Lotus Sales Jump 55%

Group Lotus plc reports its worldwide sales for the fiscal year ended March 31 totaled 2,015 cars, up 55% from the previous 12-month period.

The company's current lineup consists of the Elise two-seat roadster, Exige coupe variant and Evora flagship sports car. Lotus unveiled the redesigned Evora 400 last month at the Geneva auto show.

Gales told Reuters last month the company's next model is likely to be an SUV/crossover. He predicted the Lotus board will approve the project by year-end. He tells the Financial Times such a model would fit "extremely well" with the Lotus brand and could boost the company's sales to 10,000 units or more.

Gales was installed as CEO at Lotus two years ago after the British company was acquired by Malaysian group DRB-Hicom Bhd. DRB fired then-CEO Dany Bahar and scrapped his ambitious, five-year plan to quadruple sales to 8,000 units by introducing five new models.

Gales is aiming for positive cash flow in the current fiscal year and an operating profit in 2016-2017.