Miata Mailing List: December 1993, Message #123
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   From: shyuehon@ecn.purdue.edu (Chuang, Shyue-Hong)
Subject: Re: bugatti/lotus (fwd)
   Date: Thu, 16 Dec 1993 12:04:39 -0500

> 
> Forwarded message:
> > From: Eric Fancher <75230.1445@CompuServe.COM>
> > To: Multiple recipients of list 
> > Subject: bugatti/lotus
> > Date: 	Wed, 15 Dec 1993 20:58:27 -0500
> > 
> > Did anyone see the December 13th edition of Autoweek?  On page 8 is a small 
> > article in which Adrian Palmer, managing director of Lotus Group is quoted:
> 
> >  it has to be different," Palmer notes.  "Toys we don't build.                
> >  Engineering masterpieces we do." 
> I saw this in Autoweek and it kind of ticked me off too.  I think it's
> purposefully inflammatory to rally enthusiasm around the Lotus marque.  I
> suspect that there's a lot of bitterness in Lotus enthusiasts that the
> Miata succeeded where the new Elan failed.  The Miata is more than a
> roadster cobbed out of parts from existing cars.  I can understand this
> kind of attitude with a car like the new Crapi, but not the Miata...
                                       ^^^^^^^^^
Me too!!
> 
> I have a lot of respect for the Lotus' of the '70's and it would be nice
> if Lotus could have a present-day success story, but they shouldn't
> detract from Mazda's success.
Maybe, it was 'cos Mazda's concept of the Miata was based too much upon
the Lotus Elans of the generation past!! They felt that Mazda's success
with the Miata was kinda stolen from their designs. I would say that the 
new Elan (newer one being researched) failed 'cos the market wasn't
ready for a totally new design that was relatively bold... and more
costly than its other competition like the Miata which had drawn the
q's from the Traditional Brit Roadsters. So most went for the more
affordable and a bit less bold Miata. By the time pple began to appreciate
the new Elans, Lotus had suffered so much losses that they had to 'suspend'
its production.

I have equal respect for the Miata and the Elan, both have their own
characteristics!! I am not too much into classic cars, so I don't really
know about the 70s Lotuses. Frankly... how many of us are proud to have
the Miata as a 'toy'!! I know I am!! The elan can also be treated as a toy.
Let's just consider them as very practical 'toys'!!
:)
>             _
>             /        Jeff Maurer, Staff Analyst
>      _  ___/ _ __   Service & Quality Apps, Sequent Computer Systems, Inc.
>      / /  / / / /  Uucp: ...!uunet!sequent!jdm
>     / /__/_/   /  Internet: jdm@sequent.com
>  __/             (503) 578-5062
> 
> "Better the pride that resides in a citizen of the world.
>  Than the pride that divides when a colourful rag is unfurled."
> Neil Peart, RUSH
> 
> 
> 

I hope you folks don't consider this as a flame. It is genuinely what I
have as opinions to this issue. Sometimes, we do get carried away by 
articles and tend to jump to our own conclusions in too much of a haste.
I did too, when I first saw the article, I felt a bit uneasy too.

Thanxs,
-- 
Chuang, Shyue-Hong

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