How Matt Windle puts Lotus back on the map Car News

“We didn’t allocate 130 for sales; we said we would never build more than that, and we will not build that is not ordered, ”he said. “The Evija is not really based on sales figures; that’s what he does for the brand. It is a halo product, which shows where we are going in the future. We wanted to put Lotus back on the map with him, and that’s what we’re doing – and that will increase later this year when we prove the level of performance.

Motorsport is another landmark decision, with Windle agreeing that Lotus’s lack of factory racing activity does not match the brand’s historic legacy. He says, “It’s a big part of our heritage – every day I walk past the big sign outside the entrance with the seven [Formula 1] top world championships and photos of the cars. That bothers me.

Joining F1 is unlikely any time soon, but Windle says Lotus should make a more modest GT4 comeback with the Emira next year.

It might seem odd to ask about this in his first interview, but the proven warmth of Lotus’ hot seat makes the question of Windle’s legacy with the company seem justifiable. How does he want to both change it and pass it on when the time comes?

“It’s about making it a sustainable business, getting to where the income can fund new products so you don’t try to borrow or raise money all the time,” he says. “I guess my job is really to prepare for the next 70 years. In the past 70, there have been times when we just survived. It is this security, this durability, that is really important. ”