A row of multi-coloured Lotus sports cars on the factory floor at Hethel

Lotus Factory Tours are back!

' src=

Lotus is reopening its Hethel production facility to the public. Factory tours at the ‘home of Lotus’ will start on Monday 4th April 2022.

Lotus has been making performance cars at Hethel, just outside Norwich in Norfolk, since 1966. In November 2017 they suspended their factory tours while the factory underwent a £100 million upgrade. With the Emira sports car, the last petrol-powered car from Lotus, now in production in an all-new, state-of-the-art assembly hall, the tours will restart.

Announcing the reopening, Simon Lane, Director, Lotus Advanced Performance, said: “Tours of the Hethel site were part of the Lotus story for many years and hugely popular. We get emails and calls every week with people asking about them but, with all the development work on site, it was not appropriate to have the public here. With the Emira now in production, I’m delighted to announce that the time is right to relaunch the factory tours.”

Guests will arrive and gather in the Retail Centre where refreshments will be available. There they will learn about the ongoing transformation of Lotus, and experience for themselves how all Lotus showrooms will look in the future.

Under the leadership of an expert guide, the story of Lotus at Hethel – past, present and future – will be brought to life. Guests will walk through older sections of the factory where, most recently, the Elise , Exige and Evora were built, before heading into the all-new Emira hall. They will see the new automated elements of the car’s production – a first for Lotus – as well as how much of the process remains hand-made.

Lotus workers working on a partially-assembled white Lotus Emira sports car

Outside, the walking route will pass the dynamic test areas, including the famous 2.2-mile Hethel test track that has hosted some of the most famous names in the history of motorsport – Jim Clark, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Ayrton Senna and countless others.

The Hethel factory tours will run Monday to Thursday every week, with tour groups consisting of up to eight people. There will be two groups per day with starts at 10am and 2pm, with each tour lasting approximately two hours.

On selected days there is the option to upgrade to a Heritage Tour, which includes a visit to Classic Team Lotus. A separate business situated just across the road from the main Lotus facility, it’s run by Clive Chapman – the son of Lotus founder, Colin Chapman – and includes countless historic Lotus race cars.

Minimum age for guests on all tours is 10 years and all under 18s must be accompanied by an adult, with not more than two children per adult. All elements are fully accessible to wheelchair users, and all guests will receive a specially designed lanyard and pin badge as a memento of their trip to Hethel. No photography will be allowed.

You can book the Lotus Factory Tour online. It costs £95 per person, and the Lotus Factory & Heritage Tour is £140 per person.

(Photos: Andrew Shaylor/Lotus)

  • Classic cars
  • Engineering
  • Factory Tour

Related Stories

You may like this, hagerty festival of the unexceptional celebrates 10-years of mundane motors.

Crowds and cars

The extraordinary ‘Mount Emily Shay No.1’ geared steam engine has a new home

Black steam locomotive loaded onto a flat rail truck

Zimingzhong Clockwork Treasures Exhibition

A man looks at a zimingzhong exhibit

Funding for the Sunbeam 1000 hp restoration reaches a milestone

Long sleek open-cockpit vintage racing car in bright red

Review: Volkswagen Autostadt, Wolfsburg

Mirrored Bugatti Veyron with a mirrored background

Join the Conversation →

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

This is a niche blog about technically-minded travel. It reflects my own interests in the mechanical, technical, historical, engineering, transport and military world.

COPYRIGHT © MECHTRAVELLER 2016-2024, including all images unless indicated otherwise.

  • New Car Reviews
  • Long Term Tests
  • Other News & Features
  • Lotus Insurance
  • Official Lotus Merchandise Shop
  • Free Classifieds
  • Advertise With Us
  • Media Car Enquiries

factory tour lotus

Lotus reveals pricing for Emeya, the new benchmark in hyper-GT performance…

H. r. owen join lotus with a new retail centre in…, lotus emeya completes final stage of intensive test and development programme, lotus partners with bosch and mobilize to give customers access to over…, individual specialist cars receive lotus approved bodyshop status, driven: lotus emira v6 first edition, driven 2.0: lotus evora gt430, evora sport 410 – track test, driven: lotus evora sport 410, driven: lotus exige sport 380, evora gt410 sport – long term test, evora 400 long term test – video review, tlf long term test: evora 400, lotus evora s ips sports racer: it’s easy to forget…, driven: evora s ips sports racer, the lotus name returns to british gt this season with mahiki…, lotus emira gt4 takes first and second place in macau grand…, emira gt4 now available with enhanced performance & spec, börgens & nilsson impress as lotus cup europe 2023 season kicks…, lotus launches emira gt4 race car with hot laps at hethel, chaplane colchester receive lotus approved bodyshop status, hungarian beauty – an emira photoshoot, lotus engineering: the innovators #4 – designs on a new olympic…, hot wheels releases emira & evija models, [pics] lotus emira production line tour, “lotus remembered 2023” staff reunion at lotus cars, [competition] win a copy of ‘lotus – the design story’, lotus engineering: the innovators #3 – the significance of ‘handling by…, type 72/5 gets a lotus certificate of provenance, lotus engineering: the innovators #2 – six generations of precision control.

  • Latest News
  • Lotus Cars News

Lotus restarts Hethel factory tours after £100 million upgrade

One of the world’s best-known performance car production facilities – Hethel, the home of Lotus since 1966 – is reopening to the public.

  • Home of Lotus since 1966 reopens to visitors
  • Tour the all-new production facility that’s home to Emira sports car
  • Visit the  Lotus Cars website  to book now, tours start on 4 April

Factory tours of the iconic Norfolk site were paused in November 2017 as the £100 million redevelopment began. With the Emira, the last petrol-powered car from Lotus, now in production in an all-new, state-of-the-art assembly hall, they will restart.

factory tour lotus

The tour programme has been developed by the experiential team within the recently launched Lotus Advanced Performance division, and will begin on Monday 4 April. The booking platform is live now on  www.lotuscars.com .

