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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

https://www.thelotusforums.com/latest-news/lotus-cars-news/tlf-passes-1m-annual-visits-lotus-cars-recognise-significant-milestone/ Super chuffed!

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

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.

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 !

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!

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!

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.

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. 😴

My new acquisition. Can't believe I've finally got one!

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

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)

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)

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.

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.

I asked, Laura said yes

@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.

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.

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!

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

Fathers Day. My gifts from my fiancee's daughter included a Spitfire book, an engraved beer tankard and adoption papers

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.

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.

Facing the end of Evora production, I've decided that whilst the Emira will be lovely, the interior electronics is absolutely not my thing. So I've "invested" in trading in my Aquamarine (will miss that colour, not going to lie) NA for one of the last brand-new GT410s. Currently being prepped, PPF-ed and ceramic-coated by Topaz Detailing, will pick up Monday. I love the easier access and the softer suspension, which is really not far off the NAs other-worldly ride. I always thought they'd have to bury me in the blue Evora, but it will be a green one instead! Definitely not the end of the Evora for me.

The first ever post was made on what was then 'LEF' Things have changed somewhere! We're very close now to 1,000,000 annual visits and 5,000,000 annual pages served, nuts! Onwards and upwards folks

TLF were recently in Hethel to sit down and catch up with Lotus MD Matt Windle. Matt and Lotus Cars have been incredibly busy of late as evidenced by the recent upturn in new content from the company and with the all new Lotus Emira launch just a few days away on the 6th July and being the headliners at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, there’s a lot going on! How do you keep up with this work, what is up and coming from Lotus, what about parts for older cars? These questions and more including suggestions from TLF members are answered and we may have had a glimpse of a new car too, but not everything is for sharing just yet! https://www.thelotusforums.com/latest-news/lotus-cars-news/tlf-interview-lotus-managing-director-matt-windle/

Now all finished and fully commissioned ready for John to collect tomorrow. FROM THIS TO THIS THEN THIS Well it was quite an involved repair, it took a bit longer to do with other area's being addressed at the same time . A short test drive and MOT , then off to Northampton Motor Sport to be set up with full GEO and corner balancing .. Then full test drive to confirm everything works as it should something to reflect on ... The new composite roof D

