Lotus eyeing Indy car series, GT and Le Mans
Lotus’ newly appointed CEO Dany Bahar who used to serve for Ferrari revealed that he plans to bring Lotus back into the high-octane world of motorsport. “Lotus will return to motorsport. I believe that this is the perfect platform to showcase our capabilities; racing is part of our heritage and even today the technology in our road cars is derived from racing,” he said when addressing his staff for the first time.
The new boss of the Proton-owned company announced that the group is studying options of participating in Indy car series, GT as well as Le Mans. He also mentioned that the Group Lotus has no direct equity in the Lotus F1 project. Operationally, Lotus F1 will be run separately from Group Lotus and the two parties will liaise. At the moment, Proton is finalising the brand licensing of Lotus for the Lotus F1 team
Bahar also revealed that detailed plans for a product line-up along with plans for the next seven years will be released sometime in December. “Our future lies in aligning ourselves to what the market wants, rather than what we think the market wants; we must concentrate on our customers,” he added.
October 20, 2009 @ 7:58 pm
Yes man….Papa is back
October 20, 2009 @ 8:26 pm
WHATEVER LA…. I just want an affordable sports car.
October 20, 2009 @ 8:27 pm
He also mentioned that the Group Lotus has no direct equity in the Lotus F1 project. Operationally, Lotus F1 will be run separately from Group Lotus and the two parties will liaise. At the moment, Proton is finalising the brand licensing of Lotus for the Lotus F1 team
Does that mean that their name is just merely advertisement… So if anything happend to the F1 team is not Lotus problem as they just sponser… Maybe knew their chances of winning is low and dont want to be drag down?
October 20, 2009 @ 8:53 pm
Proton is cleverly using the ‘Lotus’ powerful brand name to enter F1.
How about Proton rebadge Lotus ‘Evora’ (not Exora ok) and
sell it at lower price to Malaysians. just like what the Perodua and Naza
currently doing to Daihatsu and Peugeout Cars.
Then Malaysians will really ’sayang’ and ‘love’ Proton =)
Another thing, how about Dany Bahar or Jean Todt managing Proton…
LOL…
October 20, 2009 @ 9:12 pm
Little fire,
Having discussed about this topic again and again, i’m really shocked you came out with such observation..I knew you hate proton so much, but sure you can comment better than this..
October 20, 2009 @ 9:14 pm
CocoBear, u’re such a typical Malaysian. if that’s what u want, Lotus can forget of being on par with Maseratti in near future.
October 20, 2009 @ 9:21 pm
Agreed with henry… We should raise our standard. By the way, is that its spoiler? Or should I call it GT wings?
October 20, 2009 @ 9:35 pm
What’s Indy car series?? Heard it so often but totally no clue what it is
October 20, 2009 @ 9:48 pm
Le Mans — ooohh.. i’m salivating at the prospects!
October 20, 2009 @ 10:00 pm
@ K S…
Indy car somewhat similar to F1 but raced in a oval tracks for
certain laps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indy_Racing_League
October 20, 2009 @ 10:09 pm
makan makan,
I am not commenting negatively about Proton. The sentence above already shown and we all knew it. I am kinda weired if they knew the chances of winning is low, why still want to go ahead? Is that what we call white elephant project?
Is like father asking the son to sponsor it, while the son force to do it…
From my POV, i think they should take these money and invest in something better such like R&D or start from Rally, which the satria neo 2000 is a good start. A lot of those big manufacturer quit F1, and do you think it is profitable to run?
With all these billions, i think i can even bought over some even better manufacturer or invest a new brand in China… Just my idea, but anyhow in Malaysia anything are connected with politics.. Yup, where is the NEP?!? Delayed until when?!? Say last month, now this month, then postponed until 2010 budjet again?
October 20, 2009 @ 10:12 pm
See? If they had this bit of news rolling out as part of the F1 plan, peeps would accept it much more easier. It boils down to what the brand can do. Its where Lotus belong. We’ll get the English rooting for us sooner or later. Why? Vauxhall’s out of the BTCC. The french leads WRC (they don’t like beaten by of all things; a Citroen). Germans gunning the LMPs. Brawn and Button on top of F1 but they can’t stand Mosley.
