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When/Why did you Fall in Love with (Your) Lotus?


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Had a little Bond marathon over the weekend with the son and when watching 'The Spy Who Loved Me', it made me remember exactly when and why I first ever fell in love with Lotus and specifically the Esprit. I can still remember the first time watching that film, ahhh the nostalgia! The car will ALWAYS have a place in my heart. 

Just a shame mine can't turn into a submarine! 

How and when did you, reader, fall in love with Lotus? 

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TSWLM followed by FYEO

Then seeing a white esprit parked here on a regular basis from 1985 -to 1987

Kenley.jpg

until I bought it in June 1987 - first picture I have at Hendon in 1987.

y4meKwXeMOBTPeCaYQxFmxs5ln40LYfaJJdMELPA

 

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  • Gold FFM

I remember watching the Spy Who Loved Me and seeing the white wedge in profile coming off the ferry and thinking what is that?!

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Surprisingly I wasnt as dazzled by TSWLM as most (I thought/think the S1 a little slab sided and looked better as a submarine! Also the Wolfrace wheels were incredibly naff at the time and appeared on every Morris marina Coupe that was tring to look like Starsky and Hutch).

 

My moment came when I bought a copy of Autocar with the S2 in 1978, and the gold press car (the famous one with the pic of ACBCs plane behind), that was THE moment the ownership goal was set.

image.png.2e0a2c85852ce816c2a3ec7b31ec2ca0.pngimage.png.6d35992a115e176dd7c34604d603dc30.png

In the garage no-one can hear you scream 

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Picked up this little flying machine circa 84. Always wanted the daddy Esprit but was a bit out of reach in those days. Until I got a divorce😉 a few years ago. Can’t stop buying lotus now, oops. ✌️White shoes as well. ❤️

A0A6A571-C0A4-48A9-8760-4880D8E7F9BC.jpeg

D521D193-F0E5-4B29-9C4D-E1DE9E5AFA69.jpeg

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Suspension, brakes, chipped, chargecooler rad and pump,injectors,ignition coils and leads, BOV, highflow cat and zorst, Translator and tie rods, Head lights, LEDs to tail lights and interior,Polybushes to entire front end, Rad fans, rad grill, front end refurb with aluminium spreaderplates and galvanised bolts. Ram air, uprated fuel pump, silicone hoses through out, wheels refurbed and powder coated,much more, all maintenance.

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It all started when I played this game on the Mega Drive in 1992, I was only 7 years at that time. 
317630848_LotusTurboChallenge1992.jpg.8bab2ef31b2bd9ad11d4ef1370c8a1b1.jpg

Then a few years later in the 90's, my dad bought me the early Gran Turismo games.
I blame Kazunori Yamauchi for my sportscar addiction 😁 Gran Turismo 2 had a huge selection of Lotus cars, including my favourite Motorsport Elise!
1391906820_GranTurismoMSElise.jpg.042cfdcd6d0ecb6b3ef5d38651b63c62.jpg

The rest is history 🙂 !

Edited by T_Exige
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I saw a Lotus Etna in my Observers Book of Automobiles and was hooked. That little book always fell open to that page, I was obsessed with it!

When I later saw TSWLM I knew it was actually an Esprit I was after and then spent 8 years saving up for one, bought my first at 25.

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For forum issues, please contact the Moderators.

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I visited the Earls Court motor show in 1975 and saw this and that was it, I had to have an Esprit

 

one.jpg

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This book is guaranteed to NOT change your life…but it does mention a Lotus Esprit...

To enjoy this masterpiece, download Martin now. Simples!!!

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  • Gold FFM

All over again just now when I took it for a test drive before its alignment tomorrow.

