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  1. Sadly not, the gaps were too big to count as a continuous display of cars. While I'm broken and can't walk, I feel very proud and privileged to have played a small part in making some Lotus history yesterday. I had the best of days, we couldn't have been luckier with the weather and the culmination of a lot of planning and organising by the fantastic, dedicated, hard working gang at Lotus resulted in an event which will be remembered and make those who came smile for a long time to come. Thanks to Lotus for letting me be involved, the all the owners and enthusiasts who came and to the clubs, the 'One of every Lotus' display cars, the track display teams and everyone who asked me a question, what a great day it was! #Lotus70
    36 points
  2. https://www.thelotusforums.com/latest-news/lotus-cars-news/tlf-passes-1m-annual-visits-lotus-cars-recognise-significant-milestone/ Super chuffed!
    35 points
  3. Still can't believe I picked up my phone during my lunch break while having a burger and one hr later started the yellow beauty for the first time. It's now going to take another week or two to get her registered... but wow!!
    33 points
  4. Took the Evora home from the detailers today, after a few paint corrections, machine polish, some PPF and wheel refurb (including a new set of PS4S) 😁
    30 points
  5. Evening folks! So a guy I know from a Jaguar XJ-S forum (apols in advance for cheating!) has sent me through some behind-the-scene on set shots from TSWLM he has which he doesn't think have ever been published - they were from a private collection from a friend of his who used to own the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum. I certainly haven't seen them before, so thought I'd share a few of them as some of you might be interested
    29 points
  6. I had a call from JMG yesterday (from his office, he was still there!) and he explained that the new CEO is ideally suited to taking Lotus forwards from this point. With his strong R&D background and intimate knowledge and experience of Geely, he's the right person for the role. JMG has spoken with staff and made it clear that the turnaround the company has seen in the past 4 years is a team effort and everyone who works there has been involved is this, it's their work that has made the company what and where it is right now. When he took over, the company posted a £60m loss on an £80m turnover and he leaves the CEO position with turnover up to £100m and a 8 figure profit (before charges etc) and a positive cashflow, the company pays for itself. While staff were down to 800 in order to save money initially, they're now back up to 1,000 with another 100 staff required by the end of this year. Lotus was in a very perilous financial position when he started, cuts did have to be made for Lotus to survive that period. JMG still be staying on (expected 1 day/month) is his role as Chief Strategic Advisor to the Chairman, he still has his company email/phone etc. He's been very keen to let the new boss understand that everything they do must focus on 'Lightweight, handling and aerodynamics' as the core principals of the cars and in his advisory role will be pushing these principals ongoing. The USA will be a focus for the later part of this year and there are other developments in the pipeline for the existing range (carbon fibre wheels anyone, 8kgs lighter than forged and in-car adjustable 3-way suspension?!). Also, he will also be adding a new Lotus to his own garage shortly, either an Evora GT430 or Exige Sport 410. I've had very regular contact myself with JMG during his time at Lotus and I've enjoyed working with him and the company throughout this time, as I have with previous CEO's. Personally, I thanked him for making sure Lotus is still here and in good financial health and congratulated him on what I believe are some of the finest cars Lotus have ever made now coming out of Hethel. I also thanked him for his faith in TLF and for what he's done for us over the years too. We do get a lot of support (NB never financially, as some people seem to insist on believing) and offer support back which I think is pretty unique and very special for a car club, long may this relationship continue.
    29 points
  7. So after the November lockdown I took a call from Fabrizio Giugiaro the son of Giorgetto and he visited my place to look at the Esprits I had on offer. The car him and his dad was going to buy was heading for there museum in Turin Italy. He chose my fully restored white S1 Great choice !
    27 points
  8. Well after a bit of a wait the 410 has finally landed! I thought I would leave a musings thread here as it may help some people go have a look at these cars and see what they are all about. I'm into the Lotus brand in a big way of course as a trader in this arena but I'm not a fanyboy and will offer here some unblinkered views. Its booked in for a new car detail/ceramic coat/PPF but first impressions on the coachwork and carbon are very good. I think Lotus have been doing a great job on paint for a while now (go look at a new beemer for comparison!) Carbon bits are first class. Inside the general feel of it is very good. The seats are great very good lateral support and haven't been too bad on a 4 hour drive back to base the other day. It has the Alcantara of course which is good and the yellow detailing really sets it off. Points of note in here - plastic on the shroud over the bank of switches either side of the binnacle and the rear of the steering wheel feel a bit cheap. Slightly unfathomable why these parts are not to the same standard as the rest of the dash which is pretty good. Also as previously mentioned by me on another thread the steering wheel is offset to the left by around 10mm. Exacerbated on the 410 by the centre ring on the steering wheel being out of line with the small speed readout in the middle of the clocks. Small point again but irritatingly pointless when they just redesigned it all! Having had a second drive yesterday its all good not too distracting but if you are a bit picky like me it will bug! The one thing I do feel a bit short changed on is the stereo! Its absolutely offensively crap for a car at this price point in fact I would be genuinely disappointed if I bought a van with a system of this quality! I know the old hairy chested argument that in a car like this you listen to the engine (which I will come to later) but no sorry there are times when if you are using the car regularly as I plan to you want a decent sound. The 410 I am told has less sound deadening than normal but interior noise levels are better than the 987 Cayman it replaced so no excuse for the