Stumbled across this Lotus in Rethymon, Crete on the street. What is it?

Geoff

Looks like a newer Esprit.

Yep, should be one of the most recent/latest Esprit's

Has Esprit production stopped? Is there a replacement model in the works or is Lotus going to be down to a single model, the Elise?

A friend of mine had an early Essex turbo four Esprit. Essex was once the Lotus F1 sponsor and they produced a commemorative model that was blue with Essex graphics. A bit flashy in my opinion. I drove it for a couple of hours while coming back from Florida, while he drove my 914. It really drew attention! It was fun and drove really well. The engine did have some grunt. I believe it was a 2.2 liter Lotus DOHC four with the turbo blowing trough twin Dellortos side drafts. I have to think I got the better end of the trade that day! But my friend did say that my 914 was nice!

Esprit production has not stopped. Lotus is producing both the Esprit and the Elise. Another model is also in the works that will be a "middle" model to fit between them (in both size and price).

-Ben M.

lotus showroom pic!
looks like it IS a late model esprit!

I like those cars, twin turbo V8.

The one in that photo looks new enough that it's probably the V8 model. 3.5L, DOHC, twin-turbo, 350hp. Would probably fit into a 914 nicely. I wonder what gearbox they use?

Heard this story.
A Portland HIGH END dealership wanted to carry the Elise.....smart fella. The folks at Lotus told them OK, but.....they also had to take X number of Espirts also. The dealer told em' to stuff it....smart fella.

mid engine too =]

they sound sooo nice

Lotus HAS stopped making the Esprit. Production stopped a while years ago. Story goes they could no longer get the Renault gearbox anymore and a replacement unit would cost too much.

I saw this recently.

Lotus Elan, (as it says on the side of the car). Very nice little lightweight car, fiberglass body on steel frame.

I've always thought Lotuses and 914's have a lot in comon: small lightweight cars, often unloved or looked-down upon, that can kick the beeeehind of the person looking down.

Not sure a twin-turbo V-8 Esprit fits that description, though !

You wouldn't believe how small the cockpit is in those, make a Miata look spacious.

Problem I have with Loti is they're so delicate. You just say the words "curb bump" or "pothole" to them and you bend the suspension or tweak the frame. I'd love to have a Europa, but only if I got one of the aftermarket Banks Garage frames (much sturdier).

Pretty sure Esprit production stoppe din like 2002 or 2003. Our local dealer still has a few "new" Esprits in the showroom. A helluvacar but for the same money I would take the 996 or upcoming 997.

New Elise on the other hand is very tempting. 911 Performance at sub-Boxster prices

i would love to add a europa to my stable my first wub

now that is a hot car!

Mmmm. Looks like a later car (S2? S3?) Probably has the better gearbox as well as a Big Valve in it.

Aaron, if you haven't already, go to www.banks-europa.co.uk and drool. New frames, engine kits, etc. 160hp modern EFI engine in a 1500lb car, anyone?

WTG AARON! Say no to sex! Save yourself for that special blind woman!

If you think you have been laughed at, just take a spin in a Lotus Europa.


M

Are you shittin' me. The Europa is cool!
Renault Alpine A110's rock too

Sure it is, as well as Laura Brannigan, and people talk about the Village People because they were also well loved by people 'not high on cocaine'..


M

MMmmm.....Alpine A110.
All Alpines rock like the R5 alpine Gordini thing( I like the 310 too -and the A610 Turbo)

Uhoh... I just fopund out something that I have wondered about for many years. Some people like 914s for other reasons than me..

Show of hands: How many here were first attracted to the 914 for it's looks, WHILE it was commercially available?

Ok now, hands up... who liked them for their looks sometime AFTER they were commercially available?

