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Lotus’ secret weapon is EVs with personality

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A lot of EVs aren’t that fun to drive, built as they are to glide around a highway like a swan on a river. Sure, like the swan’s manic paddling, there’s a lot of hardware and software sweating in the background to maintain that serenity. But the feeling can be so soporific that you wind up lusting for the day full autonomy comes and puts us out of our misery.

Except, of course, if you’re driving a new Lotus.

You see, when you’re driving an electric Lotus, there’s a sense of cognitive whiplash you don’t often get these days. EVs are quick and have plenty of torque thanks to their electric motors but they rarely have anything close to a personality. But even when you’re driving its new two-plus ton SUV, you’re capable of zooming around a race track as if you were driving a go-kart. It’s this unity of electric smarts and old-school drivability that Lotus hopes will return the perpetually beleaguered manufacturer to its former glory.

Lotus

Image of Colin Chapman, a Lotus Esprit and the John Player Special team plane.Image of Colin Chapman, a Lotus Esprit and the John Player Special team plane.

Lotus Cars

If you’re not a car person, I wouldn’t blame you for not knowing Lotus was a big name in manufacturing and F1 – emphasis on was – responsible for many innovations that shaped how we build, drive and race cars today. “We talk about [having] this pioneering and rebellious spirit,” says Mike Johnstone, Lotus’ new VP of Commercial Operations. For the last 75 years, Lotus has been a left-field car manufacturer, with customers who want something that is “not necessarily part of the status quo.”

Lotus is a company defined by, and proud of, its idiosyncrasies. It’s idiosyncratically based in rural Norfolk, a hundred miles or more from the rest of the UK’s automotive industry. It’s idiosyncratic co-founder Colin Chapman (pictured, above), whose famous mantra was “simplify, then add lightness.” It’s idiosyncratic technical innovations, like monocoque bodies, ground-effect aerodynamics and the early use of carbon fiber. Its cars’ idiosyncratic obsession with perfect handling and speed rather than creature comforts.

It would be impolite to mention the idiosyncratic between Chapman and John DeLorean that would lead to the .

It was this idiosyncratic reputation that made it a draw for pop culture figures who wanted to stand out from the crowd. Patrick McGoohan chose a to be The Prisoner’s car in 1996 because it showed a “touch of the rebel.” The Avengers’ Mrs. Peel drove a , while James Bond drove a underwater in The Spy Who Loved Me and a Turbo Esprit in For Your Eyes Only. And Richard Gere drove a Lotus Esprit in because Porsche and Ferrari, who were asked first, objected to the film’s subject matter. I doubt Lotus has ever uttered the phrase “brand safety” with a sincere face.

Since Chapman’s death in the early ‘80s, Lotus has become a byword for stagnation, passed from one corporate parent to another. Its model line suffered: It sold the Elise from 1996 until 2021, while the Exige was in production from 2000 to 2021. Its newest car pre-Geely was the Evora, and its 12-year lifespan made it the youngest and freshest ride in the range. All three were discontinued in 2021 when the Emira made its debut as the company’s last gas-powered car.

Lotus remained alive because of its small but passionate fanbase, which happened to include a number of automotive executives. But while demand for its own cars waned, the rest of the industry continued to rely on its expertise in making cars drive well. Lotus’ fingerprints are visible in so many high-profile cars, from the DeLorean DMC12, Aston Martin DB9 and even Sinclair’s C5. More importantly, the first Tesla roadster was developed on Lotus’ platform, with the first run of cars built at its Hethel, England base.

In 2017, Geely — the Chinese EV giant that owns Volvo and Polestar — bought a 51 percent stake in the company. It’s spent the last few years and a considerable amount of cash to push the company into the 21st century. The existing gas-powered product line was cleared out, the HQ revamped and a new electric-only facility built in China. I was able to visit the company’s Hethel plant to see the fruits of this investment, and also to try all of the new vehicles. The headline-grabbing model, of course, is the Evija, the company’s $3 million all-electric hypercar.

The Evija

Image of the Lotus Evija production hall with a series of half-completed models in the background, while in the foreground a black Evija in racing livery sits.Image of the Lotus Evija production hall with a series of half-completed models in the background, while in the foreground a black Evija in racing livery sits.

