Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Lotus F1 no longer sponsored by Group Lotus, team to keep name]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/09/lotus-f1-no-longer-sponsored-by-group-lotus-team-to-keep-name/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/09/lotus-f1-no-longer-sponsored-by-group-lotus-team-to-keep-name/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/09/lotus-f1-no-longer-sponsored-by-group-lotus-team-to-keep-name/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Lotus F1

Group Lotus will no longer sponsor Lotus F1, according to Autosport.com. The manufacturer pulled its endorsement shortly after parent company Proton announced the sale of Group Lotus to DRB-Hicom. Additionally, Proton won't purchase 50 percent of the race team as previously agreed.

The good news, however, is that Lotus F1 will continue to compete. Team owner Genii Captial has said it believes in the name, and that while it would prefer to not have to fund the team completely by itself, it is prepared to do so. The team has already signed Unilever and Microsoft as sponsors, though there's still room for a title sponsor to step through the door.

If that happens, Lotus F1 will have more cash flow than the team has ever had in the past.

As Autosport.com points out, Gerard Lopez, Genii Capital owner, had previously expressed interest in owning Lotus. Now that the company has a new owner, that seems to be more feasible. Even so, Lopez says he's not certain what the new owners intend to do with the brand.

Lotus F1 no longer sponsored by Group Lotus, team to keep name originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f1formula 1formula onegenii capitalgroup lotuslotus f1protonMon, 09 Apr 2012 08:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20210880/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/09/lotus-f1-no-longer-sponsored-by-group-lotus-team-to-keep-name/20210880/article-detail.xml 20210880 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/lotus-f1-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/lotus-f1-628.jpg <![CDATA[Proton denies sale of Lotus to Genii Capital]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/12/proton-denies-sale-of-lotus-to-genii-capital/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/12/proton-denies-sale-of-lotus-to-genii-capital/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/12/proton-denies-sale-of-lotus-to-genii-capital/#commentsFiled under: ,

Lotus race cars

Keen followers of automotive news - particularly the financial side of things - may recognize the name Genii Capital. A couple of years ago, the Luxembourg-based investment firm began acquiring an increasingly large stake in the Renault F1 team. Then, in 2010, the company partnered with F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone in a bid to buy Saab. The latter offer was ultimately rejected, but Genii was evidently not deterred.

While it is expected that Lotus, which currently sponsors the majority Genii-owned Renault team, could acquire a significant stake in the team, the latest reports suggest things could go the other way entirely. Word on the street is that Genii Capital is looking to buy a portion of Group Lotus, but whether that would be a majority stake or a smaller percentage remains to be seen.

The company is currently owned by Malaysian state automaker Proton, which lacks the financial resources to realize the grandiose plans that Lotus is trying to implement. Speaking with Autocar magazine, Dany Bahar - the company's ambitious chief executive - neither confirmed nor denied the rumors, saying only that the relationship between his company and Genii Capital is destined to grow closer. This morning, however, Proton officially denied the rumored sale in a stock exchange filing.

Proton denies sale of Lotus to Genii Capital originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>geniigenii capitalgroup lotuslotusWed, 12 Oct 2011 18:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20078616/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/10/12/proton-denies-sale-of-lotus-to-genii-capital/20078616/article-detail.xml 20078616 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/02-lotus-2011-livery-geneva_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/02-lotus-2011-livery-geneva.jpg <![CDATA[Gordon Murray signs on to advise Lotus]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/30/gordon-murray-signs-on-to-advise-lotus/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/30/gordon-murray-signs-on-to-advise-lotus/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/30/gordon-murray-signs-on-to-advise-lotus/#commentsFiled under: ,

Gordon Murray

More than anything else, Lotus has (historically at least) been about two things: it's serious about lightweight construction (following its founder Colin Chapman's ethos of "adding lightness") and it's quintessentially British. And you could say the same about Gordon Murray.

The celebrated designer and engineer behind countless Formula One race cars, the McLaren F1 supercar and, most recently, the T.25/T.27 city car project is now joining forces with Lotus. In an advisory capacity, anyway.

Lotus has announced Murray as the latest addition to its Advisory Council, a board that already includes such names as Bob Lutz, former BMW NA chief Tom Purves, former BMW designer Burkhard Göschel and Volkswagen engineer Frank Tuch.

