I saw this advertisement on the Net for Lotus Elise in the United Kingdom :
What - Lotus Elise S 2012
Date - May 2012
Where - Norfolk, England
Price - £36,200
Available - Now
Using a currency converter that works out to about RM175,000. This is closer to the real market price of the Lotus Elise in UK, Europe and the rest of the normal world.
However yesterday's Star reports that a new Lotus showroom has been opened in Kuala Lumpur where the new Lotus Elise S Coupe is priced from RM332,300. That is almost two times the price for the same car in the UK.
"The Lotus Exige S is longer and wider than the Elise S and is available in two bodystyles - a RM452,030 Roadster version and the RM462,230 Coupe version."
Well in the UK the Lotus Exige sells on the road for around 52,900 pounds or about RM258,000. Again that is only half the price paid in the UK.
So I have serious doubts if the Lotus cars are going to be a success in Malaysia at RM332,000 to RM452,000.
We were at Naza Motors a couple of days ago and there was one used Lotus Elise on display there. It is extremely difficult getting into the car. This is just NOT the car to drive your wife to work. The wife will not be able to get into the car. And once you are inside the car, you will not be able to get out either. Even my slimmer and more nimble sons had to negotiate the car. It is a car meant for young people and for the enthusiast (like me). You must really like this car if you want to buy one.
So the market for this car is going to be very young people or people who are slim and nimble. If you are above 34 (waistline) you will NOT be buying this car. The question is how many 24 year olds or young people with waistlines below 34 inches can afford an RM332,000 car?
Then there are other cars in the market for RM332,000 or RM452,000. The BMW series (two door and four door). The fantastic Mercedes SLK and CLK class (2 door). As well as the C class Mercedes Benz. These are all cheaper than the Lotus cars. You can also get a Porsche 911, Porsche Boxster, Porsxche Cayman for less money. Or a Porsche Cayenne SUV.
Again the people who can usually afford these cars in this expensive price range are people with waistlines above 34 inches or who are much older. They are not the Lotus Elise category of people.
The only way for Lotus to sell their cars in Malaysia and survive is if they price the car at its real market value ie RM150,000 to RM175,000. Only then will those in the 24 years old to 34 inches waistline age group will be able to afford this car. This is a young people's car lah. Young people dont have that much money. To the DRB people, please write this down in your diary today - January 9th 2013. Lets see how many Lotus cars you will be able to sell at the current ridiculous price of RM332,000. I dont think you will succeed.
The Lotus Elise is selling for twice the price in the UK or even in the US. Surely this is ridiculous. In the UK their rents are higher, salaries and wages are higher, cost of materials and fuel are higher yet the Lotus Elise is only half the price in the UK compared to Malaysia.
This is simply not right. The Gomen really has to throw away all these artificial and ridiculous taxes, duties, licensing, AP bullshit and such which makes the price of the cars so expensive in Malaysia. The time has come where the Malaysian public will not take this artificial burden anymore - which only benefits the AP cronies and the other people who have a vested interest in the car market.
This is not benefiting the rakyat at all.
So the market for this car is going to be very young people or people who are slim and nimble. If you are above 34 (waistline) you will NOT be buying this car. The question is how many 24 year olds or young people with waistlines below 34 inches can afford an RM332,000 car?
Then there are other cars in the market for RM332,000 or RM452,000. The BMW series (two door and four door). The fantastic Mercedes SLK and CLK class (2 door). As well as the C class Mercedes Benz. These are all cheaper than the Lotus cars. You can also get a Porsche 911, Porsche Boxster, Porsxche Cayman for less money. Or a Porsche Cayenne SUV.
Again the people who can usually afford these cars in this expensive price range are people with waistlines above 34 inches or who are much older. They are not the Lotus Elise category of people.
The only way for Lotus to sell their cars in Malaysia and survive is if they price the car at its real market value ie RM150,000 to RM175,000. Only then will those in the 24 years old to 34 inches waistline age group will be able to afford this car. This is a young people's car lah. Young people dont have that much money. To the DRB people, please write this down in your diary today - January 9th 2013. Lets see how many Lotus cars you will be able to sell at the current ridiculous price of RM332,000. I dont think you will succeed.
