What is your favorite Lotus experience?

[Martin]

For me, it would be the first time I ever rode in a Lotus. And that was in a Lotus X180R. That thing was so brutally quick. The sound of the turbo and then the waste gates blowing off were just awesome! I'd say equally impressive were the brakes!

Who else out there? :)

[MickOpalak]

Too many to mention. Touring the factory last summer. Getting the call from the dealer that my car was here and waiting, after a two year wait. The first time I took the Elise to the mountains. The first time on the track. Chatting with Peter Egan at LOG. Driving the car home for the first time from the dealer with my father in the passenger seat.

[WayneB]

Mine was the first time I saw an Essex Turbo Esprit in 1980!

I was a broke student on my way to college driving along the Coventry Rd. in my 1964 Hillman Imp (going about 85 mph) when it shot past me like a rocket going at least 120mph+! :eek:

Made up my mind there and then I would have an Esprit like that one day!:cool:

[SpeedStar]

Beware Cheese Factor...Mine would be when I attended a all class/model car show and a little girl was with her dad. She kept staring at me next to the lotus and I heard her say, "Daddy, there's a girl's car!" I invited her over and let her climb inside and have her picture taken. She could hardly stand herself! Her dad asked her if she liked it and she (of course) said, "yep!" He then said, "You'll have to find a really nice husband one day to get that car." I said, "No you don't, you can get it all on your own!" Who knows...she may still be dreaming of it!

[Esprit2]

It's not my story, but a buddy was driving along in his Esprit SE... windows down. He pulled up to a stop light next to a minivan full of soccer kids. The little one riding shotgun said, "Hey, Mom, look at the Ferrari". The 30-something soccer-mom leaned over for a look and said, "No son, that's a Lotus. It's much better than a Ferrari".

The same guy pulled his Elise into a SuperAmerica to fill up with gas. He went in to pay, but hadn't noted the pump number. So he just said, "The dark red car by the end pump." The young high school girl running the cash register says without hesitation, "Oh, the Elise? Nice Car!"

It used to be all you heard was, "Lotus?? Who makes that? Ford?" Now even soccer-moms and teenie-boppers know them. Cool.

[Esprit2]

When I was a kid, all my buddies dreamed of hot rods, Bucket-T's, big V8s, jacked-up rear ends, monster slicks and smokey burn-outs. One of them put a Chevy 327 in an MG TC and could pull wheelies at will.

All I could think of was how to lower cars and make 'em go around corners. I was the loner maverick.

I followed road racing and was an F1 fan, but hadn't really zeroed-in on Lotus yet. We didn't have anything like SpeedTV then, and following international racing was a pretty remote activity for a kid in South Dakota.

When the Lotus 24 came out in 1962, Road & Track ran an article about it. I couldn't stop reading it. Then shortly afterward, Lotus launched the 25 and R&T featured it in another article. It stopped me in my tracks. I clearly remember standing in my buddy's basement rec-room, staring slack-jawed at his dad's copy of R&T, thinking, "WOW!... this guy really gets it!!"

"This guy" being Colin Chapman. And me, a kid in Junior High School, passing judgement. Well, I may not have been qualified, but I knew what I liked and the hook was set. As soon as I got out of college (mech. engineering) and got my feet under me, I bought a Europa. I've never been without a Lotus since then, and I've always treated them as "drivers"... not garage-queens.

Regards,
Tim Engel

[Esprit2]

Between my two posts above are 45 years of being a Lotus fan. There are just too many "favorite" Lotus experiences in there to ever be able to pick one as the best.

It's like asking, "Which of your kids is your favorite?"
That's not a question with an answer.

However, I am really impressed with the Lotus community. Especially since the internet has made it possible for a real-time, world-wide connection. I've been involved with other marques, and subscribed to other marque forums; and a lot of them are just plain disfunctional, arrogant and too full of themselves.

I'm not sure what it is about Lotus cars that draws the kind of folk that it does, but overall, it's a damn fine group. From the time when Alan Perry started the Lotus-cars mailing list in 1990 until now, I've really enjoyed being in the Lotus family. It's a collective idea and not "one" experience; but it's been a high point that I've thoroughly enjoyed as much as the cars.

Later,
Tim

[mr.oogieboogie]

every time i walk from the garage kiosk back to my car & realise what i'm walking to is actually mine. fantastic

[Paul95S4S]

For me, it was the drive back from Atlanta to Los Angeles after purchasing my late 93 Esprit. 2500 miles in 4 days...

[Martin]

Damn, that must have been awesome! Any particular moments stick out at you?

I picked up my Esprit in Michigan and drove it back to Atlanta. The trip was too short if you ask me.

[Brian Skeoch]

Mick, I forgot you toured the factory last summer... Man, that must have been awesome.

[Brian Skeoch]

these are just fantastic replies to a great thread.

[Brian Skeoch]

Mine has to be when I drove the X180 R Race car at Road Atlanta a few years ago. It was Doc Bundy's old championship car. Me and team owner took 2 of the race cars out onto the track. It was the best Lotus experience I have ha.

My name was even on the roof of the car .

I will never ever forget that moment.

Brian

[WayneB]

Mick, I forgot you toured the factory last summer... Man, that must have been awesome.

Brian, I got to tour the factory last October as part of the LEF organised trip.

I must say I was shocked and a little dissapointed by the fact they now only assemble mainly outsourced pre-made components and paint the cars at Hethel, I didnt see any fibreglass/plastic moulding, or any kind of engine assembly on site. They do epoxy some of the inner panels on to the front and rear clamshells though (the place reeks of glue)!

I was impressed though by the amount of care being taken to inspect and finess the paintwork on the cars, particulary those destined for the North American and Japanese markets.:)

[bigsi]

when i went back to the factory after the 40th celebrations on the monday while they were sorting the car out i had a little tour, we saw a section you probably didnt wayne where they still build the v8 engines there from scratch, it was amazing to see all the stuff laid out etc.