Lotus had an Exige GT3. It had a single seater right in the middle. Fans have been crying to get Lotus back on track (pardon the pun). The Evora’s the right platform to do it in.
Indy car is single seater racing championship in the US. Yep they look like F1(ish). I hope they mean the REAL Le Mans Championship and not the American ones.
October 20, 2009 @ 10:15 pm
NAP dude. Take one, you need it. Why would ANYONE roll out the NAP before the Budget? Does not make sense.
October 20, 2009 @ 10:21 pm
FAReast said,
October 20, 2009 @ 8:53 pm
—
lol!.. so you think naza can rebadge ferrari for cheaper in malaysia? hahaha
what a rubbish statement. non such sportcar rebadge in this world.
Toyota supra for perodua supra? RM 80K? lollmaoltflxwyz
+++
Littlefire said,
October 20, 2009 @ 10:09 pm
—
I think this round is vice versa.
Toyota also reduce scaling for the time being.
‘Dollar is still unstable’ that also causing them big loss.
for the time being it’s ok to kept NAP.
not only to protect proton, but also others related industri.
Economically yes, but in politicly it’s look wrong doing.
So choose one.
October 20, 2009 @ 10:34 pm
FAREast, if proton did what you said, it will bankrupt abruptly…
how can you pay jean todt? with leaves of palm tree?
Proton’s Evora? who want to buy? ppl will say it will break down and lose value very fast because it’s proton…
think before posting, would you?
October 20, 2009 @ 11:15 pm
Everything i do… i do it for U…. My Lotus! Muacksss!!!!
October 21, 2009 @ 12:10 am
WTF! Having Lotus should benefit Malaysians, if not WTF!
IF the Govt just waive off the tax for Lotus cars, it will become affordable to many of us. Everybody is a winner, Proton, the Govt & us, the public!
Buying an already loss-making Lotus without any revolutionary marketing plans for it is wasting more of OUR money!
October 21, 2009 @ 12:30 am
“Buying an already loss-making Lotus without any revolutionary marketing plans for it is wasting more of OUR money!”
lotus is in the black currently, and i seriously doubt if any of your money actually went into the company or mine..
and FAReast, you should read the news more often or something.. coz you’ll then know that its not proton entering f1 at all…
October 21, 2009 @ 12:41 am
I don’t understand the comment ‘buying an already loss-making Lotus..’ Has the Lotus Group been consistently in the read under Proton. I know they are very active in their engineering consultancy services in addition to making Lotus cars.
On Paul’s story, I think it’s exciting for Lotus to have a go at Indycar, GT and Le Mans. I think it’s possible for them to do it in sort of a works team so that it does not drain out Lotus/Proton’s already thin financial resources.
I know the story states they’re evaluating all 3 types of racing which means they’re not going to do all or even any of them if not viable but I;m curious that Indycar is mentioned. Lotus has always eyed the American market but the economy is bad over there and when it comes to indycars, car manufacturers usually come in as an engine supplier to the series. Chassis is also built by suppliers to the series so neither the engine or chassis would actually be built by Lotus. Lotus don’t even build carbon race tubs these days.
I think Indycar is the least viable. GT and Le Mans are good. GT is easist and Le Mans if they are really serious as they should aim to race in LMP class. A Lotus LMP category would work in tandem with the technologies required for Lotus F1 so its a good way to build infrastructure to technically support the F1 programme and get malaysians involved in it. F1 tech right now is just way too far from whatever we have in Malaysia. F1 is not a finishing school and so time will be needed to get malaysian skill sets up to speed to F1
October 21, 2009 @ 7:42 am
FAReast said,
October 20, 2009 @ 8:53 pm
Proton is cleverly using the ‘Lotus’ powerful brand name to enter F1.
How about Proton rebadge Lotus ‘Evora’ (not Exora ok) and
sell it at lower price to Malaysians. just like what the Perodua and Naza
currently doing to Daihatsu and Peugeout Cars.
