Clash of the Classics - Lotus Esprit Vs Ferrari 308

[Paul Coleman]

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/news/classic-car-news/1510/clash-of-the-classics-lotus-esprit-vs-ferrari-308/?utm_campaign=271015&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ccfs-newsletter&utm_content=main_story

 

[GTK]

Assuming both cars are in top condition, that echoes a point I was making in the other thread (Prices Soaring) about the S3 / Turbo generation cars being a little less sharp in the steering than the previous cars. There's more than one period feature in the press section of LEW that states the S2 gives better feeling/handling than the 308. I love how the motoring press back then didn't dumb down the info either. The stats and graphs and sheer detail in the reviews makes you feel like they actually took their jobs seriously. 

 

Edited October 27, 2015 by GTK

[Barrykearley]

They got the conclusion wrong..........

[eeyoreish]

And they don't know which way up the SD1s rear lamps were...

Unless they mistakenly road tested an Excel 

[Mark Blanchard]

Here's CAR magazine comparing the 2 cars back in 1981.

http://www.lotusespritturbo.com/Car_Lotus_Turbo_Esprit_Ferrari_308GTBi.htm

And here's Road & Track magazine from 1983 comparing them both:

http://www.lotusespritturbo.com/Lotus_Turbo_Esprit_Road_And_Track_Test.htm

[Chinsterb]

I had a black 308 and the lotus kicks it all over the place. The 308 felt sluggish and heavy. Parts are much more expensive, servicing way more.

And whilst the interior on the 308 is nice if space.  The Lotus looks like a 70s space ship the drama wins it hands down.

The Ferrari is great but a bit like a role submariner, great but an easy choice and everyone has one. The lotus is an IWC class and the better choice! 

 

[Paul Coleman]

I liked the quote from CAR talking about the Esprit they said...

"It will rust to 60mph in a startling 5.7 sec"

And there was me thinking it had a galvanized chassis hahaha

[Barrykearley]

"Running costs? We’ll leave you to shudder at the thought of early teens per gallon when taking it easy - and single digits when trying to destroy your back tyres. 

Parts will carry the usual heavy burden of brand engineering; with the Ferrari likely to reduce you to tears come servicing time. The Lotus won’t be far behind - and if you end up with both we can promise you will suffer a hernia through sheer shock and woe. "

 

Ok so what mpg do people get? I'm not exactly sure but mines not too bad maybe 25mpg.

As for parts cost...I think the Ferrari has the eye watering prices here? There maybe a couple of Esprit parts that are pricey like wing mirrors but approx.£300.00 doesn't seem so bad to me.

Also they joke about the panel gaps but the GRP Ferrari is the one that commands the money doesn't it?

Didnt even start on insurance costs...

Buddsy

 

24 mpg typically - 13 mpg on a good day.

parts - ohhh from cheap and chips to "why was a front end pile of suspension parts a grand"

tyres - cheaper than my van

insurance - cheaper than my van

speed - faster than some old Italian thing.

the numpties can knock an esprit all they want - but they ain't got a cat in hells chance of knocking the smile off my face when I'm burying the throttle

[The Pits]

You have to wonder if Calum Brown actually drove either car. No pictures either. Still, it was nice to read some positive comments about the Esprit.

Running costs must be higher for the Ferrari, they certainly were in my experience.

[Mark Blanchard]

I liked the quote from CAR talking about the Esprit they said...

"It will rust to 60mph in a startling 5.7 sec"

I think the Ferrari will rust quicker.

[Andyww]

I have posted elsewhere about this but in fact the Ferrari didnt catch up with the Turbo Esprit until the 328 came out and even then its still behind in many areas.

The 308 is inferior in almost every way and many of the design features (for example window mechanism, handbrake, heating, fuse panel etc) are prehistoric and dont work properly. Rust is a huge issue on 308s which had no rustproofing at all. 

The interior is a personal choice but I greatly prefer sitting in my Esprit over my 328. The 328 has a "normal" sports car interior. The Esprit is like no other car interior ever. Passengers agree that the Esprit feels unique to ride in.

The 3x8 doesnt match the Lotus for chassis strength, at least in GTS format. 

[Jenna'sEspritTurbo]

I love the appearance of both cars,, but I think the expense of maintaining a 308GTB will far exceed that of a Esprit any day. Give a bottomless well of money I would have one of each side by side in my garage.

 

[Jenna'sEspritTurbo]

Then yet again I am deeply in love with a 1972 Detomaso Pantera also and that power train is a bit less expensive to maintain and until recently very affordable to buy a nice one with all the chassis upgrades.  Nothing worse then shifting gears under a lead foot and finding the car in another lane.  lol. But I think I have enough of happiness to be found in my Turbo Esprit to keep a smile on my face while sleeping

 

[Bibs]

Pantera prices have gone rather nuts of late! 

[Chillidoggy]

My mate had a Pantera. It was awful. Cost him a fortune to fix, it caught fire and nearly burnt out twice while he was driving it. Once it was all redone, he did however sell it for a tidy profit, but couldn't wait to see the back of the hateful thing. Pantera prices have been sky high for a long , long time.

Lovely looking car, though.

[Jenna'sEspritTurbo]

I agree Bibs,, I have watched them from a close distance for sometime now hoping to find my niche to buy one and slip into something more comfortable in it.. haha. Then go for a nice ride about the country side.