The appointment shouldn't interfere with Murray's independent design outfit, but brings him full circle to when he first started out in F1 and hoped, above all, to join the Lotus team before being hired by Bernie Ecclestone to work at Brabham instead. Official announcement after the jump.

Continue reading Gordon Murray signs on to advise Lotus

Gordon Murray signs on to advise Lotus originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gordon murraygroup lotuslotusmurrayTue, 30 Aug 2011 16:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20030275/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/08/30/gordon-murray-signs-on-to-advise-lotus/20030275/article-detail.xml 20030275 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/gordon-murray_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/gordon-murray.jpg <![CDATA[Lotus vs Lotus legal battle ends in a draw]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/01/lotus-vs-lotus-legal-battle-ends-in-a-draw/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/01/lotus-vs-lotus-legal-battle-ends-in-a-draw/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/01/lotus-vs-lotus-legal-battle-ends-in-a-draw/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Lotus and Lotus on track

Say what you will about the state of Formula 1 racing today, but at least when the day is done, there's a winner and there are losers. The drawn-out legal battle between Group Lotus and Team Lotus, however, has come to a rather anticlimactic resolution.

As you may recall, Group Lotus (that is, the car manufacturer and engineering consultancy) licensed its name to a Malaysian racing team a couple of years ago. That team then turned around and independently acquired the name Team Lotus from a third party. Group Lotus cried bloody murder and terminated its agreement with the team, who in turn did not relent. Then Group Lotus entered into a partnership with the Renault team (which also powers the Team Lotus cars), resulting in two teams carrying the name Lotus-Renault and a whole lot of confusion.

Unable to resolve the issue, the two outfits went to court, and having heard both sides, the judge has rendered his verdict. Of sorts. Justice Peter Smith found both parties in the right, and declared, essentially, that while the name Lotus belongs rightfully to the automaker, the name Team Lotus - deemed to have been separately cultivated, and neglected for years by the automaker - rightfully belongs to the Malaysian racing team, which acquired the name. The judge also ruled that Team Lotus had breached certain terms of its contract with Group Lotus, and awarded the latter damages to be paid by the former.

At the end of the day, Team Lotus has the legal right to continue using its name, while Group Lotus has the right - both within F1 and without - to the name Lotus by itself. Which hardly makes the matter any more clear, though the automaker is expected to appeal the decision. Follow the jump for statements from both parties.

Continue reading Lotus vs Lotus legal battle ends in a draw

Lotus vs Lotus legal battle ends in a draw originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f1formula 1formula onegroup lotuslawsuitlotuslotus racinglotus-renaultnaming rightsteam lotusWed, 01 Jun 2011 08:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19953354/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/06/01/lotus-vs-lotus-legal-battle-ends-in-a-draw/19953354/article-detail.xml 19953354 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/56046773514b9814bea4b_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/56046773514b9814bea4b.jpg <![CDATA[Lotus F1 naming dispute heading to court early with new livery, staff]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/20/lotus-f1-naming-dispute-heading-to-court-early-with-new-livery/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/20/lotus-f1-naming-dispute-heading-to-court-early-with-new-livery/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/20/lotus-f1-naming-dispute-heading-to-court-early-with-new-livery/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Lotus Renault GP 2011 livery
Lotus Renault GP 2011 livery - Click above for high-res image gallery

Group Lotus and Team Lotus weren't expected to get their day in court until the summer, but the two outfits are reportedly heading to trial next week to seek a resolution of the naming rights dispute that has emerged between them. The earlier court proceedings in London will reportedly seek a summary judgment, a sort of preemptive ruling that could obviate the need for a drawn-out legal battle between the two parties.

For those unfamiliar, Group Lotus parent company Proton had licensed the name Lotus to an independent F1 team that joined the field last year. The two entities then had a difference of opinion on continuing the contract for a second season, after which Group Lotus (maker of the cars we know and love) bought out the Renault F1 team to form Lotus Renault GP. The independent Malaysian team, meanwhile, is also contracted to run Renault engines next season, leaving the two teams with nearly identical names in every respect.

