Discussion
Although an automatic (if it were possible at a reasonable cost which I truly doubt) would facilitate driving an Esprit greatly, I would highly recommend that you take the time to get some good training and practice to properly learn how to drive a manual.
There is a certain synergy, a certain oneness between the car and driver that can only be achieved through the proper use of a manual transmission. Once you master driving a manual (it's really not that hard!), piloting an Esprit is sheer delight and exhilaration.
Barring any physcial limitations or extreme traffic jams, it's the only way to truly enjoy the Esprit. Hopefully, your hometown will not have the hills that we do here in San Francisco.
Roy
There is a certain synergy, a certain oneness between the car and driver that can only be achieved through the proper use of a manual transmission. Once you master driving a manual (it's really not that hard!), piloting an Esprit is sheer delight and exhilaration.
Barring any physcial limitations or extreme traffic jams, it's the only way to truly enjoy the Esprit. Hopefully, your hometown will not have the hills that we do here in San Francisco.
Roy
Actually, the reverse is true Ernest. Given auto boxes are in the minority here in the UK, the default licence is manual i.e pass your test in a manual, which probably 99% of drivers do, and you are licenced for either vehicle. Pass the test in an auto and your licence is endorsed for auto only - thats all you can drive.
There are some great stories of US visitors hiring a car at Heathrow and pulling over on the hard shoulder of the M4 in clouds of smoke with a trashed engine/gearbox/clutch. They always wonder why the car never went above 60 and made so much noise. Of course they hadn't realised there was 2nd, 3rd, 4th and even a 5th gear available.....
Before I get flamed by our transatlantic cousins, I know full well that these numpties are in a very, very small minority. But I know it to be true as one of my own business colleagues, visiting from SFO, did exactly that. I had to go rescue him from the M4 at Reading.
Before I get flamed by our transatlantic cousins, I know full well that these numpties are in a very, very small minority. But I know it to be true as one of my own business colleagues, visiting from SFO, did exactly that. I had to go rescue him from the M4 at Reading.
In the US you can not rent manuals at any of the major companies. The only rental I've ever gotten that had a clutch was a 355. :-)
Having said that, I don't understand your story. If an American rented a manual car in London why would they suddenly forget to shift? I don't get it.
Luke.
The point was he didn't know it was a stick shift - unless you specify an auto on booking in the UK you are virtually guaranteed a manual. This was 15 years ago and autos were only ever seen in top end luxury motors.
His excuse was he couldn't find "D"; eventually he located 1st and off he went. He must have crashed it into gear without the clutch. I don't know how he did it either but he managed to get to the M4 without stalling and once there he did 30 miles in first.
A few years later one of his colleagues picked up a car at Heathrow and managed to go round the M25 before he found his way to Maidenhead. Thats 125 miles. Our office was about 15 minutes from the airport......
His excuse was he couldn't find "D"; eventually he located 1st and off he went. He must have crashed it into gear without the clutch. I don't know how he did it either but he managed to get to the M4 without stalling and once there he did 30 miles in first.
A few years later one of his colleagues picked up a car at Heathrow and managed to go round the M25 before he found his way to Maidenhead. Thats 125 miles. Our office was about 15 minutes from the airport......
hedgerley said:
His excuse was he couldn't find "D"; eventually he located 1st and off he went. He must have crashed it into gear without the clutch. I don't know how he did it either but he managed to get to the M4 without stalling and once there he did 30 miles in first.
We Americans are awfully bland and unaware but I still find that very, very hard to believe.
If I wanted to I don't think I could drive 'round the block in a manual car with out once depressing the clucth.
Luke.
>> Edited by karmavore on Tuesday 4th November 00:28
I believe the incident. A friend who worked at a rental car firm in Queenstown, New zealand had a woman come in who complained that the car hadn't been able to go over 50kmh (30mph). She had been shown how to use and mastered the clutch but wasn't aware or hadn't listened that there were 4 other gears....
She had driven from Christchurch. It takes me 5-6 hours in the Esprit. It must have been a long trip.
There are also those who drive on the wrong side of the road. Oddly enough it is the Germans that seem to have the most trouble.
The record is one couple who got Christchurch to Twizel, about 300 km (200 miles) before being stopped.
Another got their keys taken off them when they argued with a policeman as to which side of the road they should be driving.
By the way that is the Left here in NZ.
She had driven from Christchurch. It takes me 5-6 hours in the Esprit. It must have been a long trip.
There are also those who drive on the wrong side of the road. Oddly enough it is the Germans that seem to have the most trouble.
The record is one couple who got Christchurch to Twizel, about 300 km (200 miles) before being stopped.
Another got their keys taken off them when they argued with a policeman as to which side of the road they should be driving.
By the way that is the Left here in NZ.
Getting back on topic.. as the esprit tranmission is renault sourced, you could probably find an auto renault 25 in a scrappy and transplant the transmission out of that into the esprit. Whether it would cope with the torque is another matter. You'd also find it virtually impossible to sell on too.
Bottom line is i think.. if you want an auto, then don't buy an esprit.
Bottom line is i think.. if you want an auto, then don't buy an esprit.
Sorry Evilmunro, but if you cant coordinate a stick you shouldn't be driving an esprit. However, as mentioned above, practice makes perfect so use an old bomb and drive it round a paddock till you get confident. Esprits are made to be driven and would be a shame to carve one up for ones less than desirable driving abilities.
Best of luck anyway.
Best of luck anyway.
karmavore said:
manual license? I never heard of such a thing. Are you handicap? Seriously.
Luke.
Actually, that is a good point, shame if someone who loves Esprits, always wanted to drive it, but was handicap, could not.
Lotus created a semi-auto button shift type test car with a modified transmission called SMART back in the early '90s. It was inspired by the Ferarri F1 car that pioneered paddle shift which is now standard in F1. It was, as usual, a technology demonstrator for other companies, not for Esprit buyers. However, the car did work, was based on the standard SE 5 speed box.
Today, people like Ferrari & Co build versions of their supercars with F1 style semi-shifters. However, no point trying to get an Esprit converted unless you have a serious amount of cash and expertise available. The most complex part of such a system is the auto clutch, not the electronic shift actuation. In that SMART Esprit, there was a computer that rev matched and then actuated the 'clutch' for you as it as you selected the gear from steering wheel mounted buttons. The gear stick was replaced by a lever that chose driving modes (like on an auto) and there was, of course, no clutch pedal. Not exactly what you might be looking for though as you still had to select the gear!
Nicholas
Gassing Station | Esprit | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff