No new Lotus cars till 2015. Sounds good to me.

Just been reading some recent DRB-Hicom news. Property development seems to be high on their agenda...
How about buying the ex Honda Test Centre in California and developing it for a Motorsport University.

Lotus, Proton and Westfield (Potenza) all participate in Motorsports. They are all owned by DRB-Hicom. Get feedback from them on their wants and needs. Talk to your educational partners, DRB-Hicom own their own University, as do Petronas.
Develop the site.
Sell it to the New Uni on a rent to buy basis. Part of the deal could be for the University to use Hardware (cars etc) sourced mainly from the DRB-Hicom stable.
This would enable DRB-Hicom to offer the University reasonable terms on its rent to buy agreement.
Most of the initial property development could be done by DRB-Hicom. Hand over the design to a local architect to ensure it complies with USA/Californian regulations and away we go.
According to the Paul Tan article 2015 is when we can expect new products from Lotus.

He (Mohd Kamil DRB-Hicom CEO) also divulged that we can expect replacements for the Exige and Evora by 2015 or 2016, with a newly-developed platform and engine at the heart of things. No confirmation about whether the platform will be a carry-over or evolution of that from the Paris cars.

Lets target September 2015 as the opening date for the project. DRB-Hicom develops its first overseas project with a customer in place.
Might I suggest this Builder as a possible Californian partner.
http://www.zetacommunities.com/projects.php
Lets keep this as eco friendly as practicable, and disability friendly!
I just saw this picture. Simple and efficient.
http://www.interestingengineering.com/

Makes sense to me! Every cloud has a silver lining.
Did I mention that I have a USA passport and am available for this?

Video. Dany Bahar on the future of Lotus Motorsport. Porsche to enter F1? Paul Ritchie on the Porsche Hybrid.

In view of all the controversy over Team lotus, I thought I would embed this video I found on youtube.

I hope Dany starts to see the educational benefits of motorsport and looks to set up a facility in Malaysia to compliment his commitment to Hethel.
Hethel + Malaysia + China sounds good to me.
Just as an aside. I read that Porsche may be entering F1. Here is a portion of a Crash article:
Earlier this year, Audi motorsport director Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich had hinted that the Ingolstadt manufacturer and F1 'do not fit' on a technological basis  – with the inference being that if one of VW's two flagship names does join the grand prix grid, it will have to be Porsche.

My only dealings with Porshe were in the USA where I was invited by John Packwood then a senior advisor to Porsche engineering  in Troy Michigan and Paul Ritchie General Manager/CEO,  on a boat trip with Dave Jones.
Both John and Dave were former presidents of Hawtal Whiting, a now defunct design house. I used to work for Hawtals.
  Previously they all (John, Dave,Paul and myself) worked at both Fords and Hawtal Whiting. The ever present PA Moira was also onboard.
I had a long talk with John about my MUM proposal, he let me drive his Porsche. John and Dave were nice guys.It was a good day.

I'm sure Paul is excited about entering the world of F1.

Here is a video of Paul Ritchie in his present role as President of Porsche Motorsport:



I wish Paul, John, Dave and Moira all the best.
I do feel that Lotus has the possibility of competing with Porsche on all levels.
I look forward to being a participant in that competition...
Here is the company car that I'd like...

UK Motorsport Industry feels threatened

The BBC has an rticle on it's webpage:
UK motorsport industry in danger of being 'sidelined'
'Address problem'

"We find it difficult to imagine any other country sidelining such an important industry," the committee's chairman Peter Luff said.

"The government needs to address this problem if the UK is to maintain this pre-eminent international industry and help it flourish."

The UK motorsport business is centred around Silverstone in Northamptonshire, and supports 38,500 jobs and generates annual sales of more than £6bn.

The Commons committee now wants to see a specialist policy team set up, within Lord Mandelson's business department, with responsibility for the motorsport industry.

There are also worries that students in the UK prefer to study motorsport management rather than the more challenging subject of technical engineering.
The UK is responsible for a large proportion of the worlds motorsport technology. I assume Malaysia is now seen as a threat to that dominance.
LotusF1 has openly stated it's intention to transfer technology from Europe to Asia.

Interesting times!

The article goes on to say...

It said these overseas moves to capture motorsport business, often spearheaded by investment in hosting a Formula One race, posed a threat to the UK's current leading position.

The MIA said the industry was an "economic asset which requires less complacency and better awareness and active appreciation from government".

Meanwhile, the committee also noted in its report that the British Grand Prix at Silverstone was one of only two races in the FI calendar not to have financial support from the host government.

