Structures, in Norwich, just a few miles to the north of Hethel, houses the bonded and extruded chassis assembly and the subframe and fuel tank manufacture for all Lotus cars. The chassis and front-end assembly line includes robot bonding agent application, 12 new CNC milling machines and a new laser cutting machine to manufacture fuel tanks, rear subframes and many of the steel and aluminium components used on the Emira.

The all-new and all-electric Lotus Eletre is a striking and progressive Hyper SUV. It takes the core principles and Lotus DNA from more than 70 years of sports car design and engineering, evolving them into a desirable all-new lifestyle car. Eletre has an elegant and exotic look with active aerodynamics and a dramatic porous design. The use of pioneering sustainable materials gives a new level of premium for every journey.

STUNNING PERFORMANCE, EVERYDAY
A true Lotus experience. Optimal structural rigidity and active dynamics, combined with a perfect blend of high power and torque, provide the kind of performance that is expected from a Lotus. With powerful electric motors and a low centre of gravity, this new icon makes ordinary driving, extra.

CUTTING-EDGE INTELLIGENCE
The world’s first deployable LiDAR system and advanced autonomous driving capabilities make this the most technically advanced Lotus, ever. Eletre is the first global SUV with 800V architecture, providing exceptional range and charging options, meaning less time plugged in and more time driving.
The deployable sensors are hidden when not required, ensuring the car’s striking design shines through and only emerging from the top of the windscreen, the top of the rear glass, and from the front wheel arches as required.
Add in a dynamic walk-up sequence, advanced interface and heads-up display, Eletre makes the everyday special.

The team at Adamas Motors had organized and hosted a spectacular event to pay it’s gratitude to all of our loyal customers, who have enhanced our brand image in a blink of an eye. To thank everyone, the Adamas team welcomed a group of Lotus customers, all arriving in a vibrant formation of Lotus Evoras and Exiges, and more than 50 corporate guests at The Space, a unique venue which hosts one of the most exclusive car collections in the world. A red-carpet arrival at The Space led up to grand foyer of a unique car collection, particularly the Aston Martin V12 Speedster, accompanied by refreshments. Surrounded by a fantastic display of the Morgan Motors’ 3-Wheeler and the Plus 4 LM62, the INEOS Grenadier and two Lotus Evora’s, our guests were welcomed by a violinist player, a mind-bending magician, and an ever-green speed painter, ready to put on a show up-close with the guests. A hidden gem particularly draped with a black reveal cloth; the Aznom Palladium, marked it’s Middle Eastern debut by the founder of the company; Mr. Marcello Meregalli, just before breakfast commenced. During a hearty breakfast, the venue lit up with a performance of the speed painter, who curated an art piece dedicated to Morgan Plus 4 LM62 in less than half an hour, followed by the violinist showcasing an attractive performance of “Storm” by Vanessa Mae. Before departure, the Sports Centre venue at The Space hosted an exciting boxing match demonstration and opened its doors for the guests to enjoy golf, tennis, billiards and an F1 simulator, allowing fun and excitement in a never-ending loop.

Adamas Motors is delighted to debut the annual Lotus Car Parade UAE 2022!

Behind the metropolitan city of Dubai, a vibrant convoy of 40 finely crafted Lotus’ fleet radiated the Dubai to Jebel Jais route with adventure and adrenaline on a sunny January afternoon. The customers were served lunch at the 1484 by PURO, which is the highest restaurant in the U.A.E. 1484 meters above sea level.

Lotus has revealed its best annual global retail sales performance since 2011. The outstanding figures prove worldwide excitement about the brand’s transformation is translating into customers buying cars.

Retailers sold 1,710 new cars in 2021, the year the iconic Elise, Exige and Evora ended production. That compares with 1,378 sales in 2020, an increase of 24%. The Elise was the global top-seller as fans sought to secure a piece of automotive history via the highly specced Sport 240 Final Edition and the Cup 250 Final Edition models.

Sales performance was impressive across the globe. In Europe, the UK was up 29%, with Belgium the star performer up 37%. North American retailers covering USA and Canada were up 111% year-on-year, which was also their best performance in 10 years.

Records were broken in the Asia-Pacific region, where Japan had its best year since 2015, Australia since 2018 and Hong Kong since 2014. Qatar, which has been selling Lotus since 2016, had its best year ever. Further evidence of the ongoing transformation of the business came in Bahrain, Thailand and New Zealand, where Lotus sold its first new cars for at least seven years.

Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Sales and Aftersales, Lotus, commented: “Our global retailers have risen to the challenge of giving the Elise, Exige and Evora the send-off they deserved. It means we’re in great shape for 2022 to focus on the all-new Lotus Emira, our last petrol-powered sports car and the best of breed.”

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, added: “In difficult circumstances our retailers have delivered what was asked of them and more. It’s testament to their hard work, and that of our manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution teams around the world. A huge thank you to everyone involved – what a way to move into the era of Emira.”

