New home for Lotus in Melbourne

Sydney-based Lotus dealer and the company behind the British sports car brand’s importation into Australia has expanded its footprint to Melbourne.

Simply Sports Car opened its first interstate dealership in South Melbourne over the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend.

Simply Sports Car Melbourne is the second Lotus dealership in Melbourne. Long-time retailer of the Lotus brand, Zagame Automotive, operates the Lotus Melbourne dealership in Cremorne (Richmond).

Lotus sold 62 cars Down Under in 2017 – double the 2016 total.

Simply Sports Car and Lotus Cars Australia boss Lee Knappett said the expansion into Melbourne included a co-operative arrangement with the existing operation.

Modelling the City Rd, South Melbourne retail outlet with his Artarmon (NSW) operation, Knappett said the focus will be on customer engagement.

“The Simply Sports Cars (SSC) model is strongly involved in customer activities at its core,” Knappett told motoring.com.au.

“I don't want to use the term lifestyle but we are very different. The standard dealership experience doesn't necessarily embrace the Lotus brand. It is more niche,” he explained.

Knappett has relocated to Melbourne to facilitate the launch.

“My role is to accelerate and build the Lotus brand in Victoria. Zagames is still very much part of Lotus and we’ll partner on events and other opportunities,” he said.

A key focus of Simply Sports Cars’ offer will be “complete ownership experiences” with both Lotus and SSC’s other marque KTM, Knappett says.

“Instead of someone just buying a car we will offer a whole package. This might include track days, one-on-one training.

“With Lotus this might involve events in the UK and in the case of KTM the opportunity to race in Europe at the Red Bull Ring.

“We want to focus on ownership experience and give our owners a goal. That might also be something like Targa. This is one of the reasons we've brought Simply Sports Cars to Melbourne.”

Knappett sees potential for growth for Lotus in Australia and says he’s buoyed by the recent acquisition of a majority shareholding in the at times troubled British brand by Chinese giant and Volvo owner, Geely.

“As cars are becoming more autonomous, as they transition towards that, there will be more scope for real driving experiences… [Demand for] Cars where drivers can utilize their skill set will grow rather than shrink -- Lotus is in a good place,” he stated.

“It's been under Geely’s influence for about six months and we are just starting to see the effects rolling into the business. Two new models have been confirmed and Lotus expects to grow at staff from around 800 to 1100 by mid-2018,” Knappett stated.

Knappett says the two models do not include the SUV that’s expected to arrive in the Chinese market by around 2022.

He says Lotus’ recent strategy of multiple limited and minor update models has been “shortsighted but necessary”.

“It’s been focussed on cash flow. We've all been frustrated but it has a created a positive cash flow position which in turn created the opportunity with Geely… Now the funding is in place for the future models,” he says.

Knappett says the most encouraging sign for Lotus under Geely control is the success of Volvo. Lotus will leverage the relationship, he says.

“There’s great architecture and technology within the Volvo family. Alternative powertrains and other technology – and Polestar [Volvo’s performance brand]…

“It's fair to say Lotus will utilise this technology. It's not official but it's been alluded to,” Knappett told motoring.com.au.