cletteridge WROTE:

>>> People wonder how Toyota managed to make such a fine handling mid-engined car right off the bat without any experience - that's how <<<

AGREED! British expertise .... Simple as that! That story is far from unique. I also have in mind a particular car that was a clone straight off of a 1960s Lotus Elan. "Only the japanese could do this" ... Oh Yeah ... Bullsh!t. For some reason the likes of those with shall we say a "Mega" mentality are very determined failures when it comes to recognising ANY British examples of expertise and knowhow. They rarely if ever give credit where it is truly due ..... Why do they do this? .... Maybe some sub-conscious way of justifying their own choice of Alien Wheels ...... Yeah, that's it ..... :D:D:D:D:D:D

[Edited by MGJohn - 12/1/2002 1:40:07 AM]

The M250 is to return! Lotus now testing Toyota V6 engines acording to Autoexpress. At last the nasty little Elise and the VERY old Esprit will go!

A REAL Lotus, one with some build Q and day to day use is coming..........GREAT!
Mega

Dont talk Pish.
The Elise is one of the finest cars ever made.
If you want build Quality buy an Audi or BMW.
I think you are missing the whole ethos of Lotus.
Performance comes top of the list.

Bob.

P.S. pardon the french.

Good to see the M250 coming back - stunning looking car.

Agree with Bob - Elise is a stunning driver's car - probably up with the best of all time. It's a stripped out lightweight pure sportscar - what more do you want? Choice is yours.

Chris

Uh oh, Mega's back...

I thought the M250 was ugly until I saw the picutures of the Enzo...

Now the M250 (prototype) looks like a cheap Enzo!

I hope they build somthing in that segment but please, spare us from that monstrosity!

I wonder if that's the same V6 us MR2 people have been talking about for ages? Meant to be in the roadster soon with 240 odd brake.

Toyota has co-operated with lotus before, we will see miracles if Toyota gives more than the engine to Lotus.

Yes they have. The Mk1 MR2 was originally a joint project between Lotus and Toyota - Lotus design and Toyota engine/built. The concept was called the X-100 and was basically Lotuses 1980s version of the Elise. It suited both parties fine, but Lotus eventually ran into finance trouble and pulled out, leaving Toyota to buy out the designs. People wonder how Toyota managed to make such a fine handling mid-engined car right off the bat without any experience - that's how.

Yes its great news.
I ran an Elan FWD and i had very little trouble with. I am sorry to see all the trouble people seem to have with Elise. I wonder if its the Rover parts that's the problem?

I hear the steering racks are u/s by 20,000 miles and the suspensions need very careful tracking if you hit a pot hole.

Build Q has been a big problem on the Elise, if Lotus want to go after the Boxster Market they MUST do better! Lets hope Toyota's input is more than just a bag of bits!
Cheers
Mike.
P.s Where do i find info on the MR2 V6?

Mega WROTE:

>>>Build Q has been a big problem on the Elise, if Lotus want to go after the Boxster Market they MUST do better! <<<

Apparently not that much better though. Suggest Mega trawls Scoobynet "Other marques" and other sites for some recent feedback on various Boxster Build Q things ..... some Boxster owners have found that their unmodified cars can become "superheated" resulting in terminal engine burn out ..... Like Mega, let's all wonder if Porsche fit Rover parts .... what a schnyde comment !!!!

A neighbour had his Boxster engine catch fire on the motorway recently. That's the same neighbour who went on incessently to me about superior build quality ... Rubbishing Brit and Jap built cars in the process. He drives his Boxster much more sheeepishly now ..... much lower profile and less spring in his step. I wonder why ... :(

Visiting a major vehicle salvage company recently (my son wanted a "real cool" part off a French car for his Rover - don't ask...:D Youngsters today and all that). There we observed some evidence of Boxster total burn outs ..... and several BMWs .... Personally, that's the sort of build quality I could do without.

Get REAL Mega !!

John
I read the J.D.Power and the Boxster was like very near the top. I think MGR are like very near the bottom. With most car companys you atlest get the parts!

How many Mg owners where off the road for weeks or even months because of no spares? The Boxster has a very good rep in all the surveys carried out buy the Motoring press John, both here and in the US.

I only wish Lotus/MGR could get anywhere near in build Q!

Mega,

So if it appears in print somewhere it must be gospel ... yeah right ...

Did you bother to read up that Boxster thread?

SURVEYS: So a few hundred punters write about their cars and everyone must take note because they are obviously ALL like that.... GET REAL! ......... OTOH, if you value these reprts so highly, WHY DID YOU NOT MENTION THE VERY RECENT SURVEY WHEREBY THE HUMBLE ROVER 400/45 EMERGED THE MOST RELIABLE. This model having a far superior breakdown callout frequency than any of those so called better build quality marques you continually bleat on about. Sure a few MG-R owners had their cars off road because of non immediate availability of some parts, often because they've pranged their car - yes I've seen those threads too. That has never been known to happen to owners of other marques .... c'mon Mega ... Get ORF your Anti-Brit-MG-R hobby horse for crissakes ... PERLEASE ...!

Hmmmmmmmmm.....4 Posts from you John, i see your in a good mood! Sorry John but the information i have in front of me tells a differant story. The Boxster is damn near bulit proof, and so are most Toyota's Honda's etc.

I think most honest people would agree that MGR does not have a great rep for build Q. Did you see "Watchdog" a few months ago? The poor chap who is on number FOUR engine? The total cock up ref spares etc.

I hope and pray LOTUS do go down the right path, they understand not to Skip on Build Q. Listen why not go to www.mg-rover.org they are true belivers as your self.
Mega

As an ex MG owner (i was the 1 at well lane with the blue ZR160) i can honestly say MGR cars are one of the worst i've owned. To date i've had 29 cars of different makes (4 Rovers in the past that were a lot better)so i think i can comment. When the car went to a garage for repairs (every 2nd week) i would have to collect the car without the repairs being done as parts were always on back order.
As for Johns point about the R45 / 400 being one of the most reliable - MGR are scrapping it this year with no replacement!!!!

Hi Rob
Are sure that MGR are scraping off the 45 THIS YEAR! as in the next few weeks? I am shocked to hear that, i mean its at lest a year before we see its 75 based replacement. I think they intend to import a small car from India (Tata)but i thought the 45 could stagger on till its replacement came.
Cheers
Mike

oops meant to say within a year - sorry

Yep! Thought so