Then Malaysians will really ’sayang’ and ‘love’ Proton =)
Another thing, how about Dany Bahar or Jean Todt managing Proton…
LOL…
——————–
Proton owning LOTUS… Produa never owning Toyota Daihatsu and Naza too.. aiyah.. wake up bro..
October 21, 2009 @ 7:49 am
Black Dog said,
October 21, 2009 @ 12:10 am
WTF! Having Lotus should benefit Malaysians, if not WTF!
IF the Govt just waive off the tax for Lotus cars, it will become affordable to many of us. Everybody is a winner, Proton, the Govt & us, the public!
Buying an already loss-making Lotus without any revolutionary marketing plans for it is wasting more of OUR money!
—————
Most malaysian who buy Proton product already feel the ‘Handling by LOTUS’ since Satria GTi.. You want LOTUS give u cash money? Politik wang aaaa? Came on la…
Lets Proton shine up the LOTUS brand, Good Job PROTON..
October 21, 2009 @ 7:57 am
This surely will eat PROTON’s overhead.
October 21, 2009 @ 8:58 am
BMW better
October 21, 2009 @ 9:22 am
we are stupid countries maa….weak, poor, stupid again, not creative, stupid once more, no money, crazy, show off, corrupt, proton suck, hail to god honda-toyota-mitsu, u and me suck, tax payer money my money maa………hehe some time bash like other brainless basher in this forum
peace
October 21, 2009 @ 9:24 am
shiok maa..bashing brainlessly..don search info we make one info…hahahahaha
October 21, 2009 @ 9:52 am
Black Dog said,
October 21, 2009 @ 12:10 am
WTF! Having Lotus should benefit Malaysians, if not WTF!
IF the Govt just waive off the tax for Lotus cars, it will become affordable to many of us. Everybody is a winner, Proton, the Govt & us, the public!
Buying an already loss-making Lotus without any revolutionary marketing plans for it is wasting more of OUR money!
————————
Lotus makes sports cars, not affordable cars. Cheapens the brand image if the cars are cheaply done. Besides, you can buy an Elise for 200K. If you can’t afford that, you have no business owning a sports car to begin with…
October 21, 2009 @ 9:53 am
I think GT racing is the most economically viable and same time can build up the brand pedigree/exposure (nowadays). The latest product is already there, the Evora, just a matter of transforming it into race winning machines, that could compete in the FIA GT3 in Europe or even ALMS & GrandAm in the US. Le Mans could be a daunting prospect, but a whole new Lotus sports prototype (closed prototype hopefully) has to be designed, which could take a year or two.
F1 is definitely a huge mountain to climb considering that it’s the pinnacle of motor racing tech that the newly formed Lotus F1 team would have to start from scratch. The last time that we ever saw a truly competitive Lotus F1 team, was way back during the 1980’s Turbo era.
October 21, 2009 @ 11:47 am
indy car is not as technologically advanced as f1. f1 is the bleeding edge of motor racing. indy cars dont even race in the wet. and while there is more overtaking in indy, i rather see a f1 car take eau rouge at spa than an indy car go round 2 an oval 500 times.
October 21, 2009 @ 12:19 pm
Indycar is being considered obviously because it is the American market. Non Americans don’t care about indycars but Americans do and its a very big market.
They should also look at the American Le Mans series but I think like the European Le Mans series, the challenges are quite great. Only F1 is more technologically intense than Le Mans. Big time manufacturers like Audi, Peugeot, Aston Martin are already in it racing technologically advanced cars.
October 21, 2009 @ 2:41 pm
Lotus actually have a history in IndyCar. Back in the 60s, they won the Indy 500 with Jim Clark driving their own car, instead of today’s stock chassis. That’s why they’re considering an Indycar team, although today the IndyCar Championship is certainly much different than in the 60s.
October 22, 2009 @ 6:49 pm
man reading this posts thank god none of you are not in seats of power… lengkup la any company
October 22, 2009 @ 10:29 pm
dear paxter.
they might,,,,
and they might already “lingkup-ed” some companies..
we never know…
.