Lotus / Esprit and lack of respect...
Discussion
You know sometimes I have to question the attitude of others towards the Esprit, and Lotus as a whole. it seems whenever I would bring up the Esprit when I was like 15 years old to people, the ones who knew what I was talking about always had something negative to say about it. Alot of journalists also almost always favor other cars when the Esprit is in comparison. They always mention of course the superb handling, but then add the long list of discrepensies such as:
Dated looks (by whos standards? People were gawking over this guys Red SE at the NY Auto Show, and when I told them it was an '89, they wouldnt believe me)
Interior dimension, sound, reliability, and somehow they always get in 'Lotus's are too expensive' (I laugh at this one)
I can remember countless times when I would talk to owners of other brands like Ferrari, Lamborghinis, Porsches, and ESPECIALLY BMW owners (they think their cars are Gods gift to man) and I would bring up how I admired their cars, and how I was a Lotus fan. Forget it, I wouldnt hear the end of it. 'Lotus is British crap, Lotus are unreliable, make sure you have a tow truck following you when you get one etc etc'
And when I would go to dealerships for Audi, Hummers, Lamborghinis and they would sell Lotus there too, they would always bad mouth the car in front me as I admired it. One time the guy said to me, "your in here alot staring at that Lotus, why dont you come here and check out a real car" as he would point to a Porsche. 'I laughed and said no thanks, my friends mom drives a Beetle, I see one everyday.'
The Lotus in this dealership would always be dirty and just sat there, and there would always be finger prints on it and had stuff on the roof, and ALWAYS in every dealership I went to to see an Esprit, they are always in the far back of the room hidden behind other cars in a dark area of the showroom.
Not to mention another example of how I think Lotus and the Esprit dont get the attention they deserve, is how Hobby manufacturers like AutoArt and others can make the dumbest large scale models for cars like the PT Cruiser (:rolleyes must be a big list of buyers there) and for cars like the Saleen S7 which only had been out for a short while, etc etc and not even begin to make a 1:18 for ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SUPERCARS EVER until Lotus decides to end its production!!
I just dont get it. I understand it gets alot of praise and respect among people, but the majority is bad publicity and understatements, unusual comments, or comments filled with no facts, or said by so called "enthusiasts of all sports cars" that really have no clue.
Am I the only one who sees this or feels that not only Lotus, but the Esprit as well gets far less exposure to general compliments.
Just another reason for exclusivity I suppose. Must be nice to drive a car that is so rare and unknown, yet at the same time so undeniably awe inspiring. A true black-sheep. Or rather, a wolve in sheeps clothing amongst the herd.
Dated looks (by whos standards? People were gawking over this guys Red SE at the NY Auto Show, and when I told them it was an '89, they wouldnt believe me)
Interior dimension, sound, reliability, and somehow they always get in 'Lotus's are too expensive' (I laugh at this one)
I can remember countless times when I would talk to owners of other brands like Ferrari, Lamborghinis, Porsches, and ESPECIALLY BMW owners (they think their cars are Gods gift to man) and I would bring up how I admired their cars, and how I was a Lotus fan. Forget it, I wouldnt hear the end of it. 'Lotus is British crap, Lotus are unreliable, make sure you have a tow truck following you when you get one etc etc'
And when I would go to dealerships for Audi, Hummers, Lamborghinis and they would sell Lotus there too, they would always bad mouth the car in front me as I admired it. One time the guy said to me, "your in here alot staring at that Lotus, why dont you come here and check out a real car" as he would point to a Porsche. 'I laughed and said no thanks, my friends mom drives a Beetle, I see one everyday.'
The Lotus in this dealership would always be dirty and just sat there, and there would always be finger prints on it and had stuff on the roof, and ALWAYS in every dealership I went to to see an Esprit, they are always in the far back of the room hidden behind other cars in a dark area of the showroom.
Not to mention another example of how I think Lotus and the Esprit dont get the attention they deserve, is how Hobby manufacturers like AutoArt and others can make the dumbest large scale models for cars like the PT Cruiser (:rolleyes must be a big list of buyers there) and for cars like the Saleen S7 which only had been out for a short while, etc etc and not even begin to make a 1:18 for ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SUPERCARS EVER until Lotus decides to end its production!!
I just dont get it. I understand it gets alot of praise and respect among people, but the majority is bad publicity and understatements, unusual comments, or comments filled with no facts, or said by so called "enthusiasts of all sports cars" that really have no clue.
Am I the only one who sees this or feels that not only Lotus, but the Esprit as well gets far less exposure to general compliments.