The two outfits were also set to run similar black-and-gold liveries this season, but the independent Team Lotus opted to stick with the existing green-and-yellow livery as Lotus Renault GP unveiled the retro black-and-gold scheme at the Autosport International show in Birmigham (images from which we've put into the gallery below for your viewing pleasure). The team could, however, run afoul of anti-tobacco legislation (in Canada of all places, where the law's implementation was originally delayed in order to keep their grand prix) since the livery is a throwback to when tobacco brand JPS sponsored the outfit in its heyday.

In a related development, the Lotus Renault GP team is reportedly preparing to hire a large number of Malaysian employees as well, including Fairuz Fauzy. The Malaysian driver - winner of races in A1GP, GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5 - served as a test driver last season for Lotus Racing (aka Team Lotus) but recently quit the team with no explanation, and will now be acting as Lotus Renault GP's official test and reserve driver alongside Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov.

Finally, Lotus has also announced the recruitment of former F1 driver Jean Alesi, who will serve as an ambassador for the Exos/Type 125 program and the latest in a long line of former Ferrari employees who have followed CEO Dany Behar (a former Ferrari vice-president himself) to Lotus. Got all that? Now check out the fresh batch of images in the gallery below.


Gallery: Lotus Renault GP 2011 livery


[Sources: Autosport, Lotus]

Lotus F1 naming dispute heading to court early with new livery, staff originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alesifairuz fauzygroup lotusjean alesilotuslotus racinglotus renault gpprotonrenaultteam lotusThu, 20 Jan 2011 08:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19805069/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/01/20/lotus-f1-naming-dispute-heading-to-court-early-with-new-livery/19805069/article-detail.xml 19805069 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/web630-20101216140926.210.132_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/web630-20101216140926.210.132.jpg <![CDATA[Lotus versus Lotus: Chapman's son picks a side]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/lotus-versus-lotus-chapmans-son-picks-a-side/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/lotus-versus-lotus-chapmans-son-picks-a-side/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/28/lotus-versus-lotus-chapmans-son-picks-a-side/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Lotus GP
Lotus Renault F1 - Click above for high-res image gallery

We can quit wondering where the Chapman family stands on the whole Lotus F1 debacle. Colin Chapman's son, Clive, has announced that he and the rest of his clan are firmly behind Group Lotus, which has just announced a merger with Renault F1. The two will campaign under the Lotus Renault GP Team next season. In a statement, Clive Chapman said that Group Lotus is the true successor of the racing team that Colin and Hazel Chapman created way back when. That sound? That's Team Lotus quietly sobbing in the corner.

Team Lotus has laid claim to the rights to the Lotus racing name thanks to a deal with David Hunt. Hunt held the rights to the moniker and sold them to the race team that competed in the 2010 F1 season, so there's a bit of a dustup over who exactly should be able to compete under the Lotus flag. While there appears to be no resolution on the horizon any time soon, at least we know where the Chapmans themselves stand.

[Source: Inside Line]

Lotus versus Lotus: Chapman's son picks a side originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Clive ChapmanGroup LotusLotusLotus F1Team LotusTue, 28 Dec 2010 15:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19779169/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/12/28/lotus-versus-lotus-chapmans-son-picks-a-side/19779169/article-detail.xml 19779169 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/12/lotus-renaultgp-630op_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/12/lotus-renaultgp-630op.jpg <![CDATA[Report: Bob Lutz gives Lotus a 60% chance of success]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/15/report-bob-lutz-gives-lotus-a-60-chance-of-success/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/15/report-bob-lutz-gives-lotus-a-60-chance-of-success/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/15/report-bob-lutz-gives-lotus-a-60-chance-of-success/#commentsFiled under:

Bob Lutz in front of reporters

If anyone knows about turning things around, it's Bob Lutz. After all, he was a naval aviator, and those guys can pull some serious G forces. He's also widely credited with keeping Chrysler alive for longer than it might have been otherwise. But what's he up to these days?

Well for one thing he's sitting on the senior advisory board for Lotus, giving Dany Bahar and company some guidance as they endeavor to usher the House that Colin Built into a new era. And an ambitious endeavor it is, rolling out five new models all at once while expanding its motorsports program tenfold and then some.

So what does Lutz think of Lotus' chances? Well he's optimistic, but cautiously so. Lutz reportedly gives the prospects at least a 60 percent chance to succeed, but importantly, he thinks it's more viable than the company's current path. According to Lutz, "It's a risk. But I'm quite certain it stands a better chance than the Lotus status quo, which for sure would eventually lead this great brand into terminal decline."

