Lotus Opens Its Very 1st Retail Shop as It Works to Become a Lamborghini Competitor

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Lotus Cars Limited has been an innovative player in race cars and sports cars since its inception in 1948. Now Lotus is making moves toward becoming more accessible to people without deep pockets. Learn more about the Lotus brand, its monumental first retail store, and the British automaker’s plans for the future, including competing with Lamborghini. 

Lotus positions itself to give Lamborghini and other rivals a run for their money

Lotus logo | Chesnot/Getty Images

Known for creating unique, powerful, and gorgeous cars with prices out of most people’s reach, Lotus has a well-established history of pushing boundaries. 

The automaker is in the middle of a pivot toward making more affordable and accessible cars to keep up with rivals doing the same, such as Porsche with the Cayman and BMW with the M2. But perhaps Lotus’ biggest competitor is Lamborghini, which recently announced that the Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae would be its last V12 gas-only vehicle. According to CNN, this Lambo will start at around $500,000. 

Lotus also recently revealed that its final gas-only vehicle would be the Emira, a beautiful 400-hp sports car that starts at a relatively affordable $75,000. Both vehicles look stunning, but the significantly cheaper Emira will give the British carmaker an advantage by allowing more consumers the chance to buy one. The Emira’s starting price is pocket change compared to other models in the automaker’s stable, such as the electric 2022 Evija, starting at $2.3 million. 

The 1st Lotus showroom and retail store

The first Lotus showroom and retail store recently opened in the famously exclusive Moda Mall in Manama, the capital of Bahrain. According to Lotus, the showroom’s purpose is to have experienced staff on hand to support prospective customers as they weigh their options throughout their car-buying journeys. 

“We are delighted to be working with our dealer partner Adamas Motors at the all-new retail site in Bahrain,” Geoff Dowding, the executive director of sales and aftersales at Lotus, said. “It is the perfect location for the world debut of our new retail identity, and it looks brilliant.” 

Moda Mall is widely considered the most luxurious shopping center in all of Bahrain. The mall is located inside the Bahrain World Trade Center, comprising 50-story twin-tower skyscrapers. As of this writing, the main attractions at the first Lotus retail store are the Evora GT and Exige Final Edition. But when the Emira debuts, it will likely take center stage. 

Future plans for the automaker

Not content with the status quo, Lotus also recently announced its plans to transition to all-electric vehicles, Car and Driver reports. According to Automotive News Europe, Lotus had cemented its EV strategy in 2018, but the Emira was already in development at the time. 

The company decided to pivot to all-electric after the Emira, and many observers speculate it will be an all-electric SUV-style vehicle. This would certainly provide a better-rounded lineup and give consumers plenty of options when shopping for a Lotus car. Eventually, this mystery vehicle in development will use Evolution, a new platform the company is developing in-house. 

Lotus CEO Matt Windle told Automotive News Europe he expects this vehicle to drop within two years. The transition to a completely electric lineup seems to be gaining steam, and automakers that don’t adapt will get left behind. Fortunately, it seems as Lotus is well aware of the situation and has thorough plans to make the switch to a more sustainable future. 

RELATED: The 2021 Lotus Evija Is More Powerful Than Any EV Needs to Be

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These Car Enthusiasts Found 2 Stolen Lamborghinis with the VINWiki App

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Car enthusiasts and car spotters are always keeping an eye out for cool cars, and it’s pretty hard to miss a vibrant orange Lamborghini in a parking lot. Luckily for investigators, YouTuber and VINWiki founder Ed Bolian took a special interest in one Lamborghini with a seemingly fractured VIN and suspicious history. After a bit of digging, Mr. Bolian was able to identify the vehicle as one that had been stolen six years prior, and, with the help of the smartphone app, he was able to assist in the investigation. While the story aired many months ago, it wasn’t until the end of the investigation recently that the channel was able to share all of the exciting details.

How does the VINWiki app work

2005 Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster | Getty Images

The VINWiki app works because of its global user platform that allows car spotters to build profiles, create lists, and share information they found about a vehicle based on the most consistent identifier a vehicle has: its Vehicle Identification Number; or VIN. Really, that explains the name of the app. Using the VIN, car spotters are able to take pictures and share information about where a vehicle was spotted, and claim vehicles that they have previously or currently owned.

