Dany Bahar has been suspended from his job as head of Group Lotus, a subsidiary of Proton. The temporary suspension is to facilitate an investigation into a complaint about the ex-Ferrari employee’s conduct, according to Proton’s new owner DRB-Hicom.

“Group Lotus plc (“Lotus”) can today confirm that, following an operational review, chief executive Dany Bahar has been temporarily suspended from his role to facilitate an investigation into a complaint about his conduct made by Lotus’ penultimate parent company, DRB-Hicom Berhad,” the Malaysian company said in a statement.

“The penultimate holding company would like to stress it is business as usual at Lotus. We fully support the company and will continue to support Lotus in its business endeavours and development,” a DRB spokesman told Norwich Evening News.

Bahar pictured here with Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin. Is DRB performing a clear out?

The statement from DRB confirms speculation about Bahar’s future that arose after he missed appointments at the ongoing Monaco GP weekend (a Lotus Originals store opening, among others). Word went around that the flamboyant Turkish-Swiss was instead summoned to Malaysia, where he was told about the suspension.

With Bahar out of the frame, for now, DRB-Hicom has appointed internal people Datuk Lukman Ibrahim, Mohd Khalid Yusof and Aslam Farikulla to be in charge of Lotus, assisted by current CFO Rusman Zaihan. No official statement on the alleged misconduct by Bahar, so your guess is as good as ours.

Dany Bahar joined Lotus from Ferrari in late 2009, famously crafting an ambitious five-year plan for the loss-making company. This plan surfaced at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, where Lotus wheeled out five concept cars in a spectacular show. We witnessed that landmark moment – click here to read all about the plan, and the concepts.

Bahar signed a fresh four-year contract with Proton in December last year, just before the national carmaker was sold to DRB-Hicom. His original contract expires this year.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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4. Trading of Proton and DRB-Hicom shares suspended on Bursa, official announcement to come soon
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7. Lotus Cars enters China – Lotus China Symphony appointed as official distributor
8. Dany Bahar: If we couldn’t afford it, we wouldn’t do it
9. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

Meet Lotus Racing’s newest kid, the Evora GTC, essentially a lightened GT4 Enduro with some go-faster bits. The vehicle carries over the GT4 Enduro’s 4.0 litre V6, with 450 hp and 460 Nm of torque, as well as its XTRAC six-speed sequential paddle-shift gearbox, but the car has gone on a diet.

Carbon-fibre doors, roof and engine cover have replaced fiberglass panels, and Plexiglass replaces the windows to trim yet more weight off what is already a very light car. At 1,130 to 1,140kg, depending on specification, the GTC tips the scales at 30 kg lighter than the Enduro.

Bits have been added on for it though – traction control and a Bosch racing ABS system have been added to optimise power delivery and braking control. The car also features wider wheels and tyres to give the car more grip through the curves – the front and rear wheels rise to 18x10Js and 12Js respectively, mated to 27/65-18 tyres at the front and 30/65-18s at the rear.

In order to accommodate the wider wheels, flared arches have been fitted, which give the car a more aggressive silhouette without hampering the aerodynamics. Initial testing has already revealed the GTC to be faster than the previous evolution.

As well as the MSA Endurance Series and Grand-Am GTC (undergoing homologation), the car is eligible for the British GT Championship, VdeV Series, Dutch Supercar, and Creventic Endurance Races such as the Dubai 24 Hours and the 12 Hours of Bathurst.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

Related posts:

1. Lotus F1 ends title sponsorship deal with Group Lotus
2. Lotus Exige S Roadster – soft top for hardcore Lotus
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4. Lotus vs Lotus: it’s all over, with both parties settling the issue amicably – Team Lotus to now race as Caterham F1
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9. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

Remember that gag photo of Dany Bahar from sniffpetrol.com and the subsequent press release from Group Lotus? We covered it. Well, it seems that it could have carried some grain of truth because everything is fine and dandy in Lotus Cars… at least for now.

Autocar UK has recently reported that DRB-Hicom have opened up the cash pipeline and channelled it to Lotus Cars. This allows the Hethel-based company to produce cars at maximum capacity.

The plan is to get the new Esprit, which is the first of the five new-wave models, to roll into showrooms by the end of 2013. It confirms our earlier post, except that the launch might not be in time for spring. The fates of the other proposed models are still in limbo.

The secured cash flow also means that Lotus will continue with the development of its own V8 engine and automated manual transmission. Production of the current Elises, Exiges and Evoras can also resume thanks to the lifeline.

In regards to the recent report by Bloomberg that KPMG was appointed to “reevaluate Lotus with a view to sell” Dany Bahar said that there was “no fire sale, no selling process and no bidding.”

Dany Bahar’s stance has strong backing from DRB-Hicom, as stated in a Bernama report. The same report said that Group Managing Director Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil hired KPMG even before the acquisition of Proton.

Autocar’s report also carried a comment, by Dany Bahar, that a top-ranking Proton employee, the CFO of Proton Group, has joined Lotus’ top management. It is move that the Lotus Cars’ CEO welcomes.

Read the full report by Autocar UK here.

Read Bloomberg’s report here.

Read Bernama’s report here.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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You’ve seen the exterior of the Youngman Lotus T5 SUV, which made its debut in Beijing at Auto China 2012 a few days ago.

The interior was locked up by the time Jonathan was going about his coverage of it, but there was a small window of opportunity that presented itself when I popped over by the display as Datuk Syed Zainal was taking a closer look at the T5.

Apologies if the shots aren’t the snazziest (or for that matter, that plentiful, but it was a quick burst on the cam and then off on the next dash in an attempt to catch as much of the show as possible), as well as for the time lapse in getting them up – it’s only now that I’ve been able to really start sorting out the 1,800 shots I took!

