Huge News: Team Lotus F1 team may takeover Caterham

[rnr]

Sources have revealed to AUTOSPORT that Team Lotus could be on the verge of a takeover of Caterham - which if it came off would provide obvious marketing and technical opportunities between the F1 operation and the road car business.

 

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90907

[twobone]

Perhaps we will see an expansion of the North American foot print.

 

I would love to see a larger Canadian profile

[xflow7]

The notion of a Caterham-Cosworth Formula 1 team is rather interesting to say the least!

 

Having said that, the realist in me says I don't think of backmarker F1 teams as particularly stable businesses, so I'd be pretty wary for the future of Caterham

[DeanG]

Sneaky way for Tony F. to try and gain some legitimacy of the name for a low low price.

[TheDingo8MyBaby]

The notion of a Caterham-Cosworth Formula 1 team is rather interesting to say the least!

 

Except Team Lotus switched from Cosworth to Renault Power this year.

 

The question is whether this is a move to gain legitimacy, a back up plan or something else?

[xflow7]

Except Team Lotus switched from Cosworth to Renault Power this year.

 

The question is whether this is a move to gain legitimacy, a back up plan or something else?

 

D'oh! Of course that's correct!

[Alaskossie]

I guess we'll all find out what this is about next week.

 

Here are some UK links:

 

http://blogs.news.sky.com/kleinman/Post:8f4cbbfe-d52f-45f6-b63f-1da435550b9b

 

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/21042011/66/team-lotus-linked-caterham-tie.html

 

http://www.thef1times.com/news/display/03149

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90907

 

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/team-lotus-linked-to-caterham-takeover/657497.html

 

Does not sound good, because the right motives don't seem to be present. The worst outcome would be like that Russian teenager's takeover of TVR, which has killed the marque.

[turboeric]

I wonder if the F1 cars will run clamshells or cycle fenders?

[scannon]

I called Ben at Caterham USA to see if he knew anything about all this. Their answering machine said they are closed while on spring break until April 29th. I wonder if the dealers and/or importers got summoned to the factory to hear the news.

[rnr]

Does not sound good, because the right motives don't seem to be present. The worst outcome would be like that Russian teenager's takeover of TVR, which has killed the marque.

 

The motives may be suspect but at least Tony Fernandes is an accoplised businessman. He may not make Caterham much better but I would trust him not to run it into the ground

[bball7754]

An unofficial confirmation.

 

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/team-lotus-principals-buy-caterham-confirmed/

 

Steve

[Kitcat]

I will be happy to be wrong, but I have a bad feeling abt this. I am afraid that, somewhere along the line, little Caterham will be sacrificed for some greater purpose, or run intro the ground, or that the purity of the product will be watered down. Perhaps the April 2011 new car announcement (diesel engine, etc., was not in jest after all().

[blubarisax]

for what it's worth, I can't get anyone at Caterham USA (the old spring break line). Also, I could not get anyone at Caterham (8:30 EST) either, I suspect they are all just out for a pint of beer or getting ready for the Royal wedding.

Edited April 23, 2011 by blubarisax

[TheDingo8MyBaby]

It's a bank holiday in england today - good friday.

 

The bank holiday for the royal wedding is next Friday

[solder_guy]

A string of new companies have recently been established including Team Lotus Bikes, Team Lotus Hotels and several others.

 

Would you ever say, "I rode my Lotus bike?" or "I stayed at the Lotus hotel?"

[DeanG]

I have a Lotus bike, an Elan. The company wasn't in any affiliated with Lotus they just used the name.

 

The plot thickens.

[snookwheel]

I wonder if the F1 cars will run clamshells or cycle fenders?

:rofl:

[escondidoron]

Would you ever say, "I rode my Lotus bike?"

 

While I appreciate the centiment, there is the Lotus Type 108 Pursuit Bike built by Lotus Engineering. Lotus built the type 108 in support of the 1992 U.K. Olympic cycling team.

 

More info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_108

 

and here:

http://classic-web.archive.org/web/20060326231030/http://www.grouplotus.com/eng/track_record.php?section=17&page=25&id=13

 

Here's a pic of a type 110 Lotus Sport Bike:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1366/5112817914_2d1507087b_b.jpg

 

Neither of these bikes should be confused with the Japanese built bikes marketed by the New York based bicycle marketing company (with no affilliiation to Group Lotus) back in the '80s & 90s, Lotus International.

[MoPho]

While cycling along the beach a while back ago I came across this guy

[jimrankin]

If the plan is to make Caterham Company into a manufacturer for a larger market share base lets hope that it becomes something of a "multi-line" event where they make a weathertight, sporty, "yes, you can get in through a door" second line with instant manufacturer name recognition, call the "luxury" car by another designation and leave the "7's" pretty much where they are.

As for joking around about "Lotus" names, my wife had to have a Thunderbird when they got redesigned "smaller" in the early 80's. We ended up with an "Elan" but a "Lotus" it was not. It was the one and only Ford I ever bought and wasn't actually a bad car as far as American cars went at the time. Hi-pro small block with the "sport" package (she wouldn't go for the turbo 4 cyl. and a stick) but still not anything to take on a twisty road just for fun.