Bonoboy, when do you get your Elise?

[FC]

Any word on that yet?

[rumatt]

I thought it was in the fall.

[killerdeck]

I believe he told me Aug/Sept/Oct time frame. Cant wait for the ride in it! :D

[FC]

Oh, ok. I was just reading how the early ones will be arriving in a what seems like a couple of weeks.

[TD]

Is he still getting one? Did his get produced before the factory was destroyed? I didn't think it was.

[Lartymarf]

I thought it was in the fall.

I heard June/July... but not sure.

He decided on the Yellow one... I call him the British Bumble Bee.

[SCA]

Did his get produced before the factory was destroyed?


What? Details...

[undefined]

Did his get produced before the factory was destroyed?


What? Details...

that was an April Fool's joke

I'm thinking August now.

[undefined]

Oh, ok. I was just reading how the early ones will be arriving in a what seems like a couple of weeks.

the dealer demos should be here in May. First customer cars in June.

[undefined]

Interesting elise fact I just learned:

Apparently the Elise uses REAR pads from a Nissan Skyline GTR at the front and the REAR pads from a Dodge Viper at the rear.

[Lartymarf]

Aty,

Are you going to sell the M3 by yourself or going to do some sort of trade in deal?

J

[TD]

Well, d'oh. I missed the April Fool and took it at face value. Dang.

[undefined]

Aty,

Are you going to sell the M3 by yourself or going to do some sort of trade in deal?

J

I'll see what they offer. I'd prefer just to trade it. The tax savings would be over $2500, so I have a decent cushion to play with.

[ayn]

you might be able to bring your own buyer and get the tax saving too, the VW dealership said they would do that when Jimmy and I looked at the R32.

--Andrew

[nate]

Well, d'oh. I missed the April Fool and took it at face value. Dang.

That was what, nearly 3 weeks ago :lol:

[undefined]

the fake cnn story actually originated on a message board in the US.

it must have spread pretty fast, because Lotus actually had to send out a response:

The day after, Lotus responding to the fire fools

From: Lotus Cars UK
Sent: donderdag 1 april 2004 19:10
To: Europe Territory Managers; All Lotus dealers
Subject: Reponse to fiery April Fool's joke

RED HOT LOTUS, BUT NOT ABLAZE

World-famous sports car maker emerges unscathed from "tumultuous 3 hour blaze"

Reports that Group Lotus' headquarters in Hethel were destroyed by fire this morning, 1st April 2004, could have sent a shockwave across the world.

However, a spokesman informed the media that initial reports by rogue investigative journalists may have been slightly misleading regarding the severity of the blaze. In reality, the worldwide community of Lotus
customers and fans can breathe a huge sigh of relief, as the reports were identified as a very clever April Fool's joke.

It is, in fact, business as usual in NR14, and that is producing exceptional sports cars and undertaking world-class engineering consultancy for the world's automotive industry.

"The simple fact is that no fire is as strong or as powerful as the burning commitment we have here at Lotus," said Victor Kiam, deputy chairman, Group Lotus. "This is a company of extraordinary skill and expertise, and that we find ourselves hard at work this morning is entirely predictable."

Indeed, by all accounts, by 7am this morning, the site was open once again, ready for a standard working day. Remarkably, no evidence of the destructive towering inferno was visible.

It has been an exciting and thrilling morning, like most days at Lotus. And what's more, the only thing smoking at Hethel this morning was burning rubber out on the famous Lotus test track - as per usual.

__________________________________________________
_____

http://www.lotuscars.co.uk
http://www.lotuseng.com
http://www.lotussport.com

Group Lotus plc (Co. Reg. No. 606189)
Lotus Cars Ltd (Co. Reg. No. 895081)
Registered Offices, Hethel, Norwich, Norfolk, NR14 8EZ, England.

[Rob]

Interesting - the responded with a sense of humor. How refreshing.

[lemming]

the fake cnn story actually originated on a message board in the US.

it must have spread pretty fast, because Lotus actually had to send out a response:

The day after, Lotus responding to the fire fools

From: Lotus Cars UK
Sent: donderdag 1 april 2004 19:10
To: Europe Territory Managers; All Lotus dealers
Subject: Reponse to fiery April Fool's joke

RED HOT LOTUS, BUT NOT ABLAZE

World-famous sports car maker emerges unscathed from "tumultuous 3 hour blaze"

Reports that Group Lotus' headquarters in Hethel were destroyed by fire this morning, 1st April 2004, could have sent a shockwave across the world.