So last week me and the Exige V6 (aka Magpie) passed our three year anniversary. I’ve been lucky enough to own the car since new and we’ve both been on a journey, for some reason, I felt slightly compelled to share some of that journey. In particular the upgrades I’ve made so I can share my feedback as I’ve looked to improve upon the base car over the time of my ownership. Maybe its because of the 10 odd pages of debate clogging up my TLF notifications on the new Exige 380 Cup that I thought it would be nice to change the subject of the day. I hope my journey is of interest and ill look to update this thread over time. To set the scene, I’ve owned an M3, an M3 CSL, R35 GTR, and a 997.2 Club Sport GT3, the move from the Porsche to the Lotus was part of a ‘downsizing’ exercise, but the actual purchase of the Exige happened sooner than expected! I live in the South West and at the time no one had one of the Exige V6s in stock to view, it was on a trip to Southampton where I had a meeting for work, the meeting finished sooner than expect so I thought I’d test my luck and check of any lotus dealers in the area. Low and behold Snows Hedge End dealership was 5 miles away, checked their stock and saw they had an orange one in stock. Phew, I knew I didn’t want an orange one so I was safe to visit to check the proportions of the car without worrying about making an impulse purchase! Well that plan didn’t fricking work as on arrival this sparkling example had just been delivered to the dealership. BALLS. A chat and coffee with the sales guy and I thought I’d make a cheeky offer, the offer was intended to prod around to understand where they may bend on the price. It was cheeky, very cheeky, so I wrote it on a piece of paper and explained ‘I have this money in the bank, and can purchase and settle before the end of month.’ The chap walked away, here I am thinking okay he’s gonna kick me out here! Anyway five minutes later comes back and says ‘you’ve got a deal’. BALLS number 2. Literally at that moment of shaking hands, the wifey calls…. “Where are you?” Me “Ermm…. My meeting finished early”, wifey “Are you at a Lotus dealer,” me “Errr yes they have a white one,” wifey “We need to talk, I’ve got something to tell you…” So here I am now freaking out as to whats going on as her tone is a little out of the normal… after a bit of questioning I eventually find out… “Im pregnant” Lets just say the news of expecting our little one was awesome, the purchase of a Lotus at the same time was lets say somewhat - BALLS number 3. Pick up day finally arrived… Straight into detailing to remove the swirl marks left by the factory What followed from this point was a very fast fall into a track day addiction. In some ways an addiction far more expensive than drugs and alcohol but we all need some form of vice in our lives… Funny enough both of these pictures above are wifey driving… Not when she was pregnant I dare say but very soon after our little one was born. Thanks to Lotus Silverstone for the install of the LMS tow ring at the time of the running in service. The install is very easy, some folks seem to get caught up about cutting the grill, its literally I small cut which no one really notices. Its not a big deal you don’t need a separate grill for track and road. If you haven’t already installed a tow ring then my recommendation is to give Dave at Seriously Lotus a call, he has the same item as Lotus but at 60% of the Lotus robbing cost! Second track day in and the brakes seemed a bit dodgy, seemed as though I’d completely killed the standard brake fluid. So off to Williams Automobiles for a fluid change to Castrol SRF. First challenge of the day, Lotus had given me the wrong locking wheel nut key (such fun!). One week later still no success with Lotus and tracking down the right locking nut later, so a dodgy call to AA ‘I have a flat, lost my locking key’ and a very friendly AA man who understood my situation and was a Lotus fan! Said locking nuts were safely removed with their super special tools. Locking wheel nuts nasty invention! Anyway back to the story, eventually got the brake fluid changed to SRF and what a difference, highly recommend changing the brake fluid to SRF if you’re going to do track days in your Lotus. Just remember to change SRF every 12 months. So brakes are now better, but the car felt a little floaty and to be honest way too high for my liking. Personally the Exige from factory looks ‘jacked up’ so desperately needs lowering. I looked at all options from Nitron and came to the following conclusion (at the time): 1-Way: Cheapest option. Would provide the ‘lowering’ fix I needed and provide a simple level of adjustability. 2-Way: Only available from Lotus. 3-Way: Great levels of flexibility and adjustment but arguably could be confusing. Also the most expensive (worth the extra vs Lotus 2-Way). Knowing many S2 owners being very happy with 1-Way I went down this route as spending over £3.5K on a 3-Way setup at the time just felt overkill. << INSERT MENTAL PICTURE OF NITRONS AS NEVER TOOK A PICTURE >> The whole Nitron install was a major faff at the time to be honest, the first set I had installed actually raised the car! So three sets later and eventually Nitron was able to provide a setup that allowed for the right ride height. I must give Pat (who now works at Hoffmans) a major shout out for his perseverance and level of excellent customer care. He was absolutely awesome and I cant recommend high highly enough! I’ve since learnt that Nitron have changed their dampner specs to accomadate a lower ride height following my install. Further, I know Dave at Seriously Lotus felt the same as me and his Nitron’s have the shorter spec to accommodate a lower ride height but without detriment to performance. One tip shared which seems to have worked was spraying ACF-50 Anti Corrosion on to the coilovers whilst still new to help prevent corrosion. This is the spray you want... Good stuff and must say I think has made a world of difference as my Nitrons still look in great health three years later. One point I would make is keep the adjustments clean and well oiled, I typically spray a bit of GT40 on the clicker adjustment every time I adjust. They seem to get sticky now and again so frequent adjustment to keep them nicely free and in good clicking order is advised. Here’s a side view pic of the car against a Cup, for me the car now has the perfect ride height and looks like a proper exotic. The picture isn’t the best but I would say there is no to little side on gap between arch and tyre, whereas for me theres still a substantial gap even on the Cups which are lower than the V6 from factory. The look of the car completely changed for the better. No major issues with ground clearance, for normal speed bumps taken with care no problems, most car parks also fine. Goes with out saying, if you’re conscious the car is a lot lower, you’re mindful of the dangers and take everything with care to minimize any risks. For example those tight nasty windy steep NCP car parks – Avoid like the plague. Immediate improvement on track with the Nitrons for sure a good move, I find 8 clicks from full hard on the front and 6 clicks from full hard on the back is great for most tracks. For good surface tracks you can go 6 on the front and 4 on the back. I have played with the settings on the road typically 12 clicks from full on the front and 10 clicks from full on the back this seems fine, I would say road compliance has definitely become harder with the nitrons and not as nice as standard for road usage. I did try 14 clicks on the front and 12 clicks on the rear but found it then became bouncy on rebound. Maybe this is where the 2 or 3-way option would have been a better option as rebound can be adjusted separately to bump where as 1-way its all one setting for bump and rebound. In hindsight I should have gone 3-Way but at the time the cost was too high for me personally, whereas now you can find them as second hand buys which makes the cost a little more acceptable. My next plans for the Nitrons are to start playing with the spring rates, at first going harder on the front, this is something Dave at Seriously Lotus has been experimenting with and over the course of this year will take his recommendations and test for myself. You’ll also notice I changed the wheel colour to black, the diamond polished wheels where starting to ‘milk’ so after a battle with Lotus they agreed to pay for a re-furb of all wheels and change to black. I was never a fan of the diamond cut to be honest. Later that year Lotus would go on to remove the diamond cut option from its option list. I understand this was due to supplier problems, quality, and other ‘milking’ issues. Fancy canards where also installed, it was amazing to feel the increased downforce these little pieces of plastic create… only kidding, they just look good, but more on front downforce on future posts. So that’s years 2014 and 2015 done.