As for the T5, it really does look rather delicious in the metal, and the interior, based on the glimpse, is equally snazzy. Oh, as an aside, based on some of the comments from the Peugeot Urban Crossover Concept post, many will like what’s coming up next week – you can presumably guess what the post will be about!

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

Related posts:

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10. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

There’s no denying that of late, all sorts of rumours have been flying about concerning Lotus the brand, ever since DRB-Hicom’s deal in taking a majority stake in Proton came about. Plenty of uncertainties, for sure.

Aside from the Lotus vs Lotus brouhaha, the most recent turn of events certainly didn’t make things any clearer, or signal a clear intent as to where the marque is heading – last week, it was reported that Lotus F1 had ended its title sponsorship deal with Group Lotus, but will continue using the name in Formula 1.

It’s all getting rather murky, but nothing like an explanation to help clear things, and with that, the brand earlier issued a press release in what it hopes will go a long way in dispelling uncertainties and dismantling half-truths about matters.

It’s rather different from the norm though, the statement; the PR folk at GL have certainly gone about things by adopting a, shall we say, very different slant on things, and like just about everyone else, we’re going to run it for you verbatim; editing a release crafted as such would just remove all of the flavour.

The release even came complete with an image lifted from SniffPetrol, which had parodied Dany Bahar in the guise of Baghdad Bob, otherwise known as Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, the former Iraqi Information Minister. And it’s even on Facebook.

Sheer brilliance, or public relations insanity? Well-crafted humourous take on things, or unmitigated flop at the starting gate? You decide.

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story ….

Take a little look at what we found online. Don’t you think it’s funny? We do. We had a good old giggle. After all, we love a bit of self irony, just as well really. Although it’s funny, this one’s not accurate but then again, why let the facts get in the way of a good story? The inconvenient truth is – surprise, surprise – we have never said that there are no problems at Lotus.

So whilst lots of people obviously feel the need to comment on Lotus’ current situation in the absence of proper facts or evidence, we can’t ignore these particular mistruths any longer even if we would like to, so we have decided to turn a negative into a positive and use this hilarious piece of ‘art’ to set the record straight regarding the status quo at Group Lotus and try to return a little stability to a fast changing situation.

False rumour #1: Dany Bahar is no longer CEO of Group Lotus.

Fact: Rubbish – Dany Bahar still is.

False rumour #2: Datuk Seri Syed (Zainal) is no longer Managing Director of Proton.

Fact: Again rubbish. He still is.

You can thank good old Tony Fernandes for these two. Don’t take everything he tweets too seriously – perhaps he’s still frustrated about owning Caterham instead of Lotus and the fact that he fights HRT and Marussia instead of Mercedes and Ferrari in F1.

And whilst we’re on the subject of jokes – do you know the latest F1 joke? Mike Gascoyne, Caterham Group’s Chief Technical Officer, has gone missing. Why? He’s looking for the 30 to 40 points he predicted for the last F1 season. Funny.

Speaking of F1: It seems that one special so called ‘independent’ source is at the root of the lion’s share of damaging rumours and misleading stories. The delightful Joe Saward which leads us nicely to….

False rumour #3: Joe Saward is JUST an independent journalist.

Fact: He is an active Director for the Caterham Group.

And unlike some, we don’t want to get too personal, so we’ll leave it to you to judge how ‘independent’ his stories about Lotus are.

False rumour #4: Group Lotus is no longer involved in F1.

Fact: Lotus F1 Team and Group Lotus have reshaped their commercial relationship earlier this year. The new governance agreement signifies the continued commitment of Group Lotus to the team and the sport.

Group Lotus’ branding and marketing rights and subsequent activities remain unaffected by the new agreement until at least 2017. Alongside continued branding and title partnership status, Group Lotus is also the exclusive master licensee for all Lotus F1 Team merchandise.

The new agreement was reached following Group Lotus owners Proton providing team owners Genii with a £30m loan which is repayable within three years. In order to secure the loan Genii used 100% of the F1 team’s assets as collateral meaning that under the conditions of the loan agreement Proton have been given full title guarantee to all plant, machinery, show cars, computers, office and the Lotus F1 Team headquarters.

In addition Proton retains the rights to purchase 10% of the F1 team. Another 10% share option will be activated if the team default on their loan obligations with Proton.

Again we leave it to your judgement how ‘bad’ Lotus’ current situation in F1 is. And speaking of bad situations…..

False rumour #5: Group Lotus is going into administration.

Fact: Rubbish. The takeover of our parent company Proton by DRB-Hicom couldn’t have come at a worse time, but up until that point Proton was (and still remains) fully committed to our five year business plan to create jobs and to expand the factory and business. With the takeover process the funding has been restricted and DRB-Hicom is taking time to understand what to do with the business.

DRB-Hicom is currently in the middle of due diligence of Group Lotus and there have been and continue to be positive discussions between Group Lotus senior management and senior management at DRB-Hicom both here in Hethel and in Malaysia. At no point has DRB-Hicom indicated to Group Lotus that it intends to put the company into administration. The over-active rumour mill is seriously damaging our business reputation, image and credibility but it is what it is.

The simple fact is, and we haven’t denied this – Lotus is going through a very difficult phase at the moment but we are showing true fighting spirit every day in trying to keep this vision alive. This is also a fact – no matter what people outside of Lotus may say or tweet or blog.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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9. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

According to a report, the Lotus F1 team has ended its title sponsorship deal with Group Lotus, but will continue the use of the hallowed name in F1.

Autosport reports that the team’s owner, Genii Capital, recently agreed on a deal with the marque to cancel the title sponsorship agreement that was put together two years ago, in addition to annulling an option brand-owner Proton had to buy 50% of the team.

