Peoples’ reaction to your Evora

[Bruss]

He has an orange Evora 400 

[mik]

Rather unusually - two completely separate incidents yesterday whilst out for a wee jaunt up North with some driving buddies.

At the first fuel stop a lady approached and asked if she could have her picture taken beside the car. Very polite I thought, and of course agreed. She then stuffed her phone into my hand and said "you take it". Ah  It was for her nephew who would be "insanely jealous". I suggested she jumped in so I could take a pic of her behind the wheel and she could tell him I'd let her take it for a spin. She was in the car in 0.008 nanoseconds.....   None of the other cars got any attention.

Then later - when leaving a stop-to-talk-p1sh point, a group 4 lady hikers were approaching as I pulled away. One stayed in the road and blocked my path and I thought I was about to get a talking to for some reason, but she instead said "my friend is too shy to ask for a picture beside your car". No problem I said - picture taken. All laughing. Went to pull away and they got all excited and decided they all wanted multiple pics taken beside the car. So I had to wait.... Again, none of the other cars received a glance.

I got a bit of a ribbing for this - one mate claiming "I could hear the knicker elastic snapping above the sound of my exhaust".

 

Edited September 9, 2018 by mik

[Bruss]

So

 

 

where are pics pf the women?

 

 

[C8RKH]

So @mik looking at your picture that tells me that German cars have no sex appeal for women, whereas cars built by true english men, in the turnip fields around Norfolk, get them falling over you!  

Went out in a blast for mine yesterday and stopped off at a nice wee cafe in a village, parking just opposite in their little car park. Walk in ask for a coffee and a bacon roll and the first response I got from the lady who owns and runs the cafe was "oooh, my god, I just love that car of yours. It is absolutely gorgeous".  She never mentioned the cockster parked next to it at all and I got an extra piece of tablet with my coffee!

Two older guys of the country where in there talking about a barn they were building, both then turned around and said, "Ah, a Lotus is it. My mate had one of them in the early 80's, an Elite I think it was, all wedge shaped, he was a mechanic".  I then waited for the usual punch line about how it was a good job he was a mechanic as lots of trouble....  Instead, I got, "he bloody loved that car. Said it was the best car he had ever had and he'd love another one now. Glad to see Lotus still going, so laddy, what engines in there then and she looks bloody fast, a real cracker......"

We chatted for about 20 minutes. Just about made my weekend to be honest.  Right then, off now for a blast from the past, about 30 years ago to be exact, as off to see Simple Minds outside in the sun.  How very apt....

[Bruss]

Up on the catwalk..

 

One of the best live rock songs. enjoy.

[KennyN]

1 hour ago, Bruss said:

So

where are pics pf the women?

1

Not so fast...the first question should be whether a wide angled lens would be required for said pics 😉

[tim_marra]

1 hour ago, C8RKH said:

 off to see Simple Minds outside in the sun. 

Simple minds. It will be full of Porsche owners 

[C8RKH]

6 hours ago, Bruss said:

Up on the catwalk..

 

One of the best live rock songs. enjoy.

Great night. New Gold Dream. Alive and nicking (we were in Dundee) and the Pretenders as support and Chrissie was just fantastic. Great night out in the sun ..

[DaveC72]

I'd have gone just to see the Pretenders.  

[Nathan Pitman]

Popped out this morning in my Evora 400 to get milk and bread (as you do). As usual got distracted somewhat by taking the ‘long route’ and came across a lovely looking metallic red Alfa Romeo 4C on my drive through Bracknell.

The owner wound his window down down and gave me the thumbs up as he spotted me in the mirrors. 👍

A car (along with the Alpine) which I would definitely like to try one day. 

[JayEmm]

Totally different from the 400, but has its own appeal, the 4C.

Always nice to get appreciation from owners of other marques.

[Nathan Pitman]

I would love to see a Alpine vs Evora video from someone at some point (wink wink). 

[JayEmm]

I would love to get my hands on an Alpine! 

[KennyN]

 

36 minutes ago, Nathan Pitman said:

Popped out this morning in my Evora 400 to get milk and bread (as you do). As usual got distracted somewhat by taking the ‘long route’ and came across a lovely looking metallic red Alfa Romeo 4C on my drive through Bracknell.

The owner wound his window down down and gave me the thumbs up as he spotted me in the mirrors. 👍

A car (along with the Alpine) which I would definitely like to try one day. 