TLF was born! Over a third of my life ago now, I'd just turned 30 when I pressed the big green 'go' button! Wow! Did anyone bring cake?

Are we talking about Racing Green Lotus'? Here's the most recent one of it being clean, at Caffeine & Machine. 8,300 miles in five months means it's rarely clean!

Hi all, thankyou very much for your kind thoughts and messages. As a nice ending to this tale I can confirm my GT3 has been sold. As you will know it was just as important to me personally who bought it as how much it went for, and it has gone to just about the best person I can ever think of in more ways than one. I don't think he will mind me mentioning his name (as he said the car will probably be even more famous in publicity pics in the future) but it was bought by long-standing Lotus staffer Gavan Kershaw, Director of Lotus Cars (Vehicle Attributes) and all-round Lotus-Nutcase-for-Life. As he knew about the circumstances behind the sale Gavan organised a day out at the factory. I delivered the car to him and in return he treated me and my wife to an incredible few laps of the track as a passenger in an Evora 430, a guided tour of the lines by another Lotus hero, Richard Rackham, and a meeting with Clive Chapman who let us look around the Classic workshops. I haven't worn as big a smile in many months I can tell you, and my deepest thanks go out to all involved. I must say the amount of interest the GT3 generated at the factory was extraordinary, even when mixed in with the current exotica. Fifth Gear were nearby filming some retrospective on the Elise and you could see them looking at it - who knows maybe they will do an Esprit vid soon? Another factory staffer has recently bought a red GT3 which featured in some corporate press photographs of a new director, and that owner was the one who persuaded Gavan to take the plunge. Actually Gavan told me he bought the first production press car, also orange, when it was released so he's no stranger to them. Lotus guru Scott Walker who is now a senior staffer inspected the GT3 long and hard and pronounced it a "good'un". I must admit was a bit apprehensive when Gavan asked to take it out on the road for a test drive but must admit he drove just like me, i.e. like a pensioner! He says he gets quite enough speed on the track and takes it easy on the roaad, very wise. All in all one of the most memorable days of my life. To top it off we went for a quiet drink in local pub to calm down later that evening and just happened to pick the night of the monthly Lotus meeting at the Bird in Hand - hello Owen! I must admit I did get a bit emotional when time came to hand the keys over. When thinning out the history file I came across some pics of the car on the driveway, you know the sort, when the kids bikes are on the garden, all the plants are half as high as they are now, and you realise just how much your special car has become woven into the fabric of your life and your family. But time moves on and I can tell you parting with a car does not even register compared to parting with one of your children. I may get back into Lotus ownership one day - it occurred to me when experiencing all these amazing things that I would not be allowed on site at the next factory event and would be lucky to be allowed in on the park and ride bus! I might have to cadge a lift from one of you lot as a passenger!

