Would you swap your 911 for a Lotus Esprit?

[porsche930dude]

Nevermind Here it is
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1388040

[surfdwn]

I have had the pleasure of owning all three cars discussed in this thread. I hate to disagree about driving and Esprit, but they are definitely a kick! One of the fastest cars I have ever driven. Up on boost, the turbo Esprit is exhilarating!

The cars are very poorly built and I spent a lot of time working on mine, including rebuilding a transmission that parts can be very difficult to find. I was very glad to get rid of the car. Great to drive, great to look at....horrible to own.

The Pantera ai had I referred to as "the beast". Raw, brute power and decent handling. While a 911 will definitely out-handle the Pantera, the sweet song of that 351C right behind your head was awe inspiring. Again, wonderful to drive, great to gloat over, but a pain to own, due to poor build quality and parts bin parts.

I stick to 911's. They are fun to drive and easy to live with. The 3.2's are great cars and I had an '86 and an '89. I actually prefer the long-noses, have had a '68 and now a '70.

It's hard to beat the overall owning experience of a 911, but playing with some other makes and models can be fun.

By the way, my current daily driver is a supercharged Miata, also fun.


David Nolen
1970 911T

[NathanR]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

Tell you what, I'll buy a Lotus and trade you for your 911.

These cars are like Jags, no body seriously wants them and they are hard to sell unless they are bargain priced.
British cars are turds. Stay clear. I remember when I had my V12 VDP, I picked up one of my british co-workers, his comments were, "Nice motor mate... typical british car... took care of all the wrong details." They look good, might handle well but reliability and function were the lowest priorities.

-----------------

On the contrary, British cars are, in general, pretty simple, pretty reliable once properly sorted, easy to work on, and much cheaper to source parts for than my 911. The sports cars can be very fun to drive. A few are absolutely unequalled in styling.

Bottom line, drive what pleases you. As a marque, Lotus was extremely innovative and has a storied racing history. While an Esprit doesn't really appeal to me personnally, and the 70's were tough on that industry as a whole, I would love to drive a Lotus 7 or an Elan. Or one of the race cars

Cheers,
Nathan

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Excellent points, Nathan. I cut my car-teeth on a TC, first racecar was an XK-120M, had Astons--DB4 and 5--and even today get to drive a neighbor's Jim Clark Edition Elan S2 when I feel the need. People too easily put down English cars. Or, in fact, whatever cars don't fit their self-image at the moment.

I'm about to test a GT-R Nissan, and the on-line hysteria about this car, which nobody has yet seen, much less touched and don't even talk about the possibility of their driving one, is so extreme that one has to wonder if car enthusiasts these days discuss cars they know anything about through practical experience or simply argue about their Playstation time.

[boxster03]

sure as long as Pretty Woman comes with the car

[eapcpa]

Hell No!!!!

[MT930]

Negative! not for a Lotus! I do think it is a stunning car, how about a real Cobra?

[NathanR]

Originally Posted by Formerly Steve Wilkinson

Excellent points, Nathan. I cut my car-teeth on a TC, first racecar was an XK-120M, had Astons--DB4 and 5--and even today get to drive a neighbor's Jim Clark Edition Elan S2 when I feel the need. People too easily put down English cars. Or, in fact, whatever cars don't fit their self-image at the moment.

I'm about to test a GT-R Nissan, and the on-line hysteria about this car, which nobody has yet seen, much less touched and don't even talk about the possibility of their driving one, is so extreme that one has to wonder if car enthusiasts these days discuss cars they know anything about through practical experience or simply argue about their Playstation time.

Thanks Steve. I was surprised by a few of comments in this thread. Perhaps those with negative views had a negative experience with a particular car, or perhaps they were simply regurgitating common views. To slam the entire british automotive heritage, rich as it is, baffles me.

Ironically, the person who introduced me to Porsches also introduced me to British cars (about 20 years earlier). He'll probably see this thread if he's not too busy...

