First Production Lotus Exige S Rolls Off Line as New CEO Outlines Vision

New Lotus CEO Aslam Farikullah watched the first Lotus Exige S roll off the assembly line yesterday, and explained the significance of the launch--and his presence there.

“We are very proud of the Exige S. It marks the first step towards consolidating and then growing the company. I know that customers have been eagerly waiting for this car, and I assure them that it will worth the wait. We wanted to be sure that we had a product that was absolutely ready before launching it. We are confident that the right time for the Exige S is now.”

Farikullah also took the opportunity to outline his vision as the new CEO at Lotus.

“I want the Lotus name to become a by-word in the automotive industry for integrity, which means delivering quality products on the dates we say we will deliver them. As a start, we will refocus our human resources in order to further strengthen our Quality Department by 20%, clearly demonstrating our future intent.

“I would also like to reiterate that DRB-HICOM is committed to the future of Lotus. When I arrived I found a company full of talent, ambition and pride in the Lotus name. It’s my job now to re-galvanise the company and we will be doing that by investing in our existing talent.”

“We can all look forward to exciting times ahead as we bring the company to the next level. But I am not a fan of the limelight; I will let our cars do the talking.”

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Mazda Rotary Makes Brickyard Debut

It's not NASCAR, Champ, or Formula 1, but this week will mark a first for a historic racetrack--and a first for Mazda as well.

On Friday, a Mazda rotary engine will make its debut at the legendary Brickyard on Friday.

Multiple GRAND-AM GT teams are prepping Mazda RX-8s to compete at the Indianapolis track.

“Mazda has been proud to be a partner of the Indy community via the Mazda Road to Indy for several years now. Having our cars race on the IMS track is an exceptional honor for us. Mazda has wins at Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring, Spa, and many other world famous tracks. Now we can strive to add Indy to that win list,” noted John Doonan, Director, Mazda Motorsports, Mazda North American Operations.

Chevrolet Promotes Corvette Design as Iconic—and Evolving

In sixty years of Corvette, much has changed.

And the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Since 1953, a variety of leaps have taken the car from a small, 2-seat, 6-cylinder convertible, to what is widely considered a world-class sports car.

Outward changes that include form changes and aesthetic revisions are taking the Corvette into its 7^th generation—and 7^th decade--but as the Corvette hits this milestone, Chevrolet is celebrating its proclaimed ability to constantly evolve while still maintaining its platonic “Corvette-ness.”

“Every generation of Corvette has had a signature look, as the Corvette changed to reflect the high-performance technology and design of the times,” said Tom Peters, GM performance vehicle design director. “However, each generation of Corvette shares some common elements which create a consistent Corvette theme that is expressive, distinctly American, artful, and passionate. It’s similar to an iconic band, such like the Rolling Stones. For decades, the Stones have been using the same instruments. By changing their composition, the band has produced very different emotions and personalities. Despite the changing personalities of their songs, the sound is instantly recognizable as the Rolling Stones."

Peters continued the analogy, explaining “The same is true with Corvette. The new 427 Convertible doesn’t share a single design cue with the 1953 model. Yet, even from 100 yards, both cars are unmistakably Corvettes."

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