Buy Wise, Think Lotus

MILPERRA, Australia – February 19, 2009: Lotus cars are known for their handling strengths and, with a number of initiatives, look set to handle 2009 with a positive outlook and pricing plans designed to encourage buyer confidence in a time of financial pressure.

Lotus Cars Australia is combating the economic crisis with tax benefits, stable pricing and drive away deals to reinforce that it’s a buyers’ market, and that finding an improved deal doesn’t always have to mean boring.

In the current financial climate the emphasis is on being smart with money and with buyers looking to save in every aspect of life; the trick is to be smart and spend clever. But it’s easy to lose focus on living life, so Lotus is out to remind car buyers it is possible to save money while enjoying some of life’s luxuries.

Continuing its offer from the latter part of 2008, Lotus Cars Australia has announced it will effectively continue to absorb last year’s Luxury Car Tax increase across its entire range. In short, pricing has not been increased to cater for this tax increase, but is to continue at previous levels. This translates into a saving of up to $3000 off a new Lotus.

"We want to provide the best value sports car on the market," explains Lotus Cars Australia General Manager Jonathan Stretton on the new and continuing pricing initiatives. "Lotus Cars absorbed the Luxury Car Tax increase in the latter part of 2008 when the Federal Government had yet to confirm the increase. We are now pleased to confirm that pricing is to remain as it was prior to the Luxury Car Tax increase to maintain maximum value for money and ensure that a potential Lotus buyer isn’t discouraged by the mandatory tax increase.

"We understand that buying any Lotus isn’t a rash decision, and buyers who considered a Lotus before the Luxury Car Tax increase can now still take advantage of the pre-increase price. In a way, we’re rolling Lotus prices back one year."

In contrast to many manufacturers, Lotus Cars Australia has also initiated further price stability on its entire range, ensuring no immediate price rises despite the economic pressures.

"With these initiatives, we want to maintain the strong presence of Lotus cars in Australia, which will be no doubt be substantially boosted by the most exciting, significant Lotus launch for over a decade, the mid-sized 2+2 Lotus Evora. We have previously announced we will make the southern hemisphere’s Evora debut at the Melbourne Motor Show next week and are very much looking forward to introducing this car into Australia."

Buying a Lotus is cheaper, and so is maintaining it. Since 2006, Lotus has exclusively used tuned Toyota engines in its Elise and Exige range which offer superb performance and reliability while avoiding high running costs often associated with some exotics.

The Lotus Elise S, for example, uses a 100kW 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine with fuel economy that belies the car’s sporting prowess. Other sports cars struggle to match it for performance and fuel economy and thanks to a featherweight 860kg, the Elise S offers stunning performance of 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds with a combined suburban/highway fuel economy rating of just 8.3 litres/100km.

Not surprisingly, economical running costs are one of the contributing factors to the continued demand for Lotus vehicles on the second-hand market. Lotus cars have developed into vehicles with high retained values. Figures from car price evaluation website www.Redbook.com.au, the industry standard for new and used car values, indicate the Toyota-powered 100kW Elise S retains 76.3% percent of its new car value after two years, making it the best long-term value proposition in its class and taking hold over some of its rivals.