But as I sit in my office working there is this incredibly beautiful Turbo Esprit less then 10 meters away from me beckoning me to turn my computer off and come play for the day.  Ahhh the things that make us smile

.

[nello]

Don't forget this one Mark ....... http://www.lotusespritturbo.com/Lotus_Turbo_Esprit_Versus_Ferrari_308GTB.htm

I've mentioned a few times before - features my great - v.sadly now not with us old mate - Paul and Essex No.17. Thankfully she's now with Pauls son................

I remember Paul telling me how much Martin Buckley loved the Esprit and how peeved Paul was when they published that rear 3/4 shot with the Esprit on uneven ground.

Paul was so disappointed with the 308 and its build quality. Thats Paul canning it!

 

Edited October 29, 2015 by nello

[Andyww]

That's a good comparison. The reviewer notes how different the steering feels on each car and he's right, they do feel totally different.

The reason for the difference is the 308 has a very small scrub radius, which probably came from Ferraris race heritage as zero scrub is the best for out-and-out cornering speed on the track.

Lotus were cleverer in that they designed the steering for a performance road car rather than a track car and it has a huge scrub radius. That means it has a much lighter and more responsive feel especially in low-speed corners. There is so much scrub on the Esprit that when you are parking you can feel the steering go "over-centre" when you turn it almost to full lock and the wheels pull themselves onto full lock. I have never driven a later Esprit with ABS but I would guess all of that feel is gone as an ABS car cant have a large scrub radius because ABS is capable of applying deliberately uneven braking and it would result in brake-steer.

A car with zero scrub and ABS really needs to have power steering which the 308, 328 and 348 didn't have. But the Esprit doesn't need power steering.

[Chillidoggy]

There's shedloads of scrub on my car, and it has ABS. And yes, you can feel it go over centre, to the point that on full lock in reverse it will sometimes stall the engine!

 

I enjoyed the magazine articles, thanks to those who posted them.

[Jenna'sEspritTurbo]

Hmmm scrub?  I usually have some near the leaf pile outback and the rabbits like the raspberries there.  haha. What I is need a nice old widow pensioner that is wealthy beyond dreams and on his death bed and he wants to get married and leave his estate to me,, I mean his wife. Then I can have a stable full of prancing ponies and the Esprit's they wish they were. One for every day of the week. Then I can log my own road test in the surrounding country roads and hills surrounding me.  I can see it all now.      Oooh stable boy fetch me the red one today wont you dear. "Mam they are all red"  Precisely lad how observant you, surprise me.

.

[Paul Coleman]

On 10/28/2015, 11:22:45, Jenna'sEspritTurbo said:

Then yet again I am deeply in love with a 1972 Detomaso Pantera

 

Jay Leno did a shoot on his Pantera for his YouTube channel...

The man has petrol in his veins and has such an eclectic collection of cars from steam cars through to super cars. If you had the money why wouldn't you hahaha

[Jenna'sEspritTurbo]

I watch him regularly and yes I did watch the Pantera video more then once as I did with his Elan. I wish he would do a Lotus Turbo Espirit,, think I will bug him to do so. I prefer a carb model but would settle for any of them.

[stradman]

13 hours ago, Andyww said:

That's a good comparison. The reviewer notes how different the steering feels on each car and he's right, they do feel totally different.

 But the Esprit doesn't need power steering.

Well one man would disagree with you-Colin Chapman- which is why they made one with power assisted steering at his request at the beginning of 1981- a car I currently have in my possession.  Apparently he wasn't a fan of the Esprit's steering.  Of course it was the only one they made, and it was about 18 months before he died. Who knows, if he was alive longer I suspect the Esprit would have had power steering possibly as standard soon afterwards. As it transpired of course they made them standard 13 years later.

[Andyww]

4 hours ago, ian29gte said:

There's shedloads of scrub on my car, and it has ABS. And yes, you can feel it go over centre, to the point that on full lock in reverse it will sometimes stall the engine!

 

I enjoyed the magazine articles, thanks to those who posted them.

That's interesting, they must have left it as it is. Which is OK but if ABS cuts in on one front wheel it will try to pull the steering wheel around.

When Ferrari put ABS on the 328 they redesigned the front suspension to reduce the scrub angle to virtually zero.

29 minutes ago, stradman said:

Well one man would disagree with you-Colin Chapman- which is why they made one with power assisted steering at his request at the beginning of 1981- a car I currently have in my possession.  Apparently he wasn't a fan of the Esprit's steering.  Of course it was the only one they made, and it was about 18 months before he died. Who knows, if he was alive longer I suspect the Esprit would have had power steering possibly as standard soon afterwards. As it transpired of course they made them standard 13 years later.

I don't disagree with him. I would agree that power steering would be beneficial but its not "needed" is as much as the car doesn't feel unduly heavy without it.

On the Ferrari forums there are discussions about whether the 3x8 should have had power steering and the purists all say no. I happen to disagree with them and wish my 328 did have power steering. There are many people who say the 328 should never have had ABS but that's a crazy view IMHO.

[Neil Potter]

Just nonsense to suggest that the two cars cost the same to run and maintain.  And no mention of the price differential; surely a bit of a clincher for most?