Lotus will soon lay off about 325 workers as it restructures, the smiles on the faces of 25% of its talented staff wiped away. This photo shows happier times during the line-off of the Exige S. (Photo: Lotus) |
While 325 workers might not seem like a lot when compared to the thousands of layoffs other automakers have announced in recent years, factor in that 325 is more than a quarter of Lotus’ 1,215 employees.
“We have worked very hard to avoid the need to make the proposal, but do believe
The cuts are designed to make Lotus leaner, but it’s already a very tight operation. (Photo: Lotus) |
It should be noted that 325 is not a hard number, with negotiations still needed, redeployment opportunities available for some, and even hiring required for key roles, but the news is hard to spin in a positive way just the same.
“Once the reshaping has been undertaken, and with its strong and experienced management team, Lotus should be a leaner, more competitive organization, focusing
While Lotus builds exciting sports cars, new models are needed to boost interest in the brand. (Photo: Lotus) |
While Lotus’ lineup appears better than ever, its Elise, Exige and Evora models have been around a long time and therefore are in dire need of replacements, plus with so many competitors now available, even amongst mainstream players such as Scion (Toyota) and Subaru, pulling current Lotus owners back to the brand merely for updated versions of the same car is a difficult task.
Lotus fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that Gales and his executive team will be able to increase sales of the current lineup while getting new products to market quickly so that it doesn’t have to cut further into its talented workforce.
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