Lotus Cars' new additions to its management lineup include former BMW executive and Alfa Romeo CEO Karl-Heinz Kalbfell and ex-Ferrari executive Guillaume Chabin. The former director of Ferrari's North Europe division, Chabin will be Lotus' new director of sales. He was an executive at Bentley during the brand's rebirth as a high-performance, luxury brand. Kalbfell will advise Lotus CEO Dany Bahar and will provide operational support at the company's Hethel, England headquarters. Kalbfell worked in engineering and marketing while at BMW, he was responsible for the early BMW M sedans.
He also was vital in putting the BMW V12 into McLaren's Formula One supercar and he forged the engine-supply deal with Morgan Motor Co. In 2004, Kalbfell left BMW after a short stint as CEO of BMW's Rolls-Royce brand to head Fiat-owned Alfa Romeo and Maserati.
According to U.K. enthusiast magazine Autocar, Kalbfell later quit Fiat because of differences with Fiat group chairman Sergio Marchionne. Bahar says that Kalbfell has invaluable experience from working in extremely senior positions throughout the automotive industry. Bahar adds that Kalbfell's main role is to bring together all its existing efforts across the departments and to ensure that the company is working effectively as a united force.