Just another reason for exclusivity I suppose. Must be nice to drive a car that is so rare and unknown, yet at the same time so undeniably awe inspiring. A true black-sheep. Or rather, a wolve in sheeps clothing amongst the herd.
All of what you said are valid. But despite as the know-it-all know-nothings out there who are simply clueless, I cannot drive my car without someone hurting their neck as their heads snaps around to watch me go by.
All is made right in the world everytime someone pulls up besides me and shouts something positive to me.
Noone who has ever ridden shotgun in my car has ever had anything negative to say. In fact when I do point out the little 'issues' with the Esprit they think I'm drunk. They love the car.
I look at it this way. Sure it'd be nice to get the respect, but for those who know the difference, Lotus is a top dog. And I'd much rather drive the car that is respected by the knowledgeable enthusiast than the car that is respected by all simply because of the badge on the front (we call these people sheep.)
What other dated, cramped, overpriced, 25 year old design can still hang with anything in it's price range, and many cars well into the next income bracket?
The answer...none.
>> Edited by madmike on Wednesday 23 July 17:15
All is made right in the world everytime someone pulls up besides me and shouts something positive to me.
Noone who has ever ridden shotgun in my car has ever had anything negative to say. In fact when I do point out the little 'issues' with the Esprit they think I'm drunk. They love the car.
I look at it this way. Sure it'd be nice to get the respect, but for those who know the difference, Lotus is a top dog. And I'd much rather drive the car that is respected by the knowledgeable enthusiast than the car that is respected by all simply because of the badge on the front (we call these people sheep.)
What other dated, cramped, overpriced, 25 year old design can still hang with anything in it's price range, and many cars well into the next income bracket?
The answer...none.
>> Edited by madmike on Wednesday 23 July 17:15
Hi,
I tend to agree with you, but write most of it off to the following:
1. Ignorance - many people just don't know. These cars are so rare, few people ever have a close-up and personal experience with them. They rely on anecdotal hearsay such as unreliable, expensive etc. Also, they fail to understand that most machinery designed to operate on the edge needs more maintenance attention and is more prone to breakdown. This is the price you pay whether it's exotic sportscars, fighter aircraft, space shuttles and the like. Part of the very performance gains they admire come at the cost of not 'overbuilding' for reliability.
2. Lotus Envy - there will always be a number of people who will speak negatively of something they can never acquire.
3. Herd Mentality - There is an increasing number of people who, for fear of being ostracized by the group, never have or express an original thought in their entire lives. They build their belief systems around what they hear from others and what they feel is 'safe'. Sounds like Life without living to me.
4. Low Visibility - Lotus has been out of the Public Eye for many years without a racing presence. Even Pretty Woman and Fatal Attraction are over a decade old.
The fact that few really appreciate these cars makes them available and affordable to the rest of us who do. I own my Lotus for me, no one else. The pleasure I get from maintaining and driving it is validation enough. Also, my wife (aka Lotusgirl)
loves the car and doesn't mind the time and expense afforded to it. I'm fairly certain the same would not be true for some Porsche or Corvette. Besides, it's kinda fun spinning through the Universe knowing that about 99% of others just don't get it, but I do! Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE
I tend to agree with you, but write most of it off to the following:
1. Ignorance - many people just don't know. These cars are so rare, few people ever have a close-up and personal experience with them. They rely on anecdotal hearsay such as unreliable, expensive etc. Also, they fail to understand that most machinery designed to operate on the edge needs more maintenance attention and is more prone to breakdown. This is the price you pay whether it's exotic sportscars, fighter aircraft, space shuttles and the like. Part of the very performance gains they admire come at the cost of not 'overbuilding' for reliability.
2. Lotus Envy - there will always be a number of people who will speak negatively of something they can never acquire.
3. Herd Mentality - There is an increasing number of people who, for fear of being ostracized by the group, never have or express an original thought in their entire lives. They build their belief systems around what they hear from others and what they feel is 'safe'. Sounds like Life without living to me.
4. Low Visibility - Lotus has been out of the Public Eye for many years without a racing presence. Even Pretty Woman and Fatal Attraction are over a decade old.
The fact that few really appreciate these cars makes them available and affordable to the rest of us who do. I own my Lotus for me, no one else. The pleasure I get from maintaining and driving it is validation enough. Also, my wife (aka Lotusgirl)
loves the car and doesn't mind the time and expense afforded to it. I'm fairly certain the same would not be true for some Porsche or Corvette. Besides, it's kinda fun spinning through the Universe knowing that about 99% of others just don't get it, but I do! Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE How true both of you really are!
