Press Release – Lotus Cars Limited · Issued Thursday 11/06/2026, Hethel, Norfolk Republished by Club Lotus with permission. Source: Lotus Cars Limited.
Lead image: Aerial view of the Lotus Cars Limited site at Hethel, Norfolk, with the Chapman Production Centre and test track (official Lotus media).
At a glance
- Hethel Performance Hub transforms Lotus Cars Limited’s capability into a UK centre for high performance.
- Includes vehicle production and technologies enabling industry partnerships and collaborations.
- Brings together car brands, technology partners, academia and motorsport teams in one ecosystem.
- Enables faster development, lower risk and a more efficient path from concept to production for vehicles and components.
- Designed to remove barriers to innovation in low-volume, high-performance sectors.
- Early collaborations already underway with OEM partners.
Hethel, Norfolk – Lotus Cars Limited has today announced the launch of the Hethel Performance Hub (HPH), designed to accelerate innovation in low-volume, high-performance sectors by bringing partners together within a single, connected ecosystem.
The initiative builds on Lotus Cars Limited’s established engineering and manufacturing capability at Hethel – the headquarters of the high-performance sports car business, Lotus Cars – evolving the site into a collaborative environment where automotive OEMs, emerging manufacturers, technology companies and academic institutions can develop, test and industrialise next-generation products.
The Hub is already operational, with active engineering and manufacturing programmes underway at Hethel. Early collaborations span a UK-based performance car brand, an international electric vehicle manufacturer and a European low-volume vehicle producer, reflecting the breadth of activity across engineering, component supply and full-vehicle development programmes.
In high-performance and niche automotive segments, innovation is often constrained by cost, lack of scale and fragmented capability. The Hethel Performance Hub is designed to address that challenge, offering an alternative model built on access, collaboration and real-world delivery.
At its core, the HPH turns the capability at Hethel into a platform for partnership. It gives organisations direct access to proven engineering, advanced manufacturing, motorsport expertise and an established supply chain, all within a live, operational environment. The Hub brings together established automotive brands, emerging manufacturers, technology companies, academia and motorsport teams in a shared environment where ideas can be developed, tested and industrialised collectively. By combining capabilities in one place, partners can move faster, reduce risk and focus investment on innovation rather than infrastructure.
Hethel has a long-standing track record of delivering complex programmes for global automotive brands, alongside producing Lotus’ own high-performance vehicles. It is now evolving from a single-brand site into a multi-partner network designed for collaboration at a greater scale.
The launch forms part of a broader phase of development at Hethel, supported by ongoing infrastructure investment across the surrounding area. Major works currently underway – including new access and connectivity improvements – are unlocking significant development land and enabling future expansion, supporting the long-term growth of the Hethel ecosystem.
The Hethel Performance Hub builds on more than £150 million of recent investment across Lotus’ UK operations, including its sports car headquarters at Hethel and Lotus Advanced Structures in Norwich, providing a strong foundation for future growth.
The long-term plan is to establish Hethel as a globally recognised centre for high-performance innovation and specialist low-volume production – a place where partners come together not just for individual programmes, but for ongoing collaboration, shared R&D and continuous development of next-generation products and technologies. The initiative also supports high-value engineering and manufacturing activity in the region, reinforcing Hethel’s role within the UK’s advanced automotive and technology landscape.
“Hethel Performance Hub is about unlocking the full potential of what exists here. We’re taking world-class capability – engineering, manufacturing, motorsport – and turning it into a platform for partnership. Crucially, it’s not just about access, it’s about bringing the right people together. By creating an environment where partners can collaborate, develop and deliver side by side, we enable a faster, smarter way to innovate in a sector where traditional models often slow things down.” – Matt Nice, Deputy Managing Director, Lotus Cars
“The Hethel Performance Hub shows how our Industrial Strategy is supporting the UK car sector – backing innovation, strengthening supply chains and accelerating advanced manufacturing. By bringing together industry, academia and technology partners, this investment will help boost exports, drive high-performance automotive production, support skilled jobs and cement the UK’s position as a global leader in automotive innovation.” – Chris McDonald MP, Industry Minister
“The UK automotive sector has a world-renowned record of innovation, engineering excellence and specialist manufacturing, and the Hethel Performance Hub is an example of how collaboration can turn that capability into competitive advantage. By bringing partners together to develop, test and industrialise new technologies more quickly with reduced risk, initiatives like this will help strengthen Britain’s position as a leader in advanced high-performance and low-volume vehicle manufacturing.” – Mike Hawes, Chief Executive, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)
[ENDS]
Notes to editors
- The Hethel Performance Hub is located at Lotus’ headquarters in Norfolk.
- The Hub is already operational, with active programmes underway.
- Infrastructure works in the surrounding area will support future expansion of the site.
- Open to OEMs, suppliers, technology partners and academia.
- Some partner collaborations remain commercially confidential.
About Lotus – Lotus is a global performance brand built on solid foundations and a rich heritage. Since the first Lotus car was built in 1948 by co-founders Colin and Hazel Chapman, Lotus Cars Limited has been pioneering automotive innovation, introducing cutting-edge technologies and designs to meet its uncompromising vision of how a sports car should look, perform and feel. Lotus Cars Limited is based in Hethel, Norfolk, with manufacturing and engineering facilities in Norwich.
This press release is reproduced by Club Lotus by arrangement with Lotus Cars Limited. Original issued 11/06/2026. Media enquiries: Alastair Florance, PR Manager, Lotus Cars Limited – aflorance@lotuscars.com.