The Lotus Elise is selling for twice the price in the UK or even in the US. Surely this is ridiculous. In the UK their rents are higher, salaries and wages are higher, cost of materials and fuel are higher yet the Lotus Elise is only half the price in the UK compared to Malaysia.
This is simply not right. The Gomen really has to throw away all these artificial and ridiculous taxes, duties, licensing, AP bullshit and such which makes the price of the cars so expensive in Malaysia. The time has come where the Malaysian public will not take this artificial burden anymore - which only benefits the AP cronies and the other people who have a vested interest in the car market.
This is not benefiting the rakyat at all.
11 comments:
How come pricing differ so much, oversea and local one?? differential price reflects added 'value' or what?
dont talk about Lotus!!!,.. proton cars aso being sold much cheaper oversea than locally..subsidized sale or what ??
As you said Syed, Lotus is meant for enthusiasts, another word for 'suckers'. Suckers will spend up-through-their-nose on things they crave. If the car is too cheap - yes, any car with price tag less than RM 200k is considered cheap these days - then it is no longer a 'class' to vroom-vroom-vroom it on the road. Save the car for the suckers, ya.
Malaysia is the epitome of rent-seeking based economy. Cash out the obscene profits, then wire the money to Cayman Island. Mafia system is already around us.
"The wife will not be able to get into the car. And once you are inside the car, you will not be able to get out either"
"So the market for this car is going to be very young people or people who are slim and nimble. If you are above 34 (waistline) you will NOT be buying this car."
LOL! Kelakar betul..
Then what's the point of buying this car? With AES nak speeding pun tak boleh..
Are the enthusiasts going to just use this car for weekends racing at the circuit? If that is the case.. then they must be super-rich thus the ridiculous price tag will not be a problem..
Anon 12:26 & Restoran Lotus,
Thats exactly the point. Only the very few will buy the Lotus. Unfortunately the super rich, vroom room types etc will not generate enough sales to sustain the Lotus brand in Malaysia. Lotus Malaysia is going to bungkus.
SAA
only the *filthy* rich will be able to drive this kinda cars around here!! Kampung hilly billy nouveau riche just love to show of .Sucks everytime you look at the driver face like belacan only..rotfl
PakSyed , i just copied your take on this onto Paultan.org . Hope you're ok with it .
Same boat with you ..Lotus is not going to survive as there're better practical alternative .This company is bleeding right left and centre . And who is so keen to revive Lotus ? YOur idol of course . Jgn marah ok , ramai rakyat Mesia cakap macam tu bukan saya saja . Cheers
Young person can drive Lotus ma...
Jadi GRO to Latok..can drive one..
Jadi Toy Boy to Latin...can drive also maaa..
Cikgu Rohayu
SMK Tanah Liat
Seberang Prai
Hari hari kita semua kena tipu dengan made in Malaysia or OWN BY MALAYSIAN company which are always pricing their products at a much higher prices than those sold in the far away foreign lands/continents. Yang paling kuat tipu ialah PROTON cars.
Even Perodua cars are of much better quality. Beli satu Myvi saja ,tiga tahun we will be doing only normal servicing without having to worry about any parts breakdown. I bought my first brand new Pesona in Rawang in 2010 and after using for six months the car experienced brake break down and engine jerking three months later. Even though rectified by their workshop but i had enough of proton car!!. My next car will be either Japanese or Korean but hmnn.. deep down i know that i sure going to kena SEMBELIH dengan Kerajaan Malaysia in term of ridiculous taxes.
May be its time now to give BABI, TOKONG and TIN SADIN chance to rule to fulfill their `promises` to reduce every things..
Cronies were placed there to get super rich by your mentor.
If you think Lotus cars are expensive, wait till you hear about their parts prices. The Elise S1 runs on an old K-series engine that has been with us no less than 30 years. Parts are aplenty and cheap. Proton rips owners off by charging the earth for parts. For eg. a water pump is GBP22 = RM110 but Lotus charges RM839. Added freight and taxes would not account for this exorbitant pricing, but massive profiteering will. My take is that DRB-Hicom will eventually price the car out of the market to the point the brand will cease to exist in the Malaysian market.
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