Dealerships ,

LOTUS Cars Australia is building confidence with its third order of cars in production for delivery next month and, will next week, add its third national dealer.

Lotus Cars Australia chief operating officer Richard Gibbs said the new South Australian dealer would be kept under wraps until being officially signed up, while the company continues to look for dealer representation in Western Australia, Queensland and New Zealand.

Barbagallos in Perth, the previous Lotus dealer, has said it will not continue with the brand. But like previous outlets in Queensland and South Australia – Euromarque and BelCar respectively – Barbagalo will continue to service Lotus cars.lotus_lower_3

Simply Sports Cars started as the Lotus distributor on July 1 and is now known as Lotus Cars Australia and New Zealand.

“There is no change to the Lotus model with one dealer in one state,” Mr Gibbs said.

“We’re aware that this is a niche product in a premium market and that we need representation in all states before we know where we are going with sales.

“There is no production backlog at the factory for us. We have no issue with supply but we have decided to balance stock with demand.lotus_lower_4

“The factory has been very supportive. We are bringing in cars on demand.

“There are no fire sales on stock we have taken over from the previous distributor. These will be sold and we will then bring in cars from the factory to replace them.”

Zagame Automotive, the Victorian dealer, is finalising a purpose-built showroom for Lotus and is planning a second service centre in Melbourne.

Mr Gibbs said that the retention of Zagame as a dealer was “extremely pleasing”.

“Zagame has a longhistory with Lotus and was once the importer and distributor for the brand,” he said.lotus_lower

“It is building a new showroom for Lotus and has participated in the forward ordering of new models.”

Mr Gibbs said Zagame will hold a launch for the new models when the showroom is completed.

He said Lotus sales were “encouraging”.

“Since we took over on July 1, we have sold three Evora 400s and another is to be delivered to its Melbourne owner,” he said.

“The first Exige Sport 350 sale was made within weeks of the cars arriving in Australia.

“Our third order of cars is now under production and we expect those to arrive at the end of October.

“This order comprises Elise Sport 220, Exige Sport 350 roadster and coupe, Evora 400 in manual and automatic, and the first Evora Sports 410 and Elise Cup 250 cars.

“Our second shipment is all Evora 400s and will arrive this week.”

Mr Gibbs said the order numbers will increase once the new dealers are onboard.

Mr Gibbs said the brand was about lifestyle just as much as car sales.

“This lifestyle revolves around participation by the customer at events, ranging from coffee catch ups to Lotus-only tracks days, and lunches and charitable events,” he said.

“This all has to be underpinned by expert customer and aftersales service in order for a dealer to successfully engage with their local Lotus community.”

Lotus sold 48 cars in the 2015 calendar year and, this year to the end of August, has sold 23, compared with the 33 sales made in the same period in 2015.

By Neil Dowling

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