Simon Lane, Director, Lotus Advanced Performance, commented: “Tours of the Hethel site were part of the Lotus story for many years and hugely popular. We get emails and calls every week with people asking about them but, with all the development work on site, it was not appropriate to have the public here. With the Emira now in production, I’m delighted to announce that the time is right to relaunch the factory tours.”

Guests will arrive and gather in the Retail Centre where refreshments will be available. There they will learn about the ongoing transformation of Lotus, and experience for themselves how all Lotus showrooms will look in the future.

Under the leadership of an expert guide, the story of Lotus at Hethel – past, present and future – will be brought to life. Guests will walk through older sections of the factory where, most recently, the Elise, Exige and Evora were built, before heading into the all-new Emira hall. They will see the new automated elements of the car’s production – a first for Lotus – as well as how much of the process remains ‘hands-on’.

Outside, the walking route will pass the dynamic test areas, including the famous 2.2-mile Hethel test track that has hosted some of the most famous names in the history of motorsport – Jim Clark, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Ayrton Senna and countless others.

The Hethel factory tours will run Monday to Thursday every week, with tour groups consisting of up to eight people. There will be two groups per day with starts at 10am and 2pm, with each tour lasting approximately two hours.

On selected days there is the option to upgrade to a Heritage Tour, which includes a visit to Classic Team Lotus. A separate business situated just across the road from the main Lotus facility, it’s run by Clive Chapman – the son of Lotus founder, Colin Chapman – and includes countless historic Lotus race cars.

Minimum age for guests on all tours is 10 years and all under 18s must be accompanied by an adult, with not more than two children per adult. All elements are fully accessible to wheelchair users, and all guests will receive a specially designed lanyard and pin badge as a memento of their trip to Hethel. No photography will allowed.

The Lotus Factory Tour is priced £95 per person and the Lotus Factory & Heritage Tour is £140 per person. Book now at  https://www.lotuscars.com/en-GB/factory-tours  

Stay Connected

Most popular news, lotus reveals pricing for emeya, the new benchmark in hyper-gt performance and usability, the power and the glory. lotus 98t., lotus elite – british expression of exclusivity, product review: mintex 1144 brake pads, pride & joy: 1981 lotus turbo esprit, lotus launches new certificate of provenance by honouring colin chapman’s last car – newly..., exige sport 350 vs. exige v6 cup, emira: the most powerful four-cylinder lotus sports car ever.

factory tour lotus

Copyright © 2004-2023

POPULAR POSTS

Lotus evora gt430, [blog] 8 years with a lotus esprit v8…, popular categories.

  • Lotus Cars News 592
  • F1™ News 381
  • Other News, Features & Events 357
  • Motorsport News 306
  • Picture of the Month 91

factory tour lotus

Factory Tours

Home of lotus.

Since 1966, this secluded part of Norfolk has reverberated with the sounds of some of the world’s most exciting and innovative motor cars.

To visit Hethel is to soak up the history of this famous marque, and revel in the excitement of Lotus’ future.

” After many years of working with the Lotus Driving Academy team, I am really excited to return this year with the new Lotus Emira. It’s an amazing performance machine that really helps you learn how to get the most out of driving a modern sports car, both on the road and on the track. “ Martin Donnelly, Lotus F1 Driver and Driving Academy Instructor

Experience, first-hand, the production process. Witness the track, where our class-leading sports cars are put through their paces. Walk in the footsteps of the F1 greats, who so admirably filled the Lotus trophy cabinet.

factory tour lotus

Monday to Thursday throughout the year, we offer visitors a unique opportunity to tour the Chapman Production Centre at our Hethel HQ, the home of Lotus since 1966.

Recently upgraded as part of a £100m overhaul of our UK facilities, this is a fascinating two-hour tour of premium sports car production. It allows visitors unparalleled access to the manufacture and hands-on assembly of the Lotus Emira, offering a true ‘up close and personal, factory floor’ experience. 

Guests are led by a knowledgeable Lotus product specialist and fully immersed in an end-to-end experience, from bare chassis to completed sports car. The tour includes in-depth explanations and questions are always encouraged.

Factory & Heritage Tours

Only offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the three-hour Heritage Tour switches the focus to a visit to the home of Classic Team Lotus. A bespoke operation just across the road from the main Lotus HQ, it’s a separate business that’s dedicated to preserving and promoting the Lotus racing legend.

This is a fantastic opportunity to see a unique collection that includes some of the most historically significant race cars ever. Led by an experienced guide, you will witness a treasure trove of Team Lotus F1 cars driven by some of the most famous names in motorsport history – Senna, Fittipaldi, Clark, Mansell, Andretti. With it comes an amazing insight into the storied history and the technical innovations that went into creating the Lotus legend.

The Heritage Tour also includes a shortened version of the Factory Visit (as detailed above).

factory tour lotus

Factory Tour

Monday to Thursday, 10:00 to 12:00 or 14:00 to 16:00 £95 per person Maximum 8 people per tour

Factory & Heritage Tour

Tuesday & Wednesday, 10:00 to 13:00 or 14:00 to 17:00 £140 per person Maximum 8 people per tour

Searching Availability…

Factory and Heritage Tours involve walking for up to 2 and 3 hours respectively but we can accommodate wheelchair users also.  Please let us know in advance if you require any assistance.

Please note, visitors must be 10 years or older. Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult at a ratio of 1 adult for every 2 children.

For more information, or to discuss your booking, please contact us on +44 (0) 3300 948 047, or [email protected] , 09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday.