I've had my 400 for a few months now, and I want to briefly share a couple of aspects of my ownership experience, so anyone thinking of buying an Evora who has come to TLF to do some research can find this. My Evora is my daily driver, and I do up to about 12,000 miles a year. Aside from short trips and early morning blasts just for thrills, I travel long distances with a decent amount of luggage for work and my sport, which is skydiving. And as you can imagine that involves a fair bit of kit. So how does the Evora cope with this life? How well does it meet the combined demands of short-distance blaster and long-distance hauler? In a word; flawlessly. The Evora is nothing short of brilliant. Miraculous even! I am totally amazed and massively impressed by how well this car deals with every demand I place on it. (Well, OK. Maybe not every demand. I drove it to IKEA once and you can't get a wardrobe in it. But, you should have heard it in the cavernous carpark there! Awesome!) 😆 I'll share with you two real-world examples of why I'm so impressed by the Evora. Firstly, luggage capacity. If you're thinking of buying an Evora but are worried that it can't carry much, think again. Wardrobes aside, 'lack of cargo space' is not a valid reason to deny yourself the pleasure of Evora ownership. I've driven to the airport with four parachutes in the boot and a full-size 25kg suitcase on the back seats, and I still had the passenger seat for more stuff. On the more domestic side of life, the boot plus rear seats easily swallows a massive Sainsbury's trolley full of shopping. Brilliant! Secondly, long distances. Yesterday, I had a 170 mile drive home from Milton Keynes to Exeter, which went like this; 90 minutes of blasting through Oxfordshire with the sun shining, windows down, sport button on and me laughing out loud at the sheer bloody hilarity of it. Followed by settling onto the M4 for 90 minutes of serene and comfortable motorway cruising with windows up, sport off and stereo on. I hopped out at home with zero aches and one massive grin. Seriously, I'm astounded by how the Evora 400 can be equally excellent at totally mental blasting and smooth cruising. I'm 6' 2'', and over distance I'm honestly more comfortable in my Evora than my previous C-Class Merc. I bought the Evora because I was bored with the Merc, and having owned (and loved) a couple of Boxsters before (sorry), I wanted to get back into something FUN. Before I bought the Evora, I looked at the Boxster/Cayman again, but was put off by the latest 4cyl engine. The 911? Too soft in my opinion. I wanted to get the driving experience back, unfettered by too much padding. My Wife has a Suzuki Ignis, and that thing is is a right laugh because it's pure driving. I wanted that, but not in an Ignis. 😆 I know the analogue driving experience isn't for everyone. I guess the majority of the marketplace wants the extra padding and tech in cars like the 911. But for me, the Evora 400 is the perfect car. I think it's miraculous that a small-volume, niche manufacturer in Norfolk has created a car that is this damn capable! I know this is said a lot in the Lotus community, but why the hell does every journalist use the Cayman and 911 as the benchmarks for comparing other sports cars? They're awesome cars for sure, but for anyone after a truly special driving experience - this is it right here. Evora all the way. Oh - final point for anyone not convinced yet. The drop-dead looks and rarity of the Evora makes you feel like a goddamn rock-star driving it around! This amount of head-turning usually costs £200k+ 😆 Right. The sun's out again. I'm off for a drive.

Bring back Dany. I love Dany. Lotus was awesome when Dany was in charge. There were girls and helicopters and country pads and cool stuff like that. Who cares about steady ships and lightweight labs and maybe 3 future cars, maybe. Dany had 5! Which is more. And therefore betterer. And his hair was literally the best of every other automotive CEO. Even the German ones. You can’t buy that.

I've just got off the phone with Neil Turner at Lotus, he's the head of Customer Services and will be looking into this with LCU as a matter of urgency for you Jim.

Very big day for me today. This is now in the garage. Really special car. Looks very low and compact. Didn't take up the garage space I was expecting. It has massive presence with those wings but actually is shorter overall than the Evora 400. Absolutely delighted with the colour and quality of materials inside and out. Incredible looking car from every angle, immense effort from Russell Carr and Lotus Design. The famous 'canoe factory' smell is present and correct, I have to say I love the smell of a new Lotus by association, reminds me of how I felt when the V6 Cup was new. GT430s really are bespoke for each customer and Lotus and B&C have been first rate in all regards. Nothing has been too much trouble and everything has been done with utmost care and attention to detail. For example, the exhaust tail pipe was very slightly wonky, a replacement was sent down without delay and they have reviewed with the supplier how they are made going forward. Yes all of this is as it should be for a car at this level but credit where its due. Coming from an Exige it all seems very luxurious and well appointed in there. The impact would be greatly reduced for an Evora 400 owner of course just because so much will be familiar but it feels like a major cabin upgrade to me! Spent an absolute fortune on PPF but when you see how vulnerable many of the panels are there's just no alternative. The factory put a lot on to be fair, mainly on the sides but I've added full front, roof, wing and full rear bumper. Seriously pinching myself at the thought of what's in the garage tonight. It's the realisation of a dream. Feels very like my chance to own the modern equivalent of the Esprit Sport 300, it's that special for me. An enormous privilege and humbling to consider how fortunate I am. I just can't look at it without imagining plunging down the hill towards Eau Rouge. Spring of 2018 can't come soon enough!

