M250 cancelled ?

[PetrolTed]

That sort of power would of course encroach on the Esprit. But can we seriously expect a replacement for the Esprit still, or will the M250 just take it's place?

[JBsC5]

Sorry guys..the pro tips are a style of exhaust tips on an corsa exhaust ...I spend so much time shooting the breeze on the Corvette sites..I forget you guys probably don't give a cr@p.... Not exactly a Lotus but a car owned by a guy who truly enjoys the Lotus Mystique..I hope you welcome me here..if not..let me know and I'll split. 1999 Corvette A4, 3:15 rear, Z51, Active Handling, Halltech Cold Air,Powerloader, Corsa Indy 1/4 mile 12.90 @ 109.43mph Edited by JBsC5 on Monday 5th February 23:54

[PetrolTed]

You're very welcome here. Just teasing. Mind you a Corsa here is a little shopping car, what is it in the USA?

[JBsC5]

Please excuse my interuption on this topic of great interest on the Lotus M250..so to quickly answer your question.... Corsa..is like Borla or Ansa exhaust systems...A brand of aftermarket equipment popular in the United States.... Thanks....I really dig Lotus cars...as a young man I always enjoyed the Lotus Elan and Europa..Two of my favorites...Mrs. Peel of the Avengers was a hottie too! 1999 Corvette A4, 3:15 rear, Z51, Active Handling, Halltech Cold Air,Powerloader, Corsa Indy 1/4 mile 12.90 @ 109.43mph Edited by JBsC5 on Tuesday 6th February 03:28

[Nightmare]

Ted, I spoke to what I would consider a fairly reliable source (the head engineer at Lotus!) some time last year about the possibility of an esprit replacement. He said he couldnt talk about it. I commented that it seemed like that seeing as the M250 is based on a slightly stretched elise chassis, that maybe a replacement Esprit would just be a further extension. His comment was something along the lines of "not exactly rocket sciece to work that out" so I guess something is on the way......!

[doneme]

Interesting!! As much as I love the Esprit, it's way over due for a change! Though at the rate their development has been going it could be nearly 2010 before it's actually on the street. Also, from watching various threads, it looks like the M250 could have quite a bit of competition by the time it comes out.

[PetrolTed]

Well I drove the Noble M12 today - Lotus have missed the boat. What a fantastic car. Full details next week. Perhaps they will _need_ a V8 M250 (Esprit replacement) by the time it's ready... Edited by PetrolTed on Tuesday 6th February 18:00

[James]

quote:Well I drove the Noble M12 today - Lotus have missed the boat. What a fantastic car. Full details next week.

Was it as good as it looks? Lee Noble generally knows how to design a good car.

[PetrolTed]

I was gobsmacked. The engine is just superb and the whole car feels so together. I'll be doing a full write up next week, got a few bits to sort out first.

[drf]

A little bit of good news. It looks like M250 has rissen from the dead. Lotus are to go ahead with a few press cars!!

[doneme]

That's some great news!! Where did you hear it from?

[PetrolTed]

DRF is involved with Lotus somehow. I think he works for a supplier.

[drf]

Correct

[Graham B]

Just read in the April EVO (page 20) that the M250 is to go back for a rethink. Apparently the M250 "isn't revoluntionary enough in either its styling or engineering to be considered a worthy new lotus" according to Proton CEO. He has demanded that the Lotus go back to the drawing board. Graham

[fishnchips]

Hmm - that sounds good from head of a company responsible for the Persona. I wonder if this is the start of a long string of successful decisions by the 'new management' I love it when the grey suits get involved in design decisions... like those hideous yellow signs everywhere at Heathrow. (Apparently BAA identified them as a corporate brand - much like the cramped terminals, 3 mile walks to the planes and the assumption that everyone speaks english)

[AndyToone]

By the time the M250 hits the streets, we'll all be going to work by flying car at this rate. The spec seems less cutting edge than it did when they first announced it (lots more people using aluminium and composites), but that's what happens when you sit on a project for two years after starting it. I really like the styling though - I'd hate to loose that rear end and the doors sweeping up into the roof.

[Rob350]

Speaking as a TVR fan (although I do have a soft spot for Lotus as well) I can't believe they just don't do the obvious of stuffing their V8 into the elise, giving it a decent exhaust note and charging 35 grand for it. M250 is just way to close to the current car.

[AndyToone]

I thought they'd get the M250 out, then add a third car to the range - an Esprit/supercar replacement that'd do 200Mph+ and scare Ferraris and Lambo's. The M250 does look much less 'lightweight' than the Elise, and I could see the styling being taken further for a top-end car. But putting a V8 in the Elise? Surely it would have to be very heavily hacked around to work properly with such power? That's what Lotus are good at - matching power, weight, handling rather than just sticking some great lump of an engine on four wheels. :-) Edited by AndyToone on Monday 12th March 14:14

[fishnchips]

>M250 is just way to close to the current car. I've had an Elise for 3 1/2 years, and I've had an M250 on order since..god knows... I was basically looking for it to be a better, faster, cheaper version of an esprit, and I also happened to think it looked the dogs b*****ks. Many of the people who placed an order for the M250 already owned an Elise, so I believe it made a lot of sense for this car to be positioned as it was. Anyway - over 1500 people thought this car was a good enough idea to stick some money down for it. Mr. CEO of Proton should think about that. Anyway - M250 cancellation blows a huge hole in Lotus car development - at this point it looks like they're destined to be a mainly roadster only company for the forseeable future. Andy

[zertec]

>Anyway - M250 cancellation blows a huge hole in Lotus car development - at this point it looks like they're destined to be a mainly roadster only company for the forseeable future.< Roadster only, what about the vintage Esprit? The could easily rebody the Esprit with an up to date bodystyle (or let me do it.....) Clive Reed Zertec Limited [e-mail] www.zertec.co.uk