DaveC72

This reminded me of an Exige I saw at a track day, T1 VVA... made no sense until I saw him rapidly approaching in my rearview mirror...

Hey Nick, it's a nice problem to have. I went from an S to a 400. I'm pretty sure I posted a comparison after a few weeks of ownership somewhere, but can't for the life of me find it. From memory: 1. The power and weight difference is noticeable. 2. The ride is not as compliant, and the S was definitely a better mile-muncher 3. The steering is much more direct, and the better for it when *cough* progressing. Less bump-steer. 4. Ingress/egress is MUCH better. I still can't risk a mini-skirt, though. 5. The interior felt more luxurious/ bespoke in the S, but the controls are much better in the 400 and there's no "airbag of doom" to worry about. I do feel that the 400 cabin is more spacious. Oh, and the HVAC is a marked improvement. 6. The Sparcos are not as comfy as the Recaros 7. I miss the change lights, but the small digital speedo at the top of the binnacle is a real boon. 8. You still can't wear polarised sunglasses and read the display. 9. It's cheaper to tax 10. Fuel economy is about the same 11. I definitely feel that the gear change is an improvement - purely subjective - just feels better. 12. Tyres last longer - although that is largely due to the switch to the Michelin tyre, which are excellent! 13. Noise. It's always in sport. 14. My S was nudging 70K miles. A newer car with the balance of warranty and not more than delivery mileage just took that niggling doubt, unfounded or not, away 15. I loved my S. A lot. I love my 400 more. I get that you wouldn't want to follow the Herd, but that 410 of @bosshog is no ordinary yellow car, and it already has the Sparcos. Edit: When I talk about Sparco's in @bosshog's 410, I mean that they're Sparco's as in a 400, not the cf seats.

So, after deleting a metric fucktonne of stuff off my PS4 (yes, I have an external drive) to make room for the update file (a three hour download and I have north of 50 mbps download speed), I had printed off (because I'm old) @Kimbers advice and got ready to give '76 another bash... only to discover that I've let my PS+ membership lapse. Shuddering fuck. There's a village somewhere that wants me home soon...

I have loved every Fallout game, bugs and all, since the inception of the franchise. I just couldn't get on with '76 - admittedly I haven't been back for months - after a couple of days. It's frustrating similar/ different to the previous iterations. All of the bad stuff was still there, but much of the goodness seemed to have gone. I don't think having my arse repeatedly handed to me every time I respawned endeared me to the game to be fair. I've just started downloading the update, so will be interesting to see if I get on any better this time around. As an aside, just "finished" Skyrim for about the eighth time...

Great thread, and my two (almost inconsequential) cents: 1. I blame Bond. Bear with me. BMW upped the ante of product placement in the Brosnan movies. A bunch of "meh" cars. Since then, it's been an avalanche of more of the same with major brands such as Audi, GM, Merecedes etc pitching their cars in to just about every blockbuster. It's kind of hard for kids (and me) to get excited about mass-produced cars that they see everywhere - especially when they're almost indistinguishable from each other. (someone will be a long in a second that it wasn't the Bond movies that did this first, but it's the one that sticks in my mind) 2. Performance isn't what it used to be Bear with me (again). Your slightly-better-than-average hot hatch now has performance levels (I'm saying nothing about enjoyment, driver engagement etc) that humble - or are at least on a par with - all but the very high end sports cars. A Golf R has similar Top Trumps to a 911 or an Evora. A Golf! It's again harder today for kids to get excited about the stuff that got us excited as kids when the family wagon is not far behind in bragging rights. (somebody will be along in a second to tell me that I'm missing the difference between a Golf R and a 911 Evora - trust me, I'm not, otherwise I'd be driving a Golf R, not the Evora I use as my daily). 3. Scarcity. Weird one this. Seeing a Sports car when I was a kid was an event. Today, you can't make a journey or more than 10 miles without seeing a Porsche. OK, seeing a Lotus* is still a rare occurrence - but, and here's the thing: unless my memory is severely distorted, even Porsches would have been a rare sight in the late 70s early 80s. A BMW Msomething was an event in the early 90s and today I can think of at least half a dozen of the things that I see regularly. *(This is probably why us Lotus owners get a lot of love, to be fair) Sports cars used to be fantasy, an aspiration and object of desire. I personally think that most people are a bit blase about all but the most exotic.