Lotus Cars

Emeya, Eletre, Emira, Evija, Evora, Exige, Elise, Elan, Esprit: It’s tradition, or something, that all Lotuses have incomprehensible faux-Latin names beginning with an E. The Evija will, hopefully, lodge itself in your memory as the company’s hypercar, of which only 130 will be built. One of the first is owned by former Formula One world champion Jenson Button with a .

Lotus opted to put a lot of hardware in the middle of the car behind the two seats to retain that mid-engined weight distribution. The body is a single piece of carbon fiber, and it’s obvious to all that this is a race car first, with Lamborghini-esque styling. To save weight, there’s little sound dampening, so you can hear the roar of the gear, and the road, as you slice through the air. Put your foot down and you’ll hear the power unit spin up to push juice to those four wheel-mounted 500W motors.

What comes out the other side is eye-bleeding acceleration and enough g-force that you feel your lunch shift from one side of your stomach to the other. Yes, other EVs can go quickly, and some accelerate ludicrously fast, but the Evija is playing in different water. For car people, Lotus has always been synonymous with fast-twitch driving dynamics and slightly lackluster reliability. But the Evija feels mature, solid, stable and able to harness all of the pure grunt that only an electric motor can provide.

I’d go further and say that the Evija is terrifying, especially when Karl Eaton, one of the minds behind the vehicle, took me around the track in one. He waited until the car reached 201 miles per hour to start explaining all of the smart choices embodied in its design. I didn’t recall much of what he said at the time since I was trying to keep all the fluids in my body.

The Eletre and Emeya

Image of a gray Lotus Eletre driving along a country road.Image of a gray Lotus Eletre driving along a country road.

Lotus Cars

Of course, the Evija is the standard bearer for Lotus as a luxury EV maker that stands out from the crowd. It’s not likely you’ll have a few million lying around, but its existence will make you aware of the relatively more reasonably-priced options in its lineup. The Eletre is the first real Lotus EV, priced around $100,000 and again, something of a departure from the norm. Whereas Lotus prides itself on making zippy, mid-engined sports cars, this is a two-and-change ton SUV that just happens to be as capable on a race track as its E-named predecessors.

On my first few laps around the track, I drove the Eletre like a high-sided SUV, which is to say, gently. After all, I didn’t want to flip this thing over when I’d need to save three years worth of paychecks just for a chance to look at the sales brochure. My co-pilot kept urging me to go harder, and eventually I did, realizing that Lotus has done something amazing. It’s a car that you can fling around a track and feel like you’re Lewis Hamilton, and then drive it home without missing a beat.

Image of Lotus new Image of Lotus new

Lotus Cars

The Eletre is already on sale, but we won’t need to wait a decade to see what follow-up Lotus has planned. Next on the docket is the Emeya, a luxury hyper-grand tourer based on the same platform as the Eletre. You can see the shared design language and the emphasis on active aerodynamics in the body to help the cars zoom around the corners. There are gaps and vents all around the body to help push air past the cabin and keep all four wheels planted on the road.

As for the interiors, Lotus is a company that has traditionally avoided fripperies like comfort and ease of use. These, after all, aren’t conducive to Chapman’s mantra of simplifying and adding lightness. But the Eletre and Emeya have gloriously un-Chapmanesque cabins full of luxurious materials and physical dials and switches more reminiscent of a high-end camera. When you look at the price and see that the luxurious excesses of this cost the same as a Tesla Model X, you feel as though the incumbents need to get a lot better quickly.

The Spirit of Lotus

Hazel Chapman, Clive Chapman and Nigel Mansell, 21 June 2011 Hethel Test Track Reopening.Hazel Chapman, Clive Chapman and Nigel Mansell, 21 June 2011 Hethel Test Track Reopening.

Lotus Cars

You could argue that Lotus is just a badge under which Geely can slap components it’s using elsewhere. But Mike Johnstone said the parent company has no interest in diluting what makes Lotus Lotus. “More than 99 percent of all of our development is done ourselves,” said Johnstone, “where we benefit [from being owned by Geely] is access to a supply chain.”