My new Baby! I think it is the first 410 on German roads

Not my pictures, but as I now have a (tentative) collection date and everything seems solid, I'd like to introduce to you all the conclusion to my search. Some changes have been made to the car since the photos were taken, those will be shown when I take delivery. Unfortunately I am going to miss The Lotus show next weekend, but hope to be picking this up on the 13th. It will eventually be wearing the number plate E4 VRA

Well today has been a significant day in my life of involvement with Lotus cars as a long time hobby. As many of you know, over the years I have found a fair few car's in odd locations across the UK and taken them back from, in many cases the brink of the grim reaper, the crusher. So today after an unrepeatable offer from a fellow enthusiast, I am about to launch a new venture which will of course be Lotus. Now you may think, what next, well we all have heard the stories of a car tucked away in a shed, a barn, a garage, a garden, in fact over the past few year's I have rescued many which have turned out to be bloody good car's and most had been left due to loss of storage, enthusiasm, finance or impending divorce. Well these last 8 months of unemployment has given me the opportunity to seek out and see more car's in various precarious location's than I would have thought possible. So another Lotus enthusiast who wishes to remain silent has given me the fantastic opportunity of finding, cajoling, dragging these poor unfortunate things of beauty home. LotusRescue hope to offer the following services. 1/ Search out a car, rescue it and offer for sale as a project. 2/ Get the car back up and running with a full report on their requirements prior to selling on to a fellow enthusiast for restoration. 3/ As above but bring them up to MOT standard. 4/ Source a buyer for a car we have found and give the above options all the way to full refurbishment. As an enthusiast and having carried a fair bit or work on our favored toy's, there is nothing worse than hearing of a car stashed away somewhere, get all the details, go find it then find its either a complete basket case, or the current owner can only see pound sign's through rose tinted glasses Our intention is to try and take all the hours of work and miles traveled out of the future owner's time and provide a service which will the save hassle. Discussion are about to take place on setting up a web site which will show cars that have passed through to date and what we will have on offer. Initially this will be on a part time basis, but will hopefully increase as business increases. Premises are under review at the moment to ensure they are suitable for storage and repair of any toys purchased. We currently know of 10 car's available for rescue which I will be listing once confirmed that I can 100% guarantee we can obtain. Initially it will be Lotus focused but I also know of a couple of other marques which are available, for example, a Triumph Mayflower and a MK 11 Ford Capri. What are your thought's guy's, do you think it will work in today's current financial climate. Do you think we maybe up against to many of the bigger guns. All replies will be taken into consideration. Thanks in advance for any response. John. The Elan posted will shortly be on her way to her new. That will be the first of two car's next week.

Driving home for Christmas.. 😉

A few years ago a young frizzy haired chap called @Barrykearley asked on here where he might find a set of carpets for his S3. Being a domestic carpet supplier/fitter with a wife who's a wizard with leather, I thought, we can do that, offered my help, and armed with a roll of paper and some carpet samples headed off to Worcestershire. The rest is history. Things have come a long way...Barry no longer has his S3, or any hair, and tomorrow morning our 50th set of carpets will be shipped off to the USA. So a huge thanks to all those people who have recommended, supported, and helped us get our little cottage industry off the ground.

(Photo by Peter Gunnars)

Wowsa. I said to many of you that I could easily have spent the whole day just on the track. All of the (our) cars were amazing. And OMG what a noise some of them make. Walking the full length of the track I was thinking "I need to sell my kids and build a large air con'ed barn for all those cars I want to buy!! Bibbo, you never ever disappoint. have a great night tonight and have one for me. To everyone I saw it was awesome to see you all, I never feel more at home than when I am with you all and I have so many friends from Denmark to Germany, Belgium to Netherlands and all over the UK! Big Love!! My favourite moment.....well 2 actually. I was watching MJK on the big screen being interviewed and there was a guy standing there watching the screen avidly. He looked at me and said "I worked with him in India when he was working for Tata". I said "Thats my dad and I'm sure he would love to see you again". he said "He won't remember me"......."I bet he would" I said. So we walked over to MJK and just before we got there a totally different guy with a walking stick and 2 sons helping him walked over. My dads face lit up and he called him by name (can't remember now....Mike maybe). Dad gave him a big hug and the guy burst into tears. He said "You don't know how much this means to me!" and there was a long conversation and much hugging. the guy had had a stroke and just wanted to talk to his old mate again. He choked up again when they parted. It was amazing to see what dad meant to someone. So my man from Tata steps up and I say to dad, someone wants to say hi. Dad looked puzzled and the guy said "You probably don't remember me, it was 17 years ago....." and my dad said "In Pune, you were working in the office when I came in and I can still see your face and you saying "What are you doing here". The guy was amazed. I know he's my dad but for someone to have touched so many people and still remember a guy working in an Office at Tata who he met briefly for 3 days of coming and going is amazing and humbling.