Terms & Conditions

  • In these terms and conditions “We” means Group Lotus  Limited whose registered UK address is at Hethel, Potash lane, Norwich, Norfolk, NR14 8EZ
  • These terms and conditions apply to any contract that we enter into with any individual who is acting in a personal capacity as a consumer.
  • Price The price payable for service that you order is as set out in our website and is payable in the currency stated. The price includes value added tax or any other relevant sales tax.
  • payments will be made in full when you book your tour on our website. Upon confirmation of payment you will be sent an email confirming your booking with us.
  • if you have been provided a voucher this can be redeemed against a tour of your choice as long as any difference in value has been settled.
  • We will ensure that all of our staff are appropriately qualified and trained and that all risk assessments have been undertaken.
  • We shall ensure that you are given a safety briefing at the start of your day.
  • You will comply at all times during the day with any instructions given by us or our staff;
  • You will not bring any animals on to our premises;
  • Photography or filming is forbidden in all areas of the Lotus HQ except within the visitors’ Retail Centre and at Classic Team Lotus.
  • You must attend the safety briefing at the commencement at the start of the day;
  • are at least 10 years old, (under 18’s to be accompanied by an adult as a ratio or 2 to 1)
  • are in good health and free from any medical condition or illness that could affect or impair your ability to walk round for up to 2 hours; this includes Covid 19 symptoms
  • are not under the influence of alcohol, illegal substances or any medicines that might affect you.
  • Whilst we will take every care to ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable day, we do not accept any liability for any loss, injury or damage that you may suffer whilst on our premises, although nothing within this clause excludes our liability to you in respect of loss, injury or damage that has been caused by our negligence.
  • You may cancel your contract with us at any time up to the beginning of the seventh working day before the date of your tour, you do not have to give us any reason for cancelling your contract and the contract will be cancelled without any financial penalty.
  • To cancel your contract you must notify via e mail to [email protected]
  • If possible to rebook your tour we will do so if not,  we will offer a voucher to be redeemed within the next 12 months
  • Once you have notified us that you are cancelling your contract in accordance with paragraph 8.1 above, any sum debited to us will be refunded to your account as soon as possible and in any event within 30 days of your cancellation.
  • If we are unable to fulfil our obligations for any reason beyond our reasonable control, including, without limitation, Covid restrictions, industrial disputes, unavailability of staff due to illness, flood, fire, explosion or accident;
  • We reserve the right to re-schedule or cancel any booking up to twenty eight (28) calendar days before its scheduled date.
  • offer you an alternative date for your booking; or
  • offer you an open voucher allowing you to agree a further date with us for your booking during the 12 month period after the date that your original booking was due to take place.
  • We accept no liability for any indirect or consequential loss, damage, expenses (including loss of profits, business or goodwill) or incidental costs that you may have incurred as a result of our cancellation such as (but not limited to) your cost of travel to and from the venue and accommodation. If you are booking accommodation either before or after the event, we strongly recommend that you book accommodation that allows you the right to cancel without penalty at short notice.
  • Nothing within paragraph 9.3 is intended to limit any rights you might have as a consumer under applicable local law or other statutory rights that may not be excluded.
  • We understand that you may need to change the date of the booking on your order form. As a result, you have the right to re-schedule your booking for any reason provided that you notify us at least twenty eight (28) calendar days before the scheduled date. Your right to re-schedule is subject to the conditions set out below. The exception to the above is in the case of developing Covid 19 symptoms (as per NHS guidance) at any time up to and including the day of your event. You need to advise us by email and we will issue a voucher that will allow you to re-book for up to 12 months either after you have tested negative for the disease or have recovered. We may require proof that this is the case.
  • If you re-schedule in accordance with paragraph 10.1 above, we shall send you an open voucher, which has to be used on a date to be agreed by both parties, but in any event within 12 months of the original scheduled date for your booking.
  • Once you have been issued with an open voucher in accordance with this paragraph and agreed a revised date for your booking, you have no further right to re-schedule.
  • In order to avoid any doubt, if you decide to re-schedule your booking, that does not give you any further right to cancel your order in accordance with paragraph 9.
  • You fail to meet any of our Participant Requirements (as defined in paragraph 6);
  • You commit a serious breach of your obligations as set out at paragraph 5;
  • You act in a manner that we reasonably believe to be a danger to the health and safety of you and/or others;
  • If during the course of the day you start to exhibit Covid 19 symptoms
  • If we terminate your booking in accordance with paragraphs 11.1(i)-(iii) inclusive, you shall not be entitled to any refund of the price paid.
  • If we terminate your booking in accordance with paragraph 11.1(iv), our liability is limited to offering you a voucher offering you a 20% discount on a further booking, that discount being eligible for 12 months.
  • You agree to indemnify us, our employees, agents and any associated company from and against all actions, proceedings, claims and costs arising directly or indirectly as a result of any breach by you of these conditions.
  • We agree to indemnify you from and against all actions, proceedings, claims and costs arising directly or indirectly as a result of any breach by us of these conditions.
  • Privacy You acknowledge and agree to be bound by the terms of our privacy policy.
  • Enforceability of these conditions If any part of these conditions are deemed to be unenforceable by any Court, that shall not affect the validity of the remaining conditions.
  • Governing law The contract between us shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with English law and the English courts shall have jurisdiction to resolve any disputes between us.

The all-electric Hyper-SUV

Lotus Emeya

The Fully Electric Hyper-GT

Arriving 2024

For over 70 years, Lotus has led the pack. We dare to drive differently, and set new standards in innovation and achievement.

An impossible perfection

That combination between the art and science, the technical and the aesthetic and the form and the function is fundamental to what we do here at Lotus.

factory tour lotus

Lotus Centres

* In line with applicable laws, Emeya will emit a distinctive sound when the engine starts until speed thresholds are reached and upon reversing.

Much more to discover

Drag and resize the circle to cover your area of interest and then click the button below the map to view the selected resources. Use the toolbar above to narrow resources by category.

Lotus Cars Hethel Factory Tour

Lotus Cars Hethel Factory Tour

You already know that Lotus cars are special, high performance sports cars. You might be curious as to what makes them so special and sought after. A visit to the Lotus car factory will give you an insight into the passion, design, engineering, quality and attention to detail that goes into making these cars.

