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Loyalty test
Any car enthusiast welcomes the reawakening of the Lotus brand, with great products and, on the face of it, a fresh approach to customer experience. We want it to thrive. So for the first time in my life, I put down a deposit for a new sports car: an Emira. I could see myself becoming a loyal Lotus follower. When rebuilding its brand, Lotus presumably wants to hear just that.
I ordered a car within two days of the online order books opening, with a promise of a sub-£60k price. I recognise that the pandemic and inflation have impacted the price of the car I ordered and the price I will pay. I knew the First Edition would be more expensive, too. But when, only a few months ago, Lotus boss Matt Windle stated that “the price you were quoted is the price you pay – that is a promise”, I was thinking: “So far, so great!”
However, such is the success of the Emira that his promise has quickly been broken by a £6000 hike for anyone who hasn’t received their car by June. Given that I ordered mine within two days, this is almost everyone. The car I placed a deposit on now costs north of £83,000 – a wholly different proposition.