stereo. Subwoofer needs some investigation as I'm not convinced it's working. But the whole stereo has to be removed its literally so poor quality it was hurting my ears. Will get some proper speakers and a better head unit in. The lack of a DAB head unit is not even funny in this day and age. Seriously Lotus come on! 95k RRP. We want Bose/HK even Cambridge audio from richer sounds would be better! OK Onto the good stuff and there's a lot of it here that Porker owners reading this need to know about. Firstly the noise. Its properly naughty! Interestingly it was a video of the startup noise that first put me onto the 410 as I Was trying to decide which P car would replace my Cayman. Its great on the motorway with the flap closed and just about ok for starting up and driving away from your neighbours but with the flap open it's a well engineered sound for sure. Very different to the flat sound of a P car but just as fruity in a different way. On the road wow the body control is superb. I've had chance to drive it on some pretty challenging roads already. It's firm and one of biggest concerns having not driven it before was that it would be too stiff which is a personal bugbear of mine for a road car and it could have seriously affected my being able to gel with it. Thankfully it's perfectly judged and is literally as stiff as it could be without becoming jarring. Firm but fair I would say. Little bit of initial roll on turn in but acceptable for a car of this weight. The chassis is absolutely world class as you would expect. Steering....oh boy. How? How is it this good? Why are all power steering cars not this good? My old Cayman was exceptional having ceramic brakes which improve the feel but the Evora is truly exceptional in this area. Having experience of the V6 Exige and how that thing tramlines all over the shop and feels a bit sterile in the steering department it makes me wonder why they don't put this PAS system in the V6. Anyway superb couldn't have asked for more on that front. Feels properly engaging. Still obviously running in at the moment bit very much looking forward to being able to use it properly. It hints at being a bit of an animal even up to 4k on a gentle (ish!) throttle. Feels appropriately exotic though looks fantastic and a very worthy successor to the Cayman. Other potential replacements would have been a 981 GTS or possibly a Turbo 991 S but the Evora feels much more of an event than a 981 and its much cheaper than a 991. Porker owners stuck with a choice of the new Turbo stuff should certainly take a look at the Evora. It's really very very good properly special car. I'm delighted and relieved in equal measure!
    27 points
  9. Happy 70th Lotus! The Duke of Richmond, Lotus CEO Feng Quinfeng and Clive Chapman cut the cake! We're also very pleased to announce that the Lotus Festival will be heading to Hethel this year on the 29th September where we'll be celebrating the Lotus 70th Anniversary, more details to follow!
    27 points
  10. So, as the result of some furious man-maths, this happened: I have absolutely loved my Evora S. As an introduction to Lotus ownership it's been everything I hoped. I won't go over old ground, as I've posted several times on the various stages of my ownership experience. Great car. I test drove the 400 pictured above just over a week ago, and picked it up on Saturday. I am still grinning.
    27 points
  11. Photoshoot with the Lotus Singapore crew atop of their building
    25 points
  12. The old girl just after we'd passed our 100k miles milestone.
    25 points
  13. Huge thanks to Bibs who spent the day in dreadful traffic and weather to pick up and deliver this stunning Sport Racer to Devon. I am so happy to be have found the perfect Evora and the perfect car I’ve desired for the last couple of years. It is a mint 4 years old normally aspirated car with 7800 Miles. I know I’m going to enjoy this car immensely. Big thanks also to the seller who is on this forum - it’s been a long fortnight for me since you agreed the sale 😁👍 Just the dry roads and good weather required now. Happy Happy Happy 😃 2.5 hour sleep now and alarm call at 4.15am to get Bibs to the airport. 😴
    25 points
  14. I've been waiting for today for over a year so with quite a bit of trepidation... I want to show you the first episode of the story of my classic cars. It's the beginning of life with my Esprit even though I've had it for quite some time now. I genuinely hope you approve! George
    24 points
  15. There’s certain angles on the esprit that are just epic. Park it, look back at it, smile. It doesn’t get old.
    24 points
  16. Very little progress has occurred on the big project, but little is better than none. (She said) Some may have noticed my absence over the past 2 years, in October 20 I suddenly lost the use of my left triceps, no pain just couldn't lift my arm, not good news for a carpet fitter, but the eventual diagnosis of nerve damage could have been worse. Anyway, after 18 months things have begun to improve, we're back at it with the Esprit carpets, and I've now sorted the impossible to reach heater valve (broken cable), fitted one of our Wessex wool carpet sets and got the interior refitted.
    24 points
  17. I am so very proud to tell you all that Wendy is being recognised in the Jubilee Birthday Honours list. During lockdown 1 and 2 I watched Wendy work all day as a nurse then come home and paint until almost midnight, then get up, do it all again and spend weekends in her studio. I believe the final figure was 67 portraits and she contacted everyone one or their families and learnt their “backstory” many of which were stories of heroes in themselves, normal people doing extraordinary things. We tend to forget the level of death linked to COVID when it first hit and all this while Nurses, Doctors, HCA’s, Cleaning Staff, support staff and everyone in the NHS bore the brunt. Wendy too did this, working with those most vulnerable in the community. In her normal self depreciation when she learnt she wanted the award to be for everyone she painted and works with. So, so proud for her to be recognised. She's in so many papers from the Sun to the Mail, we are both astounded. Can I also ask a favour of our members? The Shropshire Star did a whole article on her and I was wondering if anyone could buy a copy and send it to us? More than happy to cover your costs. https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/uk-news/2022/06/01/nurse-who-painted-dozens-of-nhs-worker-portraits-thrilled-with-medal/ https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/norwich-nhs-nurse-makes-queens-honours-list-9008988?fbclid=IwAR0w2nBPyR7pQLyPg3K7V4zDR4e-kgfz07vQdO4KRkIvXObrla77a3c2nUo
