“The Eletra is a fast and agile car,” said Dan Balmer, the Director of Lotus Asia Pacific.
On the 16th, during a Lotus brand media event, I had a 30-minute interview with Dan Balmer at the Lotus showroom in Gangnam, Seoul. Dan Balmer started his automotive career in 1992 as an engineering intern for Rover and has worked with BMW and Rolls Royce before taking up his position as Director of Lotus Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa in July 2021.
Lotus has set a record by selling out its initial production units before the official launch of its sales models, and the sales graph is on an upward trend.
Dan Balmer expressed, “It is very encouraging to see that the Emira and Eletra have been well received. We have added new aspects compared to automotive brands that entered Korea first. Our history, design, and engineering are rich, and with the latest driver assistance system technology, these models are very popular among Korean customers.”
Lotus plans to ramp up sales of the Emira and Eletra with the opening of this flagship store. Both models are expected to start customer deliveries in the first half of next year.
Dan described the Eletra as “a fast and agile car,” followed by an abundance of praise.
“The Eletra is a very quick SUV with impressive brake response. The in-car infotainment system works seamlessly. Additionally, four LiDARs, seven cameras, and five radars will distinguish between bicycles, motorcycles, and pedestrians, even identifying whether they are children or adults. The LiDARs, radars, and cameras will not all be activated in the beginning; they will be gradually activated through software updates.”
The electric vehicle market is experiencing a sales stagnation. The imported car market is facing a more severe situation. Luxury electric vehicles are being shunned in the market. I asked Dan for his thoughts on this.
“People who drive S-Class cars are accustomed to the V12 engine and demand that level in electric vehicles. It is difficult for customers who drive S-Class cars to transition to electric vehicles. For Mercedes, that situation will be quite challenging. However, we are a brand that makes sports cars, so we do not need to be bound by such circumstances and can remain free.”
The Korean market is sensitive to word-of-mouth. One piece of gossip can make a brand cry or laugh, leaving mixed feelings. Dan is fully aware of this aspect. He stated, “The Korean market has very tight customer relationships and is sensitive to rumors. Therefore, we will collaborate with Kolon Mobility in the Korean market to provide the best service to customers and protect our reputation.”
Lastly, Dan hinted at plans for additional showroom openings.
“Currently, I am keeping an eye on the Busan area apart from Seoul. Given that we have overwhelmingly recorded contracts in the Seoul area, it seems likely that we will open a second showroom in Seoul. We will also focus on the service aspect and plan to launch mobile services for customers who cannot come in for service checks due to their busy schedules.”
Jin Sang, daedusj@autodiary.kr