2

I had a similar mutual appreciation moment with a Marcos owner on the M3 this morning when I was on my way to B&C for my cars running in service.  The two-way nod and thumbs up said more than 100 words 😄

[Bibs]

On 29/09/2018 at 14:20, Nathan Pitman said:

A car (along with the Alpine) which I would definitely like to try one day. 

I've driven one and found the ergonomics hard work, the gear change embarrassing, the steering was awfully weighted and the brakes were as wooden as drums all round. Not for me! 

[electro_boy]

You taking about the old Alpine or the new one? 😉

 

[C8RKH]

I thought he was talking about his girlfriend!  

[pete757]

So, how much to Renault pay EVO Steve to give his review that makes it sound like something on even a different planet to a Lotus?!  😳

[Nathan Pitman]

Quote

"...the way in which it flows across the ground, ‘breathing’ with the road like only the best cars from Lotus did all those years ago, "

🙄

[Simon Bateman]

Just back from a group road trip to Italy and spent a night at the Lingotto hotel in Turin, which fans of the Italian job will know as the former Fiat factory and test track (on the roof).

Prior to this we all pulled up North of Turin at the Basilica di Superga, where the cars received a lot of interest.  Shortly after, we were sitting on a wall nearby and a couple came out of the Basilica unaware we were the owners and the women went over to the car, put her bag on the bonnet and then sat on the wing for a photo!!

I tend to find that 'get off my F**king car' translates perfectly in most languages!!

 

[SH]

The Alpine may well be a fantastic drive - but by god... it is über fugly!

Just hideous!

[Alfa2Evora]

On ‎01‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 14:17, Bibs said:

I've driven one and found the ergonomics hard work, the gear change embarrassing, the steering was awfully weighted and the brakes were as wooden as drums all round. Not for me! 

Yep - totally agree.

I've owned an Alfa in some shape or form for over 25 years. Tried out a 4C, bought an Evora. Nothing more to say really.

[SH]

I saw a 4C in the flesh for the first time fairly recently.

Absolutely stunning from the front, rear, and quarter-views, but far too squat when viewed side-on.  And that dash / switchgear!  🤮  Who the hell signed that off?  Very un-Alfa!

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

My one-year old Passat Estate started reverting to old skool analogue controls on a trip yesterday. First the engine light came on, then the ABS light, then the ACC (cruise control) light, then the traction control, then the tyre pressure monitors, then the auto-hold and finally the electronic handbrake. By this time I had had enough and dropped it back at the VW dealer whilst I still could.

This left me with a problem as I needed to do a 263 mile round trip to Leeds to visit a new customer today. VW couldn't care less and didn't have any courtesy cars. So I phoned Enterprise car hire when I got home and arranged them to sort me with a rental car. Or so I thought: they called me back an hour later and refused to rent me a car because their "computer said no" when they asked it to confirm my address: apparently I haven't been living in my own home for the past 13 years after all. It must all have been a dream. Even my driving licence with photo, name, DOB and address on it was not considered sufficient evidence to let me loose in one of their precious Hyundai i30s or similar.

So it was left to the Evora GTE to pick up the mantle. Not that I had any issues with driving it, but I was concerned what this potential new customer would think if he saw me turn up in that. Anyway, I arrived early and cased the joint before sneaking in to a back car park space. Nothing was mentioned, so I think I got away with it.

Anyway back on topic. The GTE really did seem to garner more interest the further North I drove. A couple of college girls came up to me in a Leeds petrol station and said "is your car a Lotus? It's well lovely" or something like that.

Oh and this was the first time I had tried the radio. OK, the equipment quality ain't great, but the crap that was coming out of Radios 1 & 2 would have sounded shit with even the most expensive stereo! I seem to be at some sort of limbo age: too old to have any affinity with the music and presenters on Radio 1 and too young for the dullards and easy-listening of Radio 2.

[Del Lardo]

15 hours ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

I seem to be at some sort of limbo age: too old to have any affinity with the music and presenters on Radio 1 and too young for the dullards and easy-listening of Radio 2.

Sounds familiar which is why I've given up on radio and moved to Spotify.  Ignoring the easy access to loads of albums for one moment, it really does a good job of creating or recommending playlists that suit my belief that with a couple of minor exceptions, there has been no good new music since 2009