    24 points
  18. My new acquisition. Can't believe I've finally got one!
    24 points
  19. I have owned many performance cars and a have a long history of Lotus cars. I currently have a lovely Elise in my garage so I am used to the ‘quirks’ that can accompany a Lotus life. However, When I put my Emira deposit down with my great dealership well before we even knew what it was called or looked like, it was a leap of faith (again), but you only live once. Now we all know that Lotus has a lot going on, but the Emira remains a very important launch for the company if it is ever going to be toe to toe with Porsche. Since my order communication has either been non existent or all over the place and whilst the car looks fantastic, I am one of a few that I know who are going a little luke warm on their orders. The process itself seems to have changed a number of times - did we pay one two or even three deposits? Despite being a very early customer, I read about many people being called last year and only got a call back after phoning up myself several months after the calls began - ‘Oh you should have been called’ was the response. The calls we got could not even tell us what was included on the car and what was not. Even today I have no idea whether the v6 FE’s are lumbered with the ‘driver aids’ or not or whether a reversing camera is on UK spec (I hope it is). I was told I would be contacted in January for my final spec and would be able to change anything up to that point, no call came, the weeks went by so in early February I contacted Customer support - “oh you should have been called’ (again) - your spec is now locked in….. After much huffing I was able to change the colour having driven all the way to Norfolk to see some of the VP cars and insist on the change. I was told that was ok, spec was locked in and was scheduled for the first batch June delivery. After that nothing, silence, no confirmation of spec, no order sheet with the spec set out with allocated chassis number - nothing…. Zilch. So we are now in April, a VP car has been in the mags and on YouTube with lots of caveats and Gav saying oh we are 4-5 months on from this ! Why on earth give a Journo a car that is entering ‘production’ the month the youtube reviews went out and let them drive a outdated spec - argh. The reviews are positive but not exactly euphoric, there are no full tests, one journalist saying how his drive back in a 911 put the Emira in context showing its weaknesses. How difficult is it to run a press launch with final spec cars to quality Journalists? The V6 sound seems to have been dialled way down from the Evora so I hope they will turn it back up a bit as it was a bit puny- there was nothing wrong with the evora. I saw one post this week about a very recent factory tour where engineers on the production line were overheard talking about experimenting with different adhesives and this is meant to be in production…. So, today, on the faint premise that (if they find my phone number) I am going to be asked for the best part of £80k in the next month or so, I phoned my excellent Lotus dealer, to see if he knew more than I had gleaned. Very sadly he knew absolutely nothing about orders or where the car was in development or production. Lotus with their new factory direct model (in principle its OK) seem to have cut off virtually all communication with the dealerships until the point where they notify them a car is being delivered. I don’t think its unfair to say he was very uncomfortable with this, but the dealers now appear to be completely neutered - this is neither smart when you have customers with 20-30 year relationships nor actually like the agency model works with other brands. So today I phoned Customer support who were as usual welcoming and polite and after a minute or so they found my order. Now I think you probably know what is coming next…. ‘Oh you should have been called with your delivery slot’ after I stopped laughing I was then told that mine was a July delivery. Well its a messed up world so whilst it would be nice to have had it for June I assumed that supply delays were pushing production back, but no I was assured production is on schedule mine has just been put back to July. I was in the first 20 UK deposits I believe, so I asked why this was - they did not know, but would investigate and I have had an email to that effect. I would like to be clear about a few points . I am a lotus person through and through and have owned a number since my first S4 SE Elan, I love the brand, fully understand why they need to do SUV’s etc and will defend the brand to my core. The dealers are a real asset not to be discarded and can be used better under the new model. I can safely say that if my dealer moved to Mclaren, Porsche et al he would pull a lot of customers so Lotus please start talking to your dealers. Customer services are always charming to speak to and are doing their very best but they have not had clear consistent instruction, a clear schedule to work to, nor the tools to generate the paperwork needed - its not their fault. Having spoken to them today they are getting this sort of dissatisfied response every single day right now - I feel very sorry for them. It would be easy to say change the PR manger, Change the customer support manager, but having spoken with a very senior person in Lotus, they to were in the dark regarding final specs on the cars, so clearly the issues are further up, perhaps not even in the UK. I hope above all things that the car is great and the quality is good enough to threaten Porsche, albeit there is a hill to climb. Lotus has so many brilliant engineers and people and has had a lot of investment but I cant help thinking the verdict is still out. One thing that would be very positive would be for Matt WIndle to come on social media and send an email to all deposit holders and just give a full update, say what is happening on Comms, if production is on track and how they are ensuring quality etc. I am sure most on this Forum really want this car to be a great success and to be confident in spending our money but it really needs to clear definitive communication at this point.
