New Lotus car rolls out with SUV on the way

Lotus China CEO Chen Fei hands a mock key to the first owner of the latest Exige S AT in Beijing on July 23, 2015. [Hao Yan / chinadaily.com.cn]

Car manufacturer Lotus launched its latest light-weight sports model in the Chinese market on Thursday. The British company added Exige S AT to its "track monster" series in Beijing, with the automatic model now available for orders in both roadster and coupe versions.

The company also announced its local manufacturing plan of a SUV model still in blueprint.

Chen Fei, CEO of Lotus China, said: "The Exige S AT is expected to contribute more than 30 percent volume to the annual sales. In Exige S AT, our customer will enjoy a simpler, more pleasant and more exciting driving experience."

The Lotus Exige S AT fully embodies Lotus' design principle of balancing light weight with strong power, achieving unity of elegance and simplicity, said the company.

It said that although the plan to locally manufacture an SUV is still in pipeline, the company hopes to get the wheels rolling by shipping products to more Asian countries by 2019.

"We have been encouraged by the reaction we have received from the market. Our light-weight sports car segment is seeing a rise in demand," Chen said in an interview.

In 2015, the Beijing showroom recorded an increase in footfall by both existing customers and potential buyers. The majority of enquires were about the new models' performance, the approach to get professional instructions and the driving skills needed to safely explore the limits.

To meet the rising demand, Lotus' will triple its Chinese dealership network from six to 18 by the end of this year, and set the Beijing showroom as a prototype to be copied nationwide. It will focus on Beijing and the surrounding regions and on Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta.

The company is targeting three types of customers: the enthusiastic, professional executives and IT elites.

"The Lotus cars and the targeted people share similar spirits and philosophies. We inherited the superb craftsmanship and keep challenging ourselves. We constantly pursue stronger power and lighter weight," Chen said.

The carmaker attempts to meet its customers' growing demand and further improve their driving experience. Considering the content of high technologies in after-sales services and technique supports, every car is tracked by a professional mechanic to ensure the authorized usage.

A series of racer trainings are also on the CEO's to-do list. All the dealerships will facilitate training and will be equipped with five million yuan on-line Formula One simulation system.

A package, including on-line and real life training, is offered to Exige S AT customers, and other customers may also buy a three-month package that provides training in Formula One race simulation and on Zhuhai F1 track. Non-customers may receive the three-month training in a hired Lotus car.

"We are providing the most scientific approach to racing skills, including the cornering techniques etc," said Chen.

"Almost all customers have taken part in our trainings. The training will also help people understand the racing, to experience the mainstream culture. It is far away from reckless street driving."

The Chinese company this year is expected to reach the second position in racing within the Lotus Cars global company.