The Intercooler Why it's so hard for Aston Martin, McLaren and Lotus to make money #289
Nov 17, 2025
Simon Lane, a former executive at Aston Martin and Lotus, dives into the financial struggles of British sports car manufacturers. He discusses challenges like scale, regulations, and the impact of electrification on sports car character. Simon also shares insights on the restomod scene, highlighting his new project, Encore, which aims to reinvent the Esprit. He reveals the joy of blending heritage with modern performance, while exploring why iconic brands must adapt to survive in a changing market.
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Economics Crush Low‑Volume Carmakers
- Small British sports car makers face much higher per-car costs due to poor purchasing leverage and manual builds.
- They must amortise huge upfront development and homologation costs across tiny volumes, squeezing margins.
Regulation Multiplies Development Cost
- Modern type‑approval and homologation rules multiply development cost and repeat testing across markets.
- That regulatory complexity forces small makers to limit markets or bear prohibitive extra expense.
Noise Limits Shape Sports Car Character
- New drive‑by noise limits (72→68 dB) materially reduce external exhaust character and force engineering changes.
- Manufacturers can reproduce pleasing in‑cabin sound, but loud exterior exhausts become harder to justify.