'Malaysia will be Lotus' second home'

Norfolk-based carmaker, Group Lotus, has taken the wraps off its new
Exige S sports car as it also opened a Lotus Originals flagship store
in the heart of the city's West End here earlier this week.

The
new car is the centrepiece in the state-of-the-art store, which is
spread over 4,800 sq ft in a landmark building that once housed the
famous Caf' Royal, a short distance from Piccadilly Circus.

DRB-HICOM
Bhd Group Managing Director Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil said the
170mph high-performance two-seater coupe with a supercharged V6 engine
would begin rolling off the production line at the company's
headquarters at Hethel, Norfolk, later this month.

"These two
major milestones mark the beginning of the way ahead for Lotus under
the DRB-HICOM Group," he said in his opening remarks at the
pre-production launch of Exige S and the store.

The sports car
and the flagship store are the first major announcements since the
company was taken over by the Malaysian automotive group, DRB-HICOM,
earlier this year. DRB-HICOM's unit, Proton, bought Group Lotus in
1996.

Mohd Khamil reiterated and reassured that DRB-HICOM
and Proton are fully committed in bringing Lotus up to the next level
and to a brighter future ahead.

"Lotus is for keep. Do not listen to any speculation. It is something that is worth keeping it," he stressed.

Speaking
to the Malaysian media on a three-day visit to Lotus facilities in the
United Kingdom, he said, the Exige S would be made available in
Malaysia as early as this year with the opening of Lotus' first
showroom in the country.

Mohd Khamil, who is also Proton Executive Chairman, said: "Malaysia will be Lotus' second home."

"Malaysians
will see some Lotus activities in the second half of this year. Lotus
will make its presence felt in Malaysia in the coming months," he said.

Besides
the flagship store, Mohd Khamil said the sports car would also have its
own 3S centre and Lotus Originals store at strategic places in Britain.

Priced at more than 52,000 pounds sterling in the UK, the Exige S is from the Exige family of Lotus.

Lotus, however, has more variants to offer in the future, coming from the other lines of the Elise and Evora.

As
for the flagship store, it hosts a collection of Lotus Originals, which
features a relaxed range of leisure clothing aimed at 25 to 45
year-olds.

The store offers a collection of apparels
reflecting the Lotus heritage, which has been inspired by its glorious
racing days of the sixties and seventies.

Lotus performance's
range includes polo shirts, T-shirts and outdoor wear like jackets and
caps; and also the Lotus F1's range of clothing and accessories.

The
Exige S and the store were officially launched by the Malaysian High
Commissioner to the UK, Datuk Seri Zakaria Sulong, on Wednesday.

British Trade Secretary Dr Vince Cable has also dropped by after the opening of the car maker's new flagship outlet.

Also
present were DRB-HICOM Chairman Datuk Syed Mohamad Syed Murtaza, South
Norfolk Member of Parliament, Richard Bacon, and members of the boards
of DRB-HICOM, Proton and Lotus. -- Bernama