    23 points
  20. @TomEand myself had the great privilege of supporting Lotus in ascertaining where they are really at, from a customers point of view. We were hosted by Matt Windle (MD), Geoff Dowding (Commercial Director) and Scott Walker (Head of UK Sales) and special thanks to Charlotte for keeping us on schedule! The Tour We were given a fantastically, detailed, full-access tour, by Scott Walker, on both the old and new facilities. The first words here that spring to mind are Quality Control, Perfectionism and Attention to Detail. The vast investment by Geely into the new facility is immediately obvious, like being smacked around the jaw by a wet engine cover. The difference between the old-school, which was admittedly, relatively shabby and the new high-tech, millions spent on, robotic and laser measuring equipment was incredible. My main take-away from the day is that Lotus, contrary to some beliefs on the web, are working VERY VERY hard, in a very difficult global market, to get all the cars out as originally promised this year. This is seen in the investment in both the tech and the staffing levels. I was utterly amazed at the laser focused body panel checker. The car gets checked over to a fraction of a millimetre by a 360 degree laser guided machine. This checks that every single Emira off the line is exactly the same. This ensures that each car has remarkably exacting panel-gaps and alignment. They do this once the chassis gets bonded to the body and once after completion as a double check. This ethos of quality control and double checking carried on throughout the whole process which was broken down on the tour. We saw the seats, although Pre-Production, looking much deeper and body encompassing, the front, nappa leather covered fascia which was rock solid, and just how everything comes together in a well thought out way. What we didn't see was the actual wheels. We saw i4 engines and the automatic V6. Conclusion - The final build quality will match the Germans, perhaps improve on them in some areas. I feel very rest assured on this. The Colours Okay, okay. This is the bit most want to know about. @TomE and I saw all of the FE colours in the flesh, though only the Magma Red was seen in both direct sunlight and shade conditions. My thoughts, Tom will add his own. First impression.. It now ALL makes sense. People have often mentioned "why didn't they just release the FE in traditional colours that we all know and like". It was immediately clear to me that Lotus wanted to show just how damn good the paint is and also to exude prestige and class. Shadow Grey is perhaps the most similar and standard to other makers and the Seneca Blue, somewhat comparable to other cars, has an ability to look both interestingly pastel and metallic. The other colours are full of depth and quite unique. Hethel Yellow - I would call this a classy yellow. It is yellow with a warmth to it. That English Mustard soft hue perhaps in one layer. Do not worry about this being the only non-metallic colour. it pops out the most of all of the colours, strikingly bold, yet luxuriant. Magma Red - Wow. Ha. Better than I had even hoped. The colour travel on this is remarkable. The speckle in the metallic on this and the other metallic cars is amazing and really makes them stand out. This red I have not seen before. it is NOT Fire Red. It pops more in light, with a lovely gold fleck and the colour in the shade is rich and exudes quality. Nimbus Grey - Ha. No grey on this car, except perhaps from space. it is a stunning colour which I would call Super LIght Bronze Silver. It has this bronzey, browny subtle tint which lifts it up from being 'just' a silver car. Again, Lotus have gone for a look or richness and quality. Stunning. If you have ordered this you will be blown away. Dark Verdant - Yes, the clue is indeed in the name. It is very dark and I thought it was a black car until about 4 yards away from it. We shone light on it and the heavy fleck then really pops and I have a feeling it will feel the most prestige colour of all but it is dark, no getting away from that. Personally, I would not get a black roof with this colour. I think it would look great with silver wheels as complete contrast package to drop jaws. Other colours - well, we saw a white car which would possibly be THE colour to go for on the next editions such is the powerful play of white on black. We saw a black car, which still suited it, and we saw a Ferrari Red car, again fabulous and likely to make it to the next edition options. We also saw a car with the black pack roof. Suspension A major point of confusion amongst us, this was helped greatly by their development driver, Dries, an endearing Belgian chap who knows the car inside out, is which suspension to go for - Sports or Touring. @TomE and I had a great chat with him and we pretty much have come to the same conclusion. Touring - Most ideal for most people. Absolutely perfect for those who will use the car as a daily driver and it is there only car. Still capable on track. Sports - More feel but the odd road bump will be felt more. Perfect for those who will have the car as a 2nd or 3rd car. More relevant if you will track the car occasionally. All in all, a fabulous day out and we learned a huge amount from all of our very engaging and honest hosts. Personally, I came away even more confident (yes, possible ) that we are in VERY capable hands and we will be owners of an instant classic and future icon. We can all look forward to a new update on the configurator from next week, more news and increased confidence in this wonderful marque.
