No queue!
So?:
- Cancelled orders
- Low orders
- Lotus forced dealers to take too many up front
- Wrong time of year
Now this may not be good for our residuals (not that I care, not selling) if dealers start cutting deals on S2s!
Ian
Well I’ve always felt that this was going to be a hard sell, bearing in mind the similarities to the more versatile 111R.
I wonder if the old chestnut about Lotus dealers struggling to get orders over �30K is likely to be a problem here?
Used S1’s offer the same, or better, performance for around �10K less. Which would you choose?
This is probably a one off sale for at least one of the reasons you’ve listed.
If it was a cancelled order, I’d love to know why.
Maybe they are after a premium to beat the queue
How’s it goin’ Steve - Notice that Mr Whale has a nice 18k mile Azure Blue 51 reg Exige for sale at �26k (doesn’t seem that they reckon S1 residuals are suffering)- given the choice which one would you choose?
Touring Pack … tells you everything you need to know
How’s it goin’ Steve
Not bad at all Simon need to spend a couple of hours in the office tomorrow but if I get away in time may see you at Donny.
Has anyone found the price out just out of curiosity? I thought it looked great in black by the way…
Steve, Donny is next Saturday - would be great to see you there matey
IDG,I think you have a good point here.The general opinion(amongst mk1 Exige owners)seems to be that the new Exige doesn’t offer the same focussed ‘edge’ as the original car,and I think this feeling is filtering thru to dealers.Combined with ever increasing talk of a more powerful mk2,I’m a little afraid that they may be forced to offer attractive discounts,in turn decreasing the gap between the old and new.The way I see it (was)…series 1 Exige early to mid 20k,series 2 Exige early to mid 30k.This represents about �10,000 difference which,personnaly,I don’t think is justified.However,if in a few months dealers are struggling to shift the series 2 car,then perhaps the difference could half.Series 1 owners will want top money for their car because of the ‘summer premium’…averaging �23-24,000 perhaps,but at the same time you could possibly walk into a Lotus showroom and pick up a new model for �28-29,000.If this scenario does happen,then I think the average buyer in the street would find it hard not to see the new car as a bit of a bargain.Hopefully though,there will always be a core of real enthusiasts who will always rate the original car as the best,in turn supporting residuals.
I have been a brief one time owner of a S1 Exige, a sale I deeply regret and had by recently returning to keep in touch with this forum planned to replenish the experience buying a S1 Exige once again. My earlier query as to the price of the car being advertised at Nick Whale takes on the last point I can genuinely see a position in 3 months where as with the S1 Exige when originally being sold and the poor but great 340R the dealers will have to literally have to give these cars away…Lotus just seem to always fail to sell their cars when new +�30k, This being the case I can t help but as much as I desire a S1, feel a pull to the evolution to the S2 at the right price…are we far from a specced up S2 at �28k…
Some really, really excellent points you make there SI.
If Lotus are soon going to do a more powerful Exige then they deserve to fail with this car.
If the 250bhp engine is no more than a rumour, then they need to make a definitive statement to back their dealers and give some confidence to potential buyers.
The only other point I would make here is what sort of price hike such an engine would command?.
I suspect we would be heading towards the �35K mark which proved such a sales barrier for the S1.
Thanks ‘Hethel Merman’.
I think you’re right.Lotus need to give confidence to new buyers…they must ensure dealers don’t start damaging used values by ‘giving away’ new models.And yes,it has to be �35,000 area for a 250 bhp variant.
Yes, I believe that Lotus has to quickly find a way of building brand confidence if the new Exige project is to succeed.
When you hit the �30K plus barrier you are competing with some very reliable performance vehicles and the old Loads Of Trouble Usually Serious tag probably loses quite a few sales at this price level, attracting as it does a different clientele from the roadster/trackday enthusiasts that are the mainstay of the Lotus customer base.
That’s why I think that most exotic Lotus Elise/Exige product naturally gravitates down to the late �20K’s.
The good news, of course, is that once residuals find their level they are incredibly robust - witness the prices that the S1 Exige are selling for.
It’s going to be an interesting summer don’t you think?
�35,000 area for a 250 bhp variant.
Sounds about right to me. That’ll be a whole load of car for the bucks.
Thing is I bet it’ll be more, as I think it’ll need things like a LSD.
Ian
But I reckon the rumour of a future 250bhp Exige will affect sales of the current 190bhp S2 Exige. Extra �6k for 60bhp seems exceptional value for money BTW ‘a source’ told me that the rumoured 250bhp Exige is not Toyota powered
Of course we are only speculating on the likely cost.
Which is the problem.
Lotus need to make some sort of statement to deny all this, if it isn’t true.
If they don’t say anything, huge uncertainty will set in among potential buyers and we will again see cars clinging to the showroom floor like limpets.
Of course if the engine isn’t Toyota then this will mean that existing S2 190 owners can’t upgrade without the expense of a new engine.
If they don’t say anything, huge uncertainty will set in among potential buyers
Unless it reaches the popular car mags, I’m not so sure.
I don’t see it as a �6k hike for 60bhp, as when I say a good price would be �35k I’m thinking with the track pack. So that’d be nearer a �3k hike.
I know the Renault V6 was talked about if they’re avoiding chargers/blowers.
Ian
BTW ‘a source’ told me that the rumoured 250bhp Exige is not Toyota powered
Simon… From what i’ve read so far… they couldn’t get 250bhp out of the Toyota and still be compliant with EU legislation so it prolly has to be a different lump. I here talk of something German but would plump for the Rover/Ford V6 if I was a betting man…
[quote]Steve, Donny is next Saturday
Thought it was a bit quiet…
Unfortunatley (or fortunatley I suppose!) a blocked drain, unadopted road bla bla bla made sure I did not head off anywhere this weekend…
Six pointer against Pompey next Saturday so looks like Sunday for me.