The fact remains that Lotus is still a top contendor to just about every midpriced supercar out there.
I would have thought with the production ending on the Esprit that atleast ONE prestigious auto magazine would have done an extensive write up about it. But who knows, im sure it will come by sometime.
Helping out the Lotus group at the NY auto Show, i got to see first hand just how much the general public was misinformed about Lotus. It was great fun though to spend the day explaining Lotus and the great Esprit to strangers drooling. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
One thing I can say, off topic, I am a bit sad about the end of the Esprit in its current form. Nothing beats the all original, but hopefully the future Esprit will be somewhat close to the original standards. Personally I hope Lotus does not go through with any design cues from the Elise on the next Esprit. I say make the new Esprit totally 100% from the ground up NEW. Its nerve racking to say the least to ponder what Lotus has in store for the new Esprit. its like waiting for the sequel to an already fantastic movie, with the only fear being, sequels are almost never as good as the first one. But then again, future enthusiasts will have found a love for the new Esprit, as much as us guys are already 'married' to the original. To me Lotus is all about the 4cyl Esprit. The V8 Esprit is great and all, but give me a 4 banger any day!
Either way, 10 years from now, who knows, I may be able to afford the whole model line-up Lotus has to offer for the year 2013. But I know this, no matter what, give me any original Esprit (SE, S4, S4S, etc) and thats all I need.
>> Edited by LotusACBC on Wednesday 23 July 17:49
The fact remains that Lotus is still a top contendor to just about every midpriced supercar out there.
I would have thought with the production ending on the Esprit that atleast ONE prestigious auto magazine would have done an extensive write up about it. But who knows, im sure it will come by sometime.
Helping out the Lotus group at the NY auto Show, i got to see first hand just how much the general public was misinformed about Lotus. It was great fun though to spend the day explaining Lotus and the great Esprit to strangers drooling. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
One thing I can say, off topic, I am a bit sad about the end of the Esprit in its current form. Nothing beats the all original, but hopefully the future Esprit will be somewhat close to the original standards. Personally I hope Lotus does not go through with any design cues from the Elise on the next Esprit. I say make the new Esprit totally 100% from the ground up NEW. Its nerve racking to say the least to ponder what Lotus has in store for the new Esprit. its like waiting for the sequel to an already fantastic movie, with the only fear being, sequels are almost never as good as the first one. But then again, future enthusiasts will have found a love for the new Esprit, as much as us guys are already 'married' to the original. To me Lotus is all about the 4cyl Esprit. The V8 Esprit is great and all, but give me a 4 banger any day!
Either way, 10 years from now, who knows, I may be able to afford the whole model line-up Lotus has to offer for the year 2013. But I know this, no matter what, give me any original Esprit (SE, S4, S4S, etc) and thats all I need.
>> Edited by LotusACBC on Wednesday 23 July 17:49
I respect the performance of my '87 Esprit Turbo HC and I cherish the heritage and design genius behind the car.
I am constantly reminded, however, that Colin Chapman's achievements are at a price.
The build quality is shocking. The car is a large lump of rattly fibreglass loosely held together frequently with nothing more sophisticated than self tapping screws.
The switchgear and many other components are poor and obviously robbed from second rate British Leyland cars.
The panel fit and the quality of the finish is way off the mark.
Basics such as ergonomics, visibility and controls such as the gearchange are poor.
The concept of a push fit plastic clutch hose is simply laughable.
Having said all this, the fact that the car comprehensively out accelerates and outhandles the contemporary Ferrari at a fraction of the price is a testament to Chapman accomplishing miracles with parts that were designed by others simply to be adequate.
To buy and maintain, the Esprit is an absolute bargain compared to other exotic sportscars.
I believe, however, that the pinnacle of Lotus achievement was the original Elan Sprint, where the compromises of poor finish and parts bin engineering was more readily acceptable in exchange for the amazing performance.
The Esprit is a great car, but by trying to enter the supercar league, it reveals as weaknesses the very strengths of earlier Lotus cars.
I love my Esprit, but it remains an enigma.
Pat.
I am constantly reminded, however, that Colin Chapman's achievements are at a price.
The build quality is shocking. The car is a large lump of rattly fibreglass loosely held together frequently with nothing more sophisticated than self tapping screws.
The switchgear and many other components are poor and obviously robbed from second rate British Leyland cars.