    23 points
  21. A sheared stud is something you are very likely to come across during restorations . Getting them out can be a pain , in a lot of cases leading the the need to Helicoil repair the thread.. When this work is done with an engine still fitted the results are to say the least basic.. This is due to the space constraints. As an engine builder i have seen the results of these, oh dear some are not nice. This does not need to be the case , a little preparation time and a simple DIY jig can make the job so much easier with professional results. The same principal can be used to set up Helicoil insertion on the correct alignment. Helicoils that have been drilled and inserted out of square or proper alignment , create so many issues and are my biggest head ache to rectify. Hopefully the following info will help you get quality DIY results without the hassle .. This is what we have all seen at one time or another.. On this occasion , inlet manifold center stud. As it turns out i do not have a jig made for this position ( not so common to shear) , So lets make one .. I always tend to use pieces of 10mm thick alloy plate , If you don't have any in your garage they are easily found at your local metal recycle center in the alloy scrap bins.. cost is pennies.. First job is to mark out accurately. use calipers and a coat of black aerosol paint if not in possession of marking blue. Next making sure the plate is flat and 90 degrees to the vertical , using drill press or in my case mill head, drill through pilot holes then in this case 8mm drill .. NB. The manifold will be drilled 8.5mm clearance , we want our holes to be quite tight on the bolt , no wiggle room , this will help the job be more accurate. Next job is to drill the hole relating to the sheared stud at the tapping size for thread on your chosen guide. In this case I have used M10. If you are going for Hilicoil M12 is better. Set the tap up in the mill head / drill press , use this method to insure your thread will be perfectly square... this is very important , If your thread is just slightly angled the job will go wrong. The next step is to use , in this case a M10 allen cap bolts , Purchase several, You may need to go to local machine shop for the next process to be accurate , Using a lathe, drill down the center of the bolts with different size drills, I use 2.5mm .. 4mm .. 5.5mm and 6.5mm for an M8 stud.. If repairing stripped thread, you just go up to the size of the Helicoil drill ... You will then have 4 or 5 allen bolts core drilled in different sizes.. That is it Jig is made.. To set up , clean the face on the area to be repaired , if like in this case the head of the stud is proud , using small file flatten the face , then pin punch the center. Put jig in place , bolting down with two other holes, if you have done this carefully the M10 tapped hole will align perfect over the sheared stud. ( Make sure this is the case before going onto the next step.. ) Now fit in position the first bolt with the smallest core hole . Screw down till it lightly buts up against the stud face the lock of with a nut. Next thing to do is measure the depth of an adjacent hole to the stud you will be drilling. Add this figure to the height of the jig from the head face . This will give you a safe drilling depth without damaging the head by accidentally drilling through into water jacket or oil gallery. Believe me this has been done !!! Set you drill in the chuck to this height , or put tape on drill bit indicating safe depth. Apply suitable cutting fluid and proceed to drill . Do this in stages , cleaning out swarf and adding more cutting fluid.. If your stud does not bottom out in the hole you will feel the drill free up as it enters the free space , if not stop at pre set depth. Once you have drilled the first pilot hole , Remove the bolt, blow off and inspect work. You should now have a perfectly central hole that stays true all the way down the sheared stud. Next move to the next size core drilled bolt, insert into the jig and repeat process.. In the case of an M8 thread , i go up to a 5,5mm drill then see if the stud will come out with an extractor.. Unfortunately in this case it was not interested , even after penetrating fluid being applied down the hole and being allowed to soak.. So on to the next bolt core size ... This will be 6.5 mm which is just under the tapping drill size of 6.8 for the M8 thread.. Once this is drilled down , I remove the jig , then using a pick tool i can clear the top couple of threads, this then gives a start for a tap.. In cases like this i use a pug tap as i want it to chip out the remaining thread rather than cutting which a taper tap would try to do. Use plenty of cutting oil when doing this and the desired result should be achieved. Job very nearly complete.. just need to test the quality of the thread. So i insert the new stud and torque to the require level of 12 ftlbs ... In this case it was spot on ... However , if it had not tightened to spec and puled out the thread then we would refit jig and drill to Heliocoil size , tap and fit coil. with the confidence that it is in perfectly straight.. Hopefully this will help you successfully resolve your sheared stud issue ... I use this method in all sorts of guises to facilitate this type of repair.. Happy restorations ... Dave (Changes)
    23 points
  22. Hi guys, I picked up my first Lotus yesterday, and I'm still buzzing. Shocked, would be an appropriate adjective to describe my experience with these cars. The car is so good. I can't wait to get it on the track to see how it is. Our Aussie spec differs slightly from the UK spec. The side pods aren't the larger CF ones (I plan to change this), front splitter isn't CF (I don't mind...I would be worried that a CF splitter would explode on me), and non CF seats as far as I can tell (bummer). Otherwise, all else is the same. I was looking for a car that was fit-for-purpose, that didn't compromise for the sake of luxuries someone else would need, and didn't make my wallet tremble every time I was at the track looking for tenths of seconds. This car ticked all the boxes. Well, a couple of 2013/2014 Exige V6S's ticked most of the boxes but both got sold out from under me, and I'm a little impatient. So this is where I ended up. Hopefully I don't ask too many stupid questions. I'm very very green when it comes to Lotus's! Below are some pics I took as soon as I got her home. (temporary number plate location)
    23 points
  23. Well after waiting over 4 years with my deposit down for a new TVR and no car in sight I started to look around, and eventually settled on an Evora. looking forward to it arriving on Thursday.
    23 points
  24. Just been to the launch of the Black And Gold book. They had the biggest selection of JPS cars ever put together. The book is awesome and available now.
    23 points
  25. 23 points
  26. Hello!! First post on the forum following a year long restoration of a 1980 Esprit S2.2! I bought the car from a lovely gent called Peter in France and have enjoyed the restoration albeit much more expensive than I expected... !!! Thought I would share some pictures of the results so far. Think I will need some community help for the snagging bits that we can't figure out but I will bore you with that list another time. p.s I know the wheel colour is the wrong shade... will fix after the summer!! Love to know what you all think. James from Edinburgh
    22 points
  27. Hi, I think I should offically say hello, as I can finally stop being a serial lurker! I have always loved Lotus cars and grew up an easy cycle ride from the factory. My friend and I were caught on a number of occasions by security peering through the then wooden fence on the tracks hairpin bend. That was back in the days of the Camel v12 F1 car. After a visit to Cringleford school fete from the Esprit with the skis on the back I was hooked. I had my dream car! Having a "toy" in my garage has always been an ambition, but life has always managed to halt that ambition. Until now!! I always wanted an Esprit but only having basic spanner skills I decided the newest Lotus I could afford would be the best idea. The Evora ticked all the boxes. I wanted a car to tour in and one that could fit luggage. As a lurker of all the Lotus forums I had done all the research possible on the Evora. Once the green light was given by my wonderfull wife, the hunt was on. Within two minutes I produced the advert from Hendeys of Exeter of a blue Evora S (sr). At this point I had never been in an Evora so a quick trip to the Lotus garage in Long Stratton fixed that. They had a 400 and an S, but one was to pricey the other not my colour. So ignoring any advice about test driving a few cars and never buying the first car you see, I bought the car from Exeter. It came a few weeks later on a transporter and now it was mine. It was November. The weather was awful. I waited and waited for a dry day to actually drive my first Lotus. OMG. There are moments in life that can't be described to others.....this was one of them. I was taken to a heavenly place. Its awesome. Im still an absolute novice at driving it, It scares me and makes me smile at the same time. Its the fastest car I have owned and in my world it is a super car. It is a masterpiece. And I have never driven a Porsche so nothing to compare it with! Long live Lotus! So Hello TLF and thanks for the years of reading!
