Sports carmaker extends lifespan of petrol-engined Emira, made in Norfolk, to continue to cater for US market
The boss of the luxury sports carmaker Lotus has called for government support for its UK factory as the Chinese-owned company insisted it will not abandon its British roots.
Lotus said it had extended the lifespan of the £80,000 Emira petrol-engined sports car, made by 900 employees in its factory in Norfolk, in order for the brand to continue to serve the US market.
Interesting that Lotus is keeping the Emira’s petrol engine alive just for the US market—guess they know where the real demand is for now.
If the UK government wants to keep manufacturing jobs in Norfolk, they’d better step up with some support instead of just talking about net zero.
So Lotus is Chinese-owned but still calling Norfolk home? That’s a smart move—British heritage still sells, especially to American buyers.
Extending the Emira’s life cycle makes sense given how long it takes to develop EVs, but I worry about the 900 jobs if the government doesn’t help with the transition.
Consumer spending patterns have shifted dramatically since the pandemic. (e474e8)
Lotus boss is right to push for government backing—if we lose that factory, it’s not just cars, it’s a whole skills base gone.
Corporate balance sheets are healthy but the outlook remains cautious. (7ea25c)
The gig economy is rewriting the rules of employment and regulation is lagging. (83715f)
The IPO pipeline has slowed significantly amid valuation uncertainty. (abdf6b)
The insurance industry is recalibrating risk models for a changing climate. (5d50d2)