The panel fit and the quality of the finish is way off the mark.
Basics such as ergonomics, visibility and controls such as the gearchange are poor.
The concept of a push fit plastic clutch hose is simply laughable.
Having said all this, the fact that the car comprehensively out accelerates and outhandles the contemporary Ferrari at a fraction of the price is a testament to Chapman accomplishing miracles with parts that were designed by others simply to be adequate.
To buy and maintain, the Esprit is an absolute bargain compared to other exotic sportscars.
I believe, however, that the pinnacle of Lotus achievement was the original Elan Sprint, where the compromises of poor finish and parts bin engineering was more readily acceptable in exchange for the amazing performance.
The Esprit is a great car, but by trying to enter the supercar league, it reveals as weaknesses the very strengths of earlier Lotus cars.
I love my Esprit, but it remains an enigma.
Pat.
There is a lack of respect for the Esprit. It seems that nobody knows quite what a Lotus is. My most hated comment from admirers- "Is this a fake Ferrari?" The first time my brother was in for a ride, he asked me "Is this faster than my Audi (A6)?" At that point, I smiled and showed him just how much faster the Esprit was 
Lotus seems to be looked down upon by casual car enthusiasts, who just don't know enough. They are always disappointed when they hear that its only a 4 cylinder, and when they hear how well the car actually performs, they are just confused. Anyways, I can stand a few rattles and squeeks, and as for reliability, at least servicing doesn't cost as much as a Ferrari. Sure, the panel gaps aren't great, and paint quality is an issue. But who can really complain? I accept these small flaws, and at the end of the day, despite what some people say, we know we drive the best!
Dan
Lotus seems to be looked down upon by casual car enthusiasts, who just don't know enough. They are always disappointed when they hear that its only a 4 cylinder, and when they hear how well the car actually performs, they are just confused. Anyways, I can stand a few rattles and squeeks, and as for reliability, at least servicing doesn't cost as much as a Ferrari. Sure, the panel gaps aren't great, and paint quality is an issue. But who can really complain? I accept these small flaws, and at the end of the day, despite what some people say, we know we drive the best! Dan
hachiroku said:
They are always disappointed when they hear that its only a 4 cylinder, and when they hear how well the car actually performs, they are just confused.
So true! Thats when I have to get into the whole damn history of it all LOL I dont mind, I love educating people about Lotus.
I think that the lack of constant information about the Lotus in the press has a lot to do with this problem. People just don’t know the outstanding performance and engineering of the car. I also think that the press does not get exposed to the cars that much with infrequent new model introductions and low production numbers. How many Ferrari models are there out there? And as mentioned before, Lotus no longer races in a big way.
Perhaps we should do more to offer rides etc. to the automotive press to reverse this trend. It can only help our resale market.
I do however enjoy that fact that I found out about the Esprit and have the privilege to own (read drive) one.
Dan
>> Edited by fj40 on Thursday 24th July 00:34
Perhaps we should do more to offer rides etc. to the automotive press to reverse this trend. It can only help our resale market.
I do however enjoy that fact that I found out about the Esprit and have the privilege to own (read drive) one.
Dan
>> Edited by fj40 on Thursday 24th July 00:34
This old chestnut is never going to change. Lotus never spent the money pushing their cars into mainstream culture and so are always destined to be the weird cousin of the party. The one who stands in a corner talking to the wall whilst everyone else flaunts it.
That said, for me anyway this is part of the appeal. I haven't met anyone who's been out in my Sport 350 who didn't get out of the car with a huge grin.
You drive anywhere these days and it's like 'there goes another TVR' or 'yet another porsche'. Even Ferraris seem to be getting more popular.
I don't think I've been out in my Esprit anywhere, be it a 2 minute drive or a 200 mile drive without most people staring, at least someone pointing with their mouth open and some kid somewhere going 'Wow, nice car Mr'.
In fact, I feel that I'm doing a public service, bringing a smile to peoples' faces and brightening up their otherwise ignorant (of Lotus) lives.
Give me the Esprit over any more mainstream vehicle. It grabbed me by the short and curlies at the age of about 6 and has never let go. And now I'm lucky enough to own one of the best versions of this great car.
Nuff said.
Andy '99 Sport 350
That said, for me anyway this is part of the appeal. I haven't met anyone who's been out in my Sport 350 who didn't get out of the car with a huge grin.
You drive anywhere these days and it's like 'there goes another TVR' or 'yet another porsche'. Even Ferraris seem to be getting more popular.