The end to the formal relationship between the two parties comes on the back of uncertainties concerning Group Lotus, following DRB-Hicom’s deal in taking a majority stake in Proton.

Genii Capital’s head honcho, Gerard Lopez, told the publication that there was previously an option from Group Lotus to buy into Lotus F1 but that has now been taken over by Genii. He added that he remains committed to using the Lotus name, even though the sponsorship deal had ended.

“We are happy to carry the Lotus name as we believe it is a good name for F1. We funded the team last year and the year before for whatever delta was missing. We would prefer to have sponsors up to the full amount, but if we have to fund it then we will fund it,” Lopez told Autosport.

“When we changed the name from Lotus Renault to Lotus, it opened up the door for a title sponsor. If we sign a title sponsor now, we will end up with a better cash flow situation than this team ever had before,” he added.

Asked if he would be interested in buying Group Lotus, Lopez, previously linked with a potential takeover of the brand, said the situation still remains unclear on that to him. “We don’t know yet, because we really do not know what the new owner wants to do with it,” he stated.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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Lotus has chosen Mansory as its official bespoke partner or Official Customisation Studio. The German specialist has already worked with Lotus on a range of special editions, and will offer Lotus owners the “ultimate tailoring service”.

At the Paris Motor Show in September this year, Lotus will unveil a new model variant in collaboration with Mansory. Assigned to special projects, Mansory will contribute bodywork, trim and special finishes for the Elise, Exige and Evora.

Since the Evora Concept Bespoke at last year’s Geneva show, Lotus and Mansory have collaborated on several projects – the road-going Evora GTE, the chrome-red Evora GTE by Swizz Beatz and most recently, the raw carbon fibre Lotus F1 Team Evora GTE.

“At Mansory, we have always been passionate about British cars, and the cooperation with Lotus is the perfect partnership as it meets our quality standard of production on the highest technical level combined with masterly craftsmanship and the most precious materials,” said owner Kourosh Mansory.

“As the Official Lotus Customisation Studio, we amplify the existing options with harmonically designed aerodynamics and ultra-light aluminium rims. High-quality accessories and stylish interior fittings complete the Mansory assortment,” Mr Mansory added.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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9. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

Returning ex-champion Kimi Raikkonen was in the thick of the midfield battle last weekend in Australia, eventually scoring some points with seventh place. But the Finn is in a confident mood, and is looking to compete higher up in Sepang this weekend. He’s thinking of the podium!

“The car feels very good. In the race I was stuck in traffic a lot so it didn’t show so much, and who knows what might have happened if we had a better grid slot. There is a lot of speed in the car. As long as qualifying goes well we could be fighting for podiums. There’s much more to come. We’re learning about the car all the time and the last race didn’t really give us a chance to use its full potential. Hopefully Malaysia will be a bit more straightforward,” Kimi said.

“We’ll be trying to improve our performance in Malaysia. We don’t know how the car will behave there but it’s been good everywhere so hopefully it’ll be the same there. You still need a good car [at Sepang] and that looks to be what we have. Hopefully we’ll have a smoother weekend than we did in Australia with no mistakes,” he added.

Kimi’s team mate Romain Grosjean, who started third on the Melbourne grid but crashed out, is similarly pleased with the Lotus E20. “The car was working very well in Australia. There are always small improvements you can make but there’s nothing major I could point to right now. The car is performing very well,” said the Frenchman.

Lotus will be one of three teams with Malaysian links on the grid in Sepang. The others are Tony Fernandes’ Caterham F1 and the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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It looks like the Lotus F1 Team (formerly known as Lotus Renault GP) has a new sponsor – the Formula 1 team has just announced a three-year partnership with Microsoft, effective immediately.

The Microsoft Dynamics branding will be uploaded on the car, the E20, as well as the drivers’ overalls. You can spot the logo starting from the Australian Grand Prix that will be on this weekend – the first race of the season.

What does Microsoft Dynamics bring to the table? Well, the solutions will be implemented in the team’s home base in Enstone to facilitate the team’s business transformation.

The deal is good for three years. Microsoft personnel will work directly with Lotus F1 to optimise operations that will allow the team to open another window of business opportunity.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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9. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

DRB-Hicom Bhd today held an extraordinary general meeting to get shareholders’ approval for its 42.74% stake purchase in national carmaker Proton. It went through, and in the following press conference, Group MD Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil revealed some interesting details.

There has been plenty of speculation on the top jobs at Proton after DRB-Hicom announced its majority stake purchase, and that’s fully expected, since current Proton chairman Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh was DRB’s rival for the stake, leading a so-called “management buyout”.

Khamil told reporters that a new management team for Proton will be revealed in two weeks time “There will be improvements to the management. There can be new faces, I will not discount the fact, and there can be old faces. There is always a blend of old and new for continuity as well as for providing new ideas and talents”.

No names were mentioned, so we’ll have to wait for the announcement. “At the moment, I’ve not put forward to the DRB-Hicom Board of Directors the candidates who will or may helm or assist in helming Proton,” he added.

Management aside, Proton’s Group Lotus subsidiary is another subject of much speculation. Will DRB-Hicom persist with the costly turnaround plan currently in progress? Or will the new owner hive off the loss making division?

“After this, we will be in a position to evaluate the situation in Lotus to take a further step, whether it will remain in the stable or be disposed of,” he said, adding that DRB-Hicom was open on the matter and wanted the best for its new acquisition.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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1. Reports: DRB-Hicom to cut Proton’s costs, review Lotus
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10. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

Here’s something new that Lotus brought to Geneva, the Exige S Roadster. The name explains everything, really, a roadster version of the refreshed Exige S that made its debut at Frankfurt last year. The Exige S is hardcore, and the Roadster is described as “more raw than a Japanese tasting menu”. Hmmm…

It’s the first time an Exige has been offered with a factory-fitted soft top. Why soft-top? Because it’s lightweight and easy to put up and take down. Target weight is under 1,100 kg, making this one of the lightest six-cylinder roadsters on the market by some margin.