    22 points
  28. Very excited to join this very exclusive club today. Many thanks to Ali for looking after the car so carefully for the last two years. I took the long way home and am looking forward to many more miles with this amazing machine.
    22 points
  29. Everyone likes a happy ending. New tyres, freshly polished and a 12 month warranty. Ready to make some memories.
    22 points
  30. Call from customer services late last Thursday, delivered today.
    22 points
  31. Getting married in about 2 hours
    22 points
  32. Hi all, I'm back from my day at the Lotus Driving Academy doing the Tailor Made Advanced experience day. In summary ... What a lovely car Lotus have made, I think it ticks all the boxes that Lotus want out of the new car; it is more appealing to the mass market but still has the essence of a true Lotus. Well done all at Lotus who made it happen! The car is beautiful to look at with so many design touches, a little swoop here, a vent over there a little flick in the body work ... absolutely amazing to look at. I got a quick look at the Emira at Goodwood FoS but at the LDA they had a spare car parked out the front so anytime you were not having your turn driving you could go and ogle at its beauty. The inside is very nice too. I'm a little out of touch with what a £60-80K car interior should feel like but to me it all feels and looks very nice inside. I had a little twiddle with the buttons and trim and everything felt solid and well put together with a quality and well judged weight. My S1 Evora interior looks lovely but you can tell its a little flimsy but absolutely no issues on the Emira. Now to the bit you are all waiting for .... the handling ... (Please note I only tried it on the Hethel track not on the road) .... Its a very nice handling car, I tried both the sport chassis with cup2 tyres and the touring chassis (didn't check what tyres this was on). The sport feels a bit stiffer and has less roll and more grip but the touring was absolutely no slouch in the corners and gave a very rewarding ride around the track. The handling is very stable and predictable. Does the Emira have a wider track than the Evora? It felt like the wheels are further apart and made a more stable platform, might be in my head by thats how it felt. They've hidden the weight of the engine and supercharger better than my Evora. I was much less aware of the heavy lump sitting out at the back and high up in the Emira. Again dont know if this is chassis setup differences or engine mounting differences to the S1 Evora? I can feel the back end in the Evora making its self known and wanting to come round a bit more on lift off compared to the Emira, which had more stable balance. The breaking was phenomenal too, very powerful brakes, and very stable under high braking, it tracks nice and straight and minimal dive too. I was far more confident late braking and using a bit of trail braking to get the front end to turn into the chicane than I have been in my previous jolly around Hethel. The steering I think uses a different rack to the S1 Evora, it felt lighter and had a bit less feedback compared to my Evora but its still very good compared to modern rivals. I think the steering feel and weight is better suited to daily driving and the mass market. While my Evora's steering is also assisted it is on the heavy side and I think your average person might get put off by the busyness. With the Emira, you could still place it accurately and you still had that magic Lotus feeling of the car pivoting around you in corners but the steering was just lacking a bit of the feeling of weighting up in corners. Going through Clark and Graham Hill sections I don't think it dances around the corners as much as other Lotus' but the very good handling manners and composure does mean you have good confidence in pushing the car to its limits so the stopwatch may end up saying you are quicker even if your heart rate doesn't. The clutch pedal was much lighter than my Evora which will suit daily driving better. The brake pedal felt better than the Evora. Mine has a few mm of dead travel and then the brakes engage the Emira has none of this, the weight was lighter but I didn't feel I was lacking in any feedback. Similar for the accelerator, its got a lighter weight to it but wasn't overly light and I got used to it very quickly and had no issues with it. The engine note has low bassy sound to it. Overall volume is lower than previous V6 Lotus cars but I think thats expected for a new car also will get under noise regs on track days better than the older V6 cars. I noticed the lower rev limiter, occasionally running into the limiter, the power delivery is very linear and keeps rising all the way to the redline, you don't feel the crescendo and the power tailing off like on my NA Evora so keep your foot in and stay in gear only to hit the limiter. Was a bit of a weird one, one one hand its got loads of torque and keeps pulling, on the other its lacking emotion. Either I have an incredibly well judged right foot or the traction control is very good. Coming out of the Rindt hairpin and Andretti I could happily bury the throttle without fear of running wide into the barrier or loosing the back end. But at no point did I feel the car was restricting me, it always felt like it was working with me and assisting to achieve on a common goal; get out of the corner safely and as quick as possible. As a novice I could happily leave it on all the time on track knowing it's helping to reduce the risk of bad stuff happening while also giving me that hero feeling. Overall what a cracking car, yes its not as raw or communicative as Lotus cars of the past but its a very fun car to drive on the track. It has bags more feedback and emotion compared to most modern cars so it really is a joy. But also its all packaged up in something that is well built and a better quality interior than before, and generally something thats far easier to get on with everyday. Hats off Lotus, well done! And congrats to Emira deposit holders I think you're going to have many miles with smiles!