Much has been made about what Lotus’ role in the automotive firmament should be in the new world of electric vehicles. Colin Chapman’s famous principles were to simplify and add lightness so aren’t bulky EVs, shorn of their gas-powered engines, an insult to his memory? Thankfully, I only needed to cross the road that runs alongside Lotus’ Hethel HQ to ask an expert: Chapman’s son, Clive (pictured, left). Clive is the head of Classic Team Lotus, a heritage brand that keeps the company’s former gas-powered F1 cars working. Despite the shared name and proximity, there’s no financial relationship between Lotus and the Classic Team.

Clive showed me around the facility, which maintains those classic F1 cars and races them at heritage events, like the at Monaco. If you’re a one-percenter with an old Lotus, you can also send it here to be restored by specialists. On the upper floor, there’s a collection of classic Lotuses of every stripe. It’s a rare and beautiful sight to see. I asked Clive how his father would feel about the shift to electric. “Dad was never sentimental,” said the younger Chapman, and directed me to a pristine Lotus 56 in the collection. He explained that his father was never wedded to one technology or philosophy, despite what some Lotus fans may claim. The Lotus 56, after all, was equipped with a gas turbine engine more commonly seen in aircraft than vehicles, but Colin Chapman was very interested in the speed advantage it could have offered.

It seems that what mattered to Colin Chapman then is the same as what matters to Lotus now: Pushing automotive design forward, no matter how unusual the method. Before I tried any of Lotus’ EVs on its test track, I tried the (gas-powered) Emira and used that as my benchmark. My expectation was that the subsequent cars would all pale somehow in comparison to the last “true” Lotus to be made at Hethel. And yet, the new cars, despite their batteries and electric motors, are just as lithe and energetic as ever. This, I suspect, is why Lotus has a good chance of making a mark in the new world, because it remains enough of that uncompromising spirit to stand out from the crowd and make sure that, for those who need it, you can still feel connected to your car.

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How to change the personality of ChatGPT

Change the personality of ChatGPT for more interesting responses

Are you a little bored with the standard responses you get from ChatGPT? Would you like to spice up your AI responses a little more interest, sassiness or attitude? Did you know that you can change the personality of ChatGPT to anything you can imagine by simply adding a few simple personality guidelines to the custom instructions settings within ChatGPT. in this guide we will show you how to change the personality of ChatGPT as well as providing 20 personality examples that you can use to quickly change your conversation style.

When you interact with a language model like ChatGPT, you are generally dealing with a “base” model personality, designed by OpenAI and its developers to be neutral and factual. Custom instructions modify this baseline personality behavior according to the guidelines you provide. The main assumption is that the personality or style you wish to mimic can be clearly described or is widely understood. For example, mimicking Shakespeare’s style assumes that there are distinctive features of Shakespearean language that can be replicated.