The Exige S is powered by a supercharged 3.5 V6 engine with 345 hp and 400 Nm. Reaching 100 km/h from standstill takes just four seconds, while 0-160 km/h is done in 8.5 seconds. Top speed is 233 km/h. Combined fuel economy is 10 litres per 100 km.

The Roadster comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, but will also be available with Lotus’ Serial Precision Shift (SPS), a paddle-operated automated manual transmission. The SPS gearbox is lighter and more compact than a normal torque-converter automatic.

The car comes with two different suspension settings – standard setting for an “active driving experience suited to public roads” and an optional setting as part of the Race Pack for max performance, developed for track use. Launch control can be activated when the car is in Race mode. Inside, the car can be specified with a “comfort enhanced plush interior” or a stripped down style more typical of Lotus.

The Exige S Roadster has been developed for Europe and Asia, and will not be available in North America.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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Lotus, formerly known as Lotus Renault GP, has pulled the wraps off its 2012 Formula 1 challenger. Called E20, it’s named after Enstone, the team’s base in UK. It’s the 20th F1 chassis designed at the Oxfordshire facility. The men charged with driving the black and gold cars are Romain Grosjean and returning champ Kimi Raikkonen.

The target for the duo is fourth in the Constructors’ championship this year, set by team owner Gerard Lopez of Genii Capital. Last year, the Lotus sponsored Renault team started strongly with two podiums in the first two races, but eventually finished a distant fifth, just six points ahead of Force India.

“The hopes are to be able to get one season together and do what we were expecting last year. We hope to have a strong car, and have strong drivers, one of which is of course an ex-world champion. We hope to bring the car up to the front of the pack and probably try to aim for fourth as a reasonable goal for this season,” Lopez said.

On another note, “we’re obviously extremely proud that finally the Lotus name is a clear concept for everybody in Formula 1 now,” the owner added. The former Team Lotus, owned by Tony Fernandes, will race as Caterham this season.

The E20 wears familiar black-gold clothes, but there are new sponsor logos from Rexona and Clear Anti-Dandruff shampoo on the flanks.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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9. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

Reports coming from the UK say that Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar is looking for financial partners to buy over the sportscar maker from Proton. The Sunday Times news piece suggested that Bahar is not looking for any partner, but one with the ability to fund Lotus’ costly five-year turnaround plan, one with £500 million ready to invest.

The report adds that Genii Capital is interested in the loss-making Proton subsidiary. Genii, which already owns the Lotus F1 team, is said to have been eyeing Group Lotus for some time and is “close to completing due diligence”.

If the report is accurate, we have a willing buyer. But is Proton’s new owner, DRB-Hicom, a willing seller? “Options are open. At this particular moment, I’m open to sell or not to sell Lotus,” DRB-Hicom boss Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil was quoted as saying.

Proton, owner since 1996, has already poured in a lot of resources into Group Lotus – should they wait for the fruits of the investment or cut their losses?

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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5. Proton: Group Lotus sale to Genii Capital rumours untrue
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8. Reports: Lotus CityCar confirmed, to be called ‘Ethos’
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10. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

Th Lotus F1 Team, formerly called Lotus Renault GP, has announced that its 2012 challenger will be named E20, a departure from the R tagged chassis names of the Renault team. Officially, the E20 name is to commemorate the 20th F1 chassis designed at the team’s base in Enstone, the team’s HQ since 1992. To be driven by Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean for 2012, the E20 will be unveiled on 5 February on the team’s website.

“Our naming of the chassis to recognise Enstone’s importance to the team’s evolution highlights our recognition of the contribution of the facility and the personnel who work tirelessly every year to produce the very best car possible. We certainly hope that this is the case with the E20 and we are looking forward to revealing the car to the world and seeing it out on track for the first time,” said team boss Eric Boullier.

“There are a number of technical changes from last year and we have an exciting new driver line-up to extract the maximum from the E20 through the twenty Grands Prix of the 2012 season, including the 500th race for this team through its different incarnations. We hope that the E20 proves to be a performing Enstone design,” the Frenchman added.

Meanwhile, returning world champ Kimi Raikkonen is feeling positive after a two-day test at Valencia last week. It was quite a session for the Finn, as he returned to an F1 car’s cockpit for the first time in over two years.

“It went well today and overall the two days have been helped me a lot. Even though I was using a two year-old car and the Pirelli demo tyres, I learnt about working with the team and the engineers which means I can focus on the new car once we get to Jerez for the first official test. It was great to be driving an F1 car again and from that respect I feel very positive,” he said.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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4. Lotus vs Lotus: it’s all over, with both parties settling the issue amicably – Team Lotus to now race as Caterham F1
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9. Reports: Lotus CityCar confirmed, to be called ‘Ethos’
10. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

Now that DRB-Hicom is in control of Proton, what’s in store for the national carmaker? A report by Business Times details the changes that will happen in terms of cost cutting and efficiency, trimming “excess fat” currently carried by Proton. The reporter quoted unnamed “sources close to the deal”.

For starters, no large scale staff retrenchment is expected, although some changes in the top management are predicted to happen. DRB-HICOM wants to turn Proton into a serious regional player within three years, before becoming a global player two years from that point. The conglomerate will also strengthen Proton’s vendor and dealer network, while improving staff skills by leveraging on its International College of Automotive (ICAM) in Pahang.

