Customer collections of the Lotus Emira from the Hethel factory where it’s built have now begun. The first recipient, Shaan Kodituwakku, travelled from his home in Edinburgh to pick up his V6 First Edition finished in stunning Hethel Yellow.
Factory Collection is an option for all Emira customers in the UK, and can be specified during the online ‘check-out’ process which completes their purchase through the Lotus Drive platform. It includes a fascinating tour of the Chapman Production Centre – the new assembly halls created as part of a £100m overhaul of Lotus’ UK facilities, and the home of the Emira. The walkaround delivers unparalleled access to the manufacture and hands-on assembly of the car, offering a true ‘up close and personal’ factory floor experience.
The tour is followed by the reveal of the customer’s new vehicle, plus a comprehensive handover workshop where the Emira’s numerous features and technologies are fully demonstrated. The finishing touch is the presentation of a framed image of their Emira as a souvenir of the day.
Shaan commented: “Factory Collection seemed like by far the best option to choose but I never for a second thought I would be the first to do it. When I arrived at Hethel I was greeted by a super-friendly security guard who knew my name, knew I was picking up an Emira and congratulated me! That was such a great feeling and worth the 4am start to fly down from Edinburgh.”
He added: “At the ‘moment of reveal’ of the car I was so excited, and it looked better than the photos and videos have shown and I was blown away. It and Lotus have exceeded my expectations. Overall, this is one very happy customer.”
Shaan was also impressed with the online check-out via Lotus Drive, calling it a seamless and easy process to follow. “It was clear what each stage was, what was required of me, and what the options were,” he explained.
Scott Walker, Head of Hethel Retail Operations, said: “Hethel has been the home of Lotus since 1966 and is unquestionably a ‘must-visit’ destination for many of our Emira customers. Factory Collection is already proving incredibly popular, and it’s thrilling for the team to be able to share this wonderful moment with people who are so genuinely excited to be visiting our spiritual home.”
He added: “Some guests have been to Hethel before, others are new to the Lotus brand and so have never been, but all leave hugely impressed with the site, the passion of the people, and the transition of Lotus from a UK sports car company to a global performance car business and brand.”
As well as Factory Collection, Emira customers can have their car delivered to their home or a convenient Lotus Centre.
Emira demonstrator drives are now available through Lotus Centres across the UK. Whilst demand has been extremely high, everybody wishing to experience an Emira will get the opportunity.
