Lotus goes wide angle

LOTUS Cars Australia (LCA) is planning a broader marketing push this year to raise awareness of the British sportscar-maker and pave the way for new products.

As part of its renewed local vigour, it will unveil a new dealer development strategy within weeks, which is being finalised by LCA’s new national sales and marketing manager John Stretton.

Previously a UK-based Lotus marketing coordinator, Mr Stretton will report to Steven Thomas who oversees Lotus marketing in Australia.

"John is developing a brand strategy and also a dealer development strategy that we should be able to roll out to the dealer network over the next four weeks or so," said Mr Thomas.

"Obviously we’ve been very involved with motorsport but probably not enough with the ‘Sunday’ folk who just want to go and play in the car, or have a car club membership.

"We’re also looking at targeting specific professionals like doctors and lawyers who are looking for an ‘escape’ toy. That’s part of the strategy." Mr Thomas said Mr Stretton had a depth of Lotus marketing knowledge that would be an ideal fit for the group’s Australian operations.

"He has had to get his head around the fact that Lotus is not quite the same household name it is in the UK," said Mr Thomas.

"But obviously he has got a lot of marketing ideas that have worked well, and ideas that are also about raising awareness about the brand." Some of this will involve leveraging the brand’s heritage and talking about its founder, Colin Chapman as well as its involvement in Formula One.

"We have to lay some groundwork for the new products that are coming," said Mr Thomas.

A big part of the brand strategy includes new product activity. LCA expects to launch the new Europa here later this year, a new V8 Esprit in 2007 and possibly an all-wheel drive wagon beyond 2008.

Although no Europa details have been confirmed, the six-speed two-seater is tipped to sell for between $100,000 and $120,000 and will be aimed squarely at a Porsche Boxster buyer.

"Europa will present a good chance for us to broaden the Lotus message," Mr Thomas said.

"The interior will be more luxurious, it will be easier to get into and out of and it will have a slightly better ride package, but not to compromise the Lotus reputation for handling." Mr Thomas said a key part of the Lotus marketing push this year was also to broaden the appeal of the brand, which consistently sells around 80 vehicles a year.

With the arrival of newer product LCA has forecast sales of between 80 and 100 vehicles for the short-term future. Last year 55 Lotus Elise and Exiges were bought by enthusiasts, down from the 2004 figure of 81 vehicles.

Currently the Lotus range consists of four models, the outgoing $69,990 Elise and $79,990 Elise S, as well as the $94,990 Elise 111R and the range-topping Exige, which starts from $99,990.

Mr Thomas said the Elise 111R and Exige would increasingly become the brand’s focus. The future of the Elise and Elise S "was yet to be decided".

The old Elise used a Rover-sourced K-series 1.8-litre engine, shared with the MGF and other Rover vehicles.

This has been superseded in the UK with the new Toyota 2ZZ-GE twin-cam 1.8-litre four-cylinder, which develops 141kW/181Nm. The same engine is used in the 111R and Exige.

The re-invigorated Lotus will be welcome news for the nation’s five dealers – Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

LCA is also currently in talks to appoint a new Perth dealer.

"We’re talking to a couple of potential dealers in Perth," said Mr Thomas.

The original Perth Lotus dealer was Barbagallos.

"We think we may be able to reconfigure an arrangement and get something moving in Perth," Mr Thomas said.