So, forgive my ignorance, but what's the story on the GT-R? I lived in Japan for a few years (2000-2002) and saw quite a few interesting cars while I was there.

Cheers,
Nathan

[laughac]

Exige maybe, or even an Elise... but not an Esprit.

[unclebilly]

[QUOTE=JGalt;3850421] Very complicated solutions to otherwise simple problems. QUOTE]

This sums up british engineering. Ever work with a British project manager?

One of my best friends is a british engineer (he's probably designed some of the electronics in at least one of your cars...). Simplicity is not his middle name.

[NathanR]

[QUOTE=unclebilly;3852505]

Originally Posted by JGalt

Very complicated solutions to otherwise simple problems. QUOTE]

This sums up british engineering. Ever work with a British project manager?

One of my best friends is a british engineer (he's probably designed some of the electronics in at least one of your cars...). Simplicity is not his middle name.

That's a fair characterization of Jaguars, esp the V12s, but not most vintage British cars, and certainly not my MG. I've looked under the hood of exactly 2 Lotuses, a Europa and an Eleven. The Europa was pretty standard fare. You couldn't get any simpler than the Eleven. Eliminating anything that wasn't absolutely necessary was Colin Chapman's mantra. My 911 is downright opulent compared to that Eleven.

Cheers,
N.

[Wil Ferch]

Is this the Lotus model ...with the handbrake alongside the driver's door ..that if it malfunctions makes ....as Car&Driver said at that time....

....."exiting the car about as easy as crawling away from a train wreck"....

I still laugh at the image of that ... !

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

The last Aston Martin I drove--V8 Vantage, Vanquish, can't remember which one--also had the handbrake there, one of those pull-on-and-then-it-retracts rigs the Brits love. It can also eat pants legs.

[GH85Carrera]

Just a simple NO!

[dickepoohp]

LOTUS = "Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious"

OK, granted it only happened DOWNHILL from Woodland Park to Colorado Springs ,Ute Pass about 15 miles or so, but my perky little Europa with the Renault engine routinely teased the day's 911s into late night contests and applied much egg to front bumper.
The twin cam could make it a race UPHILL.

Today...the Elise yodels a siren's call. (Nothing says you can't KEEP the 11 and ADD the Lotus;-)

[Joe Bob]

One word.....Renault engine...OK that's two.

Sexy car, but truly needs a little pop up white flag of surrender to complete the picture....

[diverdan]

We always want something sexier, faster, different, a new place to spend money. Funny the thread lead to a sharp Pantera. Excellence had an article on a guy who sold his track Pantera for a 944 .... with about 600 horsepower that handled rings around the Pantera. My semi stock 944 Turbo provides a different experience from the 911s. It is fast, reliable smooth, my substitute for an old Ferrari coupe (Similar shape and dimensions) but it is still in the Porsche family of very well built and reliable machinery. There are so many wonderful alternatives within the Porsche family that can provide different types of driving experiences.


Diverdan

[Wavey]

Originally Posted by NathanR

Thanks Steve. I was surprised by a few of comments in this thread. To slam the entire british automotive heritage, rich as it is, baffles me. Cheers, Nathan

Î think we need to remember that the most incredible cars on Earth today are being engineered and built in the middle of England. F1 that is.

Originally Posted by NathanR

Ironically, the person who introduced me to Porsches also introduced me to British cars (about 20 years earlier). He'll probably see this thread if he's not too busy... Cheers, Nathan

Well, strictly speaking, I believe that your late grandfather, who sold you your "B" for $1.00, introduced you to British cars I only guided you through the miseries of working on them

[QUOTE=unclebilly;3852505]

Originally Posted by JGalt

Very complicated solutions to otherwise simple problems. QUOTE] This sums up british engineering. Ever work with a British project manager? One of my best friends is a british engineer (he's probably designed some of the electronics in at least one of your cars...). Simplicity is not his middle name.

So... did these guys design the HVAC system on my Carrera?