Lotus adds U.S. dealers to sell new Elise

[PontiacJ8]

Lotus Cars U.S.A. Inc. will expand its dealer network by 25 percent now that it finally has launched a new model.

The English sports car maker began deliveries of its Elise roadster this month. The two-seater is the first new Lotus in the United States in nearly three decades.

The Elise is priced at $40,780, including destination.

Lotus expects to bring in 1,100 Elises in 2004 and about 2,400 in the fiscal year that starts April 1, 2005, says John English, CEO of the U.S. subsidiary.

Meanwhile, Lotus plans to expand the retail network from 40 dealers to about 50 by the second quarter of next year, English says.

The 40th dealer, Desert European in Palm Desert, Calif., was added last month. English expects to add another dealership in California within two weeks.

"There are some markets where we are conspicuous by our absence," he says. "We are not in a couple of large cities - Indianapolis and Cleveland, just to name two."

The largest dealers are expected to sell 100 to 140 Elises a year, and the smallest about 10 to 12 cars, English says.

The Elise will be the only vehicle sold by Lotus dealers.

Deliveries of the $94,000 Esprit, launched in the United States in 1976, ended about two months ago, English says. Lotus says it has sold about 60 Esprits this year and says it sold about 150 in 2003.

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[jro4566]

That's a pretty sweet car right there! Doesn't it go from 0-60 in 5 seconds?

[banzai79]

Yeah, it's a pretty cool little thing. It's got the same power-weight (roughly) as a Z28 but handles like absolute crazy, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg, well....the MSRP isn't so high but I'm sure the markup is. I heard they're already all sold this year.

[The Oatman]

Makes me think of a glorified go-kart. Might be a good performer and all but that is a lot of money to spend for a car that makes a 911 Porsche or a Corvette seem like very practical alternatives. Definately a hit with its target audience though.

[mbukukanyau]

Originally posted by The Oatman@Jul 29 2004, 10:57 AM
Makes me think of a glorified go-kart. Might be a good performer and all but that is a lot of money to spend for a car that makes a 911 Porsche or a Corvette seem like very practical alternatives. Definately a hit with its target audience though.

Speaking of which, it seems like finally the Vette is going to dethrone the 911 in performance and refinement finally. The C6 is the same size as the new 911, interior quality is at par, options are similar, Performance, we are waiting for the tests, and lastly when the 911 Carerra Turbo, hits the Z06 will be hitting too, and boy will that Carerra be smoke by the Z06.
Carerra with a 7.0 Liter engine, the Z06 will be playing with the mighty Lamborghini Murcielago which was almost floored by C5 Z06 in the last motortrend test.

GM is finally on top. You wonder what will happen at Le Mans with the LS7 in a smaller car.

I was always of the opinion the Cien Should be Built. They now have a V12 Northstar for the 2006 Escalade V series.

Blow that thing and put it in a Cien, and for ever silence the GT 40 V8

[Hudson]

"Silence the GT40 V8?" The car from the 1960s? You're saying that the twenty-first century Cien would compete against a forty year old car?

[WECIV]

I love that car more than any other I have ever seen!!!

[Darc Requiem]

Originally posted by Hudson@Jul 30 2004, 04:24 AM
"Silence the GT40 V8?" The car from the 1960s? You're saying that the twenty-first century Cien would compete against a forty year old car?

Come on you know what he meant. The Ford GT....besides its not his fault that Ford was too cheap to pay the cost to re-obtain the GT40 moniker. The GT is a joke....550hp for a supercharged V8. For 150k, it shouldnt need a supercharger.

Darc Requiem

[paul8488]

ah, what a car. i'll take light and agile over displacement and horsepower any day. i hope lotus brings out an esprit replacement. they don't need to get big and expand into SUV's like porsche... i like to believe i live in a world where cars like the esprit and elise can live forever.