MmmmHhmmm.. you guys also like Citroens.



eEeeEwwEeeWww

I bought 2 914's while they were commercially available. I never bought the car for its looks. The first one came down to a choice between a 1973 bmw 2002 ti and a 1973 914 2.0, after driving both it was a no-brainer, the 914 was and remains a superior handling car, the 2002 was and is a great sedan but would be hard pressed to handle a cheap civic today. On the other hand the 914 is still VERY competative as recent autox outcomes show. As far a a love of Citroen cars, sorry not really, the old ones look like spaceships and the new ones lie everything else. The one we rented in France a few years ago was a good car, but unremarkable. I do have a friend who owns a DSM who says you can't see the car when you're driving it and it is a lovely drive, I have to admit. Looks like shit tho....JIm

These are THE coolest cars ever. Alas, they were never available in the US. The very few that are here were brought over privately. This is the No.1 car on my list of car's I'd eventually like to own. I've even (faintly) considered trying to find one to pop a mold off of and make some custom tube frame. Kit cars are much easier to license in the US (esp. in CA) than one-off imports.

(btw, I'm completely serious here. I guess I just like cars others hate)

Looks? GIRLS buy cars based on looks. (no offense ladys)

I like the 914, but for reasons other than looks.

-Ben M.

Back to the Lotus thing here, my buddy has a Europa that he is totally re-doing. My teener and his Lotus share a garage. It's got a Cosworth 1.7, I believe. Rated at around 200hp, and the car weighs about 1500lbs. Should haul some serious ass. Here's a couple pics.

Is that a very dusty 914 fender?

lapuwali, Were we seperated at birth??

I think the 914 looks great. It has a lot of other good qualities too.

i read that the elise will be priced @ 38,000 not bad for the "other " itailian sport.

Qarl's Elise will be $52k, he is getting the Malibu Barbie Package, big paper stickers, and pink plastic interior.



M

omg...

poor guy has had to deal with 2 hurricanes...and now Hurricane miles :finger2:

I'm stalled

Caution, Lotus rant ahead, don't read if you like Lotus cars or british engineering and are easily offended (I don't like lotus cars and am about to express my opinion):


Imagine a car that is more fragile and tempermental than a ferrari but without all of the performance or styling or appeal.
Imagine if Lucas branched out into mechanical engineering and was responsible for reliability.
What would you end up with?

LOTUS! The epitome of poor british automobile engineering. (no offense).

I can't believe anyone can compare a 914 to a lotus.
The beauty of the 914 is that it is small, light, and strong!
These things are tough as nails except for the rust thing.
Can anyone really say that about a lotus? Porsche and lotus are exact opposites in my opinion when it comes to engineering.

They have some nice styling, to a point. The Esprit almost gets there, the elan is..... never mind. The ergonomics are a joke for anyone over 5'8"

I guess my biggest pieve about Lotus is that the cars had so much potential and never even got close to it. They never got past the styling mock-ups or protoype stages as far as execution goes.
Given some real power, and engineering some strength and reliability into them would have made all the difference in the world.

OK I feel better, flame away.

Lotuses were not particularly badly engineered compared to other British cars of the day. I think plenty of engineering went into the road-going Lotus cars, but durability just wasn't considered as important as it sound have been. They would have been complete non-starters had Colin Chapman started in 1980 rather than 1950, when government regulations required things like crash testing. There were a number of significant missteps, like the first Elite (fiberglass monocoque, which cracked badly when exposed to real roads, not just racetracks). However, I also consider the first Elite to be one of the prettiest, tidiest cars ever made.

That said, there's been a good deal of progress using these cars as inspiration. Caterham has made the Seven a durable car, though they added significant weight to get it (up to 1500lbs from 1100lbs). Banks Garage has manage to produce solid Europas with a vastly stronger chassis, and managed to do so without adding a huge amount of weight.

The 914 can also be made into a much better car now than it was in 1969. Shortcomings in power, braking, strength, and shifting have all been addressed over the years.

What we should be happy for is that cars were made that sufficiently inspired people to go to all of this trouble in continuing to develop them long after the factory stopped. IMHO, there are far fewer such cars being produced today. Can you see people continuing to drive and improve the MR Spyder in 2034?