“There will be zero lay-off as the immediate focus is on the low-hanging fruits at Proton. The group will trim any excess fat in product planning, consultancy contracts and third-party service providers, among others,” their sources said.

An example is the storage of Proton cars at a third-party site in Sijangkang, Selangor. “The group does not think it is necessary to farm out this logistic service as Proton cars can be distributed to dealers and branches efficiently by using a good IT infrastructure. A lot of money can be saved from this,” they added.

When it comes to costs, Lotus is sure to crop up. Now that DRB-Hicom is in control, what is in store for Proton’s sports car subsidiary? The British brand is currently in a cost consuming revamp from niche specialist sports car maker to a Porsche challenging brand, led by CEO Dany Bahar, who is fresh from signing a four-year contract last month.

“If Lotus continues to ride on Proton, it will be cancerous, it will be like a parasite. Hence, it requires a review so that it can stand alone and be successful, perhaps like what Audi is to its parent Volkswagen AG,” BT’s sources said, adding that the review will focus on Lotus’ involvement in motorsports sponsorships, especially in F1.

If this report is accurate, there is sure to be plenty of boardroom battles in Proton, in the near future.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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The word is out that Dany Bahar, CEO of Group Lotus, has signed a fresh four-year contract following a meeting with parent company Proton last week. His original contract was due to expire next year. “The Proton dedication to our plans has always been solid, and the decision to extend my contract a year early is a signal of that commitment,” Bahar said.

The ex-Ferrari man came into Lotus back in October 2009. He then formulated an ambitious five-year business plan that was unveiled for the world to see at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. At the French capital, Lotus brought out a full range of sports cars that it will use to challenge the likes of Porsche. Besides the fantastic five, which ranged from the next Elise to a Aston Rapide style four-door, Lotus also has plans for a small city car called Ethos.

Of the lot, the first on the scene will be the new Esprit in 2013. Lotus is also planning to develop its own V6 and V8 engines for its future range.

To support the road car grand plans, Group Lotus is putting motorsports and racing heritage as a main pillar. This has seen it got into Formula 1 as a sponsor to Renault. The team will race next year as Lotus after a long battle with Tony Fernandes’ Team Lotus. The company also returned to Le Mans and is involved in IndyCar in America.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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The protracted Lotus vs Lotus naming row between Tony Fernandes and Group Lotus/Proton was settled earlier this month, with Group Lotus ending up with the ‘Lotus’ name in F1, and the present Team Lotus migrating to the Caterham name from next season.

This means a lot to Lotus Renault GP. “Massive, massive. Massive for many reasons. We have now a proper identity, we know who we are. We don’t have stories about Lotus, Renault, Genii, and how many shares, options, etc, – it is clear now,” said team boss Eric Boullier.

“It is clear, many, many sponsors who we were talking with, and which were planned for discussed in 2011, suspended, or even rejected the discussions because of this team name issue, so we can now restart the discussions and I have to say it is going in a very constructive way to make sure the future is done,” he added.

It’s no secret that the “new Lotus” under Dany Bahar’s leadership is placing motorsports and heritage as pillars for it to challenge the likes of Ferrari as a carmaker, which was why an F1 team racing with the ‘Lotus’ name but not under its control was an issue.

“The Lotus project is also much bigger, but something should be announced quite soon I hope and it is a nice way to secure our future with a new identity. It will change everything. Lotus brand, being the same family as Lotus Cars, is the same business model as Ferrari, the same business model as McLaren and it is completely legitimate to be in F1,” Boullier stressed.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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The long-running Lotus vs Lotus saga is over – the fight that ended up in court has reached an amicable ending. Proton, Group Lotus, 1Malaysia Racing Team and its owner Tony Fernandes have announced – delightfully, the statement said – that the legal dispute in the English Courts relating to the ‘Lotus” and ‘Team Lotus’ brands has now ended on a happy note, with the parties agreeing settlement terms earlier this month.

The terms of the settlement are confidential, but the deal sees the ‘Lotus’ brand reunited under the sole ownership of Group Lotus. This includes the rights to the ‘Lotus’ and ‘Team Lotus’ names in Formula 1 motor racing. The deal also sees a working relationship established between the parties, who will work together on future projects in the automotive field.

For the 2012 F1 season on, 1MRT will race under the name Caterham F1 Team and will use a Caterham chassis.

“On behalf of Group Lotus and Proton, I would like to express how pleased we are that this matter is finally closed and we can now focus on looking forward to the future,” Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said.

“We understand that this has been a very difficult and confusing time for the fans of the sport and the Lotus brand, so we are glad to have reached a clear resolution on this important matter – I would like to take this opportunity to thank our fans for their continued support, it means everything to us,” he added.

Meanwhile, on behalf of 1MRT, Group CEO Riad Asmat said: “We are proud of what we have achieved by bringing the Team Lotus name back to Formula One when many tried, and although we are sad to say goodbye to Team Lotus, we are excited about owning our own future and being in control of our own destiny. Now we have no one to be compared to. We make our own history and we will remain green and yellow.”

“Now we look forward to an exciting future racing under our new team name of Caterham F1 Team. Please continue to support our very special spirit of never say die and support us on the track, as we move up the field and demonstrate that the good do win,” he added.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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Lotus is entering the kart world, and with this move the company becomes the first car manufacturer to have a presence at the entry level of motorsport, great for early talent spotting.

Competing under the ‘Lotus Racing Karts’ banner and forming part of the Lotus Motorsport division, Lotus Racing Karts will field a factory backed team, operated by Jefra Racing out of its headquarters near Treviso, Italy. With a racing pedigree spanning over 40 years, Lotus hopes that JR’s invaluable experience and leadership from Team Manager Franc Jerancic will form the basis of a truly competitive team.

