The sports car market is a competitive place, but Lotus has a future in it, writes Kyle Fortune
Driving around the Lotus test track at the wheel of its latest Exige S Performance Pack model there's a pervading sense of déjà vu. A faster Exige, which with 240bhp and a 0-100km/h time of 4.2 seconds is undeniably enjoyable, but then so has every car that Lotus has produced off the light and strong extruded aluminium platform that was introduced with the Elise back in 1996. Yes, even the more "comfortable" Europa, the GT Lotus introduced to lukewarm press reception in 2006.
Despite the criticism, it's achieved and even marginally exceeded its sales targets, even though it's denied access to one of the biggest markets available to Lotus - America.
The Exige S Performance Pack is likely to go down well in the US. Experience with the introduction of the Exige S over the existing Exige immediately saw customers in the United States shift to the higher power derivative.
A Lotus spokesman suggests it's highly probable that the Exige S with the Performance Pack, a £3,000 (€4,197) option adding launch control, a clever variable traction control system, upgraded brakes and clutch, and, of course a 24bhp boost in power, will become the default choice for Lotus buyers in America. European customers are also expected to take up the option, if not with quite the vigour of US buyers.
Even so, Lotus faces a difficult challenge. The sports car market, once so dominated by small independent manufacturers, has now to compete against rivals from mainstream and premium manufacturers.
They left the marketplace to the minnows in the 1970s when there were fears that the Americans would effectively outlaw sports cars.
However, they've since returned with excellent products that customers can service easily, are reliable and well-built.
That leaves Lotus in a relatively fringe position, catering for a small marketplace - 2006 sales amounting to 3,062 cars - of committed, enthusiastic buyers wanting cars at the more extreme end of the market.
Even so, Lotus is in bullish form and is looking to expand its model range.
First to arrive is a new supercharged Elise, followed by a new car codenamed Project Eagle. It is unofficially confirmed for unveiling at the 2008 British Motor Show in London, the speculation being that it'll be a 2+2 model with V6 power - possibly via the same Toyota supply route as the Elise/Exige range's 1.8-litre four-cylinder unit.
A new Esprit is also expected to follow that in 2009-2010. Lotus chief executive Mike Kimberly has implemented a financial plan that's seen its shareholders eliminate debts, leaving perhaps the chief concern for Lotus the position of its Proton parent company.
The Malaysian firm, which owns an 80 per cent shareholding in Lotus, has seen its profitability slump since the protectionist policies in its home market were relaxed to allow in foreign competition.
That's left Proton subject to speculation of take-overs - Volkswagen and General Motors are both rumoured to have shown an interest.
But Proton has slowed down its losses in recent months and has recently announced its intention to produce an "Islamic" car. The car would feature a compass directed to Mecca, a compartment to house the Koran and prayer scarves.
With an estimated 1.3 billion Muslims around the world, Proton clearly thinks it's spotted a niche in the market.
Whatever the position of its parent company, Lotus is in something of a unique position in the low-volume relatively inexpensive sports car market.
Its Lotus Engineering division is a fast-acting, creative-thinking engineering consultancy that's able to take on the full spectrum of automotive requirements: be it powertrain, vehicle engineering, design, body engineering, NVH expertise or active ride and suspension technology.
It's this expertise which expert industry observer Prof Emeritus, Garel Rhys CBE suggests Proton hasn't exploited to the full - both for its own use or for other manufacturers.
He describes Lotus Engineering as "a big hope", that's helped keep the car division alive.
Lightweight cars have always been key to the Lotus idiom, which not only aids the legendary nimbleness of their sports cars, but also benefits their efficiency. Indeed, every Lotus model currently on sale has CO2 emissions less than 225g/km, despite offering performance to rival virtually all of its sports and supercar competition. This is, of course, significant in a global marketplace where emphasis on lighter, more efficient cars is becoming crucial.
Whether that outside work removing weight from existing cars - Lotus allegedly recently worked on a project to remove 100kg from a luxury saloon - or the involvement in the design process, the Hethel firm is clearly a lot more than merely the maker of exciting sports cars.
It's looking at a wide-range of environmental technologies that will help manufacturers reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption.
It's keen, though, not to concentrate on one particular area, it is covering the whole remit from increasing the efficiency of existing internal combustion engines, to gas engines, hybrids - the Lotus EVE (Efficient Viable Environmental) hybrid that is able to be cheaply integrated to existing models or next-generation models - and even fully electric vehicles.
And it's this engineering expertise that is likely to allow it to continue to survive, and potentially thrive, while other low-volume specialist manufacturers battle against dwindling sales against mainstream rivals and the prohibitive development costs imposed by ever tougher environmental and safety legislation.