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Lotus has unveiled plans for an investment of £86m in its return to Formula 1 motor racing, with the creation of about 250 jobs at the Racing Technologies Norfolk base at Hingham. 01-Oct-2009 Lotus is to return to Formula One motor racing next season, and will base its research, manufacturing and technical operations in Norfolk and Malaysia. 16-Sep-2009 Lotus, the Norwich-based sports car manufacturer, is to shed up to 200 jobs by the end of the year. 21-Sep-2006 Lotus is planning to manufacture its new sports car at the Hethel factory in Norfolk from 2008, having decided not to transfer production to Malaysia. 23-May-2006 Lotus is to start manufacturing sports cars abroad for the first time, probably in Malaysia, but production of the Elise model will be increased in Norfolk with the creation of 200 jobs. 27-May-2005 Lotus is to shed up to 350 non-manufacturing jobs at its Norfolk-based sports car business, in order to restructure its engineering consultancy operations. 15-Nov-2004 Lotus is recruiting more than 100 manufacturing staff at its sports car factory in Norfolk, due to rising demand from the US. 02-Aug-2004 Norfolk County Council and Group Lotus are to set up a £4m engineering centre of excellence next to the Lotus site in Hethel. 22-Jun-2004 Lotus is to shed up to 95 of the 1,400 jobs at its sports car plant in Hethel, Norfolk, over the next few months. 06-Feb-2003 Logica has won a £31m contract to provide consultancy and support services to sports car maker Lotus. 14-Nov-2002 Proton, the Malaysian car manufacturer, is to relocate its UK sales operation from Bristol to its Group Lotus site in Norfolk, but its import preparation and parts centre is expected to remain in Avonmouth. 18-Jul-2002 Lotus has announced plans to shed up to 275 jobs at its Norfolk-based sports car manufacturing business. 07-Feb-2002 Lotus has sold its Coventry-based automotive engineering consultancy to HPL Prototypes of Nuneaton, and HPL will gain 35 new staff and relocate its existing workforce to the Lotus site on the Coventry Windmill Industrial Estate. 14-Nov-2001 Lotus is looking to sell its Coventry-based engineering consultancy, which employs 35 staff and produces prototype models for the automotive and aerospace industries. 26-Sep-2001 Lotus is to cancel next year's launch of a new sports car and restructure its business into three divisions - car manufacturing, consultancy engineering and a new commercial operation to create dealer networks. 09-May-2001 Lotus is to shed up to 300 jobs at its sports car operations near Norwich and Coventry, due to a downturn in demand and production delays. 09-Mar-2001 Lotus, the sports car manufacturer, has raised £40m of public debt financing, prompting speculation that it could float on the London stock exchange next year. 02-Nov-2000 Lotus is to double the output at its plant near Norwich having won a three-year assembly contract from General Motors for the Vauxhall VX220. 23-Oct-2000 Lotus Cars has announced plans to launch a new model called the Exige, and will build 700 units a year starting in June. 10-Apr-2000 Lotus Cars has started a recruitment drive for 100 engineering jobs in Warwick and Norwich. 04-Apr-2000 Lotus is planning to set up an engineering centre in Michigan, which will employ 50 people and provide design consultancy services to the US motor industry. 02-Mar-2000 Lotus has started work on the expansion of its Norfolk factory to produce a two-seater sports car for General Motors, and the investment will more than double the company's 3,000 cars-a-year output. 19-Oct-1999 Lotus is forming an alliance with the Rocky Mountain Institute of the US to develop low-emission cars for mass production, and RMI has set up a company called Hypercar that is aiming to raise $35m from venture capitalists and car makers. 28-Apr-1999 Lotus has announced plans to return to motorsport with a racing car based on the Elise, and 50 jobs will created at its Norfolk base. 10-Mar-1999 Lotus is to set up an automotive engineering division in Coventry with the creation of 50 jobs. 29-Jan-1999 Group Lotus, the sports car maker, is to centralise its operations at a new £7m research and development centre at Hethel, which will result in the closure of its Ketteringham Hall headquarters. 25-Aug-1998 Group Lotus is to undergo a review of its business which could result in the sports car and engineering company moving into new areas such as the production of racing cycles and four-wheel drive sporting vehicles. 25-Jun-1998 Proton of Malaysia is buying a further 16% stake in Group Lotus International, the UK sports car and engineering business, to take its stake to 80%. 29-May-1998 Group Lotus, the sports car and engineering concern, is to cut about 100 jobs in the engineering consultancy side of the business due to falling orders from the Asia-Pacific region. 18-Feb-1998 The Malaysian prime minister has said that the country plans to use Lotus, the UK company in which Proton has acquired a majority stake, to provide design and engineering expertise for a new car export drive into Europe. 18-Nov-1996 Proton of Malaysia is buying an 80% stake in Lotus Cars for £51m, and plans to start making Lotus cars in Malaysia as an element in its ambitious expansion programme. 31-Oct-1996 Daewoo Motor of South Korea has withdrawn from talks to acquire the Lotus sports car and engineering business due to failure to reach agreement on terms and conditions. 03-Oct-1996 Mayflower and TWR, the two engineering companies, have expressed an interest in the acquisition of Lotus, the sports car and engineering consultancy. 12-Aug-1996 Group Lotus has told Daewoo of South Korea that it has not been successful in its attempt to buy the company, and instead Lotus will continue looking for suitable partners to co-operate in engineering and funding. 24-Apr-1996 Lotus, the engineering and sports car concern, is in discussions with potential buyers, one of which is said to be Daewoo. 06-Mar-1996 Lotus may have to be sold by Bugatti Automobili, as the Italian company faces bankruptcy. 25-Sep-1995
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