Esprit V8 or Tuscan Speed Six??
Discussion
Esrit V8 or Tuscan Speed Six??
Which one to go for??
That is the question!!
Damn I wish I had that dilemma...
Personally I would vote with the Tuscan. Ive lusted after an Esprit since I knew what a car was, but the Tuscan is just...
Mindblowing.
As well as, IMHO being one of the most gorgeous looking cars ever, its a targa and faster than a hyperactive greyhound with an amphetamine habit.
Ive had passenger runs in both, however unfortunately never driven ether *sob sob*. Its the Tuscan that now occupies the part of my mind not reserved for thinking about wimmin
Definately has to be the TVR..........
Esprit is very quick but sounds a bit like a haridryer on steriods, great handling but interior is very ropey plus its a bit on the small side.
TVR has great sounding engine, looks the absolute dogs danglies, interior from the 31st century, goes like s##t of a shovel, loads of head room (with the roof out), plus it doesn't have the cr@ppy Renault transaxle(all you kit car makers I apologise so please don't flame me). What more could you want?
Esprit is very quick but sounds a bit like a haridryer on steriods, great handling but interior is very ropey plus its a bit on the small side.
TVR has great sounding engine, looks the absolute dogs danglies, interior from the 31st century, goes like s##t of a shovel, loads of head room (with the roof out), plus it doesn't have the cr@ppy Renault transaxle(all you kit car makers I apologise so please don't flame me). What more could you want?
Only driven an esprit but I'd say if you're driving more on the roads get the TIV if you're spending a significant time on the track get the lotus. Horses for courses and all that.
(more importantly do you fit in both of them? Esprit is a tight fit if you're a lanky get like me...)
Nice dillema, tell us what you go for in the end / write up your impressions of test drives...
(more importantly do you fit in both of them? Esprit is a tight fit if you're a lanky get like me...)
Nice dillema, tell us what you go for in the end / write up your impressions of test drives...
It's an easy choice for me .. get the Esprit, change the transaxle for the Quaife alternative and go have some fun. Esprit looks better (even after all this time it's still stunning) .. the Tuscan is best decribed as quirky. Lotus badge still commands much greater respect in the real world than TVR which has never really shaken it's grass roots image. the Lotus V8 turbo knocks spots off the TVR 6, despite the SP6 being the best power package TVR have ever come up with. Whenever I've worked on a Lotus I've always been impressed by their build quality - proper clips and pipes instead of millions of cable ties and superglue that you get in the Tuscan. But best of all you've got to have a mid-engine for ultimate supercar-style posing, you can't even open the Tuscan bonnet in the pub car park to show your mates without getting your spanners out .. a big mistake by TVR I feel.
Esprit wins it for me.
Esprit wins it for me.
Have only driven the Tuscan, but it would appear that the Tuscan is the more well-rounded of the two (provided it behaves itself!) in that it has a more capacious interior, better exhaust note, bigger boot and a targa roof.
However, the other car is a Lotus Esprit, and that means a lot in the drool stakes - would any company make a car through four (?) decades if it was poo?
Try them both, buy them both and lie to the bank and the family.
>> Edited by Animal on Monday 3rd February 09:39
However, the other car is a Lotus Esprit, and that means a lot in the drool stakes - would any company make a car through four (?) decades if it was poo?
Try them both, buy them both and lie to the bank and the family.
>> Edited by Animal on Monday 3rd February 09:39
Interesting choice there Joolz. I would have put money on you going for the TVR! Still horses for courses of course. IMHO I would have the TVR (still working out how I can afford a Tuscan!). But then again I have a flexible livestyle to cope with it - i.e. have a first car for the daily slog, dont depend on a TVR all of the time, dont need to be constantly worried about overheating, can be a fair weather driver etc...
If I had to have just one car I would have to say it probably wouldnt be a TVR. A Lotus would be on the list though - even though they have a pretty bad (and not that correct) reliability record. I know of several people that have had a few Esprits and never had any problems. Only the early ones, like the really early ones, had the major electric gremlins. Anything after about 1989 was OK, anything post 1996 was even better....
Personally though I wouldnt get a V8 - sounds like a bag of bolts (even worse than a AJP V8 or S6) and not a major improvement over the old twink turbo. The experts say go for a last of the line twink turbo model - better built, easier to fix and actually as fast or faster than the V8.... also the handling is sweeter...
Oh, and one final comment - Jeremy Clarkson slates the gearbox - and so do the fans. Not a pleasant experience by all accounts. Fairly reliable, which is good cos they dont make them anymore, but lumpy, awkward and downright nasty. Then again the Borg Warner in the TVR's aint exactly "nice".
Cheers,
Paul
If I had to have just one car I would have to say it probably wouldnt be a TVR. A Lotus would be on the list though - even though they have a pretty bad (and not that correct) reliability record. I know of several people that have had a few Esprits and never had any problems. Only the early ones, like the really early ones, had the major electric gremlins. Anything after about 1989 was OK, anything post 1996 was even better....
Personally though I wouldnt get a V8 - sounds like a bag of bolts (even worse than a AJP V8 or S6) and not a major improvement over the old twink turbo. The experts say go for a last of the line twink turbo model - better built, easier to fix and actually as fast or faster than the V8.... also the handling is sweeter...
Oh, and one final comment - Jeremy Clarkson slates the gearbox - and so do the fans. Not a pleasant experience by all accounts. Fairly reliable, which is good cos they dont make them anymore, but lumpy, awkward and downright nasty. Then again the Borg Warner in the TVR's aint exactly "nice".
Cheers,
Paul
Hmmmm definitely a nice choice to have !
I love the looks of the Esprit but I think the interior lets it down a bit. If having a convertible doesn't matter as much to you, have you considered a TVR Cerbera instead?
Better looking than the Tuscans, quicker and you can get them with a ridiculously loud V8 in them as well !
I love the looks of the Esprit but I think the interior lets it down a bit. If having a convertible doesn't matter as much to you, have you considered a TVR Cerbera instead?
Better looking than the Tuscans, quicker and you can get them with a ridiculously loud V8 in them as well !
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