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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 the Moderators. (I'm not one of the elves anymore, but I'll leave the link here)

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My Esprit love affair started one bank holiday when I saw the twins (white and bronze esprit turbos in FYEO). I spent my late teens buying every book I could find with an Esprit in it and had sufficient knowledge to buy one at 20. Unfortunately my funds didn’t match my knowledge and I had to wait till I was 24 before Esprit prices and my earnings made it possible. I went to see a red SE with my dad but it had valve or timing damage so thouroughly dejected and with bottom lip way out I slinked off!! When dad suggested we go to Paul Mattys on the way home I made some grumpy statement how they wouldn’t have one and even if they did it would be too expensive! And then as we came off the roundabout there she was, right at the edge of the drive, basking in the sunshine and watching other cars with owners wiz by. Both dad and I declared that she was a looker and I I might have felt sorry for my sturdy girl original shape Saab 900 Turbo if I wasn’t so infatuated with the midnight blue Stephens carb turbo that sat so purposefully in front of me. Paul Matty had 3 Esprits that day (2 midnight blue and 1 red) but I kept coming back to the one at the front.  John crook suggested a test drive and as we pulled out of the driveway she instantly took off up the hill like her life depended on it. I was young and fit but my 4 and a half pack abs were no match for the force at which I was pinned to the back of the seat. At that point it was a done deal, she was coming home with me one way or another. I didn’t want to leave her there for the 2 weeks Paul said it would take to get her ready and in the cold light of the following days I made bold statements about getting esprit ownership out of my system whilst I was still young. Needless to say, 16 years on we are still together. We are both older, with more mileage but unlike me she’s still dangerously fast and an absolute hottie!! 

Sorry for the massive post, I will now leave you to seek professional help!!

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A tricky question to answer really as I've been in love with every single Lotus I've ever owned. Yes, one or two tested that love quite sorely at times, but I always kept the faith.

I first became aware of the marque when in 1960 the father of a good pal of mine was building a series 2 Seven in his garage. I spent hours just watching the build progress, passing spanners when asked, amazed by this strange looking little car. The dad promised to take me out for a spin when it was built but, sadly, they moved away before that ever happened so I never did get to ride in it.😕

Then in 1961 we were visiting my aunt and uncle for a party and parked on the drive was quite the loveliest thing I had ever seen in my then very young life. It was a Series 1 Elite that belonged to a friend of my cousin and I spent the entire evening walking around the car gawping at it, mesmerised by the shear beauty of the car I was looking at. I can see it just as clearly in my mind now, finished in a sort of Azure blue with silver roof and from that moment on I was totally hooked by anything with a Lotus badge. I'm a lost cause I think.😄

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On 18/07/2018 at 16:52, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

It was love at first sight for me. Seeing her nearing completion at Lotus Motorsport, I almost felt unworthy and certainly punching above my weight!

Here are some photos from back then.

PNaraC5.jpg

SIBnCec.jpg

waH5gWA.jpg

Wow !! I think anyone would be punching above their weight with that beauty!

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On 19/07/2018 at 20:12, T_Exige said:

It all started when I played this game on the Mega Drive in 1992, I was only 7 years at that time. 
317630848_LotusTurboChallenge1992.jpg.8bab2ef31b2bd9ad11d4ef1370c8a1b1.jpg

Then a few years later in the 90's, my dad bought me the early Gran Turismo games.
I blame Kazunori Yamauchi for my sportscar addiction 😁 Gran Turismo 2 had a huge selection of Lotus cars, including my favourite Motorsport Elise!
1391906820_GranTurismoMSElise.jpg.042cfdcd6d0ecb6b3ef5d38651b63c62.jpg

The rest is history 🙂 !

I'll surely have to get the mega drive down from the attic now and try to find a copy on eBay! The little one is going to be a Lotus fanatic whether he knows it yet or not haha

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Fell in love with mine first time I laid eyes on it at the dealers out in Hertfordshire. It was an amazing sunny spring day and it just looked so glorious basking out in the sun:

IMG_20120311_143917

Unfortunately mobile cameras never capture the full intensity and glare of the sun but needless to say I was instantly sold - Racing Green/Magnolia, twisty country roads and now power steering. Never looked back. 

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Vanya Stanisavljevic '91 Esprit SE | '97 XK8

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6 hours ago, PiersSadler1970 said:

I'll surely have to get the mega drive down from the attic now and try to find a copy on eBay! The little one is going to be a Lotus fanatic whether he knows it yet or not haha

Looks familiar, not mine but a friends, I hope to buy it when he finally decides to let it go

P1000467.JPG

P1000468.JPG

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  • Gold FFM

Pretty sure I saw you car parked on the side of the road in Arnage Saturday morning at Classic Le Mans 3 weeks back.

👍😊

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Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk - that will teach us to keep mouth shut!

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