DRB-Hicom formulate the way forward. How about MUM?

Since I have been promoting my Motorsport University idea, I have annoyed many people!
So far unsuccessfully!
I have been in contact with many of the people in this picture.

 

 

 Lotus/Proton/DRB-Hicom have the resources to implement the Motorsport University project utilising ICAM

 

 

DRB Hicom signing an educational MOU with John Moores Liverpool University and DRB-Hicoms own University ICAM. 

Both Petronas and DRB-Hicom have private Universities. 

 
DRB-Hicom has enough production cars in it's stable Lotus/Westfield/Proton Satria to cover the car side.
DRB-Hicom and Petronas have Universities under their umbrella.
Buy the Californian campus. Use that to introduce the brands to America.
Malaysia has a potential campus in Johor. Lotus has plenty of space it can utilise in Norfolk.

From a sports point of view perhaps Norwich football club might want to get involved.

LA Galaxy might be open to this as well. Motorsport and football seem open to collabortions.

Chelsea and Sauber have recently joined forces.

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/chelsea-and-sauber/

Obviously, Caterham could do all this also, adding QPR to the mix.

Check out this video. CLICK HERE
 Not everyone views this kind of thing as nonsense.

 

 

 

Caterham not Group Lotus to produce Renault sports car?

Group Lotus were rumoured to have a contract with Renault to partner in the design of the new Renault Alpine.
Reports today say that Caterham, who are a Renault customer in F1, and who appointed a Renault executive, Cyril Abiteboul, as their new F1 CEO recently, will be signing the partnership deal.
Joe Saward, a Caterham cars Director and journalist recently wrote an article:
Who is Cyril Abiteboul?
Apparently, Caterham will also produce a new car from the same Renault platform!

So the first new Caterham car under Tony Fernandes will be based on this cars platform.

Group Lotus must be very p'd.

I have in the past been in contact with Caterham over my proposal. At the time I didn't know it! I spent a couple of days with Alex Yoong at the ASLI Automotive conference 2009.

Soon after Alex took up a position with Tony Fernandes as the trainer/talent spotter for Lotus now Caterham F1.

He still has contact to Group Lotus heirarchy through DRB-Hicom.

Maybe it's not too late for Caterham and Lotus to work together. Who knows! (I don't)

As far as my MUM proposal is concerned I would be happy to work with DRB-Hicom, Caterham or Petronas if we are talking about Malaysian companies.

Obviously, I don't have any negative history with any of these entities.

Exciting times!

Lotus Evora sales. Caterham Engineering Centre. My Project.

The last few days have been filled with reports of Group Lotus being sold to Genii, strongly denied by Proton.
Parallel to this there have been articles on the companies car sales.
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/259509/

In the UK, Lotus sales are struggling, with just 272 cars registered in the first eight months of 2011, compared with 358 in the same period last year. That’s 24 per cent down in an overall market that’s down six per cent.


Another article by Richard Hammond.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/advice/motoring/latest-news/2011/10/07/lotus-blossoms-with-improved-evora-s-115875-23471292/


This is the new 2012 Lotus Evora S, which the company says has 143 ­improvements. Is it wise to ’fess up to this?
I would imagine that if you had bought one of the earlier cars you’d be pretty miffed that Lotus had found 143 things it felt it had to change for the next version.


These days, a £62,450 sports car has some pretty tough competition.

Finally I read.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/markets/article-23996840-expanding-customer-base-helps-n-brown-fill-its-niche.do

The perfect City trader's car: it's flashy and unreliable...

The first thing you should do when you collect your complimentary Lotus Evora for a stylish weekend away is this: check the train timetable. And pack light, you'll be carrying the luggage home.

At least that's how it was for me. Twice.

It's just bad luck that a nearly new supercar should conk out two weekends running - statistically unlikely, you might say - but no one I asked who knows about cars seemed that surprised. (The first loan was a gift. The second loan an apology for the first. The third will be, I hope, of an entirely different car.)


Lotus is struggling.

Oh well I'm sure they can always get some Engineering work.

Speaking of which, Caterham have opened their car design centre on the Hethel Campus. I mentioned this yesterday in my blog.

I wonder if they will allow non descript OEM's to use their name with abandon in order to get work?

http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/new_team_lotus_firm_to_create_sports_car_line_1_1086044

Caterham are opening a Technical area in the Hethel Engineering Centre!
I wonder where they think they will get their engineering staff from!
Here is a portion of the article:

“The new shareholders are committed to investing in an exciting range of global products over the next 10 years,” he added.
The new firm will also work for external automotive and aerospace companies.
The company’s new sports cars will be inspired by what it describes at the “lightweight, minimalist philosophy” of Caterham’s famous cult sports car the Seven. It will draw on the technology and materials of the group’s Team Lotus Formula One and Caterham Team AirAsia GP2 motorsport operations.
Mr Shute. who will be head of road cars, said creating the next iconic Caterham was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.
“The core principles and ambitions of CTI have enabled us to attract some of the brightest and most respected talents in their fields.”
Caterham Cars’ chief executive, Ansar Ali, said: “To meet the challenge, we knew we needed to invest in a new operation that would have the scope, experience and vision to deliver.”