The talents spotted and recruited by Jerancic will have all the latest homologated material at their disposal, including two new chassis models ‘Colin C30’ and ‘Jimmy C32’. Lotus Racing Karts will enter CIK-FIA international karting events for KF and KZ categories and the World Karting Championship for KF1 category.

The production of karts and components is licensed by Group Lotus to Wildkart, specialists in aeronautics precision engineering since 1996 and manufacturer of karts since 2002. Today, Wildkart is regarded as an authority in kart chassis and components, providing services and solutions to many karting suppliers and brands. Lotus Racing Karts will unveil their 2012 karts at the annual Autosport International event in January 2012.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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9. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

There have been rumours circulating that Lotus Renault GP owners Genii Capital, headed by Gerard Lopez, is looking to buy into Group Lotus, the sportscar maker which is currently the title sponsor of the F1 team.

Now, Group Lotus owner Proton has come out with a statement to quash this speculation, highlighting that the relationship between parent and subsidiary is “as good as it has ever been”, and that the priority is to “ensure that the Lotus Business Turnaround Plan is executed according to schedule”.

Here’s the Proton statement in full:

We refer to the news reports that have been circulating recently over the sale (of a stake) in Group Lotus.

PROTON hereby states that the alleged moves between Group Lotus and GENII Capital are untrue and that the news are highly speculative in nature. PROTON’s relationship with Group Lotus is as good as it has ever been. Through this positive synergy, our priority now is to ensure that the Lotus Business Turnaround Plan is executed according to schedule and that both parties are committed to its success. PROTON and Lotus have reached a juncture whereby the market is eagerly waiting for Lotus’ new products and all our energy and efforts have to be channelled towards achieving this critical goal.

Furthermore, the scope of Lotus’ involvement in F1 as title sponsor to Lotus-Renault GP is to create dynamic marketing and branding synergies.

PROTON does not wish to further entertain any unsubstantiated news of speculative nature and we hope this statement will put all speculation to rest.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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Lotus has the right products, great products, but is not selling enough cars as it should. This is the assessment of former top BMW exec Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, brought in late last year to mentor Lotus CEO Dany Bahar. The plan is to boost sales over the next 18 months, according to Autocar UK.

In its UK home market, Lotus is struggling. The Proton subsidiary sold just 272 cars in the first eight months of 2011, 24% less than 358 in the same period last year. The overall market is down by 6%.

“The brand is well known but the products are not. We are focusing on a new range of cars, but we must sell more cars now,” Kalbfell said, referring to Lotus’ spectacular five-year plan that will yield the new Esprit, a luxury GT and a four-door car, among other models.

“We have some great cars in our range, like the Evora. Many car companies would love to have the Evora in their range. Now the point must be to get the car on the shopping list of buyers,” he added.

To address this, Lotus has Frankfurt debutant Evora GTE. It’s the most powerful Lotus road car ever built, with a 444 PS V6, revised chassis, carbonfibre body parts, and a sticker price close to £120k. This will help pave the way and prepare customers for the new Esprit, which will surely be priced above £100k.

“We cannot just jump buyers up from the Elise to the Esprit,” said Kalbfell. Another such “bridging” model is the £40k Exige S that also debut in Frankfurt. “With 350 bhp and 1080 kg, who else has such a hot performance model at this price?” said Kalbfell.

On a different note, word is that Gerard Lopez’s Genii Capital, owners of Lotus Renault GP, is looking at buying into Group Lotus. Click here to read more.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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The latest rumours surrounding Group Lotus, which is a fully owned subsidiary of Proton, is that Genii Capital will be buying into the sportscar maker. Headed by Gerard Lopez, Genii Capital is the owner of the Renault F1 Team (Lotus Renault GP), which of course has Group Lotus as title sponsor.

Autosport reports that its high level sources have revealed that Lopez/Genii Capital has held advanced talks with Proton about taking a management and financial interest in Group Lotus, which could even go as far as Genii taking a majority stake!

It’s not common knowledge, but Genii and Proton have always been talking. “We have an agreement with Proton and are working a number of things with them, including opening certain geographies in terms of platform, like Russia for instance,” Gerard Lopez told this website in an interview early this year (read the interview in full here).

In that same interview, Lopez did not rule out getting involved in GL, even back then. “I think they have a good shareholder with Proton. For sure, that is something also that we will be looking at, but it’s not anything that is urgent. No, I wouldn’t rule it out. I never rule anything out,” he said.

When asked about the latest rumours by Autocar UK, Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar did not deny it outright. “I can only say this: When we made the announcement about our involvement in Lotus Renault GP we made it clear that this was the start of a close relationship and this journey continues.”

As a recap, Group Lotus became title sponsor of the Genii owned Renault F1 Team late last year, leading to the F1 outfit racing in black/gold livery that recalls the Team Lotus of old. They signed a seven-year sponsorship deal, with Lotus having the option to take over 50% at some point in time.

Behind the F1 scenes, LRGP is now working on renaming the team to be just called ‘Lotus’, with Tony Fernandes’ Team Lotus changing names to Caterham, which is of course owned by the AirAsia boss.

Motorsports has always been one of Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar’s main strategies to elevate the brand to fight the likes of Ferrari and Porsche, and it was never in doubt that they wanted to be more than just a name on the wing.

“Our way of doing things means that at the end of the project we would like to control it ourselves. It’s the same route – it starts somewhere and then you slowly take control. We would not be in for the long-term just to be a sponsor on the team,” Bahar said then.

So, if all these comes true, we could be seeing a marriage between Genii and Lotus – GL takes a stake in the team, and Genii buys into the carmaker. It remains to be seen if they live happily ever after, though.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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9. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

Despite his wealth of experience, it’ll be Alesi’s first outing in tackling competitive oval racing. His most recent competitive race appearance was last year, in the Le Mans Series. Alesi joined Group Lotus as a brand ambassador in January this year and was the development consultant on the F1 customer race car, the T125.