I don't think I've been out in my Esprit anywhere, be it a 2 minute drive or a 200 mile drive without most people staring, at least someone pointing with their mouth open and some kid somewhere going 'Wow, nice car Mr'.
In fact, I feel that I'm doing a public service, bringing a smile to peoples' faces and brightening up their otherwise ignorant (of Lotus) lives.
Give me the Esprit over any more mainstream vehicle. It grabbed me by the short and curlies at the age of about 6 and has never let go. And now I'm lucky enough to own one of the best versions of this great car.
Nuff said.
Andy '99 Sport 350
My first exposure to the Esprit was from the Spy Who Loved Me movie. At that time I was only about 8 years old and the Esprit was like many other sports cars to a young boy, larger than life and only in dreams that I could own one. As I became older and my interest in cars grew, I learned all I could of the "supercars" of that time, Countach, Esprit etc. I remember hearing the bad stories of the Esprits reliabilty problems etc. It didn't bother me much becuase I just knew I would never own one and not have to worry about the problems anyway. Then, when I was about 17, in the late 80's, I saw a white Esprit (probably a current model at that time) traveling the other direction on a busy 4 lane road. I was in my supercar (1979 Z28) and I turned around and drove like mad through traffic for about 10 miles just so I could pull next to it and gawk. This is the first time I saw one in person. Well, the driver, an obviously affluient heavy set gentleman, observed me speeding up to him and gawking. It was a beautiful car. I remember thinking that it seems so futuristic and sleek. A quick downshift and he was gone. That did it for me. I was going to own one..no matter how long it took.
About 20 years later I saw another Esprit, the same color scheme and all, and it was driving the other direction on the same road I saw the first. this was the second time I had seen one in person. well, I couldn't turn around and give chase this time. But as luck would have it I found that same Esprit at a car lot for sale the very next day. It was an 83 Turbo and was only $10,000. I remember taking it for the first test drive. It jumped at every bump in the road, the visibility was terrible, it had an exhaust leak and it leaked oil. It was a great experience! I bought it 2 days later. I kept that Esprit for 2 years and sold it for financial reasons. About a year later I found myself in a much better financial position and decided that I would buy another sports car. I looked at all the new cars that were out but just kept realizing that I would be passing the same cars on the road every 10 minutes. As fate would have it, a friend of mine (actually the Lotus mechanic that I became friends with from owning the 83 Turbo) told me about a 94 S4 for sale in very good condition, at a good price. I immediatly bought it sight unseen. 4 months later I was finally able to go home and drive her. This is only the 4th Esprit I have even seen in person!, and the other 2 that I didn't own just happened to be in the repair shop for servicing when I stopped by with mine.
To me thats the biggest appeal. I have owned 50% of the Esprits I have seen in person! They are unique and rare. Not the same as all the other "cookie cutter" cars out there. And on top of that you get world class performance.
Let the uninformed say what they will, it doesn't make my experiences/memories of my Esprit any different. I am willing to exept the shortcomings for the trade off in style and performance.
Just one side note. A friend of mines father is quite wealthy and buys cars like I buy a soda. Currently he has a sport model 2003 911 twin turbo, a couple Mercedes and a couple others. He knows cars and can afford any car made. When he saw this poor boys Esprit, and the condition it was in, he was admiring it like a teenage boy looking at his first Playboy. It just goes to show that the intelligent and informed person appreciates the Esprit for what it is. Whether they "like" the car or not, they know enough to respect it. Just as I don't particulaly "like" a Porsche, I respect it for its capabilities and style. I guess in a perfect world there would be sports car enthusiest not so much the Porsche or Ferrari or Lotus enthusiest.
My 2 cents for what its worth.
John
94 S4
http://24.31.219.162/
About 20 years later I saw another Esprit, the same color scheme and all, and it was driving the other direction on the same road I saw the first. this was the second time I had seen one in person. well, I couldn't turn around and give chase this time. But as luck would have it I found that same Esprit at a car lot for sale the very next day. It was an 83 Turbo and was only $10,000. I remember taking it for the first test drive. It jumped at every bump in the road, the visibility was terrible, it had an exhaust leak and it leaked oil. It was a great experience! I bought it 2 days later. I kept that Esprit for 2 years and sold it for financial reasons. About a year later I found myself in a much better financial position and decided that I would buy another sports car. I looked at all the new cars that were out but just kept realizing that I would be passing the same cars on the road every 10 minutes. As fate would have it, a friend of mine (actually the Lotus mechanic that I became friends with from owning the 83 Turbo) told me about a 94 S4 for sale in very good condition, at a good price. I immediatly bought it sight unseen. 4 months later I was finally able to go home and drive her. This is only the 4th Esprit I have even seen in person!, and the other 2 that I didn't own just happened to be in the repair shop for servicing when I stopped by with mine.
