kyliesmith.com Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Hi guys just did around 1000kms or pure driving bliss this weekend been, car not missing a beat! I took the Sport down to the mountains to hook up with some friends going tramping at Tongariro National Park (NZ). The roads around there are amazing and an opportunity to open up the beast and let it fly. The good thing about the 350 is that you can get up to what ever speed of your choice extremely quickly and haul it in just as fast as well; it Quote No.23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73JPS Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Wow, that first pic has an amazing capture of colour. These V8s really are fantastic, and I am sure the 350 even more so. Quote "At home, I have a King Sized bed. Now, I don't know any Kings, but I would imagine if one were to come over, he would be comfortable." -Mitch Hedberg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USAndretti42 Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Nice pictures, Kylie. You seem to have an eye for colour and composition. You should take up a job in the arts. Fantastic scenery and empty roads. What a combination. No wonder you had a good time. I agree about the Esprit being a great car for traveling long distances in. My S2 was so comfortable. The ride was compliant without being too soft. The seats were soooo comfortable, supporting in all the right places. On the move all the controls are light and, one think I really liked about early Lotus but missing from the current generation, was the relation between the steering wheel, chassis backbone and door arm rests. They were ideally placed so you could rest your one elbow on the pad in the middle of the car and the other on the door and steer with your finger tips. They even had decent padding on the tunnel unlike some other cars I have driven. It's hard to get a comfortable, well-handling sports car nowadays. Quote S4 Elan, Elan +2S, Federal-spec, World Championship Edition S2 Esprit #42, S1 Elise, Excel SE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dasar7 Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Hate You!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obione Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Very Jealous Kylie, looks like you had a brilliant time Quote This book is guaranteed to NOT change your life…but it does mention a Lotus Esprit...To enjoy this masterpiece, download Martin now. Simples!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyliesmith.com Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Wow, that first pic has an amazing capture of colour. These V8s really are fantastic, and I am sure the 350 even more so. Thanks Patrick, yes I adore the torque of the V8, putting ya foot down in any gear is just no problem for it. Hey Trevor, yeah anyone would think I am trying to be an artist hehe!! I love taking photos even with crappy cameras you can still get great shots by adding dimension and utilising good subject matter I prefer the modern comforts of this car as opposed my 89 Turbo, its just feels almost like a normal car. Hate You!!! David - Now now thats no way to talk to girls Quote No.23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redshift Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyliesmith.com Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Pete despite having weary limbs after a hard out trek on the Sat, I felt exactly that, I just wasnt quite ready to get out of it!! I just love it so much Puurrrrr purrr purrrrr Sorry thats getting a bit personal Quote No.23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Nice try Kylie - we all know those pics were photoshopped - such an awesome car in an amazing place like that doesn't exist.....surely ? I need to move to NZ Quote facebook = jon.himself@hotmail.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loose Cannon Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 So Kylie does NZ not have the draconian attitude to cars/speed that we have here (or in Aus as it sounds - cameras in litterbins etc etc)? Or are the distances just too immense to police? Quote In the garage no-one can hear you scream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katie Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Not remotely jealous As ever, fantastic pictures Kylie. Quote Just because you can, does'nt mean you should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyliesmith.com Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Nice try Kylie - we all know those pics were photoshopped - such an awesome car in an amazing place like that doesn't exist.....surely ? I need to move to NZ Hehe, sadly no photoshop software on my computer! Come out for a holiday and youll see !!! So Kylie does NZ not have the draconian attitude to cars/speed that we have here (or in Aus as it sounds - cameras in litterbins etc etc)? Or are the distances just too immense to police? Hi Mark, yes is does, if you know Australia its similar but havent heard of cameras in litters bins here yet!!! Only in the built up areas like cities there are fixed cameras and plenty more cops about with lazers. The remote volcanic region where I was, you get mainly the odd mufti (cop cars in disguise) or marked patrol car, but I only seen one cop in that whole area. You just have to pick your moments and be careful. cheers Katie, I like to share with you guys also helps to put NZ on the Lotus map Quote No.23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger 912 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Hello Kylie. I have just returned from a holiday visiting my daughter in Taupo and we spent 5 weeks touring around North Island. Just fell in love with Helena Bay and surrounding areas. I do not know how I could handle driving my Esprits around NZ as in the Toyota hire car I amassed plenty of speeding tickets. Do you ever get out of 3rd gear? Over here in South Africa we do have some wonderful stretches of open road where there are