His development role with Group Lotus will see him preparing for next May’s race, in which he will be competing in a Lotus powered by the new Lotus IndyCar engine. Development of the 2.2l twin turbo V6 is going to schedule, with the first engine fire up set for mid-October and track testing planned for December.

“I’m thrilled that Lotus has given me the opportunity to compete in such a world famous race. It’s going to be a very special experience for me, but I also know that I have a lot of hard work ahead. I’m very focused on the task I’m facing – I’m taking my training very seriously, I have some amazing support on this front from a ‘comeback’ expert and of course I will be testing extensively. I’m really excited about the race,” Alesi said.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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9. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

We’re here in the Lion City to catch Formula 1′s only night race this weekend, and we’re seeing some familiar sights at Singapore’s Clarke Quay. Proton and its subsidiary Group Lotus, which is of course the title sponsor of Lotus-Renault GP, is making its presence felt in Singapore with a showcase amidst the trendy bars and restaurants of the riverside area.

The showcase features the main star – a Lotus-Renault GP F1 car – flanked by a white Lotus Evora and the sportiest production Proton, the R3 Satria Neo. Besides the machines, there’s a stall selling official LRGP merchandise as well as a Batak Machine.

The latter is a fun activity that tests and trains reflexes and is used as an F1 training simulator as well. Basically, the lights pop up and you hit the button – who hits more in one minute wins. The Batak duel was a big crowd puller among the Clake Quay crowd – I gave it a try as well and realised that my reflexes needed a lot of training!

We missed her, but Miss Universe Australia Scherri-Lee Biggs, Proton’s brand ambassador Down Under, made an appearance as well.

If you’re wondering why Proton is at an F1 race, it’s to support Group Lotus and to benefit from the association with the sports car brand. “It’s not Proton in F1, it’s Lotus. Proton has no business being in F1,” said Proton MD Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin.

Both him and Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar revealed that the gold “Lotus” name is in among the top 10 most visible brands in Formula 1 (among the many names and sponsors) as tracked by two UK based agencies used by the sport.

They said that brand awareness is what Group Lotus is chasing after, and this brand awareness is crucial to support Lotus’ upcoming new gen of cars, starting with the Esprit in 2013. According to the plan, “when the Esprit comes out, it will come out in a very good environment, says Syed Zainal. “We want to bring the (brand) awareness back to the level seen 25 years ago,” added Bahar, who sounds consistent with his Paris 2010 speech.

As for LRGP, they’re not expecting too much from this weekend, as the R31 is not suited to Singapore’s layout. Team boss Eric Boullier also revealed that they’ve abandoned the updates brought in for this race, namely tighter bodywork and sidepods. It wasn’t a problem with the new stuff, but a problem with water flow for the radiators. Better not to risk it, so it was back to default. The updates will debut in Japan.

Will Sebastian Vettel be crowned world champion for the second time tomorrow? No one dares to bet against that happening, but Alonso and the McLaren boys will be all out to spoil the party, that’s for sure. Enjoy the race!

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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9. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

Lotus has unveiled two refreshed Exige models at the Frankfurt Motor Show. First up is the Exige S which is given a reworked exterior and a new interior. Exterior updates include a new front splitter and a rear spoiler. Also available are two new interior packages including Premium and Premium Sport. The former offers a comfortable feel while the latter focuses on creating an internal space optimised for ultimate driver involvement.

Other features include Lotus Dynamic Performance Management (DPM) which enables the driver to to switch between three driving modes including Touring, Sport or DPM off. An option called Race Pack will give you a fourth mode called Race. This mode gives the maximum possible traction out of corners and it comes with Launch Control and an optimised suspension configuration. Power to the rear wheels come from a 3.5 litre supercharged V6 which cranks out 345 hp. This along with a 1080 kg weight figure, offers the driver a super healthy power-to-weight ratio.

Next up is the Exige R-GT which will take part in the FIA GT category of the FIA Rally Championship on asphalt in Monte Carlo, Tour de Corse and San Remo. It uses the same 3.5 litre unit used the road Exige but changes were made to the gearbox and the restrictors on the engine in order to control the power. Lotus confirmed that it will partner with several customer teams, like its venture into IndyCar.

Lotus also mentioned that you don’t need to a professional race car driver to get behind the wheel of the Exige R-GT. The company said the R-GT was developed alongside the road car and it still has a sense of fun driving and ease of use despite the performance.

At the moment we only have a single image of the R-GT but you can continue reading to view more photos of the Exige S.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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10. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

Plenty of action from Group Lotus at Frankfurt later this month, with no less than six items on the agenda, of which the Evora GTE limited special edition seen above is one.

Touted by the company as the most powerful Lotus road car ever built, the GTE turns out 444 PS from its race-developed engine. It’s also 105 kg lighter than the base Evora, the weight reduction accomplished with liberal use of carbon fibre, with all the bodywork modifications including the front and rear bumpers, the rear wing and the doors utilising the stuff.

The car was originally designed as a special limited edition for the Asian market, but the company says that Evora GTE production will be expanded to meet demand and reach further markets. As Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar puts it, “The response to this model in China has been so incredible, within days we had sold out with 114 orders. In response we decided that the only logical step from a business perspective was to increase production and widen our reach.”

In addition to the Evora GTE, Frankfurt will also see the debut of three new models, with one of these being the Elise S, which replaces the Elise SC. The car features a new 1.8l supercharged engine offering 220 PS and improved throttle response, among other things.

