Lotus has terminated contracts with several franchised dealers in the UK as part of a “restructuring” of its retail network to coincide with the launch of Emira.
The move raised concerns that parts availability for used Lotus models – already a concern for owners – might be limited.
According to a forum post from Maidstone Sports Cars, itself affected, the list of companies that will no longer be official Lotus retailers includes Hangar 111 in Woodbridge, Rapid Mechanical Services in Romford, SJ Sports Cars in Crediton and at least four other outfits. .
The move comes as Lotus seeks to centralize its aftermarket offering – an initiative that is part of a major modernization effort for the Norfolk brand owned by Geely.
Lotus is going through a period of significant upheaval, with Phil Popham recently replaced as CEO after less than three years by former engineering boss Matt Windle, with its Hethel headquarters going through a multi-year upgrade program. million pounds and the launch of its first electric motor. car on the horizon.
As part of the restructuring of the Lotus network, some of its smaller dealers will no longer be official partners of the brand.
A Lotus representative told Autocar that there have been mutual agreements with many retailers who were unable to make the necessary investments in their business in the future or were not located in a target location for Lotus. .
One of the factors that can hamper many small businesses is the investment required to rename their forecourt in line with Lotus’ new branding. Lotus recently unveiled its revamped Bahrain dealership, its first global premises to display the new logo and badge.
Lotus is looking to raise the profile of its retail business, partnering with national dealer groups, including Hendy and FG Barnes, to sell its sports cars alongside more mainstream products in more central and high-profile locations. visible.
However, the Lotus website still lists several stand-alone retailers, including Lotus Silverstone, Bell & Colvill in Surrey and Endeavor Automotive in Colchester, and many companies that will no longer serve as retailers will retain their “authorized repairer” status.
The Lotus representative told Autocar that the move should not diminish the ability of UK-based Lotus owners to have their cars repaired or maintained.
An official Lotus statement obtained by Autocar explained: “The supply of spare parts is an extremely important part of our business, and with the exhaustion this year of Elise, Exige and Evora, it has never been more important.
“To support this, we have strengthened our business with a series of new initiatives. We have recently recruited dedicated teams in our After-Sales activity, whose role is to ensure the continuity of the supply of parts for each of these individual models. At the same time, we have improved our technical service training on the Elise, Exige and Evora, and it will continue to be available indefinitely.
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Source: www.autocar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-08-27 16:24:35