no places to hide cameras and you would see a car parked at the side of the road 10 kms before you reached the spot and one can stretch the legs of the car and enjoy some serious speeds. I have taken my 84 Turbo up to 210 on a couple of occasions. I wonder how many $ the fine would be in NZ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyliesmith.com Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Hi Roger, yes its a comon complaint from Brits when they holiday here too. It seems in the UK if your clocked at doing 10mph over the limit knowbody seems to care , here your given a ticket for any number exceeding that limit, so we are more used to that rule and try to be careful. On the other hand the long stretches we have are fantasitc and plenty of room to wind the needle out, I just pick my moments and go for it You would love the south island less traffic and more long stretches. Did you do the Taupo to Napier Highway? Thats got some fantastic road along there! Quote No.23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chemical7 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 WOW! I didn't know people lived down there? J/K, I am just jealous because I live in this hot, dusty, place. Quote 99 Lotus Esprit Deep Purple * 07 Mercedes Benz E350 * 04 Volvo XC90 * 07 Yamaha R1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphw Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Kylie Know the road, had some great drives along there. Need to get back some time for the refresher. Last time I made some amazing drives, glad that there were hardly any cameras around then. Having said that the most fun I had was over the Rimatukas on the way back to Masterton from Wellington. The pace notes supplied by the highways authority were excellent. Cheers Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyliesmith.com Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Hi Ralph when did you leave for the UK ?? Did you have your Esprit here or taken to UK with you. All the best, Kylie Quote No.23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphw Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Kylie My dad was head hunted to come to the UK and manage a large estate so we arrived in England when I was 10 so you could say I am well pommified. Have loads of relatives back in NZ, although sadly getting fewer, mostly in the North Island, and try to get back when I can to visit. Guess that answers the Esprit bit as well. Had to get the Esprit, promised it to my self when I was studying for my Engineering Diplomas and Degrees and did my training at Lotus. I used to have to walk along the line of Esprits between the gatehouse and the powertrain dynos every morning. Most have worked as I now have a Hi-wing and a Talbot Sunbeam Lotus. Unfortunately due to family probs in this hemisphere I havent had the chance to get back in the last 8 years, and I miss that as I always made the point to get back regularly. It is back on the agenda now so I am thinking about my next trip. Cheers Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyliesmith.com Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Wow what a back ground working at Lotus, I had Geoff and June Davidson at home for dinner just before xmas. They both retired late last year after a long period working there and came out here to do some mountain trekking. It was a real privilage listening to Geoffs stories when he was heavily involved in the Esprit suspension programs etc. Anyway if you ever do make it back feel free to look me up. I am in Auckland. Do you think you will ever move back? Quote No.23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphw Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Kylie Would like to move back but the other half is not so keen on the outdoor life. In fact I tried to by a vineyard in Hawksbay a few years back but the deal fell through. Thought it would be a change from engineering and some sort of link with my families farming roots. Started my engineering career at Lotus and one way or another I have probably worked for most of the car industry by now covering motorcycles, cars, buses, trucks and tractors. You have als probably seen a few notes on the forums from me on my pet subject, timing belts. If I get over will drop you a line. It would be good to make face to face contact with some NZ lotus owners. Usually land in Auckland. In the past I have headed to Masterton for recovery time at my Aunts but she died a few years back. Have relatives in Matakohe and Dargaville I must call in with and usually like to chill out around the Bay of Islands for a few days before heading south again to more relies in Palmerston, Fielding and Pahiatua and the South Island. Maybe next trip I might explore the possibilities of coming home again and the options available to me. Cheers Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyliesmith.com Posted March 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 So these images dont help then Quote No.23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red vtec Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Kylie you are a tease, just look at what this once great country has to offer: Quote Amateurs built the Ark Professionals built the Titanic "I haven't ridden in cars pulled by cows before" "Bullocks, Mr.Belcher" "No, I haven't, honestly" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyliesmith.com Posted March 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Haha nice one Chris, actually I have a funky pair of socks patterned like that car. Quote No.23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphw Posted March 27, 2009 Report Share Posted March 27, 2009 Kylie Can always be tempted, just got to chose the right offer Cheers Ralph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iainskea Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Nice post Kylie, great pics. Well done. Iain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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