No details about the other two cars, with only hints to suggest – one is said to be one of the quickest road cars Lotus has ever built and the other marks the return of Lotus to another adrenalin-filled motorsport discipline.

Elsewhere, the last two items on the list are new options – the 1.6l Elise gets a SPS (Serial Precision Shift) gearbox option, which utilises new lightweight robotised automated manual transmission technology to allow the driver to switch between manual and automatic driving modes via paddles fixed to the steering column.

The second new option is IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift), which will be found on the supercharged Evora S, offering the versatility of an automatic gearbox. The optional paddle shift mode allows the driver the full and uncompromised Evora S experience with the added bonus of switching to automatic mode. The S IPS will feature in the Evora model year 2012 line-up, which the company says features significant quality improvements following extensive development work and feedback.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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9. BREAKING: Group Lotus is sole owner of “Lotus” name in F1, but Team Lotus can still race under its present name

The Lotus Advisory Council is supposed to advise Group Lotus on current and future development as well as strategic issues such as product strategy, technology, quality, brand, marketing and distribution for Group Lotus.

Gordon Murray is no stranger in the auto industry, credited with the design of F1 race cars and the McLaren F1 road car. Funny thing is, Murray moved to England in 1969 with the aim of hopefully getting a job at Lotus cars. He was eventually offered a job with Brabham.

“For years I’ve been a huge admirer of Lotus, I have great respect for the legacy that Colin Chapman created and I think what Dany and the team are doing is a really good thing for the brand. He’s taking the strength from Chapman’s principals and taking the business to the next level whilst still keeping the general ethos – not an easy task! I’m really looking forward to contributing to Group Lotus during this exciting time,” said Murray.

To be honest, while all of this is cool, I’m beginning to wish Group Lotus had something else product-related to announce other than all the various HR and sponsorship announcements that they’ve been putting out recently. They’re a car company after all.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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The Lotus CityCar Concept, essentially a three-door version of the Proton EMAS concept with Lotus’ new face, is confirmed for production, according to reports. Shown at the 2010 Paris Motor Show alongside Lotus’ five concepts, the CityCar will not be alone in the premium mini car market, it will be accompanied by the Aston Martin Cygnet, which is a rebadged Toyota iQ with luxury trim.

“The city car concept is now confirmed for production. That’s called the Lotus Ethos, and it’s due about 2013,” said Lotus spokesman Alastair Florance, who added that the “Ethos” will be built by parent company Proton. “It’s being worked on right now – people out in Malaysia are working on that.”

So it’s a rebadged Proton then? “We’ll work extensively on the engineering – the Lotus version will be very much a Lotus,” Florance was quoted as saying. “But I believe there will be a Proton version.” That’s the EMAS folks.

It will be bigger than the Cygnet/iQ, and the Lotus city car is planned as a hybrid-only model. The concept is powered by a plug-in series hybrid drivetrain with the ability to run solely on electric power, but a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine is there as a range extender, eliminating range woes.

Click here to view our live gallery of the Lotus CityCar from Paris 2010.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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The Italian military police have selected the Lotus Evora S as rapid response vehicles – two units of the car will see service in Rome and Milan in a two-year long stint. The Arma dei Carabinieri, as it is known, is a division of the Italian army and plays a similar role in Italy to Scotland Yard in the UK, working with the civilian police.

Click to enlarge

In preparation for the job with the Carabinieri, both Evoras have been equipped with some of the very latest voice recognition technology, including the EVA (Enhanced Vehicle Automation) system. A special portable refrigeration compartment has been fitted behind the front seats, which will allow for the rapid transport of vital organs and blood required during medical emergencies.

Click to enlarge

It’s a feather in the cap for the brand, Group Lotus’ CEO Dany Bahar said, considering the market where the cars will see service. “Everyone knows that Italy has more than it’s fair share of high profile sports car manufacturers, so it is a real honour for a relatively small British brand to be in this position,” he said at the cars’ handover ceremony.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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If you’ve been paying attention to the national press, you would know that the Prime Minister was in the UK recently for official visits. He met the Queen, and he also paid a visit to Proton’s sports car maker subsidiary Group Lotus.

He took a tour of the design studio and the production line, and was given an experience around the refurbished Hethel test track in the new Lotus Evora IPS with automatic transmission.

“To be honest, when I first learnt of the future plans for Lotus, I felt a small degree of scepticism due to the level of investment required but now I’m going home as a strong supporter of the turnaround plan. I’d like to categorically say that Group Lotus has the endorsement of the Malaysian Government and Khazanah. With the current plan in place, I can see that the level of professionalism is high, enthusiasm and morale are high too and I have a sense that the business plan is more than achievable. It might be bold and ambitious or even audacious but there is nothing like the motivation that comes from setting such high targets, with this situation you can strive and go the extra mile and achieve what you may not otherwise be able to achieve. I wish Group Lotus all the best, good luck and this definitely won’t be the last time I visit,” said Datuk Seri Najib at the end of his visit.

The Group Lotus turnaround plan has been heavily criticized by many – most have the opinion that it is too big a task that costs too much money to do in too little time. According to Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar, Group Lotus has completed year one of the five year plan and the Lotus Esprit project has made good progress. The plan seems to be evolving with time as well – for example, we recently heard that the Elan has been delayed and the Evora will continue in the line-up.

“Feedback regarding the Elan showed us that it was too close in style and positioning to the Esprit, and so as a consequence we have delayed the delivery of the Elan – delayed not cancelled. This allows us to focus more of our attention on the Evora which I believe has fantastic potential. Another major development that has come about as a consequence of the feedback we received is that we are now developing our own engine to use in our future cars, creating even more the pure Lotus experience,” said Dany Bahar.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 27 May 12 12:47:25 +0000.

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