The sportscar manufacturer is cutting up to 270 jobs, blaming the decision on Donald Trump’s US tariffs and a shifting demand for sportscars.

The latest wave of redundancies follows 94 jobs that were lost after a restructuring of the business last November.

Lotus' Hethel factory (Image: Denise Bradley) However, in a letter sent to its staff seen by this newspaper, Lotus said it remains “committed to the UK” which is the “home to the Lotus brand.”

“We remain committed to the UK; it is home to the Lotus brand, sports car manufacturing and global design, and a key commercial market for us,” Matt Windle, group vice president and managing director of Lotus Cars, wrote in the letter.

Lotus's European boss Dan Balmer recently told Autocar that Lotus's Hethel headquarters is "a very important part of our business, and will continue to be so as well."

“Having that as our sports car base is important,” he added, citing the importance of having an FIA-approved test track at the site, and “all the heritage that goes with that."

An aerial view of Lotus' Hethel base taken in 2018 (Image: Lotus) Trump’s tariffs mean UK car........

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