I just read an article on Autocar that outlines Lotus' planned new direction for their upcoming models. They apparently have decided to abandon founder Colin Chapman's philosophy of lighter is better in order to move their cars more upmarket and take on Porsche, Ferrari, and Aston Martin. Apparently they can't do that with stripped out plastic bodied track toys.
This is hugely disappointing as Lotus was the only manufacturer carrying the torch of less is more. Less weight aids in handling, acceleration, and mileage. Many manufacturers have promised to trim weight from upcoming vehicles but Lotus was the only company with that as their core philosophy. Unfortunately, less weight achieved through less features or via a stripped out track only toy, does result in a car that is not very comfortable to drive every day. Sure there are some masochists who do it but ask any normal Elise or Exige owner about daily driving their car and they would say you're crazy.
I guess if Lotus truly wants to go after the likes of Ferrari, Porsche, and Aston they will need to add features to their cars to appease their potential buyers and justify their price. I just hope they keep building some lightweight track toys for the real enthusiasts.
Click here to read the depressing article.
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