Lotus Turbo Esprit VS Ferrari 308 GTS

[WayneB]

Went down to Chapters on sunday to pick up my monthly fix of car magazines and found an issue of the British magazine Classic and Sprotscar (Aug) in which they compare the Turbo Esprit with the Ferrari 308 GTS (like Car and Driver and Car magazine did back in the 80's)

The author, a Russ Smith seems dissapointingly quite biassed towards the 308, making comments about the Esprits "uninspiring" Smiths gauges (never heard the same gauges described like that when they are in an AC Cobra), Morris Marina door handles(the old chestnut) , large panel gaps (I never notice them on my car and Im fussy) and incorrectly states the Rover SD1 upside down tail lights (they are SD1 light clusters but the same orientation as the Rover, they are upsides down on the S2 Elite and the Excell):no:

Russ probably incorrectly assumes that none of the 308s components are sourced from lowly Fiats:lol:

I have spent alot of time working on and driving 308's over the years and in my opinion it is the lesser car.

Journalists!:nono:

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/WayneBarr/CSCAug.jpg

[Mark B.]

Yes, wasn't the best article and they rated the handling and perforamnce on par! But was pleased to see Lotusespritturbo.com got a mention :).

[WayneB]

Yes I did notice you are now famous!:icon18:

Havent heard back from Peter Stevens!:lol:

[GregWO]

LOL I go round and round with my mechanic who owns several 308s. He says the Esprit is too delicate? He gets his bias because of my broken steering column. Something that even Arnie from Lotus USA never ever heard of before! I keep telling him its half the price to repair with the same performance and more rare then the Ferrari.... He refuses to listen.

[Autocross7]

LOL I go round and round with my mechanic who owns several 308s. He says the Esprit is too delicate? He gets his bias because of my broken steering column. Something that even Arnie from Lotus USA never ever heard of before! I keep telling him its half the price to repair with the same performance and more rare then the Ferrari.... He refuses to listen.

I have owned both at the same time and anyone... mechanic or otherwise... that think's the Esprit is a lesser car needs to piss in a cup for a drug test IMO. there are parts in that ferrari that rank in the top 10 crappiest parts of all time. The water pump is def. in the #1 slot.

However, I like them both for different reasons, but when down to the "Keep only one" line - I kept the Esprit. But they are both good looking cars.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t132/Autocross7/My%20cars/2Ferrari308leftside.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t132/Autocross7/My%20cars/Outfront.jpg



Cameron

[Brian Skeoch]

I will pick up that magazine today if its still on the shelves.

nice pics Cameron.

[WayneB]

I will scan it and post it up If you like Brian.:)

[clockwork]

To even up the marina door handle jibe the 308 has vauxhall chevette brakes! Clockwork :)

[Autocross7]

To even up the marina door handle jibe the 308 has vauxhall chevette brakes! Clockwork :)

Also has the same clutch friction plate as an XJS. The water pump is from a 1939 Fiat truck! Still...! unless you source a "new one" from Forza. They did a nice job on a replacement. The Ferrari 308 OEM water pump is sealed with a rubber o ring seated hand tight against a ceramic ring, has 4 flat paddles, and no cone shape to the impellor at all!

Cameron

[Brian Skeoch]

I have always like the shape of the 308. But, I like the straight lines of the Esprit better.

[Brian Skeoch]

Cameron, I love the V8 wing on your white 88...

[Autocross7]

Thanks, I love the V8 wing myself... in fact the PO had it put on right before I bought the car. He had previously had the car converted to 'open tail' as he hated looking through the 3 different glass angles at night... I like it 'open' myself. Then all he could see out the back with the 88 wing was the wing. So, the dealer where he was got him a V8 wing... I like it so much better than the 88 short wing for function. I can see everything behind me with no trouble.

Cameron

[USAndretti42]

The Lotus is owned by Iain Oglevie who posts on LEF. Since the article was written he has found that the front wheel bearings were shot and the steering arms were on the wrong sides which leads to bump steer, the very thing the car is accused of doing in the article. Shame he didn't get to fix these issues before the reporter drove the car.

[WayneB]

Yes I recognised it in the article.:)

Kinda odd that it was mucked up, Iain struck me as a guy who was not shy of paying to get a good car and keeping it well maintained.

Didn't his come from Paul Matty's?:huh:

[Martin]

At least the Esprit is ahead of the Ferrari on the cover. :yes:

[USAndretti42]

Iain was all set to get his front suspension rebuilt when he found that all it needed was the steering arms swapping from left to right and new bearings.

[WayneB]

Yes but wouldnt the handling have been OK in Australia/New Zealand with that upsidesey down setup?:huh::lol:

[Kylie]

I have owned both at the same time and anyone... mechanic or otherwise... that think's the Esprit is a lesser car needs to piss in a cup for a drug test IMO. there are parts in that ferrari that rank in the top 10 crappiest parts of all time. The water pump is def. in the #1 slot.

However, I like them both for different reasons, but when down to the "Keep only one" line - I kept the Esprit. But they are both good looking cars.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t132/Autocross7/My%20cars/2Ferrari308leftside.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t132/Autocross7/My%20cars/Outfront.jpg



Cameron


Im loving these two cars Cameron. They are surperb looking cars :yes: :icon18:

[USAndretti42]

Yes but wouldnt the handling have been OK in Australia/New Zealand with that upsidesey down setup?:huh::lol:

I thought it was set up for driving on the other side of the road. :confused1:

[Al B]

I had a guy with a 308 come up to me at a car show and offer nothing but praise for the Esprit. Not mine, just the car in general. Sometime back another gent offered to trade me his 308 for my Esprit. When I went to the local Ferrari dealer to get the skinny on the car offered the service manager thought I would be making a big mistake and end up regretting the trade. That last bit really thru me for a curve.
After 16 years of ownership I have to say I'm glad I decided not to make the swap.

[Brian Skeoch]

You have a nice one too Al. I remember it from LOG.