Lotus opens flagship London dealer ahead of major sales push

Lotus has opened its flagship London showroom to the public, commencing the next stage of a worldwide sales push aimed at growing the firm’s annual volumes to 150,000 cars by 2028. The so-called “hyperspace” opposite the iconic Ritz hotel is intended to communicate the brand’s values and new product portfolio as it kicks off its electric reinvention – growing annual deliveries well beyond the current benchmark of around 1500 cars per year. “We need to tell the brand story,” explained Niels de Gruijter, executive director of Lotus Cars Europe, alluding to the opportunity afforded by Lotus’s rich history. “That’s why we are here at this iconic location in the middle of London – in the middle of Mayfair – to reach this.” The showroom has been designed with a digital-first approach intended to maximise its appeal. Key to this is a bold projection along the entrance wall of the showroom lobby, displaying avant-garde films referencing key values such as innovation. This is clearly visible through the shop front – and it consistently attracted attention from passers-by during the media preview event. Initially, the lobby will also display the three models comprising Lotus’s new line-up: the petrol-powered Emira sports car, the new Eletre SUV and the exclusive Evija hypercar. However, this will be rotated over time – both with new models as Lotus’s EV portfolio expands plus historic road and race cars. Situated behind the three-car range is a gallery showcasing images of key models and moments in Lotus’s history, such as the original Esprit and various sporting victories. This is to develop into a “Lotus Life” space where people can learn more about the brand and where merchandise can then be bought. A configurator area for new clients to configure their car has also been created. This is similar to Aston Martin’s offering, although not on the same scale as Aston’s 35ft-by-10ft screen. Although much of the brief for the Mayfair showroom was to reach new customers, care has also been taken to cater to Lotus’s most loyal clients. Such customers will receive access to the dealership’s basement on an invitation-only basis, with it serving as a clubhouse for brand ambassadors. This area is “more artistically driven”, according to showroom manager Isabella Ferreira, with a flexible layout divided into distinct zones by a series of sliding walls. A “partner area” showcases products such as sound systems made by KEF, while an “awareness zone” displays showreels of important cars in Lotus’s present and historic line-ups. Clients invited into the basement area also receive access to a bespoke version of the Lotus car configurator, allowing a greater degree of customisation and detail than is offered to the general public. This system mixes the physical and virtual worlds, using NFC technology to allow customers to select materials and paint chips from the physical wall and scan them into the configurator. Nonetheless, the basement is not solely an area for “toys for boys”, according to Ferreira. It aims to offer “the best coffee in Mayfair”. It is also a space from which Lotus can host events for its tight-knit customer base, and Ferreira implied that the firm would take care not to be too strict about how it selects those invited behind the scenes. The Mayfair brand centre will be followed by similar sites in Oslo, Norway, Paris, France, and a location in the Netherlands, said de Gruijter. As for the UK, Lotus plans to expand from the current 15 retailers to around 20 over the next two to three years.