So many things have to be got right for a Lotus car to come together and pass all of the tests and inspections along the way, and be finally ready to perform like a Lotus and delight its new owner.

Visitors can learn about the history and heritage that underpins Lotus, and how one man's vision became reality.

The tour of the Lotus car factory begins with some refreshments, an introduction to the company and its history. The tour them proceeds through the various stages of the Lotus factory and assembly lines. The areas covered include: chassis assembly, body bonding, painting, final assembly, quality check and inspection, finishing at the Lotus Originals merchandise shop.

The Lotus Car factory is located at Hethel in Norfolk, 20km (13 miles) south west of Norwich via the A11 (about a 25 minute drive). Click the map pin icon to view the location on a map.

For further information, including availability, prices and to book a tour, click the "More info" button below.

  • United Kingdom
  • -- All Areas --
  • -- Select From Map --
  • East Midlands
  • East of England
  • North West England
  • South East England
  • South West England
  • West Midlands
  • Yorkshire and the Humber

Autowise

Lotus Factory Tours are Back: The Perfect Excuse For a Visit to England

After 5 years of renovations, lotus is happy to see you again.

Evan Williams

The Lotus factory tour is back. After closing down for five years and spending $132-million on redeveloping the factory, the sports car company has reopened its doors to the public. It’s an opportunity for you to stroll around parts of the plant dating back to 1966. And to walk the same tarmac where some of the greatest names in racing put Lotus road and F1 cars to the test.

Reopening After a Long Renovation

Lotus factory tour

“Tours of the Hethel site were part of the Lotus story for many years and hugely popular. We get emails and calls every week with people asking about them,” said Simon Lane, director of Lotus Advanced Performance. “With the site getting its most significant upgrades to date, it wasn’t a place to have tourists milling about. Now that the work is done, it’s time to show off.”

Lane said that with the Lotus Emira in production, the company is delighted that it’s time to bring back the Lotus factory tour and bring fans inside again.

Lotus factory tours start at the company’s Retail Centre where you can fuel up for the next two hours. After a proper cuppa, your guide will talk about the massive transformation that new owner Geely has brought to the company. You’ll also get to tour the Retail Center, showing off the new look that will spread to the rest of the company’s showrooms worldwide.

See the Historic Alongside the Latest

Lotus Emira Production

Next up, a guide will walk you through the story of Lotus and the Hethel plant. This means the older parts of the factory where the Elise and Exige were built and where the Lotus Evora GT came to life. It also covers the all-new Emira production hall. In that new building, Lotus will show off its first-ever production automation with robots, plus let you see just how much is still done by hand.

After you’ve finished touring the workshops, the walking route takes you around the Lotus proving grounds. A highlight of the walk is a look at the 2.2-mile Hethel test track. On that iconic bit of tarmac,  iconic Team Lotus drivers like Jim Clark, Mario Andretti, and Ayrton Senna have tested road and race cars . 

You can upgrade your Lotus experience for something a little more magical on a few select tour days. The Heritage Tour is more expensive, but it comes with a visit to Classic Team Lotus.

Classic Team Lotus Add-On a Must

Classic Team Lotus

Just across the charmingly-named Potash Lane, Classic Team Lotus is the company that services and cares for classic Lotus racers. Formula 1 cars that go vintage racing at places like Goodwood and historic Lotus touring cars, you’ll find them all there.

With a vast display of Lotus classics and the usual rotation of cars coming for service and heading back to their owners, this part of the tour could be worth doing again every few months.

The Lotus factory tours will run Monday to Thursday starting in Early April. If you’re already in the area, dropping in to see the home of so many classic Lotus cars is a must-do.

Even the Parking Lot is a Great Car Show

Lotus Parking Lot (Google)

Even if you’re not in the area, a trip to take on the Lotus factory tour is on the must-do list for any car enthusiast. The site is also only a three-hour drive from the Malvern Link home of Morgan Motors – why not make a holiday out of touring historic British car factories?

If you’re not sure about the 95 quid ($125) admission charge, a drive past the site might be worth your time by itself. The Google Street View driveby of the Lotus employee lot might be from 2011, but there will be some seriously cool cars if it’s anything to go by.

RELATED POSTS

Evan Williams

Evan is an East Coast based automotive journalist and a mechanical engineering technologist. He is an avid autocrosser, hack mechanic, and a member of AJAC. If you don't find him driving or writing about cars, you'll probably find him in the garage breaking one.

New Lotus sports car factory: the first tour

Published: 16 April 2021

Lotus's new factory to build Type 131 sports car

► The first tour of new Lotus site ►   £100 million of invstement in facilities ►   Find out how quality will improve on new Emira

For more than a decade, the steel skeleton of Lotus’s aborted new assembly hall towered over the Hethel site – a monument to the dashed dreams of a former failed expansion era . 

But over the past 18 months, the factory’s frame has been refurbished, the sides filled in and the building fitted out. Soon prototype assembly of Lotus’s new sports car, the Emira (initially known as Type 131), will begin – kicking off a new era of expansion designed to end in a self-sufficient, thriving Lotus.

Just two days after final Evora assembly moved in to test the new production facility, I’m on site – in hard hat, steel toe-capped shoes and high-vis jacket – for the first tour of the new Hethel.

The heart of new Lotus: all-new assembly hall  

Operations bosses David Hewitt and Nigel Marshall usher me up a side stairwell and into the operations suite. It’s on a mezzanine level, and the assembly hall – the size of one-and-a-half professional football pitches – is laid bare below through an entire wall of glass panels. 

Final Evora production tests new Lotus Type 131 factory

‘The philosophy is that anyone who influences the build of a car is no more than a window away,’ explains David Hewitt, executive director of operations. The NASA-style ops area will harbour staff covering manufacturing, suppliers and quality – the over-riding goal is to push Lotus quality levels up to compete with premium sports-car makers.

