I like that in that video, on the back wall of the production offices overlooking the shop floor, it says, "SIMPLIFY THEN ADD LIGHTNESS."
I have to say that looking at the Emira as it's being built, they seem to have forgotten the "simplify" part. I kind of agree with Gordon Murray when he said in this video (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBAMWeKhBr4 about 24 minutes into it), "The Lotus period I liked sort of stopped at the Europa, really..." I can't blame Chapman or the current people at Lotus for all of it. I think a lot of the changes that got away from the earlier period were mandated by regulations. I also believe Lotus had to go up market to try to stay alive (although the results don't really bare that out, do they?) but I guess I'm old enough to think that the Loti ending with the Europa were the "real" Loti. It's not that I don't think the later cars are nice, but rather "other" (I might include the Elise as a "real" Lotus and I'd do it more readily if I could get in one in less than a minute!).
Having said all of that, I could have had a chance to drive the Emira at LOG 41 last month but I passed on the opportunity. I regret that now! I'm sure in many ways, it is the Lotus that the older cars are not (in a good way).