Change ChatGPT personality using custom instructions

20 examples of ChatGPT personalities

  • Shakespeare: Known for his monumental contributions to English literature, William Shakespeare was a playwright and poet whose works often evoke elegance, drama, and complexity. His writing, often delivered in iambic pentameter and Early Modern English, has a timeless quality that captivates audiences even today.
    • Custom Instructions: “Speak in iambic pentameter using Early Modern English.”
  • Sherlock Holmes: Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, celebrated for his extraordinary powers of observation and deductive reasoning. Though highly intelligent, he also has a tendency to be aloof and emotionally distant.
    • Custom Instructions: “Use deductive reasoning and Victorian English in your responses.”
  • Tony Stark (Iron Man): A Marvel superhero and tech entrepreneur, Tony Stark is known for his wit, sarcasm, and self-assured nature. His confidence sometimes borders on arrogance, but he also has a genuine desire to use his intellect for good.
    • Custom Instructions: “Respond with wit, humor, and a touch of arrogance.”
  • Morgan Freeman’s Narration: Although not a character in the traditional sense, Morgan Freeman’s narrative voice is universally recognizable and often associated with wisdom, insight, and a calming demeanor.
    • Custom Instructions: “Speak in a calm, narrative style, offering wisdom.”a
  • Yoda: A Jedi Master in the “Star Wars” universe, Yoda is known for his wisdom, cryptic sayings, and unique way of structuring sentences. He often speaks in a peaceful yet authoritative manner.
    • Custom Instructions: “Speak in reverse sentence structures, you must.”
  • Pirate: Often depicted as boisterous and adventurous, pirates are sea marauders that capture the imagination with their boldness and often exaggerated mannerisms. They have their own jargon, making them instantly recognizable.
    • Custom Instructions: “Use pirate jargon and speak as if ye were a pirate from the high seas.”
  • Darth Vader: A Sith Lord from the “Star Wars” universe, Darth Vader is a complex character who exudes authority and menace. Despite his evil actions, there’s a depth and tragedy to him that adds layers to his persona.
    • Custom Instructions: “Speak with an authoritative tone, using phrases fit for a Sith Lord.”
  • Socrates: An Ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates was known for his methodical approach to questioning the world around him. His inquisitive and challenging nature often led to philosophical dialogues aimed at reaching deeper truths.
    • Custom Instructions: “Respond with philosophical inquiry and Socratic questioning.”
  • Gollum: A creature from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” Gollum is a dual-natured character torn between his innocent “Smeagol” side and his darker, more malevolent “Gollum” persona.
    • Custom Instructions: “Switch between the personalities of Smeagol and Gollum.”
  • Oprah Winfrey: A media mogul and philanthropist, Oprah Winfrey has a personality that is both inspiring and empowering. She often engages with her audience in a manner that encourages self-improvement and positive change.
    • Custom Instructions: “Be uplifting and motivational in your responses.”
  • Jane Austen: An English novelist known for her romantic fiction set in Regency England, Jane Austen had a keen eye for social norms and relationships. Her writing style is elegant and often ironic, capturing the subtleties of human interaction.
    • Custom Instructions: “Use elegant, formal English with a focus on social norms of Regency England.”
  • Spock: A half-human, half-Vulcan character from “Star Trek,” Spock is defined by his logical reasoning and lack of emotional expression. His unique blend of human curiosity and Vulcan discipline makes him a fascinating character.
    • Custom Instructions: “Speak logically and without emotion.”
  • Gandalf: A wizard from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” Gandalf is a wise and mysterious figure. His deep understanding of Middle-earth and its history, along with his moral integrity, make him a revered character.
    • Custom Instructions: “Speak in a wise and mysterious manner.”
  • James Bond: The iconic British secret agent is known for his suave demeanor, tactical mind, and a certain aloofness. He embodies the quintessence of the British spy archetype, complete with a license to thrill.
    • Custom Instructions: “Be suave, tactical, and slightly aloof in your responses.”
  • Doctor Who: A Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, Doctor Who is an eccentric yet brilliant character with a quirky British sense of humor. The character’s compassion and intelligence shine through, despite the often whimsical demeanor.
    • Custom Instructions: “Be eccentric and quick-witted, with a touch of British humor.”
  • Chandler Bing: One of the six main characters on the TV show “Friends,” Chandler Bing is most known for his sarcastic humor and clever wordplay. Despite his comedic exterior, he also shows moments of vulnerability and insecurity.
    • Custom Instructions: “Use sarcastic humor and wordplay.”
  • Hannibal Lecter: A brilliant psychiatrist turned cannibalistic serial killer, Hannibal Lecter is articulate, sophisticated, and highly manipulative. Despite his gruesome actions, he maintains a chilling sense of decorum.
    • Custom Instructions: “Be articulate and sophisticated, with a dark undertone.
  • Robin Williams’ Stand-up: Inspired by the late actor and comedian Robin Williams, this persona is characterized by energetic delivery, rapid-fire humor, and a range of impressions and voices.
    • Custom Instructions: “Be energetic and intersperse humor and impressions into your answers.”
  • Elon Musk: Known for his work as an entrepreneur and CEO, Elon Musk is a visionary with a touch of eccentricity. He’s known for ambitious projects aimed at fundamentally changing the future.
    • Custom Instructions: “Be visionary and forward-thinking, with a touch of humor.”
  • Deadpool: A Marvel Comics anti-hero, Deadpool is irreverent, self-aware, and possesses a unique brand of dark humor. He’s known for breaking the fourth wall, adding an extra layer of engagement to his character.
    • Custom Instructions: “Be irreverent, break the fourth wall, and use dark humor.”

