There’s fresh movement happening right now in Lotus. According to a report by Autocar, Lotus Engineering, which is the engineering consulting firm for third-party clients, will be expanded under the leadership of Miguel Fragoso, alongside a newly-appointed commercial director. Fragoso has kept a team working on key R&D areas such as advanced structures, dynamics, propulsion systems and electronic controls.
Previously under the stewardship of former CEO Jean-Marc Gales, Lotus Engineering’s contribution to the group’s turnover dropped to 15%, as opposed to nearly 50% before. However, Fragoso credited Gales for instilling the “financial discipline” that the consultancy didn’t have. “That made it more attractive for an investor,” he said.
Recently, the company have begun exploratory projects in collaboration with Jaguar Land Rover specifically for the UK government’s Technology Strategy Board, as well as two more projects with unnamed Japanese companies.
“We’ve been able to keep some extraordinary talent,” said Fragoso. He also explained that by offering services in these areas, “we are more than subject specialists, we are a car company ourselves,” providing additional insight.
For these reasons, Fragoso said “we’re back in business.” The business focuses on two areas, one being the familiar mainstream automakers, and the other is start-up firms. Fragoso added that “we will be working with Geely” and aspires to be among the leading companies providing these services.
Lotus Engineering will have a hand in the developmental process of the electric Evija hypercar, as well as a new range of sports cars by Lotus. This will expose the company and its “talented pool of employees” to the latest technologies, which will further enable it to take on projects that align with its sports car plans.
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To all sacked Dyson EV Project engineers… Lotus Engineering needs you.
They already transferred to the hair dryer division.
Imagine the potential Lotus and Proton could have had in creating competitive performance vehicles.
It could have significantly improve Malaysian engineering standards and Malaysia would be seen as a world player in the automotive industry – like the British.
What a waste of opportunity. I’m glad Lotus is having a bright future under Geely.
Useless Malaysians didn’t do any good. Look at Proton, only good car they make is the X70 – which itself is a rebadged Geely. Half their cars don’t even come with proportional wheels, have y’all seen the wheels on the Saga and Persona? So tiny and doesn’t go with the entire design.
For someone who talked about Saga & Persona, you conveniently never heard of Campro engine that are being used in these 2 cars you mentioned.
Conveniently forget or conveniently biased?
FYI Campro family of engines were codeveloped by Lotus Engineering and Proton R&D teams.
Lotus Engineering could open an office in Shah Alam. It is jointly owned by Geely and DRB-HICOM.
I wish them well. Engineering services are once again an important part of the companies portfolio.
John Mansfield
“Imagine the potential Lotus and Proton could have had in creating competitive performance vehicles.”
The article is about Lotus Engineering, not Lotus. There are many companies around the world who do contract work for car companies: Porsche Engineering for example (not Porsche) designed the 6-cyl. diesel-boxer for Subaru. Actually, there’s no need to own an engineering company, you could simply contract it.
BTW: Many companies around the world contract “useless Malaysians” to manufacture their electronics… ;)