Hi All

I finally picked up the Esprit today. Thanks to everyone who helped with the decision process.

Well.. I was genuinely choked about letting the Scooby go, but have to say, soon forgot the pain!!! WOW.

The Esprit is fantastic. I saw Stef tonight and he asked me whether it was better or worse than the Scooby. Difficult one. It is a different experience all together. I really don't think I could say which I prefer.

I'd love to have both!!

The Esprit is quite noticably faster than the scoob in terms of raw power, but, the scoob would still kick bottom as soon as you throw a bit of water on the road. Dry Country lanes.. hmmmm??? I'll have to get back to you on that, I think it would be close. I would normally say Scoob without question, but the Lotus Chassis is so incredible and the suspension takes care of the bumps so well that I think it would be close. However, if it was really bumpy and really twisty I think the Scoob would win again. By the same token, smooth flowing and medium corners the Lotus is one of the finest and most competent I have ever driven. It would genuinely leave almost any scoob standing.

The best thing about it is the incredible poise when sideways (so I've been told). It has the most comandable rear end ( ) I have ever experienced. Just as I remember the one I drove at MIRA.

Bloody uncomfortable though after about 2 hours, but willing to put up with it due to the HUGE amount of attention it generates. It's weird I must have lost weight and become amazingly good looking within the last 24 hours or something?

Anyway.. I'll keep you posted. Here's a quick pic I took earlier today. Thanks to everyone who told me how to post the pic!!



Cheers

Simon

[This message has been edited by Simon de Banke (edited 22-01-2000).]

 

cool simon - jealous isnt the word


chrisp

 

Very very nice Simon!!

Make sure you take it on the track at a SIDC track day won't you?

Laters

Ben

 

Just been out with Simon, and I can honestly say the car is lush!
Very sexy colour, and I'm sure once he's used to it, it'll be seeing a lot more sideways action!
I think it'd be a very close battle point-to-point with a Scoob.
As for the track, we'll have to wait and see.

Stef.

 

shame i can't get my 3 kids in one of those!
lurvely!

 

Very nice Simon. Hope you enjoy it.

You managed to get the photo's off your camera then?

Cheers,

Chris.

 

Thanks chaps!

Have to say... Stef's car is without doubt the best UK car I've driven. Had a short burst around the block and it feels not far off as quick as an STi.

 

Nice one Simon.
Hope you enjoy it. It looks brilliant.
Greg

 

looks good simon

daz

 

The driveway looks fantastic simon.

Oh are we talking cars here, sorry.

Seriously, there is only one thing to say about the car, its the dogs bollocks.

cheers

john

 

Fantastic!

 

Simon,

What a stupid car.
Stupid color.
Stupid line.
Probably nowhere near a scoob....

Oh my gawd I LOVE IT !

Go away :-)

Theo [you just bought the one car I was dreamin' about for the last ten years]

[This message has been edited by EvilBevel (edited 23-01-2000).]

 

Looks a beaut!

What has Stef had done to his Uk car to make it so fast?

David

 

Simon - am i supposed to be looking at the old shed in the top half of the picture - or the old shed in the bottom half???

Very confused

Scamp.

(only joking - looks the part)

[This message has been edited by jjones (edited 23-01-2000).]

 

Hi All

Thanks for all the kind words. Especially since I am now a mere Lotus owner.

I have now done 500miles in it and can provide a report as follows:-

WOW!!!
Oh My God!!!!
It just can't be real!!!

Seriously..
The car is all I have dreamed it would be for the majority of my life! (Theo.. I'm with you!)

The chassis is absolute perfection, I really can't go on about it enough. So I won't!

Plus Points:-
Ride / Handling, Steering, Performance (astonishing!), looks (I love it more every time I look at it!), The attention it draws (almost everybody stares!), Economy (Motorway driving, it's actually far better than the Scoob!!), engine / transmission sound (fabulous wine and yawl), lights (WOW!!)

Negatives:-
Miss my Scoob , Few creaks and rattles, uncomfortable after about 3/4 hour, EVERYBODY wants to race you, 2 seats, Stereo is ****!!, heater is crap.

Observations:-
Incredibly quick once you get the power down. Can wheel spin in third at 60 (I nearly poo'd!!). Even Mini's tower above you!! I can't actually walk away from it and into the house without help .

It's a fantastic car, I am really glad I bought it. I do genuinely miss the Scoob though already and know it is only a matter of time before I have one (of your girl's cars - come on Mike Rainbird!!) again.

Cheers All

Simon

 

Itll look even better when you get the bonnet scoop on it Simon.
Greg

 

Superb Simon Looks gorgeous, It is almost as fast <I>(on paper)</I> as my old Renault Alpine A610.

Bring it to the Midlands meet on Tuesday night, (see Events Thread) so I can slaver on it in the car park.

Mike.

[This message has been edited by Mike Tuckwood (edited 23-01-2000).]

 

Simon,

Looks the business Simon. Nice, very nice. Faster than a scoob, and lovely swoopy lines. Can't be bad.

My Evo VI won't be here until March now I changed the colour, so the Mira trip will have to wait until may or so - hope you'll give me a ride as a passenger then, in exchange for a go in the Evo. The esprit was one of my drream cars as a kid.

Regards,

Gary.

 

Simon, Simon, Simon!

What a total beaut! I never knew a Lotus could look THAT good! She looks absolutely GORGEOUS! You know what that means - you've got to get the matching purple racing boots! I'm getting my V.Ltd back this W/end - love to run it up to MIRA to check out your new baby! (I know you'll always be there from now on!)

Rich.

 

Simon; a man after my own heart -
I started a PEP to save up for an Esprit and bought a Scoob as a runaround in the meantime.

I'd be interest to know what year/model you went for and how the running costs/reliability goes.

Have fun,

Andy

 

VERY, VERY nice.

Handy thing is you don't have to open the garage door to park it inside...


Nick

 

Very nice! Add me to the jealous list, it was my alltime fave car as a youngster. When's it getting a run at MIRA? Don sent me a list of TWTB March dates & I'd love a lap in it.

Now all you need is one of those security systems that blows the car up if the side window gets smashed....

 

Nice colour simon - when are you getting the wheels done gold then ?

Definately better than the custard bus that was at MIRA.

 

David G.



Stef.

 

Eh?

 

Simon,

Is this your small run-about ??!! (see below)

Blackie

"My plan is this:-
Do a course.
Sell my Scooby before the court date and get a small run-about car to indicate how seriously I am taking this".

 

Simon, I'd just like to say congratulations on your lovely new car.

But I can't bring myself to due to jealousy.

You git.

robman

 

Simon
I have to admit - that's one lean mean mega machine - and I take back everything I said about squizzed frogs - and who cares about the shopping !

It was nice to meet you at last.
P

 

nuf said,
..James

 

Simon,

Not sure I like it - what on earth posessed you to buy one of those 'lots of trouble' things?

Pah!

Night