People's reaction to the Esprit - what's yours?

[Frickin_idiot 107 2 Vehicles]

14 minutes ago, Bibs said:

He wants a haircut

And a bloody good wash by the looks of things.

[TimSportsTourer 10]

17 minutes ago, Frickin_idiot said:

And a bloody good wash by the looks of things.

Nah. What he really wants is a Lotus!

[Chillidoggy 3,698]

Can someone call the police and tell them a shitty-looking tramp has taken up residence in Magnus Walker’s garage?

Thanks.

[Barrykearley 5,622]

I think what he really wants is a bloody big spliff and some cookies. 

[johnpwalsh 1,275 4 Vehicles]

By Cookies I guess you mean Lotus coffee biscuit's then.

[Escape 648 2 Vehicles]

Two nice reactions coming back from work earlier this week. First, a motorcycle came past in traffic and I noticed he was really checking out the Esprit. The next section was calmer, just outside Brussels, a few nice corners I know very well and always give me a big grin going home. I closed the gap, he must have seen me and held back. At the next traffic lights he pulled up to me to say what a fantastic car the Esprit is.

When parking up, a young mother (not wanting to use a certain four-letter-word ) walk passed, her son looking at the car. So I popped up the headlights as a wave, but the kid didn't quite understand it seemed. I guess he was too young to understand. His mother did catch on, tried to explain to her toddler and rewarded me with a big smile.

Stuff like that always makes my day, not many cars will get similar reactions.

Filip

[swindon_alan 1,691 1 Vehicles]

You are ace Filip. Flying that best of British motor vehicle design, style and engineering Union Jack every day in Belgium.

Your daily drive puts so many to shame in its country of origin sir.

[Barrykearley 5,622]

7 hours ago, swindon_alan said:

You are ace Filip. Flying that best of British motor vehicle design, style and engineering Union Jack every day in Belgium.

Your daily drive puts so many to shame in its country of origin sir.

Yeah and flashing at MILFs

[williamtherebel 213]

I haven't even had a proper drive in my Esprit S1 yet, but I've had 2 lads on bikes come onto the drive asking questions, the next door neighbour taking photos and various delivery guys coming into the garage asking questions, taking photos etc. Its no wonder I haven't got it on the road yet!! All my time is spent answering questions!

I do get a buzz in my Eclat when I see kids looking at the car, then jaws drop when I pop the headlights. In my 20 odd years of Lotus ownership I have only ever had one negative reaction and that was from a group of drunks. Not bad in a town (Blackpool) where drunk stag and hen parties are a normal part of life.(which is a shame).

[drdoom 231]

Early Esprit, as a whole, are works of timeless art. What else need be said?

Great to hear all these accounts of appreciation, in any case!

[Jacques 823 1 Vehicles]

Just had a elderly Porsche 928 guy driving his 928 stop me on my bicycle earlier this evening on a pitch black back road, asking me: " Well arn't you the guy with a red Lotus Esprit?

"yes".

"well, you are so Lucky. It's so much nicer than my 928".

"Thanks".

Kind regards,

Jacques

[Escape 648 2 Vehicles]

Last Saturday I couldn't drive my Esprit, as we were away for the weekend in Dublin. Not wanting to drive around in a typical rental eurobox, I got a Morgan 4/4 to tour the Wicklow mountains. A nice and engaging car and certainly fun on the twisty roads. 2 years ago we toured the same area with the Esprit, and that was another level still.

What I didn't expect, was the amount of reactions, all positive of course, that we got. Either parked or on the road, people where pulling over, taking pictures, wanting to have a chat... It was a pity the owner didn't provide business cards to pass on, would have been good advertising! I do appreciate the fact he kept the car clean, so no big company stickers or such.

I'm used to some attention in the Esprit, being talked to at petrol stations etc. But this was a completely different level! I had no idea a Morgan was considered so special. While certainly not an every day sight, a Lotus and certainly an Esprit is a much rarer sight. Maybe because the Morgan has a more vintage look?

Very enjoyable experience, definitely worth the money!

Filip

[GTK 610]

 

No mate a Morgan in Ireland in the public eye wouldn't be any less rare a sight, and I say that knowing that a neighbour not 100m away has one. I never see it. It's a much less rare car, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's more visible.