That looks stunning, and thanks for sharing your journey in to ownership :)

Great to hear you've bonded with the car almost instantly. Things only get better with time. @rallyesax is your man for all things tyre related. If they're Cup 2s the short answer is "no". More so when it's cooler.

Congratulations and welcome to TLF. Car looks superb. What are your first impressions?

Just read the article and thread. It's an interesting proposition at that price point, and a lot of bang for the buck. It'll be intriguing to see more detail on what Lotus has planned for next year's new car. There's a (very real?) risk that at that kind of money Lotus could lose potential ABP sales. (Anything but Pork). Having watched 'vettes go around Le Sarthe for over a decade now, it's a marque that has wormed it's way in to my affections. (Funny how seeing a brand race other cars in it's class will do that). It's a few hundred kilo's over an Evora in terms of weight, and we all know the effect extra mass can have on a car, regardless of the power. But that is SOME power it's sporting... As an aside, there's the usual PH twattery that has already decided that "such-and-such car" is better. Which is fascinating give that none of them have driven the thing. Back on Topic. In the PH thread there's a poster who has already voted with his wallet and has been informed that he'll be getting his car late next year. Might be time for Lotus to start drip feeding a little bit more of a "taste of what's to come". At the risk of stoking some righteous indignation on here, the timelines are about right for my next purchase, which for the right car/deal could be new... and I like this new 'vette. A lot. I'll certainly be taking one for a test drive.

I've watched the whole lot from this mini-series. Have to say, it was refreshing to see a bunch of normal(ish) people get behind the wheel and just enjoy the damn thing. Great find.

@pbharcourt, I was kind of hoping you were going to leap in and say, "that was me, I've finally come to my senses and bought an Evora..." :P

I'm being told that I should space it differently, but I still quite like DC "TEN" TUS

Nope this was a Solar Yellow with Black Pack.

I know, right? I keep thinking about going back to two cars, then I get in the Evora and such thoughts disappear in the rear-view mirror. If that wasn't the case, that Silver car would already be mine.

This is an absolute steal at that price. Looks stunning in the flesh. Only a smidge more than a 350 (if you squint, stand on one leg and tilt your head sideways) and has been there a while so there may very well be a deal to be had. If I was to go back to two cars, rather than run my Evora as my "everything" car, them a 410 would be a no brainer. I'm self aware enough to admit that I would only spend my life watching the "other" car go past and knowing in my heart of hearts that I am that shallow, and I should have bought the bigger/better/harder/faster version. Admittedly, these are all subjective points - and I would go and try a few before making a decision. I wouldn't rule out an Evora 410 sport, as there are some cracking examples out there now at the right money.

Any ideas?

Imagine my surprise when out walking the dog at O’crack Sparrow Fart this morning when I heard the distinctive burble of a V6 coming out of Hythe on the road to Beaulieu Road Station. Had to do a double take, as see so very few of Hethel’s finest in the wild, never mind another Evora. You made my day.

Not shit at all. A firm favourite amongst the Hampshire massive!

Interesting points Jonny, and pub bragging rights are not why you buy a Lotus...but... road trip! (Can you note the hint of Cabin Fever)?

Post-lockdown road trip!

So, how the Donald Duck is everyone? Has anyone dug up the patio and buried the Wife yet? We've furloughed a bunch of people on 70% pay, everyone else is short term working. Which is nice. Not least as I seem to be everyone's "Out of Office" for the day they don't work... which I'm not supposed to be working either... I've been out in the Evora twice since the middle of March, as I really don't want to be the guy at the side of the road in the bright orange car talking to the law about why I'm out and about. I strongly suspect that passers by would be giving me the coffee hand shake. I'm not sure my resolve is going to hold though, as dreams of shouting "you'll have to catch me first, Copper" and shooting off in the distance with the 5-Oh in tow are starting to feature heavily. So if you see a mess of Orange Fibreglass, burning Michelins and exploding V-Power on the news, you'll know I've cracked. Sorry to hear you've been crook @Kevin Wheeler, but trust you're on the mend now? @[email protected] me. Time hasn't been kind to Noddy, has it? @peteyg, that should have been a shed, not a house. Man up, fella. We're still planning to have the HantsFest Lotus meet when this is all over, I've been Harrowing and Rolling the fields in preparation. Be safe all...

Probably the AC.

Colour me interested...?

Me too - although my 15 year old system is probably not on a par with the toys you have Now, I am genuinely intrigued by your using Teardrop as a test of systems that you listen to. I totally understand why, but it has me wondering - what else do you use?

This. Has. Made. My. Day.