RE: Lotus Esprit Turbo | The Brave Pill
Discussion
chelme said:
It did need a V8. Alas, they could not engineer a decent unit.
Funny enough, I couldn't sleep last night so at 4am I was reading about Esprit's. Mostly because I'd had a dream about being asked what the cheapest practical way to drive at 200mph. Even my sub-conscious is popular at parties. I fancied it would be easier and cheaper to take a car that was already pretty close and make it a bit quicker than take something like a Merc AMG, delimit and whatever else.
I remembered the last few Esprit's had a V8 and thought it was about a 180mph car (it's a bit less actually) I assumed it was another tuned up Rover V8 or maybe an LS / Gen 3 GM as they were the go-to Yank V8s at the time, but no it's an in-house Lotus engine.
I also discovered it's actually a twin-turbo V8!
But the engine is 'very Lotus' not because it breaks a lot (I don't know if they do or they don't) but because it's even though they spent a fortune updating a car that hadn't changed much since 1987, and another fortune developing this new engine for it that could produce 500bhp, 100 more than the heavier contemporary Ferrari 360, they had to peg it back to 350 because they had to use the same old Renault Gearbox the 4 pot had.
P-Jay said:
Funny enough, I couldn't sleep last night so at 4am I was reading about Esprit's. Mostly because I'd had a dream about being asked what the cheapest practical way to drive at 200mph. Even my sub-conscious is popular at parties.
I fancied it would be easier and cheaper to take a car that was already pretty close and make it a bit quicker than take something like a Merc AMG, delimit and whatever else.
I remembered the last few Esprit's had a V8 and thought it was about a 180mph car (it's a bit less actually) I assumed it was another tuned up Rover V8 or maybe an LS / Gen 3 GM as they were the go-to Yank V8s at the time, but no it's an in-house Lotus engine.
I also discovered it's actually a twin-turbo V8!
But the engine is 'very Lotus' not because it breaks a lot (I don't know if they do or they don't) but because it's even though they spent a fortune updating a car that hadn't changed much since 1987, and another fortune developing this new engine for it that could produce 500bhp, 100 more than the heavier contemporary Ferrari 360, they had to peg it back to 350 because they had to use the same old Renault Gearbox the 4 pot had.
Fifth Gear tried to do this some years backI fancied it would be easier and cheaper to take a car that was already pretty close and make it a bit quicker than take something like a Merc AMG, delimit and whatever else.
I remembered the last few Esprit's had a V8 and thought it was about a 180mph car (it's a bit less actually) I assumed it was another tuned up Rover V8 or maybe an LS / Gen 3 GM as they were the go-to Yank V8s at the time, but no it's an in-house Lotus engine.
I also discovered it's actually a twin-turbo V8!
But the engine is 'very Lotus' not because it breaks a lot (I don't know if they do or they don't) but because it's even though they spent a fortune updating a car that hadn't changed much since 1987, and another fortune developing this new engine for it that could produce 500bhp, 100 more than the heavier contemporary Ferrari 360, they had to peg it back to 350 because they had to use the same old Renault Gearbox the 4 pot had.
https://youtu.be/CM7NbL9Be0s
They didn’t get close enough and it was left to the Corolla and Sierra to break the barrier
You need a big budget and time
Edited by s m on Monday 4th November 12:20
I find it interesting all the comments on unreliable cars, like one comment if they are neglected they will suffer.
A good friend loves these as has a Series 2 at the moment, other than some cosmetic issue, the carpets horrible, its been reliable, more so than his 1 year old C class.
He previously had a later turbo model with the v8 style body kit, and a 911 Carrera 4S. I had an Evo 1 integrale, we used to go out on Sunday morning runs in 1 of the three cars, the only one that ever had an issue was the 911. And the Lotus and integrale were both more enjoyable and visceral. All cars were being looked after by specialists.
If you look after these non mainstream cars they can be reliable.
A good friend loves these as has a Series 2 at the moment, other than some cosmetic issue, the carpets horrible, its been reliable, more so than his 1 year old C class.
