Lotus, like all other companies, has to grow or die. It's as simple as that. And the market for superlight sport spyders is, as Lotus has proven, somewhat limited. The market for higher end, high quality GTs, coupes and sedans is much larger and, in much of the world, seems to be growing.
Won't it all come down to how they drive? In the end, the world accepted Cayennes and Panameras because they at least gave a taste of Porsche performance in a bigger, less sporting vehicle. If Lotus can go after the GT market, currently occupied by 911s, XKRs, BMW 3 & 6 Series, etc., and still deliver a Lotus sport driving experience, they should do well, I think.
This helps them build momentum and I'm all for it.
I do think they seem to be flailing a little, design wise, but these are early days and this exercise may be designed to see where enthusiasts like us gravitate. If we like everything they show us, they're screwed! They need us to approve of a certain direction so they'll know how to lead on.
And remember, one mark of a great company these days is their ability to be innovative beyond customer expectations. I would say Lotus just did that. Don't you agree?
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Winning through radical experimentation.