However, a spokesman informed the media that initial reports by rogue investigative journalists may have been slightly misleading regarding the severity of the blaze. In reality, the worldwide community of Lotus
customers and fans can breathe a huge sigh of relief, as the reports were identified as a very clever April Fool's joke.

It is, in fact, business as usual in NR14, and that is producing exceptional sports cars and undertaking world-class engineering consultancy for the world's automotive industry.

"The simple fact is that no fire is as strong or as powerful as the burning commitment we have here at Lotus," said Victor Kiam, deputy chairman, Group Lotus. "This is a company of extraordinary skill and expertise, and that we find ourselves hard at work this morning is entirely predictable."

Indeed, by all accounts, by 7am this morning, the site was open once again, ready for a standard working day. Remarkably, no evidence of the destructive towering inferno was visible.

It has been an exciting and thrilling morning, like most days at Lotus. And what's more, the only thing smoking at Hethel this morning was burning rubber out on the famous Lotus test track - as per usual.

__________________________________________________
_____

http://www.lotuscars.co.uk
http://www.lotuseng.com
http://www.lotussport.com

Group Lotus plc (Co. Reg. No. 606189)
Lotus Cars Ltd (Co. Reg. No. 895081)
Registered Offices, Hethel, Norwich, Norfolk, NR14 8EZ, England.

"Polaroid has officially released a statement indicating that their pictures do not, in fact, need to be shaken during the development process".

:lol:

[undefined]

I'm thinking August now.

Make that October :cry: :cry: :cry:

[rumatt]

Make that October :cry: :cry: :cry:



I thought it was in the fall.



:twisted:

[FC]

I'm thinking August now.

Make that October :cry: :cry: :cry:

That sucks man. I've been keeping up with the posts at Elisetalk. :(

Hey, at least it's not like you are driving a Geo Metro in the meantime (though it would closeer in weight to the Elise than the M3). :D

[rost12]

Make that October :cry: :cry: :cry:

Are you gonna beat AlexB's record wait time now? :cry:

[clyde]

Make that October :cry: :cry: :cry:

Are you gonna beat AlexB's record wait time now? :cry:
I an't remember...how long did Alex wait?

I had a deposit down on a MINI for about 15 months before I bowed out and got my money back.

[lemming]

I'm thinking August now.

Make that October :cry: :cry: :cry:

at least your allocation is in the first part, lots of other people, i would imagine, have to wait years.

don't they?

it's basically ferrari-like sales numbers per year.

[FC]

I'm thinking August now.

Make that October :cry: :cry: :cry:

at least your allocation is in the first part, lots of other people, i would imagine, have to wait years.

don't they?

it's basically ferrari-like sales numbers per year.

I've been thinking that for a while. In 4-5 years when I finally may be able to afford one, they may just have cleared the backlog.

[undefined]

at least your allocation is in the first part, lots of other people, i would imagine, have to wait years.

don't they?

it's basically ferrari-like sales numbers per year.

I'm lucky. My local dealer had a relatively short list when I made a deposit. (October I think). Lots of folks had already had deposits down for 2 years by then. So it should be a full year for me from deposit to delivery. I already had to order to my specs way back on March 1 though.

they're going to try for 2,200-2,400 for the first year. Supposedly they are starting slowly and ramping up production after the first 4 or 5 months. I think they could probably crank out 5,000/yr (for the US) at the very most.

[undefined]

I've been thinking that for a while. In 4-5 years when I finally may be able to afford one, they may just have cleared the backlog.

and by then it will be the second generation Federal Elise--remember, bumper and headlight exemptions are only good for 2 model years. :D

[lemming]

aty:

a one year wait isn't so bad. i bet that was close to the wait you already had for the m3 when it first came out, huh?

5000/year is a decent number. that's good. it means parts will readily be out there for the car.

[ZHPhil]

Make that October :cry: :cry: :cry:

Are you gonna beat AlexB's record wait time now? :cry:
I an't remember...how long did Alex wait?

I had a deposit down on a MINI for about 15 months before I bowed out and got my money back.
He waited 15 months, ~ 5 of those where b/c he wanted the facelifted version.

[undefined]

confirmed--September build, October delivery :cry:

[ayn]

Nice, just in time for the October 9/10 Driver's Edge event, or the November 27/28 TWS MC event!

[FC]

confirmed--September build, October delivery :cry:

Hey that is not so bad. At least you are in the south. Imagine someone up north getting those news... he'd get only about 1-2 months before he has to put it away 'til spring. ;)

[undefined]

yeah, a handful of folks had even already sold their track/autoX cars based on the assumption they'd have their Elise by May or June.

oops