In other words, while there are no guarantees, it's a good plan - not a perfect one - and it'll take some good ol' fashion elbow grease to make it work - something Lutz knows all about.

[Source: Autocar | Image: Stan Honda/AFP]

Report: Bob Lutz gives Lotus a 60% chance of success originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bob lutzgroup lotuslotuslotus carsrobert lutzWed, 15 Dec 2010 13:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19760483/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/12/15/report-bob-lutz-gives-lotus-a-60-chance-of-success/19760483/article-detail.xml 19760483 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/12/was2997002_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/12/was2997002.jpg <![CDATA[Lotus Cars and Lotus F1 embroiled in naming rights dispute]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/28/lotus-cars-and-lotus-f1-embroiled-in-naming-rights-dispute/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/28/lotus-cars-and-lotus-f1-embroiled-in-naming-rights-dispute/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/28/lotus-cars-and-lotus-f1-embroiled-in-naming-rights-dispute/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Stick with us here, because this is going to get a little complicated. We have on the one hand Lotus Cars and Group Lotus. On the other we have the current Lotus F1 team. The former - producers of such sportscars as the Elise and the new Elite - is owned by Malaysian state automaker Proton. The former is also Malaysian-owned, but by businessman Tony Fernandes (pictured above, owner also of Air Asia), and uses the name Lotus under license from Proton.

Still with us? Hold on. We recently reported that the F1 team that currently runs as Lotus Racing was switching its name to Team Lotus. That name, which was used on the famous grand prix team of yore, was claimed by one David Hunt (brother of the late world champion James Hunt), who acquired many of the assets of the old team. Fernandes wanted to bridge that gap, and acquired those rights from Hunt. Thing is, Group Lotus (the automaker and engineering firm, not the F1 team) disputed Hunt's claim on the name in the first place.

As a result, Proton has now terminated its licensing agreement with Fernandes, demanding that his outfit cease using the Lotus name - in any permutation, be it Lotus Racing, Team Lotus or any derivation thereof. Fernandes, girded by his rights acquisition, isn't likely to back down, and we're smelling a messy legal battle ensuing. So keep your eyes peeled on this space, and follow the jump for official statements from both outfits.

[Source: Lotus | Image: SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading Lotus Cars and Lotus F1 embroiled in naming rights dispute

Lotus Cars and Lotus F1 embroiled in naming rights dispute originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>david huntfernandesgroup lotushuntlotuslotus carslotus f1lotus grouplotus racingmalaysiateam lotustony fernandesTue, 28 Sep 2010 18:40:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19651386/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/09/28/lotus-cars-and-lotus-f1-embroiled-in-naming-rights-dispute/19651386/article-detail.xml 19651386 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/hkg3358590_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/hkg3358590.jpg <![CDATA[Lotus gets animated with its Omnivore engine technology]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/22/lotus-gets-animated-with-its-omnivore-engine-technology/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/22/lotus-gets-animated-with-its-omnivore-engine-technology/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/22/lotus-gets-animated-with-its-omnivore-engine-technology/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Omnivore [(om-nuh-vawr)]: An animal whose normal diet includes both plants and animals. Human beings and bears, for instance, are omnivores.

So says Dictionary.com, at least. Ask the engineering boffins from Lotus, though, and they'll tell you than an Omnivore is an engine that can operate on just about any combination of gasoline or alcohol at equally optimum efficiency and power. An impressive feat, to say the least. But how does it all work?

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. So far, we've used nearly a hundred of 'em and we haven't even touched the surface on how Lotus' Omnivore engine works. That said, we highly suggest you take a gander at the firm's very own Flash animation of the process, which allows you to make all sorts of cool adjustments to see how it impacts the operation of the powerplant. Cool stuff. Thanks for the tip, Chris!

