Elise Phase out Toyota engine

Simon

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/ ... e-and-exige-with-s/
Lotus's supply of Toyota 2ZZ-GE engines has finally run out, meaning production of the company's highly popular Exige and Elise will come to an abrupt halt in July. To commemorate its track-day superstars' success, Lotus will send the cars off with an extremely limited number of Final Editions. With Lotus up to its axles in financial uncertainty, this may represent your last chance to get your hands on a new Lotus Elise or Exige.

Simon

要買趁手...

古惑強

Use Honda engine laa!

Simon

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/ ... se-exige-in-august/

Lotus tells Autoblog that production of its North American-spec Elise and Exige models will cease in August.

The lightweight track terror put the English automaker back on the map in the States in 2004, but a federal exemption for a lack of "smart" airbags on the sports cars is about to run out. The waiver ends this year, and combined with Toyota ceasing production of its 2ZZ four-cylinder, NA-bound Lotuses have been a dealt a one-two death blow.

Company officials tell us that production for the UK and the rest of Europe will continue with the new 1.6-liter four pot until the next Elise arrives in 2015. Considering the automaker's penchant for limited edition models, we'd expect at least one or two more market-specific versions to roll out of Hethel before the taps are officially turned off.

romeochris

"如果想要擴展銷售，必須要推出更多的新產品，但是對於英國Lotus汽車來說，雖然想要擴增產品線，但是卻面臨到資金上的問題。雖然目前Lotus隸屬於馬來西亞Proton集團，但是Proton能夠提供Lotus的資源相當有限，而Lotus執行長Dany Bahar則認為，要能夠提供資源共享，才是Lotus未來向成功之路的關鍵因素。

根據Lotus內部的消息指出，Bahar希望尋找一個更大的汽車製造廠最為合作夥伴，以協助Lotus更進一步發展跑車市場的業務。這個消息傳出之後，大家紛紛把焦點指向日本豐田汽車，主要是因為近年來豐田汽車與Lotus在動力系統以及其他零件方面，有著相當緊密的合作關係。

這次所傳出的合作議題，可能不會牽涉到公司買賣的問題，應該會是類似Aston Martin與Daimler集團之間的合作關係。不論未來是採用合作還是出售品牌，找到適合的合作夥伴之後，Lotus在跑車市場中應該會展現出一份新氣象。"
有人話Toyota會買起佢！