Chassis are transported between work stations by automated guided vehicles, rather than a fixed vehicle carrier system: the savvy operations team’s call to keep the set-up flexible, to more easily incorporate new layouts and model variants in future.

Brand new infrastructure to assess output – a rolling road, monsoon booth to test water-tightness, automated measuring systems to check build precision – has gone in. 

The world’s biggest sliding puzzle game

In the adjoining assembly halls, Exiges and Elises are still being built with Lotus’s archaic construction processes: the body sides and roof are held in jigs, and an operative manually applies adhesive before they’re clamped and bonded in place.

Outgoing Lotus Exige, Evora and Elise hand-built

‘We’ll move to a part-robotised line,’ explains Hewitt. ‘That drives fits, shuts and panel quality. It’s all about repeatability: our workforce is incredibly skilled but you’re never going to get the same consistency as with a robot.

‘The new line won’t be fully automated but we’ve spent the money where we’ll get a step up in quality. If you build it right, it’ll look right and the quality is inherently there.’

Hewitt and Marshall are currently embroiled in a fiendish sliding puzzle game on an industrial scale. They have to choreograph the relocation of each element of the existing model process to create space to install Emira/Type 131 systems, all the while keeping Evora/Exige/Elise production flowing with minimal interruption. 

‘There have been a lot of late nights staring at floor plans, to ensure we don’t compromise current build – or Type 131 start of production!’ says Hewitt.

New Lotus boss exclusive: forget hybrid, we’re going straight to electric

Inside the new paint shop

We exit the assembly hall and pass roped-off holes in the ground, piles of debris and builders’ Portakabins. Not only is Lotus putting in buildings but beneath us new power supply, drainage and fibreoptic comms links too. 

Into the new paint shop, but our path along a freshly-plastered corridor is thwarted by a busy worker in a hard hat. We double back, climb a set of metal steps to the middle level of three: the bottom deck is for quality inspection and touch-up, the top is for machinery but we climb to where the painting process will take place.

Lotus's David Hewitt, the man piecing together the new factory

We stand in one of the half-constructed booths, soon to be deep-cleaned and sealed for use. It’s like being in a funfair’s ghost train when the lights come on, seeing the conveyor lines snaking across the floor that will soon carry cars for painting. 

This will be Lotus’s first ‘fully automated’ paint shop, replacing decades of hand-spraying. ‘It will give us a level of quality far in excess of what we’ve had historically,’ enthuses David Hewitt.

All the latest paint finishes will be available to Lotus, and wastage will be reduced: paints are separated in the lines by plugs called ‘pigs’ and any leftover liquid flushed back to the mixing room for storage. 

Type 131 lurks undercover behind the Evija

‘We’ll be able to do numerous colours in any sequence we choose,’ says Nigel Marshall, ‘and it’ll be so much more efficient and reliable. One of my biggest issues historically has been maintaining our kit, a case of hitting it with a spanner and reaching for the duct tape!’

One more new facility: the Evija line

Next door in the old Factory Three – where GM’s Lotus Carlton and VX220 were made – is the line for the Evija electric hypercar. 

It stands alone because the carbonfibre monocoque-based car will require different, hand-built processes, and will be much slower to assemble than the Emira. It won’t be painted in the new automated facility either, and there are different safety considerations too: workers must be trained to handle its high voltage battery safely.

Total investment – in the two new lines, the paint shop, a new staff restaurant and at off-site facilities such as combining aluminium and steel fabrication in the chassis manufacture plant – has exceeded £100 million. 

That hasn’t boosted Hethel’s capacity beyond existing levels: 5000 cars annually, using a single shift. But with the opportunity to go to double shifts and embrace weekends, volume could be ratcheted up fairly briskly.

New Lotus boss exclusive: we’re going global with volumes to support that ambition

A lot is changing at Lotus. ‘The list is massive,’ says managing director Matt Windle. ‘We have to finish the manufacturing facilities, build a little track to test quality, launch a new paint shop, hire people, management. If you actually sat and thought about all that, your brain would just go bonkers.’

Matt Windle in the Lotus Evija facility

Instead Windle – and his management team – are taking it step-by-step, to ensure production of the current range is wrapped up by autumn, allowing first build of the Emira to launch the new Lotus era in early 2022.

Concludes David Hewitt: ‘I’ve been here 10 years dreaming of this. And for people who’ve been here even longer, Lotus is like a phoenix rising from the ashes. It’s fantastic.’

By Phil McNamara

Group editor, CAR magazine

factory tour lotus

Lotus restarts factory tours following £100 million upgrade

With the emira sports car now in production, lotus fans can book tours of the historic hethel facility – and the classic team lotus site..

John Redfern

The historic Lotus Hethel production facility in Norfolk will reopen for public tours next month. 

Factory visits were suspended by Lotus in November 2017, but start again from Monday 4 April. 

It follows a £100 million investment at the Hethel site, including a state-of-art factory to build the new Lotus Emira sports car. 

A glimpse of Lotus history

Lotus Hethel Factory Tours

Simon Lane, director of Lotus Advanced Performance, said: “Tours of the Hethel site were part of the Lotus story for many years and hugely popular. We get emails and calls every week with people asking about them but, with all the development work on site, it was not appropriate to have the public here. With the Emira now in production, I’m delighted to announce that the time is right to relaunch the factory tours.”

The Emira will be the final petrol-powered sports car to be made by Lotus, before the company embarks on a fully electric future . 

Before seeing where the latest model is being made, visitors will be guided through the older sections of the Hethel factory.

A chance to see the famous Hethel test track , used in the development of countless Lotus vehicles, is also included.

Visits to Classic Team Lotus

Lotus Hethel Factory Tours

Tours will be offered from Monday to Thursday each week, with each visit lasting around two hours. Groups will be limited to eight guests, and Lotus notes that no photography is allowed within the factory. 