I think with the age of virtual learning, and the great respect emerging nations have for education, design and development is now a global possibility.

OEM's have for years talked about having 24hr a day design capability. The UK does 8 hours and transfers the files to Malaysia who design 8 hours and pass the files to the USA and so on.

The practicalities of doing this have not been overcome. Group Lotus for example have design centres in England Malaysia and the USA. Theoretically they could do this.

LotusF1 have designers in Germany (ex Toyota) assembly in the UK and corporate offices in Malaysia. Long term I assume they are looking at combining everything under one roof... Malaysia.

The times they are a changing!

I can certainly see that the possibility to deliver educational products 24 hours a day virtually globally is a very real possibilty.

I have embedded my old TV interview - thanks Bernama

Video shoot complete. Editing and web page in progress

Yesterday, I filmed the video. I wrote an introductory script for my new website.

It is my intention to send the video to some of the people at the conference, in the hope that they will be suitably impressed. Impressed enough to view

http://www.motorsportuniversitymalaysia.com/

Shortly, I will be adding content pertaining to the plan and strategy for Johor and Shanghai campuses.

I have every confidence that they will then make the right decision, and contact me with a view to making the vision a reality.

The video will be available for viewing by invite only.

Tilo (http://www.samasama.de/index.php) helping me with my new website, and video editing.

Herry (http://www.itv2.de/) shot the video.


Unlike the video the website is available for public viewing. I am hoping that this will be a first class site. I am responsible for the content. Other more capable people will look after the graphical side.

The ASLI conference went well. I asked one or two questions and networked.

Alex Yoong gave his support and sat with me for the two days... raising my profile!

Thanks Alex! (Sorry no picture of Alex and me) waiting for ASLI to send me one

Motorsport University Malaysia flyer ready

I have been asked by ASLI, the Asian Strategic Leadership Alliance Institute to promote their upcoming Conference on:

2nd Kuala Lumpur Automotive conference 2009



I have had a flyer made, which I have sent to the Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute.
It outlines my Asean + 1 proposal.
I am 100% focussed on this project.

official-flyer-for-motorsport-university-malaysia

View more presentations from johnsean.

In the past, I have contacted Universities both in Malaysia and abroad regarding this project. They have always been very positive.

If you go into slide share presentation above, and view page 2 you will see the Bernama survey results.

The results of this survey suggest that it is not only the Universities that support the setting up of a Motorsport University in Malaysia.

I would like to think that if a similar survey were to be conducted in China a similar result would be recorded.

Hence my ASEAN + 1 strategy makes sense on many levels

It is my intention to promote the MUM project at this conference. It would be nice to think that educational institutions both local and foreign would take the opportunity to attend this conference and make there support for Motorsport University Malaysia known to local Automotive companies supporting this conference.

Should you be interested here is a sample attendees/ speakers/role players:

Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia:

Tan Sri Dato’ Muhyiddin bin Haji Mohd Yassin

Industrial players/politicians:

Dato’ Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh

Chairman, PROTON Holdings Berhad, Malaysia

Dato’ Kamaruddin Ismail

Deputy Secretary-General (Industry), Ministry of International Trade & Industry (MITI), Malaysia

Mr Dilip Chenoy

Director General, Society of Indian Automobiles Association (SIAM), India

Mr Carl Rajendram

Chief Executive Officer, ISM Insurance Services Malaysia Berhad

Mr Kavan Mukhtyar

Partner & Head - Automotive Transportation & Logistics Practice, Asia Pacific, Frost & Sullivan

The list goes on and includes local media representatives, as well as representatives of non Malaysian automotive players.

There are several contacts for this conference:

We trust that the above are in order and if there's any way that we can be of any assistance, kindly get your office to contact me or Ms Kenanga Simon, Vice President – Special Events at 603-2093 5760 (dir) / 603-2093 5393 ext 211 / fax: 2093 3078 / 2094 8461 / mobile: 012-212 3441 / e-mail: kenangasimon@asli.com.my / simonkenanga@gmail.com / skenanga@yahoo.com

If you are serious in supporting 'MUM' please come along use this conference to let the relevent people know!

*** I would like to make it clear I am not a speaker at this event. I am not receiving payment for promoting either the conference, or the Motorsport University Malaysia project.

I have written to several institutions and people who I feel would benefit from this conference. I am pleased to report that a well known driver and media personality has agreed to come on Wednesday. The person says that my vision for motorsports in Malaysia is the same as his.