    22 points
  33. As part of the upcoming Emira launch in Singapore, my 83 Turbo Esprit is in the Singapore Lotus showroom this week. 😀
    22 points
  34. Purchase a new GT 410 sport. Collection day next Saturday, sorry to see the Evora NA go it’s been a fantastic car, but time to move on. Can not wait so excited.
    22 points
  35. So around a month ago, the engine of my Exige S blew randomly out of the blue one morning on my way to work. It was depressing cuz the weather had been amazing and I loved my car. Now a few months earlier my friend who posts in these forums under the name @BAS ordered a 380 Cup. But by the time the car arrived to Kuwait and the dealership cleared it from customs, the 430 Cup was released. So my friend told the dealership he no longer wanted the 380 Cup and instead placed an order for the 430 Cup. So I was with my friend when he told the dealer he wanted the 430, so the dealer turned around to me an offered me a deal on the 380 Cup with the contingency that the deal only applies if Lotus approve the engine swap under the warranty. The offer was too good to be true, but I didn't really care for the cup since I loved my car. I mean thought the 380 cup was super hot but I was really satisfied with my S. But I also didn't want to wait 2 months for the engine to be shipped over and then to be installed. The dealer had three 350s, all in colors I didn't like and no 380s. So if I wanted a car now, the 380 Cup was my only option. So I decided to pull the trigger and finally last week Lotus approved the engine swap under warranty and my dealer set the process in motion to buy back my Exige S and upgrade me to the 380 Cup. I just picked it up from the dealer awhile ago and I'm so in love already. I had been driving the Evora 400 loaner for the past month and the Cup is just insanely faster and I haven't really stepped on it. Also random little cool things like I can now tell which buttons are on in my car, the blinkers make the click click sound, just random little fixes over my Exige S. I'll be posting A LOT more on the car and I'll take a ton of picture this weekend. But for now here are some pictures I took a short while ago while picking up the car. Thank you @BAS for ordering the 430!
    22 points
  36. Just put a deposit down on a lovely 15 Evora Sports Racer from Leven Lotus in Edinburgh. Can't wait to pick it up! I used to own an S2 111s and I absolutely loved it. Not sure what it is about Lotus but they are a hard habit to shake! Good to be back :) cheers Michael Doris
    22 points
  37. @Rambosuggested in another thread that it would make sense to have a TLF overview of Emira issues. Since I had a few experiences in the weeks of ownership, I thought it might be a good idea to list them. I'd like to underline that my intention is not to paint a picture of an unreliable car, we should remember that all manufacturers have these kind of issues with new models. And as always in life, it matters most how problems are handled. My dealer did an excellent job at doing his very best and I had the impression that Lotus HQ was very keen to monitor and hopefully learn in the process. So here is my summary after 3 months and nearly 3000km: 1) Just before delivery - servo steering pump "broken", it turned out to be a full recall of servo pumps on the early cars from what we have heard in Emira owner circles. Since my car was one of the very first, it probably took longer than in other cases until the part was available. Others had it swapped very quickly. 2) Right (EU passenger side) door would not open. This one was upsetting me the most. Happenend on first day of ownership on the way to the Ring. Girlfriend couldn't step out the car in front of our favourite café before breakfast and had to climb out 🙈😅 Turned out to be some cable latch for the locking mechanism was broken inside the lock, got swapped on both sides of my car and apparently has created a lot of buzz in Hethel. Heard that guys from factory came over to inspect and that in my opinion is a good sign that issues get taken serious. 3) Rattling when turning steering rack. Few days after picking up car from dealer after issue no. 2 One of the alloy floor panels flexed when turning the steering while standing still. After dealer reaching out to Hethel a few more rivets were added and the annoying noise is gone. This is a bit of a weird one, I was told that parts of the chassis slightly flexed under the force of the wheels turning while not moving. I got a video from the dealer that proofed that the sound was coming from the alloy floor panel. Fixed in less than 24hrs and glad it wasn't anything serious on the steering components of the car. Minor other findings: * Sometimes wireless carplay is a bit hesitant to connect, but this can also be an Apple thing and happens in other cars as well. * Not a huge fan of the KEF audio quality. Miles ahead of old Lotus, not horrible at all for a sports car. But not as premium as the KEF name makes you wish for. * Front parking sensor has a life on his own, but this could be also triggered by my number plate. * Climate control is a bit uneven in its temperature distribution, sometimes very hot / blowing in your face for no reason. But it stops after a few minutes. * Same for heated seats: Sometimes very hot, sometimes not. As if the temperature sensors have a very steep threshold. * Leather very slightly wrinkled in some areas, not perfect but you only notice when you know it. * Rubber door seals are a reminiscence of the old E cars fitting quality. Slightly better but "you'll know it's a Lotus" 😅 ---- And to not sound too negative, I like to stretch that I am still a very happy and excited Emira owner! What I don't care at all about is the water vs. boot lid situation many have talked about. Total no brainer, happens on other cars as well. My old Range Rover had water spilling inside the boot, also my F-Type. Also the seats and the steering wheel or the shift quality - no issues to me for a sportscar for the road. Oh and it sounds great in my opinion! And most importantly, I still believe that Lotus did the right thing with the Emira. Sure, it is less hardcore than the old cars. But for the spirited sports car driver who wants a car that makes you feel special - 100% success. Driving dynamics, brake feel, power. All top notch for this market segment (I am not comparing it to cars 2-3x the money). My most favourite feature is actually the ride quality (tour spec). Cannot wait to do more a lot of trips and daily driving with it!
