Exora based Lotus SUV?

I see Lotus are to produce an SUV.
They will use the Proton parts bin. Picture borrowed from Paul Tan.

I have to assume it will be lighter and faster than the Porsche…

Porsche uses a combination of steels and aluminium. Pic borrowed from Topspeed.com
I suppose Lotus could do the same, perhaps adding some carbon.
Zenos, a new car Company based beside Lotus Hethel and run by ex Lotus employees has recently built a new car.
It gets good reviews and uses ‘cheap’ carbon.

Here is a portion of a review. www.motoringresearch.com
It’s made from an extruded aluminium central spine, to which front and rear subframes are bolted. A carbon fibre composite cockpit is fixed to this: if it sounds familiar, it’s because it’s similar to how the original Lotus Elan was made. That used fiberglass though – Zenos’s recycled carbon fibre (with thermoplastic honeycomb core) is a brand new material that’s light, affordable and still seven-tenths as strong as F1-grade carbon fibre. Ingenious.

The Exora has been set up as a hybrid and an electric vehicle as a running prototype. Lotus have obviously produced the Evora in hybrid form.
http://www.lotuscars.com/engineering/evora-414e-hybrid
So a light hybrid version of a Evora based SUV would not mean entering into the unknown.
Engine wise Proton have the Campro, which is in production, and has a turbo charged version. It doesn’t get glowing reports though.
Alternatively, Proton own the (Petronas) E01e which has been in development for about 15 years and has never been productionised.

Proton paid RM63 million (about £11million) for this in 2012.
I assume it was bought with a view to put it to some use?

Police only doing as they are told... I'm sure Dr. Mahathir was quietly amused (bemused)

If you read my blog/webpage you will know I have met some of Proton's management, past and present.
Proton being a Malaysian car company. They own Lotus (Hethel).
I have briefly met Dr. Mahathir. Now Chairman of Lotus and Proton.

I presented at ASLI with his Son (a former Lotus board member) and Tengku Mahaleel (former CEO of Lotus).

Before we went on both gentlemen let me know they would not appreciate it if I publicly embarassed them in any way... Keeping face in Asia is a big deal it would seem.
So I am not suprised to see this video appearing on youtube. Obviously, a VVIP was apprehensive about being publicly humiliated and took appropriate action.
The Police are only following orders.

I remember in my younger days having contact with the Police in America. I was arrested several (3)times for drink driving. The Police did what the Police do. End of.
The last time, I had an argument at the bar with a Man who was rude to the bar staff (gave him the wrong brand of beer). The person I argued with felt it necessary to call the Police after I left, apparently he got a pay rise from 'our' company for this.
I got what I deserved, a ban, a fine, lost my house for six months, and had a black mark against my name...  Fair enough.

In Dr. Mahathirs case I imagine he was escorted home/elsewhere. No harm done...

Corporate help from a Punk

I have a visitor due to visit me in July.
Tilo and his wife Curtney are friends I met in Malaysia. I attended their wedding.

Tilo helped me produce a video (along with Herry - Thanks Herry) for my ASLI presentation.

He also helped me with some of my promotional material and co-ordinated and Uploaded to Amazon the Charity book.

 Apart from my Slideshare presentation, he never asked for any monetary renumeration.

Check out his work here: www.samasama.de

The video I used at ASLI is no longer available. However, Tilo and his group are reforming, so I thought I would give him and his band some free publicity!
His Mum told me they (fifty50) were the best Punk band in Leipzig!
Judge for yourself!

I am still hopeful that I can get support from more corporate type resources for my project sooner rather than later!

Until then Anarchy rules... I suppose?

Video of a sports based University

This is a promo for a Football based Uni. It is based around a Football ground.
My proposal is essentially the same.
Obviously, with Motorsports Engineering/CAD/CAE  would be added to the mix.

I see this project has the support of some high level repected people. I'm hoping that people of similar ilk throw their weight behind my proposal.

CSR projects and the spirit of giving

Today my Sister put her book on Kindle.

ALL ROYALTY PAYMENTS GO CHARITY

Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Caring Centres Trust (Maggie’s)

 

As you may know, I along with Claus and Tilo Werner produced a book. This book is available on Amazon (POD) and Kindle.
This was done to benefit charity, ROKPA and was used as a CSR project for my MUM proposal.
Whilst we publicised ourselves doing this, none of us received any cash for our efforts. Nor will we in the future.
Follow this link if you want to read the story behind the story.

In my Sisters case, the writing of the book is a personal account of her feelings. So it helped her cope while being diagnosed with and receiving treatment for cancer.
 So out of a negative experience, something positive arose. Feel free to read her story and by doing so help a cancer charity help others in a similar position.
Corporate social responsibility and Personal social responsibility are both laudable.
I think most of us hope to leave the World a slightly better place than we found it.

Lotus and Goldstar sign off on a joint venture.

Lotus International have signed another agreement to offer design support for Youngman in China.
In return Youngman can sell their cars as Goldstar Lotus.
This was reported in the Malaysian media today.
I have borrowed this picture from Paul Tan who reported this.

Proton Chairman Dr. Mahathir is in the centre. The respective representatives of Goldstar and Lotus are shaking hands.

Last time this happened, Lotus Engineering Malaysia supplied some of the Manpower. In fact a lot of the people who worked on the last such project remained in China. Many working for Magna. I assume Lotus will be looking for people. Proton might supply some from their own R&D centre in Shah Alam. Proton and Lotus are both owned by DRB Hicom in Malaysia.

Goldstar, if my memory serves me correctly were also the initial Chinese partner of choice when Tengku Mahaleel was CEO.

I suppose in the same way GM use the Chevy brand to sell (Daewoo) Korean produced cars worldwide Lotus may find its name on cars far and wide. Its down to money. Lotus doesn't make any.
It is a pawn in this game, in my personal opinion.

I'm sure Lotus and DRB Hicom will hope this works commercially. Lotus has a much stronger resonance abroad than Proton.

I would love to able to use the Lotus brand on my Educational proposal. Hopefully, some of the people in the picture read this blog!

Linkedin buy Lynda.com online training portal for $1.5bn

Last night I watched Linda Yueh interviewing three high level University heads about online education.
It is now a serious business.
If you are in the UK you can view it on iplayer now.
In addition I see that Linkedin have paid $1.5bn for an online training portal.
Their shares rose by 1.5%
Good stuff.
Hopefully, I can garner some support for this project!

Wish me luck!