One of the campuses for my proposal is the Hethel Engineering Centre. So it would mean that Group Lotus Engineering Plus Caterham Engineering and a UNI would all inhabit the same geographical space!

Isn't life grand!

My childrens book is moving along. Hethel Engineering Centre to be Caterham Tech base.

The graphics for my Childrens book are nearing completion. I was going to donate the book to a local Hospice. It depends on whether they are prepared to open an Amazon/Kindle account for me to deposit the book in. They would then automatically receive the royalties.
If not, I have another charity in mind.
Check my webpage under CSR. When it is completed I will put the details in there.
This is probably going to be the cover illustration.
The Title:                        
 Innocence lost in the ice cream forest.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/new_team_lotus_firm_to_create_sports_car_line_1_1086044

Caterham are opening a Technical area in the Hethel Engineering Centre!

I wonder where they think they will get their engineering staff from!

Here is a portion of the article:
“The new shareholders are committed to investing in an exciting range of global products over the next 10 years,” he added.
The new firm will also work for external automotive and aerospace companies.

The company’s new sports cars will be inspired by what it describes at the “lightweight, minimalist philosophy” of Caterham’s famous cult sports car the Seven. It will draw on the technology and materials of the group’s Team Lotus Formula One and Caterham Team AirAsia GP2 motorsport operations.

Mr Shute. who will be head of road cars, said creating the next iconic Caterham was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.

“The core principles and ambitions of CTI have enabled us to attract some of the brightest and most respected talents in their fields.”
Caterham Cars’ chief executive, Ansar Ali, said: “To meet the challenge, we knew we needed to invest in a new operation that would have the scope, experience and vision to deliver.”


On my plan, I have put the Hethel Engineering Centre down as a possible campus for the proposed University.

This can still happen. If Caterham and Group Lotus can work together I think that is great!

From a hardware perspective, Caterham products would be great trainers for students, who will I'm sure aspire to own them, and later in life maybe move onto an expensive Lotus.

Tony Fernandes Airlines fly to California, Malaysia, and the UK (not Norfolk presently...). So there is a lot of positive synergy there.

Great stuff!

All things Lotus lead to Malaysia!

It's official Team Lotus or 1MalaysiaF1 now own Caterham.
Team Lotus is owned by Tony Fernandes and his partners.

I've just posted this comment on the Independent site:
This is great news. Now Team Lotus have an F1 team which feeds into a sports car manufacturer.
Group Lotus must be very jealous!

The Independent also wrote a negative article on the UK coalition governments attempts to encourage private Universities in Britain. I have to say I think a well run Motorsport University would be great! I am a little biased though...

Westfield has entered an agreement with DRB-Hicom to assemble and import their cars... the Lotus 7  replica being the most well known.

Group Lotus is owned by Proton.
Oh well... There is something quintessentially British about Malaysia.

For a country that hardly buys any Lotus cars they certainly are into the brand.

From the Motorsport University perspective Caterham and Westfields allow the students to self assemble and are much cheaper than the real Lotuses coming down the line.

This combined with Team Lotus actually being an F1 team would have a great synergy.

Group Lotus have the finance and political clout to make this happen. They don't appear to have the will.

When I was punting the idea around in KL. Tony Fernandes partners NAZA were often mentioned as bumiputra entrepreneurs who might be interested in the project. Alex Yoong knows all about my plans. He is part of their team. Lets see what transpires.

Interesting times.

BPP (owners of Phoenix University) to take over failing Universities in the UK?Tony Fernandes a Caterham Director!

The ongoing furor over University fees continues in England...
BPP, the owners of the American university Phoenix has been approved to dispense University level education in the UK.
This article was printed by The Mail.
Failing universities face being taken over by private companies


I used Phoenix University a benchmark from a profit point of view when developing a business plan.
They have about half a million students and make a profit of about 13% of turnover. Their fees are much higher than those used in the Malaysian OU for example.
Search this Blog for Phoenix if you want to know more.

Tony Fernandes is a clever boy. He has become a Director of Caterham cars. Good for him.
Now he has a company that can produce sport cars that are affordable with an F1 link.
Sounds familiar!

Tony is not yet in the same position as Group Lotus regarding my plan. Group own an FIA type track in Hethel, which could easily become a campus. He could buy Johor Circuit and the Californian campus, and then enter into negotiations with Snetterton.
Why not?
Group Lotus have known about this proposal in one form or another for nearly a decade. No movement. Sadly.