The top 10 Lotus markets globally were:

Position	Market
1	USA
2	Japan
3	UK
4	Germany
5	France
6	Italy
7	Australia
8	Belgium
9	Switzerland
10	China

Today, Lotus commemorates the last of the Elise, Exige and Evora sports cars.

The trio were photographed on site with many of the Lotus team who contributed to the design, engineering, assembly and sales of the cars.

Between these three model lines and over the course of 26 years, a total of 51,738 cars will have come off the production line. Combined, they represent almost half of the total production of Lotus in its 73-year history. In addition, 9,715 sports cars were built for Lotus’ third-party clients, including GM and Tesla.

From 1996 to 2000, the first-generation Elise and Exige sports cars were built in a small assembly hall at Hethel alongside the Lotus Esprit. The current assembly lines, which were installed in 2000, will be dismantled and replaced with all-new state-of-the-art facilities in support of the all-new Emira factory. Full Emira production begins in the spring, after the prototype and test phases currently underway are completed, taking Lotus sports car production into an exciting, high-tech and semi-automated era, and increasing capacity up to 5,000 units per year on a single shift pattern.

The last examples of the Elise, Exige and Evora models are reserved for Lotus’ growing heritage collection.

Joining the collection will be the last Elise, a Sport 240 Final Edition finished in Yellow and the last of 35,124 cars; the last Exige, a Cup 430 Final Edition in Heritage Racing Green – number 10,497; and the last Evora – a GT430 Sport finished in Dark Metallic Grey – the last of a production run of 6,117.

The Elise and Exige sports cars are built around the Lotus ‘small car platform’. On the same platform, and also manufactured by Lotus at Hethel were the Opel Speedster / Vauxhall VX220 (7,200 cars built between 2000 and 2005) and the Tesla Roadster (2,515 cars built between 2007 and 2012). Therefore, including the Lotus 340R, Europa, 2-Eleven and 3-Eleven cars, this brings the total Lotus small car platform production volumes to 56,618 cars.

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, said: “First of all, I would like to thank the Lotus team who have worked on the Elise, Exige and Evora over the years and who are now transferring to Emira and Evija manufacturing. I would also like to convey enormous gratitude to all the customers of the Elise, Exige and Evora over the last 26 years for their passion, enthusiasm and support. These customers have given our ‘three Es’ true cult status – usually reserved for long-out-of-production classics. As we say farewell to the last few cars, we look forward to the Emira and Evija in the all-new factories at Hethel and sub-assembly facilities in Norwich, which introduce greater efficiencies and automation, higher quality and flexibility and the hugely exciting next chapter in our Vision80 strategy.”

Russell Carr, Design Director, Lotus Cars, added: “These iconic cars have not only played a huge role in Lotus’ 73-year history but have also been ever-present in my daily life. Together with the Lotus design team, I have lived and breathed these cars for over 26 years. We will miss them, but a bit like Christmas, once it’s over, the excitement for the next one starts to build – and that’s what’s happening now at Lotus with the Evija, Emira and forthcoming Type 132. 2022 is going to be a great year as a new Lotus generation swings into action.”

Gavan Kershaw, Director of Vehicle Attributes, said: “The Elise, particularly, has been a huge part of my life. It was conceived when I had just finished my apprenticeship and I was working  in the vehicle workshops helping to build early prototypes. The Exige will always remain close to me, as the development programme was the first that I worked on as an engineer and I also won the British GT3 championship in a race version. The Evora is also hugely important as it showed that you can have high performance and award-winning handling without sacrificing the longer-journey GT ability. I have first-hand experience of this as I won the British GT4 championships in one and I will never forget leading the technical programme for our Evora Le Mans campaign where we achieved a podium.”

Richard Rackham, Head of Vehicle Concepts, who was vehicle architect on the Lotus Elise and part of the team that pioneered extruded and bonded aluminium technology in the automotive industry, said: “The impact of these three cars has been spectacular over the years, technically, structurally and dynamically. But all technologies and innovations move on and, if you had asked me of my proudest moment four years ago, I would have, without hesitation, said the Elise chassis. However, this has been usurped by our new Project LEVA architecture for our new range of electric sports cars, starting with the Type 135 in a few years’ time. This is now the zenith of Lotus architectures as it has moved the technology game so much further. There is a lot to look forward to.”

The elder of the ‘3Es’ trio, the Elise, has been part of the automotive landscape for more than 25 years. Click here for 25 examples of the huge impact and lasting legacy of this amazing little two-seater.

Next out of the Lotus stable is the Emira, the critically acclaimed new mid-engineered sports car from Lotus. Launched last July at Hethel and on a world tour ever since, it’s the last petrol-powered car from Lotus. Joining the first electric Lotus – the Evija hypercar and the most powerful production car in the world – will be the all-electric Type 132, Lotus’ first SUV, which will be revealed to the world in the spring.