[Source: Group Lotus]

Lotus gets animated with its Omnivore engine technology originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>group lotusGroupLotuslotuslotus omnivorelotus omnivore research engineLotusOmnivoreLotusOmnivoreResearchEngineomnivoreomnivore engineOmnivoreEngineFri, 22 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19327661/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/01/22/lotus-gets-animated-with-its-omnivore-engine-technology/19327661/article-detail.xml 19327661 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/lotus-omnivore_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/lotus-omnivore.jpg <![CDATA[Done deal! Lotus will build the Tesla Roadster in Hethel]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/29/done-deal-lotus-will-build-the-tesla-roadster-in-hethel/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/29/done-deal-lotus-will-build-the-tesla-roadster-in-hethel/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/29/done-deal-lotus-will-build-the-tesla-roadster-in-hethel/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

tesla Roadster

Well, we knew that Lotus personnel had been working with the folks from Tesla Motors on their sexy electric roadster, and today we received a bit of interesting related news. According to a report on EDP24.com (the Norfolk Eastern Daily Press website), Group Lotus' involvement with the Tesla Roadster project is now very much official: the Roadster will be built by Lotus at its Hethel facility.

The move is part of Lotus honcho Mike Kimberley's ongoing plan to increase the company's involvement in outside design and engineering projects. It comes on the heels of Lotus' new deal with Nanjng Automotive to aid in the development of new MG vehicles.

We'll bring you more info on the Tesla/Lotus deal when the companies issue formal announcements in the coming days.

[Source: EDP24]

Done deal! Lotus will build the Tesla Roadster in Hethel originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 29 Jul 2006 22:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>group lotusGroupLotushethellotuslotus carslotus groupLotusCarsLotusGroupteslatesla motorstesla roadsterTeslaMotorsTeslaRoadsterSat, 29 Jul 2006 22:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/648414/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/07/29/done-deal-lotus-will-build-the-tesla-roadster-in-hethel/648414/article-detail.xml 648414 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/07/tesla_profile_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/07/tesla_profile.jpg <![CDATA[Lotus CEO leaves company unexpectedly]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/12/lotus-ceo-leaves-company-unexpectedly/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/12/lotus-ceo-leaves-company-unexpectedly/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/12/lotus-ceo-leaves-company-unexpectedly/#commentsFiled under: ,

Kim Ogaard-Nielsen is now the former Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus Plc, with Lotus veteran Mike Kimberley (right) named as Acting CEO, effective Thursday.

The move comes as a surprise, as Ogaard-Nielsen had only joined the company in November 2004. In standard press release doublespeak, Ogaard-Nielsen is said to be leaving the company "to pursue his other entrepreneurial interests." Kimberley is a 22-year associate of Lotus, going back to the Colin Chapman days, and is credited with reviving the company after Chapman's death in 1982. He has previously served Lotus as CEO from 1983 to 1991, and latterly as a member of the Board of Directors.

No candidates have been named to replace Ogaard-Nielsen long-term.

[Source: Group Lotus]

Lotus CEO leaves company unexpectedly originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 May 2006 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>group lotuskim ogaard-nielsenkimberley lotusKimberleyLotuslotus ceomike kimberleyFri, 12 May 2006 17:06:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/617752/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/05/12/lotus-ceo-leaves-company-unexpectedly/617752/article-detail.xml 617752 http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/05/lotusMichael_J_Kimberley_72Dpi_thumbnail.jpg http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/05/lotusMichael_J_Kimberley_72Dpi.jpg <![CDATA[Lotus looking to contract manufacturing]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/21/lotus-looking-to-contract-manufacturing/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/21/lotus-looking-to-contract-manufacturing/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/03/21/lotus-looking-to-contract-manufacturing/#commentsFiled under: ,

Recent developments at Lotus Cars strongly suggest that the legendary British sports car company is setting up to build cars for other automakers.

Lotus builds about 5,000 cars per year, with its new supercar due to be added to the total soon. But Autocar reports that Lotus has the capacity to handle up to 8,000 cars a year.

Lotus says that it has two opportunities for contract manufacturing on the table at the moment, one of which could be VW's GX-3 trike, which debuted as a "we may build it if the market's there" concept car at the L.A. Auto Show in January. The GX-3 prototype was recently seen testing at Lotus' test track.

Lotus has been positioning itself as a potential contractor to bigger car companies for some time, developing a contract engineering business, and more recently unveiling its APX concept car to demonstrate its product development and manufacturing capabilities.

Lotus looking to contract manufacturing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Mar 2006 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>group lotuslotusTue, 21 Mar 2006 19:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/601420/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/03/21/lotus-looking-to-contract-manufacturing/601420/article-detail.xml 601420 http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/03/lotuslogo_thumbnail.jpg http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/03/lotuslogo.jpg -1 2