Lotus Drive makes online buying experience more secure and direct for UK customers

MANILA: Lotus has launched a new e-commerce platform called Lotus Drive, which lets users configure a car, select a payment method, value a part-exchange, and place an order with Lotus directly. It is now available at lotuscars.com and has been designed to be intuitive and easy to use. Unfortunately, for the moment, the facility is only available to UK customers.

The Lotus Drive purchasing process is integrated with the model configurator, which was recently updated to allow customers to see their potential purchase from every angle and in various lighting conditions. They can even view it dynamically, thanks to innovative technology that can position their exact spec of car in a stunning “movie” backdrop on a scenic Californian mountain road.

The introduction of Lotus Drive comes after the company stated in January that it will convert its UK showroom network from a retailer to a retail agency model.

Lotus facilitates the completion of the sale. For example, when an Emira is finished and ready to be delivered, the customer completes the purchase through Lotus Drive and chooses whether he/she wants to pick up the car from a retail agent or have it delivered directly to his/her home. Customers may also pick it up directly from the newly refurbished Hethel site in Norfolk, England, which has been home to Lotus since 1966, as part of a unique Lotus factory experience.

Lotus Drive is all about putting the customer at the center of every transaction to meet their needs. According to a recent Capgemini survey, 69% of buyers anticipate to buy their next car online, 74% prefer costs to be the same online and offline, and 88% prefer to purchase directly from the manufacturer if the online process is uncomplicated.

In a statement, Lotus Sales and Aftersales Executive Director Geoff Dowding said, “Lotus Drive gives us the ability to deliver a consistent and highly personal shopping experience to our customers. Additionally, it will allow us to understand what cars customers want and build them to order, as well as gather and use customer data to personalize offers.”

UK customers will get a chance to buy through this facility the UK-homologated versions of the Emira V6 First Edition.

Photos from Lotus

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