Elmer Fudpucker

Does anybody know what its performance figures are?

...and therefore settle a steadily growing International arguement

Cos ya see,

There was once three guys who worked together....

No 1,A Dutch guy,lets call him Alex who drives a std 03 WRX(like a complete and utter flippin' lunatic )

No 2,Me...English thro & thro,calm and sedate with an 03 UK STI PPP with prodrive springs and geometry...blah...blah..etc

and finally @No3, a Belgian lad.Our mate Bart whose just bought a 9 year Lotus 2.2 turbo Esprit and who constantly drives (anything)as tho his hair was on fire

Anyway,No 1 and No 2 constantly rib No 3 on a daily basis as to how cr@p his new 'British aquisition' is(all in good humour of course)

We never tire of telling No3 about our Rally pedigree,our superior AWD traction,our superb handling due to the low slung flat four boxer engine and oooh,how we smirk confidently at the very thought of the sporty chrome button on our hand brake levers...

In fact No1 and No2 roll around on the floor in fits of uncontrollable laughter every time one or the other asks ''so wheres the ejector seat button then?''....
...''can it*really*go underwater?''...and...''which button fires the rockets then?''

So far No1 and No2 have declined all offers from No3 to a street race or drag style race of any kind.Due in part to the serious legal implications involved and the obvious senseless endangerment to other road users lives

...but seriously now....I kinda knowingly suspect that this 'old' Lotus would give our Jap Rally Stylee Reps a real good licking in most driving conditions,except maybe a run to tesco's and back

Has anyone owned one and know what they're like to live with?

Jon

lightning101

http://www.lotusespritworld.com/models.html


There were only two models in 1996 - 1998

the GT3 or the first V8

So assuming GT3

This highly developed engine produces 179 kW (240bhp) at 6250 rpm and 294 Nm (216lb.ft) at 3750 rpm and enables the car to produce performance figures to shame more expensive supercars – 0-60 mph in 5.1seconds (0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds), 0-100 mph 12.9 seconds (0-160 km/h in 12.5 seconds) before reaching a top speed of 163.5mph (263 km/h).

Elmer Fudpucker

Thanks,

I did a search on google and found a comparison test between an Elise a GT3 esprit and an Impreza wagon....the wagon lost

30-70(thro gears) on the GT3 was 4.2 seconds:eeK: and nearly 8 secs on the wagon

sti-04!!

had a blast in one a while back wasnt overly impressed with it meself, though this was a C registration

AdiM

If it's 9 years old and a 2.2l then it's either an S4 or an S4s. The GT3 has a 2.0l engine. The 0-60 on an S4/S4s is about 4.7s, 0-100 about 11.5s.

Adrian
Esprit V8 Sport 350

Elmer Fudpucker

I'm going to end up eating humble pie,aren't I

carl

Saw a red S4 on Victoria Embankment a couple of weeks ago. I was sorely tempted to chop the TVR in for one, but then realized it would be ditching one unreliable car for another

Still, IMHO they look stunning, and it's a testament to Guigaro's original design (and Peter Stevens's restyle) that they still look "current".

muppet paster

Lots
Of
Trouble
Usually
Serious

screechmr2

if i was the lotus owner i'd be taking the p*ss out of you scooby boys for having tacky plastic ugly cars, typical jap stuff.

with a chip the lotus can hit 330bhp, then you'll have your ***** well and truely handed to you on a plate. lotus handling in the dry would happily shame the scooby, once moving the scooby will be easily beaten i reckon

Milamber

iTrader: (2)

and then the renault gearbox goes bang and the clutch smells like a badger in a kiln.

CustomScoobyIOM

An STI8 with a remap can hit 330bhp..... Point being?!

Cold Turkey

friend into 'classic' cars (MG, Jensen etc) bought a 2.2 esprit but I can't remember what year. I thought it was around 264hp and felt bloody fast (0-60 < 5.0) but then you were so low to the ground and tbh didn't feel safe. Can't even ask him as he sold it fairly quickly and is now driving round Europe in the Jensen.

Neither of us were that keen on it....but that doesn't mean it wouldn't beat your *****!

16vmarc

Couldnt resist:

mikelmr

Top gears lap times show that the impreza is quicker round the track (the rx8 also kicks lotus v8 *** :shock: )

The lotus definetly has more class than an impreza though

vindaloo

ROFL

Gompo

...An STI8 still has 4wd losses and probably some additional weight?

Elmer Fudpucker

been out for a couple of spirited drives against it now....and the lotus wins all hands down....except from standing starts(but thats only 'cos the Lotus can't change gear smoothly from first to second)

and the way that it can change direction has got to be seen to be believed

Its also getting thro a litre of engine oil a week,which is probably a sure sign of impending disaster....think i'll stick with my 'ugly plastic car' for now

screechmr2

the lotus'll still **** all over it

the lotus lap time on top gear was in the wet

mynickers

They do look like an 80's slab of cheese, slowly having bits and bobs bolted on. I can't help but have a little 'patriotic' love for Lotus even if they're abit quirky and unrealible. You can't really argue with the performance of most lotus, but it has to be a labour of love, I don't think I would like to live with one, paranoia every time you boot it, and listening to every little bang, clang, click or clack wondering whether there is inpending doom, and clouds of smoke on their way! They've always known how to make a truely great chassis though! Carteringvans, and Westies based on original seven, still some of the best handling track day cars around...

Elise 111R on the other hand, I would snap one of those up no Rover K-series engine, replaced with nice reliable Toyota VVT unit, and it sounds like the sales boost of the Elise has put much needed funding into the R&D so hopefully unrealibility will be less of a problem for Lotus fromnow on. YOu've gotta support our lads at Lotus.

mynickers

Plus to get full potential out of the latest Scoobs, you're forced to buy aftermarket bits from Prodrive or elsewhere, not jsut for more power, but to sort out the handling !

screechmr2

"Elise 111R on the other hand, I would snap one of those up no Rover K-series engine, replaced with nice reliable Toyota VVT unit"

i've often wondered why some small companies insist on putting unreliable engines in when they could fit a much better one from a big company, maybe slightly tweek it and get a better reputation and probably more sales as a result. suppose cost must influence it a lot

Elmer Fudpucker

Girls cars....end of chat

AdiM

I know it's not the same car but..

I had mine timed at Bruntingthrope this weekend, and I was really pleased with the results as I only got one go at it, as follows :

0-60 : 4.71 seconds
0-100 : 10.2 seconds
standing 1/4 miles : 13.2 seconds @ 110 mph

If you can download a 5 meg file, then it's :

http://www.graham-walsh.com/audio/lo...350-Esprit.mpg

Adrian
Esprit V8 Sport 350

carl

F**k, that is quick. How much do they weigh? Are they made from fibreglass?

AdiM

Yes, they are fibreglass.

The standard V8 is 1380kg and the Sport 350 is 1300kg. Magazine timings are around 4.4 to 4.8 seconds to 60, so I very amazed at 4.7 for my attempt. I launched at about 3000 rpm, had slight wheel spin and then it gripped and away it went. My speed actually dipped at about 110, before the 1/4 mile. I can't remember if I eased off or I had a poor third to fourth gear change. It recored 1st to 2nd at 44mph and 2nd to 3rd at 75mph.

Adrian

mynickers

Come on, girls would never buy a car without a glove box

I don't think I have ever seen a girl driving an Elise!

screechmr2

that wasn't me that said i wanted an elise

Elmer Fudpucker

Beauty and the beast





...but which is which?