Designing custom personalities for ChatGPT

If you want to make ChatGPT sound like a specific character or person, you can follow a set of steps to nail down the details. First, clearly tell the model how you want it to talk. Next, adjust the words and tone to fit the character’s style. Don’t forget to include unique traits, like Yoda’s reversed sentences. Consider what topics the character would talk about, and then run some tests to refine your instructions until you get it just right. This way, you can get ChatGPT to mimic the personality as accurately as possible.

  1. Instruction Formulation: The first step is to formulate your custom instructions clearly. For instance, if you want the model to talk like a pirate, you might say, “Respond in a pirate accent, using pirate jargon.”
  2. Tone and Vocabulary: Adjusting these elements is essential for mimicking a specific style or personality. For a pirate, words like “Ahoy,” “matey,” and phrases like “Shiver me timbers” might be emphasized.
  3. Idiosyncrasies: Every character or personality has unique quirks. For example, Yoda from “Star Wars” often reverses the order of his sentences. This should be specified in the instructions for the model to mimic the behavior accurately.
  4. Content: While some personalities may have a specific way of approaching topics, others might be inclined to discuss certain subjects. For example, if mimicking a historical figure like Einstein, the discussion might be steered toward topics of physics and philosophy.
  5. Test and Iterate: It’s often necessary to fine-tune the instructions and try multiple iterations to get the desired output.

Customizing ChatGPT to embody specific characters or personalities not only adds a layer of engagement but also enriches the conversational experience. By paying attention to instruction formulation, tone, vocabulary, unique traits, and relevant topics, users can transform the model into a more dynamic and interactive tool. Through iterative testing and fine-tuning, it becomes possible to capture the essence of a wide array of personalities, elevating the dialogue and creating a more immersive experience.

Other articles we have written that you may find of interest on the subject of ChatGPT and refining its responses :

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6 Personality Traits That Make You Ideal for Fostering Children in Portsmouth

People can possess all kinds of different personality traits, and this helps to make us unique. Every person has their mix but did you know that some personality traits can make you ideal for fostering children in Portsmouth? If this is a calling you’ve been giving thought to as of late, especially since there is a big need for foster carers in Portsmouth, you may be wondering if you’ve got what it takes.

Here we’ll take a look at six personality traits that are ideal for foster carers to possess and can make them all the more effective and supportive in the role.

Compassion, Kindness and Understanding Benefit All

Compassion, kindness, and understanding are traits everyone can benefit from. Being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand where they are coming from will take you far as a foster carer. These traits will also help a foster child to feel safe and secure.

Patience Can Take You Far in Life

Here’s another personality trait that can take you far in life, as patience can often seem like it’s in short supply. Caring for children requires patience every day, as you are acting as a role model and showing them the best way to deal with life experiences.

A Joy for Life Is a Wonderful Trait to Have

If you’re the type that has joy for life, then you’re likely the type that sees the positive in every situation. Again, what a great example to be setting for children, showing them to always appreciate the good surrounding them, even if you have to look a little harder to find it. A joy for life will also keep you open to new adventures, activities and experiences.

The Ability to Adapt and Be Flexible

Caring for children means you need to be flexible at all times, as each day is something new and you need to be able to go with the flow. Sticking to rigid expectations just isn’t possible when you add kids to the mix.

A Sense of Humour Keeps Life Fun and Light

Let’s face it, there’s no better way to deal with life than with a smile and a sense of humour. A sense of humour can make you a more approachable person, make you more relatable and help your foster child to open up to you and feel relaxed. It is often said that the best medicine is laughter, so why not aim to include it each day?

A Sense of Stability

Another important personality trait is a sense of stability in your life. Children thrive when they have a routine or schedule that they can stick to and count on, and this requires stability. A sense of stability is also something that fostering agencies in Portsmouth will be looking for when you apply to become a foster carer.

If you’re scanning through this list of personality traits and ticking off each one, then it could be worth looking into fostering.