Who here has driven a Sport 300?
Discussion
I agree the slant 4 esprits were actually wonderful, it was only the constant bleeting by the press that it should have a V8 that made anyone think any less of them. Then they produced the V8 at great expense and neither the glowing press reports nor the promised sales showed up.
Actually my V8GT was wonderful in a different way too (despite cylinder lining issues) and I had an absolutely inspirational time behind the wheel of a Sport 350 at the nurburgring thanks to a good (very good!) friend. I've driven a fair number of cars round the 'ring and nothing else could just lunch the kerbs like the sport 350. I'd say it was a massive improvement over my V8GT in terms of handling if not outright performance.
I'm actually interested in buying a Sport 300. At £68k it was the car I couldn't stretch to at the time but I always wanted one, and I still do. There's also a lot to be said for owning a car that is unlikely to depreciate much. That would be a novelty for me! But unlike the sport 350 there doesn't seem to be an organised members club or website or anything. Presumably Sport300s regularly attend lotus meetings which is where they are most likely to change hands. Hopefully you can point me in the right direction. I've never been to a club meet in my life so am totally out of the loop on the best place to start looking. SELOC gets mentioned a lot but surely Club Lotus is the place to start? I have no idea but it's a bit of a pain having to sign up with all these different clubs.
And have you driven an S4S, if so how does that compare?
Actually my V8GT was wonderful in a different way too (despite cylinder lining issues) and I had an absolutely inspirational time behind the wheel of a Sport 350 at the nurburgring thanks to a good (very good!) friend. I've driven a fair number of cars round the 'ring and nothing else could just lunch the kerbs like the sport 350. I'd say it was a massive improvement over my V8GT in terms of handling if not outright performance.
I'm actually interested in buying a Sport 300. At £68k it was the car I couldn't stretch to at the time but I always wanted one, and I still do. There's also a lot to be said for owning a car that is unlikely to depreciate much. That would be a novelty for me! But unlike the sport 350 there doesn't seem to be an organised members club or website or anything. Presumably Sport300s regularly attend lotus meetings which is where they are most likely to change hands. Hopefully you can point me in the right direction. I've never been to a club meet in my life so am totally out of the loop on the best place to start looking. SELOC gets mentioned a lot but surely Club Lotus is the place to start? I have no idea but it's a bit of a pain having to sign up with all these different clubs.
And have you driven an S4S, if so how does that compare?
many thanks
I'd love to come and view the car but just don't have the time at the moment. The earliest I'll be able to get down there is on 26th October when I'm having my Tuscan serviced at Peninsular.
As you'll see from my profile I've had 2 Esprits already so I am expressing genuine interest.
However, the first thing I'd ask you to do if I bought the car would be to remove the dreadful tracker! If anyone told you they'd only buy the car with a tracker they were lying!
But thanks for your help and information.
I'd love to come and view the car but just don't have the time at the moment. The earliest I'll be able to get down there is on 26th October when I'm having my Tuscan serviced at Peninsular.
As you'll see from my profile I've had 2 Esprits already so I am expressing genuine interest.
However, the first thing I'd ask you to do if I bought the car would be to remove the dreadful tracker! If anyone told you they'd only buy the car with a tracker they were lying!
But thanks for your help and information.
thanks Jackal for your helpful and well informed post.
I still hope to view the car for myself soon but just haven't got the time at the moment.
I had a turbo SE back in the day and that was an astonishing car at the time. The Sport 300 was always 'The Daddy' though.
But at £68k a bit too rich for me at the time.
I went instead for the faster and much cheaper Lotus Carlton but part of me regrets not having a Sport 300 from new. That way I'd have had a nice 1 owner car maintained to my fastidious standard in the garage since 1992. It would probably have been pacific blue like my Turbo SE too.
I still hope to view the car for myself soon but just haven't got the time at the moment.
I had a turbo SE back in the day and that was an astonishing car at the time. The Sport 300 was always 'The Daddy' though.
But at £68k a bit too rich for me at the time.
I went instead for the faster and much cheaper Lotus Carlton but part of me regrets not having a Sport 300 from new. That way I'd have had a nice 1 owner car maintained to my fastidious standard in the garage since 1992. It would probably have been pacific blue like my Turbo SE too.
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