On selected days, enthusiasts can upgrade to an optional Heritage Tour. This includes a visit to Classic Team Lotus, which looks after numerous historic Lotus racing cars. 

Tickets for the Lotus Factory Tour are £95 per person, with the combined Factory Tour and Heritage Tour at £140 per person. Each guest will receive a specially designed lanyard and pin badge as a memento.

Bookings can be made now through the Lotus Cars website .

Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition review

‘My dad borrowed a Bond car’ – chief engineer on a life at Lotus

The most exciting Lotus cars of all time

  • Related Topics

Related Articles

BMW creates modern tribute to a classic Art Car

Maserati GranCabrio might be 2024’s most glamorous new car

F1 success makes Racing Green top Aston Martin colour choice

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Find a Car Review

Best electric cars to buy in 2024

Taxi! We swap seats to drive London’s electrified black cab

Retro Honda Civic, Integra and Accord Type R driven: which one wins?

We visit the electric car filling station of the future

Best hot hatchbacks to buy in 2024

Best supercars to buy in 2024

Car fog lights: how and when to use them

Apart from Britain, which other countries drive on the left?

Essential advice for driving aboard this summer

The Lotus Forums - Official Lotus Community Partner

  • Remember me Not recommended on shared computers

Forgot your password?

Or sign in with one of these services

  • Lotus / Motoring / Cars Chat

Lotus Factory Tour. Worth The Trip?

By dalepearson February 17, 2012 in Lotus / Motoring / Cars Chat

Recommended Posts

Dalepearson.

So I was thinking now that onto my 3rd Lotus perhaps I should consider making the 6 hour round trip to Hethel for a factory tour?

My birthday is coming up so thought it would be a good excuse if I did consider it.

So is it worth the trip? How long does the tour last? Is there any advantage or similar for Lotus owners or is this irrelevant?

Appreciate honest views and feedback.

.:: Lotus Evora 400 - Red ::.. | ..:: Polestar 2 - Midnight Blue | Ducati Panigale V2 - Red | Indian Scout Bobber - Black | Honda CB1000R Neo Cafe Racer - Black ::..

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

  • Created 12 yr
  • Last Reply 12 yr

Vulcan Grey

Vulcan Grey

I flew from Colorado for the trip...

Then I hung out with Bibs, Laura for a few days, and the other Lotus guys at a Castle Combe Club Lotus track day, which made it much more worth the trip!

Here are my photos.

https://picasaweb.google.com/116113253735518541549/TripToUKAndLotus

Vulcan Grey 89SE

Tony K

Esprit S1s #355H & 454H

Esprit S2.2  #324J

1991 Esprit SE

gghc87

Men marry women with the hope they will never change. Women marry men with the hope they will change. Invariably they are both disappointed. : Albert Einstein

yeller77

And don't leave Norwich without enjoying a few pints of Woodforde's Wherry!

Al

I have now done the trip twice. All the way from Scotland. First was a fly down & back same day for Factory invite pre- Evora launch for all deposit givers and went with my wife who even enjoyed the experience, and she most definitely isn't a car person. The second I drove down for in Evora with eldest son on graduating from Uni as a treat and included the Scare Yourself Sensible Driving experience they did at the time. (May have finished that now though). The Forums discount was just ending then and I don't think was restarted after track improvements.

Anyway both tours were basically the same although the public session was at the weekend so no work ongoing and production line stopped. The Factory Tour was part of the driving experience but plenty were just on the tour only and some family and friends did only that part. Definitely worth the time and effort as a Lotus owner and there was absolutely no benefit for turning up in an Evora the second time. The tour guide did ask if any owners in the group of about 20 and a few times asked for opinions but that was it. Go for it.

A LEGS man and proud to declare it! Lotus Enthusiasts Group Scotland

Evora Launch Edition 2+2 in Aquamarine -gone 2010. Evora Aquamarine 2+2 - gone 2011, Evora Ardent Red 2+0 gone 2012, Evora S Ardent Red 2+2, gone 2023 

Thanks to those who did post though, much appreciated.

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Announcements

  • Lotus Merchandise & Parts Sale

Recently Browsing

  • No registered users viewing this page.

Available Subscriptions

  • TLF Gold with Lotus CoP - £199.00 for first year then £48/year
  • TLF Gold - £48/year
  • FFM - UK - £24/year
  • FFM - ROW - £18/year

See all Subscription Plans

  • Existing user? Sign In
  • FFM Upgrades
  • Purchase now
  • Manage Purchases
  • Personal Information
  • Payment Methods
  • Alternative Contacts
  • Subscriptions
  • All Activity
  • My Activity Streams
  • View New Content
  • Content I Started
  • Lotus Merch Shop
  • FREE Classifieds

Forum Extras

  • Online Users
  • Leaderboard
  • Create New...

Important Information

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking " I Accept ", you consent to our use of cookies. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings , otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

factory tour lotus

Lotus Europa Community

*

July 1, 2023 Forum membership reaches 1,465 !! This Community became 11 years old in April 2023.

  • Lotus Europa Community »
  • Lotus Europa Forums »
  • Garage »
  • Lotus CTL & Factory Tours?

Author Topic: Lotus CTL & Factory Tours?  (Read 536 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

  • Full Member
  • Joined: Oct 2022
  • Location: Northern California

factory tour lotus

  • Joined: Jun 2016
  • Location: WA

Re: Lotus CTL & Factory Tours?