To me thats the biggest appeal. I have owned 50% of the Esprits I have seen in person! They are unique and rare. Not the same as all the other "cookie cutter" cars out there. And on top of that you get world class performance.
Let the uninformed say what they will, it doesn't make my experiences/memories of my Esprit any different. I am willing to exept the shortcomings for the trade off in style and performance.
Just one side note. A friend of mines father is quite wealthy and buys cars like I buy a soda. Currently he has a sport model 2003 911 twin turbo, a couple Mercedes and a couple others. He knows cars and can afford any car made. When he saw this poor boys Esprit, and the condition it was in, he was admiring it like a teenage boy looking at his first Playboy. It just goes to show that the intelligent and informed person appreciates the Esprit for what it is. Whether they "like" the car or not, they know enough to respect it. Just as I don't particulaly "like" a Porsche, I respect it for its capabilities and style. I guess in a perfect world there would be sports car enthusiest not so much the Porsche or Ferrari or Lotus enthusiest.
My 2 cents for what its worth.
John
94 S4
http://24.31.219.162/
Anyone who talks smack about Lotus esprit has never ridden in my s4s!! Anyone who knows about cars, knows that the esprit is an incredible car. Small Engine, Nikasil Cylinders, High Power, High Efficiency, High Strength, Great Handling, Low weight. Oh yeah one of the most luxurious interiors there is for an exotic. And a simple "0 gadget" factor.
Someone who thinks lotus are bad, prolly only saw a junky 81 with a torn interior that didnt start. Any car in that condition sux. Either that or they are "branded" and base their opinion on rumors from non owners!!
I personally have never heard anyone say the lotus is anything but sweeet! When you see it in person and you look inside, Then you hit the gas, compared to about 99.999999999% of the cars,
ITs out of this WORLD INCREDIBLE!!
Someone who thinks lotus are bad, prolly only saw a junky 81 with a torn interior that didnt start. Any car in that condition sux. Either that or they are "branded" and base their opinion on rumors from non owners!!
I personally have never heard anyone say the lotus is anything but sweeet! When you see it in person and you look inside, Then you hit the gas, compared to about 99.999999999% of the cars,
ITs out of this WORLD INCREDIBLE!!
solar said:
Nikasil Cylinders, High Power, High Efficiency, High Strength, Great Handling, Low weight. Oh yeah one of the most luxurious interiors there is for an exotic. And a simple "0 gadget" factor.
What are Nikasil cylinders?
I for one also think the interior on a Lotus is one of the best looking than ANY other exotic car ive seen besides maybe a Viper GTS. I dont like Ferraris interior at all, neither do I Lamborghinis, OR porsches for that matter.
I dont like interiors on sports cars that have no tunnel running between the seats. Where you could slide to the passenger seat if you lifted your rear up. I like it separated like the Esprit.
>> Edited by LotusACBC on Thursday 24th July 15:21
LotusACBC said:
I for one also think the interior on a Lotus is one of the best looking than ANY other exotic car ive seen besides maybe a Viper GTS. I dont like Ferraris interior at all, neither do I Lamborghinis, OR porsches for that matter.
DO NOT tell Evilyn (my car) I said this. But while I think overall the interior is quite nice, the instrument panel looks hideous. It really looks like it was stuck on as an afterthought.
The newer one on the V8 in comparison is gorgeous. I really wish there was a practical way to fit it to the older Esprit's.
Mike
madmike said:
I for one also think the interior on a Lotus is one of the best looking than ANY other exotic car ive seen besides maybe a Viper GTS. I dont like Ferraris interior at all, neither do I Lamborghinis, OR porsches for that matter.
I agree about that. Its just a rectangular piece of wood or something with walnut bur around the gauges, Not very nice. The rest of the interior is sweet I think. The new binncale is ALOT more up to date looking. There relatively unchanged, why cant you fit a V8 binnacle inside a 4cyl Esprit?
DO NOT tell Evilyn (my car) I said this. But while I think overall the interior is quite nice, the instrument panel looks hideous. It really looks like it was stuck on as an afterthought.
The newer one on the V8 in comparison is gorgeous. I really wish there was a practical way to fit it to the older Esprit's.
Mike
Gassing Station | Esprit | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff