Lotus has posted its best sale figures in a decade, with global sales in 2021 up by 24 percent. It would seem that the small specialist sportscar maker from Hethel, England, has been able to buck the trend, since most large manufacturers struggled to meet demand due to the ongoing shortage of semiconductors.
Of course, one must consider just how low-volume Lotus is, with sales of 1,710 not likely to impress many onlookers. But with 1,378 cars shifted in 2020, it’s a heartening improvement for the small manufacturer.
The increase in demand is attributed chiefly to customers lapping up the final editions of the Elise, Exige, and Evora, as the company plans to transition to an all-electric future after the newly revealed Emira. The Elise proved to be the brand’s best-selling model in 2021, some 25 years after the first-gen was launched.
Read: Lotus Calls Time On The Elise, Exige, And Evora
The USA proved to be Lotus’ most significant market in 2021, with an unprecedented increase of 111 percent year-on-year for North American sales. Japan placed second in all-out sales, while The UK recording an increase of 29 percent, which sees the home nation take the last podium spot for best-selling territories. Belgium, meanwhile, saw an increase of 37 percent to become the star performing country in Europe.
The Asia Pacific region did well, too, with Japan, Australia, Qatar, and Hong Kong having some of their best years. Meanwhile, for the first time in seven years, Lotus sold cars in Bahrain, Thailand, and New Zealand.
The bump in sales comes at a critical juncture for the brand, as it prepares to launch the Emira — its last-ever ICE sports car — as well as its first SUV, a battery-electric vehicle known only as the Type 132.
Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, said: “In difficult circumstances, our retailers have delivered what was asked of them and more. It’s testament to their hard work, and that of our manufacturing, marketing, sales, and distribution teams around the world. A huge thank you to everyone involved – what a way to move into the era of Emira.”