  • Joined: Sep 2013
  • Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

factory tour lotus

SwiftDB4,  that is very helpful.  Thank you.  To be clear, the "Factory/Heritage" tour actually includes the CTL "tour"?  So really, while the CTL works is for me far more interesting than the factory, the best "deal" (aside from finances) is the "Factory & Heritage" tour which offers the best of both worlds? We are planning to head up to Scotland so I'll fit the Jim Clark museum onto the schedule.  I understand that Clark's grave site is also just a short drive east of the museum. Thank you.
  • SMF 2.0.19 | SMF © 2021 , Simple Machines

The Lotus Cars Community banner

  • Forum Listing
  • Marketplace
  • Advanced Search
  • Lotus Discussions
  • General Discussion (Lotus related)
  • Hi there! Why not register as a user to enjoy all of the benefits of the site? You may register here . When you register, please pick a username that is non-commercial. If you use a name that appears on any search engine commercially, you must pick another name, whether it applies to you or not. Commercial usernames are for supporting vendor use only. If you want to become a supporting vendor and grow your business, please follow this link . Thanks!

Group Factory Tour???

  • Add to quote

Hello Everyone, Over the past few weeks, a pretty good number of our customers have indicated an interest in visiting the Lotus Factory in the next few months for a tour. I have been tentatively planning a trip to the UK around the first week of March... The Lotus factory would be one of my stops. Are any of you out there planning similar trips? It would be rather exciting to have a large group visit at the same time... Any thoughts? Details can be found here: http://www.grouplotus.com/generic/generic.php?section=9&page=9&page_id=295  

or wait till June and combine the Goodwood Festival of Speed into your schedule? And see if there's a Seloc trackday or meet going on while you're in the UK. :up:  

lbonham

Elise Seller said: Are any of you out there planning similar trips? Click to expand...

wallabyguy

Club111 has been working on a factory tour for this summer. I'm the point man on the trip and you can PM me if you want to work together on a trip.  

wallabyguy said: Club111 has been working on a factory tour for this summer. I'm the point man on the trip and you can PM me if you want to work together on a trip. Click to expand...

Mistaken Quote I meant to quote the Monaco White guy - not you. Thanks for the info on the Club 111 trip though.  

Why not do this the week before or after the British GP, take in the race and then go by the factory. That would be in July.  

Timing I have a few other engagements visiting the Premier Auto Group facilities in the UK at that time. I have some time off the last week of February - March 8th as well, so a stop by Lotus seems in order. I believe my airline (Northwest NWA) is flying into London-Gatwick, so I need to confirm that a train can be taken to the Hethel area. For those of you in South Florida, NWA has pretty good fares at this time.  

I'll be going over either for a barbecue in August, the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, or the Goodwood Revival in September. Haven't decided which yet, but I have to make an annual pilgrimage. Usually I go in August, but my plans may change this year.  

Elise Seller said: You've attempted to have your Elise built in this color? Click to expand...

Monaco White I think the car would look great in that color. I have a left over Esprit Color guide from a few years back. There are many colors and leather samples inside - but there is a Monaco White sample, I believe.  

Elise Seller said: I think the car would look great in that color. I have a left over Esprit Color guide from a few years back. There are many colors and leather samples inside - but there is a Monaco White sample, I believe. Click to expand...

ervsch

If you really want a great tour - seeing more than just the factory - talk to Richard Parramint. He was arranging tours where you got to do the factory tour, plus things like: The Lotus Drivers Experience - a driver training day on the Lotus test track at the factory A tour of Classic Team Lotus - where Clive Chapman (the son of Lotus' founder) restores the old F1 cars. With Clive leading the tour... A tour of the racing museum at the Donnington race track - an amazing collection of F1 cars, words can't explain... rooms of McLarens, Williams, etc., old, new... Dinner speaches by Jim Endruwite (sp?) - the chief mechanic at Lotus when they were F1/Indy 500 champs in the 60/70s; and Alistair McQueen - the chief test driver for Lotus from the 60's through the 00's. Check out Richard's old website - http://www.lotours.com/ - his contact info's there. My wife and I went in 2002 and had a great time! I know he recently did a tour for a small group, and I'm sure he'd be willing to put another one together again. If you're going to go all that way, you might as well do it up right.  

Barney Jr said: And see if there's a Seloc trackday or meet going on while you're in the UK. :up: [/B] Click to expand...
  • ?            
  • 51.4K members

Top Contributors this Month

TNEngineer

IMAGES

  1. Lotus Factory Tours are Back: The Perfect Excuse For a Visit to England

    factory tour lotus

  2. Lotus Factory Tours

    factory tour lotus

  3. Lotus Factory Tours are Back: The Perfect Excuse For a Visit to England

    factory tour lotus

  4. Lotus Factory Tour, Sports Car Production in England

    factory tour lotus

  5. Lotus Factory Tours are Back: The Perfect Excuse For a Visit to England

    factory tour lotus

  6. Lotus Factory Tours

    factory tour lotus

COMMENTS

  1. Lotus Factory Tours

    Factory Tours. Monday to Thursday throughout the year, we offer visitors a unique opportunity to tour the Chapman Production Centre at our Hethel HQ, the home of Lotus since 1966. Recently upgraded as part of a £100m overhaul of our UK facilities, this is a fascinating two-hour tour of premium sports car production.

  2. Experience Lotus

    Driving Academy. Brings to life the unique and thrilling experience of driving a Lotus in a controlled and safe environment. You will be behind the wheel of the all-new Emira, the last petrol-powered sports car from Lotus and the best of breed, and you will be doing it on the iconic 2.2-mile Hethel test track - a circuit which has shaped countless globally successful race cars and world ...

  3. Lotus restarts Hethel factory tours after £100 million upgrade

    Visit the Lotus Cars website to book now, tours start on 4 April. Hethel, UK - 24 March 2022 One of the world's best-known performance car production facilities - Hethel, the home of Lotus since 1966 - is reopening to the public. Factory tours of the iconic Norfolk site were paused in November 2017 as the £100 million redevelopment began.

  4. Welcome to Lotus Cars

    Lotus has officially opened its new sports car manufacturing facility at Hethel, naming it in honour of the company's founder and inspiration. THE LOTUS STORY. Become a. pion. eer. Become a. pioneer. Become a. pion. eer. Become a. pioneer. And subscribe to the Lotus newsletter for all the latest news, releases, and exclusive offers.

