Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![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 head Mike Kimberley stepping down due to medical issues]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/15/lotus-head-mike-kimberley-stepping-down-due-to-medical-issues/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/15/lotus-head-mike-kimberley-stepping-down-due-to-medical-issues/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/15/lotus-head-mike-kimberley-stepping-down-due-to-medical-issues/#commentsFiled under: ,

Lotus has announced that Mike Kimberley will step down as the company's chief executive on July 17 due to health problems. Kimberly, who will turn 71 this August, has been enduring back problems for some time and has been advised by doctors to retire in order to maintain his long-term health. In an official statement, Kimberley announced:

"Sadly, it is on doctor's orders that I am stepping down but I will leave confident that Lotus is in great shape with a strong management team fully supported by our shareholder in Malaysia,"

In the interim, the Lotus Group's board members will assume control until a replacement for Kimberley is anointed with the bearing oil from a Lotus 25. Official press release after the jump.

Continue reading Lotus head Mike Kimberley stepping down due to medical issues

Lotus head Mike Kimberley stepping down due to medical issues originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lotuslotus groupLotusGroupmike kimberleyMikeKimberleyretiringstepping downSteppingDownWed, 15 Jul 2009 17:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19098783/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/07/15/lotus-head-mike-kimberley-stepping-down-due-to-medical-issues/19098783/article-detail.xml 19098783 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/mike-kimberley-evora-250op_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/mike-kimberley-evora-250op.jpg <![CDATA[Lotus: 3 new cars on the way]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/20/lotus-3-new-cars-on-the-way/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/20/lotus-3-new-cars-on-the-way/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/20/lotus-3-new-cars-on-the-way/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2002 Lotus Esprit

Lotus announced today that it plans to introduce three new cars in the next few years. Right now, the Lotus range consists of the Elise, Exige, and Europa S. As most of you know by now, North America won't see the Europa.

So, what is in store for Lotus?

Obviously, one of the three new cars is going to be the eagerly-awaited new Esprit, whose timetable has been pushed back a bit as Lotus is still working out several details. It will be shown to the public in December 2009.

Calendar year 2008 should be an exciting one for the boys in Hethel, though. May will see the introduction of a new Lotus/Proton high-performance car and in December, the company will pull the wraps off of a new midrange machine. Lotus gives no details as to what markets will receive the new cars, saying only that all three of the upcoming vehicles will be sold through the Lotus dealer network and are intended to broaden the automaker's customer base. Hopefully, that means that one of the non-Esprit cars (in all likelihood, the Lotus/Proton) will be positioned beneath the Elise, creating a low-cost entry-level model.

That's pure speculation, of course -- mixed with a healthy dose of wishful thinking on my part. And even if that does come true, that doesn't mean we'd see it here. Still, a six-car Lotus lineup? A couple of years ago, people would have dismissed such a notion as crazy talk. Things sure do change in a hurry.

(Press release after the jump)

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Lotus: 3 new cars on the way

Lotus: 3 new cars on the way originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Sep 2006 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3 new cars3NewCars5 year plan5YearPlandecember 2008December2008eliseespritesprit december 2009EspritDecember2009europaeuropa sEuropaSeuropsexigelgillotus grouplotus group international limitedlotus mid-rangelotus minrangelotus protonlotus/proton performance carLotus/protonPerformanceCarLotusGroupLotusGroupInternationalLimitedLotusMid-rangeLotusMinrangeLotusProtonmay 2008May2008mid-range lotusMid-rangeLotusmidrange lotusMidrangeLotusmike kimberleyMikeKimberleynew espritnew lotus carsnew lotusesNewEspritNewLotusCarsNewLotusesWed, 20 Sep 2006 17:18:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/672175/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/09/20/lotus-3-new-cars-on-the-way/672175/article-detail.xml 672175 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/09/esprit-2002_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/09/esprit-2002.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 -1 2