For me personally, as someone who buys and repairs wrecked and totaled exotic cars and supercars, it’s a fun way to connect with previous owners and learn about a car’s history. It also allows me to keep up with vehicles I’ve sold and stay connected with new owners. But, it’s also a way to track VINs that aren’t verified if enough users have spotted it and input it into the app, and, unluckily for a few thieves, that’s what happened in this story.

The investigation of the Lamborghini stolen 6 years prior

As you can imagine, there was already an active investigation for the stolen supercars, but you may be wondering how a bright orange Lamborghini was managing to just drive around without garnishing attention from the police. When the VINWiki founder saw the vehicle, it was using a dealer tag, which isn’t registered to any specific vehicle but rather allows for dealers to drive their vehicles, such as for transport or test drives. Because of this, a dealer tag wouldn’t pull up anything suspicious in a police computer system as it isn’t assigned to the Lamborghini or any car in particular. Where Ed Bolian was able to succeed was in actually getting close enough to the vehicle, which was parked at the time, to get a look at the VIN and inputting it into the app.

As a former employee at Lamborghini of Atlanta, Ed is very familiar with how a VIN should, and shouldn’t, look. At first glance, he noticed that something wasn’t correct, as the VIN was missing an identifying number, and, upon putting the available information into the app, he decided it was best to reach out to the authorities regarding the situation.

How can an app like VINWiki actually help us?

Besides finding stolen cars, there are a lot of benefits to the VINWiki app — well, besides that, it is something fun to do and lets us keep track of all of the cool cars we’ve seen and owned. As buyers and consumers, the app allows us to see into the history of some vehicles more than a CarFax can — rather than telling you details about its insurance history, the VINWiki app can tell the car’s story and history and even create a network of people who have come in contact with the vehicle or owned it to learn more information. For car enthusiasts, the app lets us explore the story of the car, such as where it’s been and when, and lets us keep track of our own vehicles after they’ve found a new home.

RELATED: Collector Car Insurance is Worth it for Odd and Unique Cars

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More Than 14,000 Jeep Wranglers Are Being Recalled over Dangerous Fuel Leak

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Jeep Wranglers are being recalled over a risk of fire. Some 2020 Wranglers with 2.0-liter engines have faulty fuel supply line connectors. These fuel supply line issues could cause freak explosions or vehicle fires if they aren’t properly repaired.

2020 Jeep Wrangler faulty fuel supply line connector

2020 Jeep Wrangler | Raymond Boyd via Getty Images

The 2020 Jeep Wrangler recall is extremely important because a cracked fuel line significantly increases the risk of fire. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the fuel supply line connector recall extends to 14,410 2020 Jeep Wrangler models. Cracked fuel supply line connectors can leak fuel into engine comparts, which is an extreme fire hazard.

Chrysler’s 2020 Jeep Wrangler is fairly reliable. The Wrangler has had four other recalls thus far and just one this year. Overheated clutch components have been an issue for 72,000+ 2020 Jeep Wranglers. A small percentage of 2020 Wrangler owners have had steering issues, but other than that, the 2020 Wrangler is the same lovable off-roading SUV that it always has been.

Consumers are starting to question the Jeep Wrangler’s function outside of being a fun off-roading vehicle. Though the year is almost over and the 2020 model year is getting fewer complaints than previous iterations, recalls like this do hurt Jeep and the Wrangler’s overall reliability. Owner notification letters for vehicles that qualify for the recall should be mailed out by mid-October. Dealers will inspect and replace the fuel supply line connectors for free if they are cracked.

How long do Jeep Wranglers usually last?

The Jeep Wrangler.
The Jeep Wrangler | Jeep

Well-maintained Jeep Wranglers can last an extremely long time. Jeep Wranglers typically don’t encounter major issues until well over the 200,000-mile mark. Some Wranglers can last for a lot longer than 200,000 miles when properly taken care of. The Wrangler is built to last despite consistently having annoying small issues.

The Jeep Wrangler is made for tackling trails and all sorts of tricky terrain. As a result, it can take a lickin’ and keep on rolling for years. Wranglers are durable and boast consistent longevity throughout different model years.

A brand new Jeep should last the average driver close to 15 years without major mechanical issues or costly repairs needed. Drivers that rack up miles quickly can expect about 13 years of driving without major problems. A used Wrangler’s longevity all depends on condition and mileage. The Wrangler is meant to be pushed. As long as you treat it well, it’ll usually treat you well.