  5. Lotus Factories

    Since its foundation in 1966, the Lotus Hethel factory has represented the very best of British manufacturing. The Hethel site is renown worldwide for having produced some of the most iconic cars in history, with an artisanal approach to engineering which continues to this day. Now, that same dedication to craftsmanship and mechanical ...

  6. Lotus Factory Tours are back!

    The Hethel factory tours will run Monday to Thursday every week, with tour groups consisting of up to eight people. There will be two groups per day with starts at 10am and 2pm, with each tour lasting approximately two hours. On selected days there is the option to upgrade to a Heritage Tour, which includes a visit to Classic Team Lotus.

  7. Factory collection of the Lotus Emira begins at Hethel

    Factory Collection is an option for all Emira customers in the UK, and can be specified during the online 'check-out' process which completes their purchase through the Lotus Drive platform. It includes a fascinating tour of the Chapman Production Centre - the new assembly halls created as part of a £100m overhaul of Lotus' UK ...

  8. Lotus restarts Hethel factory tours after £100 million upgrade

    One of the world's best-known performance car production facilities - Hethel, the home of Lotus since 1966 - is reopening to the public. Factory tours of the iconic Norfolk site were paused in November 2017 as the £100 million redevelopment began. With the Emira, the last petrol-powered car from Lotus, now in production in an all-new ...

  9. Lotus Cars

    Walk in the footsteps of the F1 greats, who so admirably filled the Lotus trophy cabinet. Factory tours. Limitless. For over 70 years, Lotus has led the pack. We dare to drive differently, and set new standards in innovation and achievement. An impossible perfection.

  10. Factory Tours

    Factory Tours. Monday to Thursday throughout the year, we offer visitors a unique opportunity to tour the Chapman Production Centre at our Hethel HQ, the home of Lotus since 1966. Recently upgraded as part of a £100m overhaul of our UK facilities, this is a fascinating two-hour tour of premium sports car production.

  11. Lotus Cars

    Models. Limitless. For over 70 years, Lotus has led the pack. We dare to drive differently, and set new standards in innovation and achievement. An impossible perfection. That combination between the art and science, the technical and the aesthetic and the form and the function is fundamental to what we do here at Lotus. Discover Lotus.

  12. Lotus Cars Hethel Factory Tour

    The tour of the Lotus car factory begins with some refreshments, an introduction to the company and its history. The tour them proceeds through the various stages of the Lotus factory and assembly lines. The areas covered include: chassis assembly, body bonding, painting, final assembly, quality check and inspection, finishing at the Lotus ...

  13. Lotus Factory Tours are Back: The Perfect Excuse For a Visit ...

    March 22, 2022. The Lotus factory tour is back. After closing down for five years and spending $132-million on redeveloping the factory, the sports car company has reopened its doors to the public. It's an opportunity for you to stroll around parts of the plant dating back to 1966. And to walk the same tarmac where some of the greatest names ...

  14. New Lotus sports car factory: the first tour

    Inside Lotus's new Type 131 sports car factory. Type 131 is lurking under one of those covers. David Hewitt, Lotus executive director of operations. The old way Lotus cars were assembled. Matt ...

  15. TLF Official Lotus/CTL Factory Tours 2023

    From Lotus: Hethel, the home of Lotus. Since 1966 this peaceful part of Norfolk has reverberated with the sounds of some of the world's most exciting and innovative motor cars. We invite Lotus car club members to visit the factory at Hethel, at a rate reserved for Lotus car club members, and to see for themselves how Lotus has transformed into a truly global brand.

  16. Lotus restarts factory tours following £100 million upgrade

    March 28, 2022. The historic Lotus Hethel production facility in Norfolk will reopen for public tours next month. Factory visits were suspended by Lotus in November 2017, but start again from ...

  17. Lotus Factory Tour. Worth The Trip?

    The Factory Tour was part of the driving experience but plenty were just on the tour only and some family and friends did only that part. Definitely worth the time and effort as a Lotus owner and there was absolutely no benefit for turning up in an Evora the second time.

  18. My fantastic visit to Hethel. Lotus Factory Tour and Team Lotus

    1st - World Driver's Championship - Jim Clark. 1st - World Manufacturer's Championship (first title) Jim Clark & Team Lotus came 2nd in the Indianapolis 500 at their first attempt in the race. Isotope Green Elise SC "Izzy" :shift: Krypton Green Elise ( R.I.P.) Magnetic Blue Elise, dedicated track car.

  19. Lotus Factory tour 1984, mainly Esprit

    Journey back in time to Hethel, in 1984. A factory tour. Mainly on the Esprit. See how they made these great cars. This is the full version, from two parts I...

  20. Lotus Factory Tours

    Factory Tours. Monday to Thursday throughout the year, we offer visitors a unique opportunity to tour the Chapman Production Centre at our Hethel HQ, the home of Lotus since 1966. Recently upgraded as part of a £100m overhaul of our UK facilities, this is a fascinating two-hour tour of premium sports car production.

  21. Lotus CTL & Factory Tours?

    Author Topic: Lotus CTL & Factory Tours? (Read 516 times) 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. My S1. Full Member; Joined: Oct 2022; Location: Northern California; Posts: 197; Lotus CTL & Factory Tours? « on: Wednesday,January 10, 2024, 09:29:56 AM ...

  22. Lotus Factory Tours

    Welcome to Lotus Factory Tours at Hethel, the home of Lotus Cars and Classic Team Lotus. Experience the most significant Lotus race cars from Formula 1. Models Eletre Emira Evija Lotus Buy Community Customer Service Company .

  23. Group Factory Tour???

    Lotus Discussions. General Discussion (Lotus related) Group Factory Tour??? 1144 Views 15 Replies 9 Participants Last post by BR., Jan 17, 2005. E. Elise Seller Discussion Starter · Jan 6, 2005. Add to quote; Share Only show this user ...