Lotus set to fall victim to Trump tariffs with UK factory closure
Lotus is set to fall victim to Donald Trump's trade tariffs with plans to shutter British production and move it to the US.
The British sports car manufacturer, majority-owned by the Chinese carmaker Geely, could halt production at its works in Hethel, Norfolk, as early as next year.
Executives said that Trump's import taxes have 'led us not to be able to export many vehicles to the US market'.
Sources cautioned that no final decision had been taken about the Hethel works, which employs 1,300 people.
If confirmed, however, the closure would mark a major blow to the UK's carmaking sector, which the government has made a priority during trade negotiations with the White House. The US-UK trade deal announced on May 8 reduced import tariffs from 27.5 per cent to 10 per cent.
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