CHIME COMM : BELL POTTINGER APPOINTED BY GROUP LOTUS

Agency to drive reputation for iconic British car marque

Bell Pottinger has been appointed by Group Lotus, the Norfolk-based manufacturer of iconic road and track cars, to enhance its corporate profile and reputation. 

The Bell Pottinger team is being led by David Wilson, Chairman of Bell Pottinger Public Relations and Jonathan Adler, CEO of Bell Pottinger Sans Frontieres, who are reporting to Group Lotus CEO Dany Bahar and Thomas Hofmann, Director of Group Communications.

Says David Wilson: “Lotus is a truly iconic British brand that is synonymous with lightweight, high performance and affordable sports cars, together with a rich heritage in motorsport. Now, with a massive investment programme underpinned by Proton, its parent company, Lotus has an exciting future growth strategy that aims to transform its business globally.

“With five new road cars unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, more than any other manufacturer at a single show, Lotus has made a bold statement about the future. We’ll be reinforcing the new Lotus strategy, which is rooted in commercial reality with full funding, as it becomes an even stronger force in affordable, mid-range and high-end premium sports cars.”  

Dany Bahar says: “One year ago we set out our plans to introduce a new Lotus range of road cars, to recreate the heritage of Lotus in motorsport and to generally revitalise this iconic Lotus brand. Within a year, we are meeting all of the targets and milestones we set ourselves. Bell Pottinger will be helping us tell the new Lotus story – one of growth and development that will reinstate this company to the pinnacle of sports car development.”

Lotus made the ultimate statement of intent at last September’s Paris Motor Show by unveiling five new road cars, two evolutions of existing models and a new concept car. This, accompanied by a new 360° motorsport programme featuring IndyCar, Le Mans, GP2 and much more, which sits alongside its backing for the Lotus Renault GP Formula 1 team.

The manufacturer, located in the leafy Norfolk village of Hethel, just outside Norwich, is planning to reintroduce its iconic Lotus Esprit alongside new models called the Elite, a new five-litre V8 Lotus Eterne, and a new concept City Car, recently named Ethos. There are also plans to reintroduce the iconic Elan model further in the future. 

The Hethel site is also undergoing a major transformation, marked recently when former world champion Nigel Mansell officially opened a revised and restored FIA-approved test track, driving the 1981 Essex-Lotus 81B in which he started his glorious Formula One career more than 30-years-ago.

He was joined by fellow F1 legend and now Lotus Ambassador, Jean Alesi; and a brace of Lotus Renault GP cars piloted by current F1 stars Vitaly Petrov and Bruno Senna.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Group Lotus plc, is based in Norfolk, UK, and has three operating divisions: Lotus Cars, Lotus Engineering and Lotus Motorsport.

Lotus Cars builds world class, high performance sports cars including the award-winning Evora, the iconic Elise and the stunning Exige and the road / track orientated 2-Eleven. Lotus New Era, the future product line-up, was unveiled in Paris on 30th September 2010 featuring the new Esprit, Elan, Elite, Elise and Eterne.

Lotus Engineering provides comprehensive and versatile consultancy services to many of the world's OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers and is an internationally recognised automotive engineering consultancy. Global facilities include those in the US, Malaysia, China and offices in Germany and Japan, with rapid expansion in new territories such as South East Asia. Lotus is a global high-tech company, expanding rapidly and committed to driving forward technology for both Lotus Cars and its Engineering clients, spearheading research into such areas as hybrids, electric vehicles and renewable fuels.

Lotus Motorsport operates the motorsports activities of Lotus and includes the strategy to return the Lotus name to a great number of series including endurance racing with GT2, GT4 and LMP2, single seater racing with GP2, GP3 and IndyCar. Lotus has also returned to F1 with Lotus Renault GP from the start of the 2011 F1 racing season onwards.

For more information, contact:

David Wilson at Bell Pottinger

Tel: [phone]  email: [e-mail]

Liz Brooks at Group Lotus

Tel: [phone]  email: [e-mail]