He previously had a later turbo model with the v8 style body kit, and a 911 Carrera 4S. I had an Evo 1 integrale, we used to go out on Sunday morning runs in 1 of the three cars, the only one that ever had an issue was the 911. And the Lotus and integrale were both more enjoyable and visceral. All cars were being looked after by specialists.
If you look after these non mainstream cars they can be reliable.
https://youtu.be/fZ-WSlKCljw
I've have owned this car for 5 years, apart from a respray that cost £1400, which was every thing apart from the bottom of the doors and the bits either side with the stickers its cost hardly anything to run.
I do all the work myself, it broke down once but that was my fault, I balanced the carbs and adjusted the timing but didn't understand how the two bolts that hold the distributor in worked, one is very difficult to access so I thought I would try it on the road before I tightened the second fixing.
Second gear, 6500 revs then a huge bang and massive fire ball behind me and a dead engine. The distributor had come out of the oil pump housing and so no spark but loads of fuel.
Wife towed me home, I pushed the distributor back in, retimed the engine, done up both bolts and all good.
With the right maintenance they are as reliable as any other 30 year old car.
I've have owned this car for 5 years, apart from a respray that cost £1400, which was every thing apart from the bottom of the doors and the bits either side with the stickers its cost hardly anything to run.
I do all the work myself, it broke down once but that was my fault, I balanced the carbs and adjusted the timing but didn't understand how the two bolts that hold the distributor in worked, one is very difficult to access so I thought I would try it on the road before I tightened the second fixing.
Second gear, 6500 revs then a huge bang and massive fire ball behind me and a dead engine. The distributor had come out of the oil pump housing and so no spark but loads of fuel.
Wife towed me home, I pushed the distributor back in, retimed the engine, done up both bolts and all good.
With the right maintenance they are as reliable as any other 30 year old car.
s m said:
P-Jay said:
Funny enough, I couldn't sleep last night so at 4am I was reading about Esprit's. Mostly because I'd had a dream about being asked what the cheapest practical way to drive at 200mph. Even my sub-conscious is popular at parties.
I fancied it would be easier and cheaper to take a car that was already pretty close and make it a bit quicker than take something like a Merc AMG, delimit and whatever else.
I remembered the last few Esprit's had a V8 and thought it was about a 180mph car (it's a bit less actually) I assumed it was another tuned up Rover V8 or maybe an LS / Gen 3 GM as they were the go-to Yank V8s at the time, but no it's an in-house Lotus engine.
I also discovered it's actually a twin-turbo V8!
But the engine is 'very Lotus' not because it breaks a lot (I don't know if they do or they don't) but because it's even though they spent a fortune updating a car that hadn't changed much since 1987, and another fortune developing this new engine for it that could produce 500bhp, 100 more than the heavier contemporary Ferrari 360, they had to peg it back to 350 because they had to use the same old Renault Gearbox the 4 pot had.
Fifth Gear tried to do this some years backI fancied it would be easier and cheaper to take a car that was already pretty close and make it a bit quicker than take something like a Merc AMG, delimit and whatever else.
I remembered the last few Esprit's had a V8 and thought it was about a 180mph car (it's a bit less actually) I assumed it was another tuned up Rover V8 or maybe an LS / Gen 3 GM as they were the go-to Yank V8s at the time, but no it's an in-house Lotus engine.
I also discovered it's actually a twin-turbo V8!
But the engine is 'very Lotus' not because it breaks a lot (I don't know if they do or they don't) but because it's even though they spent a fortune updating a car that hadn't changed much since 1987, and another fortune developing this new engine for it that could produce 500bhp, 100 more than the heavier contemporary Ferrari 360, they had to peg it back to 350 because they had to use the same old Renault Gearbox the 4 pot had.
https://youtu.be/CM7NbL9Be0s
They didn’t get close enough and it was left to the Corolla and Sierra to break the barrier
You need a big budget and time
Edited by s m on Monday 4th November 12:20
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