Why are Jeep Wranglers so expensive?

A blue Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.
The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon | Jeep

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler comes in a whopping 13 different trims and versions. These trims vary in cost ranging from the $29,070 Sport 2-Door to the $74,440 Rubicon 393 4-Door. The Wrangler has some affordable options but is far from the most affordable compact SUV, considering that its biggest selling point is off-road capability. Why is this simplistic Jeep so pricey, especially at higher trim levels?

The Jeep Wrangler has a huge following and community built around its unique design and abilities. The Wrangler has a history just as models like the Ford F-150 does, and its nameplate holds sentimental value to many consumers. Jeep has also often kept its supply lower than the demand for Wranglers making the Jeep a steal at most trim levels since they tend to sell out so quickly. The Jeep Wrangler has its issues, as this recent recall reminds us. It has built up enough brand loyalty to keep sales and demand high because there are few vehicles on the market that can out-wrangle the Wrangler.

RELATED: The Perfect Jeep Wrangler Is 20 Years Old

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GM Is Canceling the Chevy Bolt, For Now Anyway

by Gabrielle DeSantis

General Motors has been dealing with problems with its popular electric vehicle, the Chevy Bolt, for some time. The Chevrolet bolt has been spontaneously catching on fire, and for awhile, no one was entirely sure why. Attempts to repair the Bolt have failed, as some recalled and repaired Bolts still caught fire. GM recently expanded their recall of the Chevy Bolt to include every Bolt ever made. They say that battery maker LG is at fault. Now GM is canceling the Bolt. 

2021 Chevy Bolt | Chevrolet

What’s wrong with the Chevy Bolt?

The problem with the Chevrolet Bolt stems from its battery. An investigation by GM showed that there were defects in the LG batteries – some had a “torn anode tab and folded separator.” When those two issues happen in the same battery, the risk of a fire increases. 

Most concerning about this is that neither LG nor GM know why this is happening. GM is investigating the issues, and is asking LG to provide it with data while it analyzes the situation. LG is cooperating, as both companies are eager to sort out this issue quickly and with little negative impact. However, the fact that GM is putting a hold on Bolt production shows that it isn’t likely to resolve too quickly. 

General motors says they will wait for LG to provide new, defect-free batteries

As one might imagine, General Motors is not too happy with LG right now. GM is pretty upset about the battery problems, as one might imagine. In fact, they’re pursuing payment from LG in the estimated amount of $1 billion for losses related to the faulty batteries. With the Bolt currently off the market, GM is left with no fully electric cars. 

Jalopnik notes that although GM is saying they’re still on board with LG, they’re also hoisting the bulk of the blame onto them. GM spokesman Dan Flores says, “If we took the battery stock that’s in the field right now or at a warehouse, we’re not confident that it is defect-free. Because we are not confident that LG has the capability to build defect-free products, we’ve put the repairs on hold and we are not building new Bolts. We’re not going to start recall repairs or start building new Bolts until we’re confident LG will build defect-free products.”

General Motors has been having a problem with the Chevy Bolt batteries for awhile

Previously GM had recalled all 2017-2019 Bolts due to a fire risk. There had been reports of Chevrolet Bolts spontaneously combusting and catching on fire. In fact, GM’s former recall included a warning that Bolt owners shouldn’t park their vehicles near a structure, due to the unanticipated fires that were occurring – even if the Bolt had already been serviced.
If you have a Chevy Bolt, it’s a good idea to follow the guidelines set forth by GM and the NHTSA. Since all Bolts are currently recalled, you can go to the GM website or the NHTSA website to find further information. Until there is a satisfactory resolution to this problem, Bolt owners should avoid parking their Bolt in a garage or near a structure. They also shouldn’t charge overnight. Additionally, Bolt owners should “Set their vehicle to the 90% state of charge limitation using Hilltop Reserve mode (2017 and 2018 model years) or Target Charge Level mode (2019-2022 model years). If owners are unable to set their vehicles to the 90% state of charge limitation mode, or if they feel uncomfortable making the change, GM is asking owners to visit a local dealer immediately to have the change made.”

RELATED: The Deadly Mistake You May Make All the Time

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