This is my new Evora GT 430 with special painting ( Gold Leaf) by hethel factory. The car is waiting for me at Komo Tec Germany. You can see the car this weekend in the KOMO-TEC Box in Nürburg /Nürburgring/Nordschleife.

Getting there! Another meeting at Lotus yesterday, another few emails to work through but we're well on the way. This is going to be even more awesome that I thought it would be before yesterday, some major and wonderful announcements will be made soon

Time to come clean. The Evora 400 Hethel Edition at central was mine.First of 4 in Essex Blue so we where told ahh but let's just make 6 now. Not that that was a problem for me as I just loved the colour combo. Traded in for this super car McLaren 570GT what Lotus should have made by now. Time just to short to wait. Have been and always will be a Lotus enthusiast still have my first love Esprit V8. I am not going to get into what's not right at Lotus or but !! Andrew most definitely living the dream

Mine has been delivered yesterday

So about 6 weeks ago i was extremely happy with my S1 Evora NA that i had purchased from B&C only 7 months earlier. I loved how it looked, drove and most of all how my boys loved it as much as me. I then made the first of three decisions that has changed everything. Decision 1 - i decided to go to the Lotus International meet at Brooklands more to show my two young boys the other cars than anything. There i first saw in the flesh a number of cars i hadn't before - Exige cups, Evora SR and Evora 400. Loved all i saw but wasn't enough to take my attention from my current squeeze . Then i heard the 400 on the track for the concurs and well....wow....that thing made some racket. All of a sudden , the S1 (even with the 2bular i fitted) wasn't ticking all the boxes.....hmm Decision 2 - after a week or so i decided out of interest, and more in hope that the answer would kill any further attraction for me, to contact Jamie at B&C to see what kind of package we could be looking at if i was thinking of moving the S1 to a 400. Knowing they retailed around the 75-80k mark i was hoping he would kill any idea by saying i had to fund the full balance (less part exchange). Jamie's reply included the words "50:50". Oh...... Decision 3 - After a few more mail exchanges i made the drive down to B&C to "just have a look" and maybe a little test drive. Unfortunately the manual 400 was out of use so i got to drive the auto they had. Even as i started it i really wanted to not like it. For the drive to be no better than my S1. For the sound to be quieter than the S1. Well.....it failed.....on everything. What a machine.....the sound on start up, the torque in every gear, the handling......everything was bigger and better. I was truly smitten and totally screwed...... To cut to the chase from here.......5 weeks after the test drive i made my way to B&C today to pick up the beauty below. Hethel edition with a few spec changes by myself (black alloys, red callipers, black signage on the back) as i thought the original look with silver alloys, the stripe no body seems to like and black callipers did not do the car justice especially with the red leather interior. To say i am happy is an understatement. I'm hoping the 1,000 mile run in period goes quickly (a 350 mile round trip to Sheffield for a wedding tomorrow certainly helps!) but even running it below 4k revs, it is still a joy. I'm only 80 miles in but so far the only niggle is that the new sparco seats seem to reduce the back area slightly so that my two year old in his car seat has a little less room than before. I'm going to play with the seat angle or look at the John Lewis seat mentioned on another post as it seems to have a smaller base, to solve that issue. Worse case he can learn to sit cross legged A massive thank you to Jamie at B&C. As with the first Evora i bought, he was extremely helpful and open. He even sweetened the deal by throwing in a few things for the kids. I would thoroughly recommend dealing with him and i imagine i will again in the future. Also thanks to JayEmm for his very helpful and insightful "Lotus Diaries". I recall one of the videos said he hoped it inspired one person to buy a 400.....well it did with me.