    21 points
  38. A nice one of my LE, photo cleaned up a bit of background distractions (taken by Collecting Cars when it was with the previous owner).
    21 points
  39. My 155J Esprit S1 pictures made Yesterday nearby Leeuwarden
    21 points
  40. Couple of pics taken by Emma Woodcock for the Absolute Lotus magazine photoshoot.
    21 points
  41. Won an award at the Glamis Transport Extravaganza yesterday! Feeling very proud of the 40 year old girl!😉😎
    21 points
  42. Hello all, first post as it’s my first lotus. I have wanted to get back in a decent car for a while, recently injured my knee and can’t do anything I usually would so thought now is the time to explore the UK in something a bit special. So decided to borderline bankrupt myself and buy an Exige 420 Final edition. Forgot I was 6ft3 with one operational knee but I make it work. If anyone could recommend some decent roads around Manchester I would appreciate it. Anyways…
    21 points
  43. The team at Hethel also catered for the purity of the earlier cars, with a White S1 in Design Studio whilst in the Retail Space we added a Yellow S1, and a stunning 1 owner Red S2 - though due to various constraints the Turbo had to do the job for 1980 – 1987. There's beauty in all of these. Mr Giugiaro was delighted to be reunited with examples of his earlier works, and his visit provided me with an opportunity to personally thank him for styling a car that I’ve thought about, perhaps every day, for 45 years. A Genius of his craft, and a Gentleman.
    21 points
  44. Well the inevitable happened, I bought the car at Paul Matty’s this afternoon, such a beautiful example that I’ll hopefully keep for many years to come. There was someone interested in Japan apparently so I felt it was my responsibility to keep it in the UK and be it’s custodian for the next few years. We agreed on £72.500, it did sell last year according to Paul and went into a collection but the guy decided to have a clear out so it came back on the market, lucky me as I was gutted that I missed it last year. Not really sure what it is worth but not really bothered if I did pay over the odds as for me a white S3 is best example of any Esprit and there can’t be many left in an original condition like this. Now can someone please tell my wife, she’s going to kill me 😬
    21 points
  45. Fathers Day. My gifts from my fiancee's daughter included a Spitfire book, an engraved beer tankard and adoption papers
    21 points
  46. So, I think it's time that I started a new thread because I'm no longer in the "test drive" phase. As you'll all know by now I took delivery of an Evora 400 last week. What most of you don't know is that I had been planning something for a while now to do with the car. Most of us agree that Lotus build damn fine cars, but are pretty poor when it comes to their marketing. I found this when I was researching the car - material on the 400 is pretty thin on the ground if you want anything beyond a simple review. Therefore I decided it would be a great idea to document the ownership experience. Two reasons - 1. I may never be able to do this again, 2. I'm sure Lotus could benefit from the publicity! I will be doing quite a few videos on a wide range of Lotus-related topics, I welcome any ideas/suggestions for what sort of thing people might like to do. If anyone on the forum would also like to help with a video, in the near future I want to do some videos comparing the Evora 400 with other cars. In particular, I'd love to be able to get an S1 Evora to do a back-to-back with, plus I would love to compare with an Elise, Exige or Esprit. Anyway, enough waffle, here's the video. Please give it a "like" and a "subscription", the first few months are going to be the hardest as I gather viewers so I ask everyone that sees it and likes it to share it with as many people as they can in whatever medium they choose.
    21 points
  47. I've now owned my Esprit for 30 years, thought I'd put together some pictures from over the years. !st picture I have of the car - 1987 @ RAF Hendon Another day, same year, another Airfield - RAF North Weald. 1988 - Castle Coombe 1989 - Goodwood M100 Launch @ Bell & Colvill - the 2.2 is still owned by the same persion as well. Some photos for agreen value insurance - my old Excel ins in the background, so between 1991 & 94 Looks like I didn;t wash it back then either Different year - looks cleaner I went abroad in 1994, and basically the car was laid up until 2012 - Maybe 500 miles driven during that period. October 2012 - It was hibernating here all the time And we we're off Arrived @ Geralds Into the magic cave Oh dear 2 months later - Home at last - phew the garage is large enough 2013 - new year's day Leather - pah!!! Give me teddy bears any day of the week Back to Goodwood My favourite local photographic spot Everyone should have one of these fitted. 2014 Lights are working A jaunt to Norfolk And you thought the 107 was a low car Oh-oh - back to Geralds - stuck in 1st gear Wheels refurbished 2nd B&C track day @ Goodwood 2015 - Bond on New Years Day And then there were two Hmmm... all my other pictures in 2015 are of my Excel 2016 Nice wet track day @ Hethel It did dry up Got a puncture - swapped the rear Sportrac 3s for 5s - I've for a single rear 3 if anyone wants it. BBQ time What everyone needs in their garage 2017 Duxford Hope you have enjoyed the trip over 30 years - I know I have.
    21 points
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