Lotus has welcomed the first buyers of its new Emira sports car to its Hethel factory to collect their new vehicles.

Factory Collection is an option for all Emira customers in the UK and can be specified during the online ‘check-out’ process.

It includes a 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 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.

In its First Edition form, the mid-engined Emira features a 3.5-litre V6 engine delivering 400PS transmitted to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission or an optional six-speed automatic gearbox. Prices for the new model start at £75,995.

The first recipient, Shaan Kodituwakku, travelled from his home in Edinburgh to pick up his V6 First Edition finished in Hethel Yellow.

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.”

As well as Factory Collection, Emira customers can have their car delivered to their home or a convenient Lotus Centre.

Lotus UK has been on a drive to grow its global retail footprint under Geely, which also owns the Polestar, Volvo and London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) brands.

At the start of 2022 it made the switch to an agency model agreement for its expanding car retail network.

Lookers’ Charles Hurst car retail division has struck an agreement with sports car maker Lotus Cars to develop its only dealership in Northern Ireland.

The latest AM industry special issue

Spotlight on the customer

In this issue:

What consumers really want - trends and habits dealers must understand to provide the right buying experience

Barriers to EV purchase - many private motorists need extra help before they take the plunge

Delighting used car buyers - it's essential for retailers to offer tailored experiences and great value

Aftersales customer care - valuable interactions are vital as dealerships face fishing in a diminishing pool

A customer-first future - Steve Young, ICDP MD, gives AM an exclusive insight.

Read now