I got an invite on the back of an Elise owning friend to view the "new M250" at Nelmes in Romford.
What a stitch up!
When I eventually found my mate among the 3 million other Elises in the car park we went into Nelmes' new temporary showroom (they've moved around the corner now) to look at the offerings.
There was an Elise 190 (which you can race for a season for the modest sum of £50,000), a 340R (the go-kart looking thing) and "the M250".
The things I was hoping most to see on the M250 following my initial viewing of it at the motor show, were the engine bay / layout and the interior.
No such luck; the car was just a rolling mockup. Black perspex where the glass should have been meant there was no peeking through the windows. "I'll open the door then". No door handles, just a rough cut hole! Probably because they weren't really doors I guess (the "door seals" were just 4mm tubular beading poked in the cracks!).
Despite a huge sign saying "M250 Sales" we were reminded from the off that this car was still a concept going through a costing exercise with the owners Proton (that sticks in my throat that does).
You could put a deposit of £1000 down which basically bought you a place on a list of people who would be considered for the order book if the car went into production!
It would have been a complete letdown if it wasn't for the cluster of Impreza's, Evo's and Esprits that turned up in and around the carpark.
Mind you, it was good fun going for a thrash in my mates elise afterwards.
Naturally I returned the favour, although the Scooby felt as big as a bus when I first jumped back in it!

 

Last thing I heard was that they were still trying to find an engine for it. The prototype (i.e the one you can drive), uses a Renualt 3.0 V6 (same thing that will be in the Clio Sport). However, due to the Vauxhall "thing" they are now building, rumour has it that this may be part of the deal with GM (i.e. we let you build our car, if you use our engine). Obviously this is all rumour and heresay, as all the interior designer (lives down the road from me) for the M250 will say is; "We are looking at a number of options, and the engine choice has not been signed off yet..." (Mind you, this was before Christmas).
Mike

 

I went to the one in Cambridge and was also a little disappointed that there was no interior to be seen. But I couldn't get to the motor show, so this was the first time I've seen it in the flesh. Paid my grand several months ago, but I am now getting impatient for Lotus to make a final decision either way.

Darren

PS. I think its the best looking car I've ever seen

 

Darren.

She's certainly a looker I agree.
Personally I can't see Lotus not going ahead with the car now. Why would they go to all this trouble of "wetting so many tastebuds" just to show you a concept car?
I just hope the final car does look as good; I hear that the wheels on the demo (18" one offs) will be smaller on the actual car for examlpe.
The proportions as they are look so right.