 

[Giniw 228]

Just had a honk/thumb up from a guy on a motorbike :)

[march 592 1 Vehicles]

Just had  a delivery driver ask me if my Esprit was a Toyota . After a  suitable response I was asked if it was the James Bond car which I suppose is sort of close enough, anyway I think he liked it .

[Giniw 228]

5 minutes ago, march said:

I was asked if it was the James Bond car

Maybe he was referring to the 2CV?

[march 592 1 Vehicles]

7 minutes ago, march said:

Just had  a delivery driver ask me if my Esprit was a Toyota . After a  suitable response I was asked if it was the James Bond car which I suppose is sort of close enough, anyway I think he liked it .

His next question was 'Does it go?' so may be he does know something about V8 Esprit's 

[Barrykearley 5,622]

You can tell him confidently that a v8 Esprit has driven many to the edge of dispair

[oneshot 128 1 Vehicles]

Drove through a Sainsbury's car park yesterday (long story) in Thetford and a guy stood there and as I went past said "Nice" in an appreciative voice.

[hedgerley 404 2 Vehicles]

Pulled into the drive last night as a bunch of schoolkids wandered by. Eldest no more than 10 probably. The usual schoolboy questions then one of the lads started asking about the engine. Is it the V8 he asks, so that'll be the 3.5 he says. It's got twin Garrett turbos hasn't it? I'll bet I could drive it. I doubt it very much says I. Well, he says, I had no problems with the Lamborghini Gallardo manual the other week, so I doubt I'd have a problem with this. 9 years old. Out of the mouths of babes......

[C8RKH 4,497 2 Vehicles]

54 minutes ago, hedgerley said:

Pulled into the drive last night as a bunch of schoolkids wandered by. Eldest no more than 10 probably. The usual schoolboy questions then one of the lads started asking about the engine. Is it the V8 he asks, so that'll be the 3.5 he says. It's got twin Garrett turbos hasn't it? I'll bet I could drive it. I doubt it very much says I. Well, he says, I had no problems with the Lamborghini Gallardo manual the other week, so I doubt I'd have a problem with this. 9 years old. Out of the mouths of babes......

Knockhill do a "kids" supercar driving experience that includes a Ferrari, Lambo et al. Maybe it was at that?

[Chillidoggy 3,698]

Or maybe he'd nicked it?

[hedgerley 404 2 Vehicles]

So, another young whippersnapper this morning, at the cash and carry (Esprit is a delivery truck for our cafe at weekends.....) Car fanatic 7 year old and his dad (just bought an M4). Knew what it was, performance and the BHP. Knew there was a 4-cylinder before it. Knew it was the Bond car, asked to see the pop up headlights etc. etc. Had never seen one in real life. Was completely in awe. Then he has a sit in it, oh is that the fly-off hand brake? Did I say he was 7?

But then I had him - hands on the steering wheel and reaching round, he asks me where the gears are, it's got no gears he says! Ah says I, no flappy paddles about when this was made. Harrumph he says, and walks off. 7 years old. Bloody know it all.........

[DanR 66]

Got into a "spirited" drive on a winding uphill road with Ducati and Honda superbikes behind. I was able to leave them no doubt because of the tightness of the bends. When the road opened up they passed me with the thumbs up signs from both. That was nice.

[semi42 18]

Another topic in another thread prompted this memory from about about  12 years ago when I hadn't long had my S2

I had learned that the light switches were also used on TR7s and flicking through the local green or yellow free Ads paper, noticed someone local was breaking  TR7s.

Phoned him up one evening and mentioned I was interested in the switches

"which ones"?

"well any really, I know they can be dismantled and the bits inside cleaned and swapped about but its the headlamp switch i`m after mainly , but anything will do"

"Hmm, im sure I`ll have something, I got a couple of the centre consoles with a few of the switches mounted in it"

"sounds good, How much do you want for one of the console panels"?

"Err...What Mk TR7 do you have"?

"well heres the thing , its not for a TR7,  Ive not long bought a Lotus Esprit and they use the same Lucas switchgear so I`m needing a headlamp switch for it and any other switches will come in handy for spares"

"F*ck off and don't ring me back"

speechless

, still to this day I don't understand why the reaction