TBD Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 (edited) Does this look familiar? It reminds me a lot of this, just more brutal and less elegant. Ooh, what could have been... On the other hand, that would have been very hard competition considering that VW stands behind Lambo and Proton/DRB behind Lotus. Edited December 20, 2013 by TBD Quote If you have the choice between a Stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell don't forget the Nomex®! Captain, Lotus Airways. We fly lower! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza 907 Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 (edited) Agree, very similar.I've always thought of the Gallardo as a modern day version of the Esprit. Edited December 20, 2013 by Bazza 907 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pits Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 That's the first thing I thought when I saw the leaked Lambo shot. They look even more similar next to each other. But it's confirmed my view that the Esprit design wasn't radical enough. It's too generic supercar looking. The original Esprit stopped everyone in their tracks when it was launched, including Cubby Broccoli, the producer of the Bond films. All Chapman had to do was park one outside his office to get it into 'They Spy Who Loved Me.' Coco's Esprit was good but not great. Lotus needed 'great' to stand any chance of success in an increasingly crowded sector. In fact, looking at what Lotus would be up against - the Ferrari 458, new Lambo, Audi R8, Aston V12 Vantage S, Porsche Turbo S, McLaren MP412C, I think they would be better off looking at another sector entirely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gghc87 Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 My worry is that these days there is so much similar spec competition the new Esprit will get drowned out . I hope I'm wrong Quote Cliff Men marry women with the hope they will never change. Women marry men with the hope they will change. Invariably they are both disappointed. : Albert Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronin Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 (edited) Performance it seems comes in a generic packaging now and only build quality will make the only difference between the brands.. Build a pocket rocket for "driving" and have a stupid quick practical sedan instead of wasting so much on a posers special. Edited December 20, 2013 by ronin Quote I think it's fast enough…maybe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayevora Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 I also thought Bahar had been stirring the pot here. I agree it now makes the Esprit design 'soft' compared to that. Pretty but soft. Quote Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk - that will teach us to keep mouth shut! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gghc87 Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 IMO the original esprit had a unique look which made it stand out from the competion. The problem today is that most of these cars look the same, so there is nothing to choice between them except handling and price. The performace is so similar that in the real world it makes little difference. Quote Cliff Men marry women with the hope they will never change. Women marry men with the hope they will change. Invariably they are both disappointed. : Albert Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advantage Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 Not just handling and price. Branding and the associated cachet. The Lambo will be outperformed in most benchmarks by its contemporaries, yet this will not affect sales one jot. There's already a huge demand for this car. Lamborghini will not be able to manufacture these fast enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBD Posted December 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 Maybe DRB was wise to put the Esprit on hold. Though likely a bargain against the Hurican the question is it the potential customer base is in any way price sensitive. Quote If you have the choice between a Stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell don't forget the Nomex®! Captain, Lotus Airways. We fly lower! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronin Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 The funny thing is I got rid of my R8v10 because the RS7 is so much faster in the real world. And there is nothing you could buy that will out perform a modified Lotus in the twisties. You could have both in the driveway for far less than any one of these generic posers. Quote I think it's fast enough…maybe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advantage Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 An Audi TTRS is probably faster than an R8, but it doesn't change the appeal of the R8. An R8 is faster than an Aston Martin Vantage, but it hasn't stopped that model being the Aston's biggest seller by far. The market for a silly home made rollerskate is somewhat limited. Lamborghini is in business to make a profit. So they manufacture what people will buy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronin Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 The thing is these cars are all too boring to be honest and when a sedan passes them in the twisties you have to step back and think about it. Oh yeah any of these cars value drops like a stone as soon as you put a few miles on them. My R8 was $189k out the door, one year and 20,000mi later it was worth $115k. The same thing happened to me when I bought an NSX back in 91, both great boring cars and no resale value. The thing that I see is you can only go so fast in the real world that these cookie cutter cars are just boring and silly rocket powered skateboards are the future of the gear head. Quote I think it's fast enough…maybe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advantage Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 14,022 buyers of the Gallardo disagreed with your summary that the car was boring and the bank account of Lamborghini was pleased about that. This Gallardo replacement will sell more units over its lifespan and not because you believe a sedan is faster or a rollerskate is more exciting. Once again, the bank account of Lamborghini will be pleased and the dissenting thoughts of non buyers will be an irrelevance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnapan Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 The main advantage of the Lambo over the Esprit is that it has a snowball's-chance in hell of actually being made and sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnapan Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 "14,022 buyers of the Gallardo disagreed with your summary that the car was boring and the bank account of Lamborghini was pleased about that." How many years does it take for Lotus to build that many cars? But stop! The Elise has wonderful steering. Surely that's compensation to Lotus' owners, as they watch 5.6 examples leave the factory each week, at a per-car profit of thruppence ha'penny (or whatever the real number is). Don't let Lotus be derailed into building large numbers of exciting, hugely profitable cars in large numbers. Those Gallardo customers aren't real drivers... probably bankers or dentists! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBD Posted December 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 Like this guy? Quote If you have the choice between a Stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell don't forget the Nomex®! Captain, Lotus Airways. We fly lower! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgerley Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 It will be totally impossible to recreate the impact the Esprit had in 1976 if/when new Esprit arriives. Remember our dad's were driving Austin Allegros, Ford Cortinas, Morris Marinas etc. at the time. The Esprit looked like it landed from space or 2025 compared to that lot. The 'generic supercar' shape is now so ubiquitous it's difficult go know how any manufacturer could achieve that kind of impact. The BMW I8 is currently tickling mg fancy. Great tech and design that does I think move the game on a few notches. But let's great real. It's not 1976. But I sure am glad I was around then to witness the Esprits birth. A once in a lifetime event in my view. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gghc87 Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 I don't disagree at all with your conclusions although some of the supercars builders do seem manage to create something special to a small degree Quote Cliff Men marry women with the hope they will never change. Women marry men with the hope they will change. Invariably they are both disappointed. : Albert Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advantage Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 It's worth remembering the production Countach (LP400) pre-dates the Esprit by about two years with a price tag of just over £17000. Have Lamborghini done it again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stirling_Villeneuve Posted December 20, 2013 Report Share Posted December 20, 2013 I prefer the Lotus version.... it's got more style. Quote Currently having an illicit affair with another marque, be back in the fold one day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronin Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 So how many of you pro Lambo high ticket cars are ready to sign the dotted line today ehh? Quote I think it's fast enough…maybe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramjet Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 What's that got to do with this discussion of the similarity between the lambo and the DB esprit design? Quote All we know is that when they stop making this, we will be properly, properly sad.Jeremy Clarkson on the Esprit. Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them, some just stink more than others. For forum issues, please contact one of us Moderators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronin Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Yeah it also looks like the new NSX and an R8, my point is these are all nice cars but boring after a few miles and have shit resale so why bother ? And if you are just a dreamer wake up. Modify your Lotus Elise/Exige if you want a better drivers car, unless posing is your thing.. Quote I think it's fast enough…maybe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramjet Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 And again, another off-topic post. This is not a topic about drivers cars. It is about the design similarities. With all your claimed automotive knowledge, I find it astonishing you can write so much and yet say so little. Quote All we know is that when they stop making this, we will be properly, properly sad.Jeremy Clarkson on the Esprit. Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them, some just stink more than others. For forum issues, please contact one of us Moderators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eglise Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 An Esprit should look like nothing else on the road, Bahar's still-born baby is just another lookie-likely supercar clone. Supercars are fine for playing TopTrumps and showcasing your wallet but I have yet to see one driven in anger on the road. I see plenty around town revving their V8/V10/V12's but that's about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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