Esprit still on for 2012

[Martin]

"Lotus is forging ahead with a new Elise and new Esprit, with predicted production dates of 2011 and 2012.
The Elise is most likely to be a development of today’s car, rather than a variant of the new Evora, which has a very different alloy chassis, and is heavier. Insiders say the Elise may be seen late in 2010, but sales won’t start until 2011.
Production of the Esprit is dependent on sufficient funds being generated by the Evora and, possibly, cash from an outside investor.".....

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Lotus-Concepts/239990/


We shall see.

[Brian Skeoch]

Holy shit.... I now am in love with this Esprit.....

[eurosport]

I wish the mags would quit putting up that dodgy pic, or at least I hope it doesn't look like that! :thumbdown:

[Autocross7]

So far , the white one pictured is the best 'moc-up' I have seen. I would actually buy a car that looked like that...

I in no way want to see a "big" Elise/Exige.


Cameron

[mario]

Holy shit.... I now am in love with this Esprit.....

100%100 Agree:yes:

[WayneB]

By 2012 it would have been 9 nearly 10 years since an Esprit last rolled off the line at Hethel,it will have to be a brilliant car to regain its share in a market that will probably be even more competetive and diminished by then.:crying:

Looking forwards to seeing it though, I'm hoping it is alot more forwards thinking in its design and powertrain than the Evora.

[Kylie]

Woohoo go Lotus!!!!! And hope they give us a sniff soon of what the Esprit could really look like by a proper Lotus designer rather than all these artist impressions :(

[Autocross7]

By 2012 it would have been 9 nearly 10 years since an Esprit last rolled off the line at Hethel,it will have to be a brilliant car to regain its share in a market that will probably be even more competetive and diminished by then.:crying:

Looking forwards to seeing it though, I'm hoping it is alot more forwards thinking in its design and powertrain than the Evora.


I can almost agree... but these last few years anything "forward thinking' scares me. Personally, and yes I will give you all that it is a matter of personal taste, most all of the exterior "forward thinking" has been total crap. The Ferrari 360 F1 box is horrible. Period. Lambo was no diferent in the Galardo that I was lucky enough to pilot. Lambo is also a good example of bad forward thinking on the exterior. Not too keen on that stealth fighter tribute look. Countach still smokes it on curb appeal and the Mura... well... a given I suppose?

There must be some agreement out there because all the hot sellers keep getting tagged as "retro" - a term I think has been miss used. Personally I don't think of, say the new Mustang or Camero, as retro at all. Rather what the damn cars should have been looking like all along. So for my money, I want it to be a little less forward thinking and a lot more 'retro'. Real clutch, angles, and such! :yes:

That said, Maserati has put out some really nice cars the past few years!


Cameron

[WayneB]

The Lamborghini Revention shouts "Look at me I'm exciting and different " just as much as the Countach and original Esprit did!:mf_dribble:
http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg221/ximscreamingx/Revention-1.jpg

The retro look is all about familarity in automobile design, the trouble is all of the most striking and interesting designs looked like nothing that came before them.


If Lotus just want to keep on plodding down memory lane so be it, but I think in the long run it will be their ultimate undoing.:(

[Mark B.]

Shame the Elise S3 is taking president over the Esprit though, due for 2011. I had originally heard the Esprit was coming first.

[Martin]

Regardless of how it looks, the competition scares me. I look at everything that is out there and I think to myself, how the hell can anyone dare compete with the cars that are already out there in the supercar segment. Lotus on a shoe string budget can't just do it the way they used to. Quality has to be #1.
Take a ZR1 or a Viper for example, they are in the low 100K range they both have 600+hp and out perform their exotic counter parts. How does Lotus fit between the super expensive European exotics and the American bang for buck supercars?

[Autocross7]

Regardless of how it looks, the competition scares me. I look at everything that is out there and I think to myself, how the hell can anyone dare compete with the cars that are already out there in the supercar segment. Lotus on a shoe string budget can't just do it the way they used to. Quality has to be #1.
Take a ZR1 or a Viper for example, they are in the low 100K range they both have 600+hp and out perform their exotic counter parts. How does Lotus fit between the super expensive European exotics and the American bang for buck supercars?

Vipers and Vetts are Vipers and Vetts. These cars will NEVER be exotic I don't care what they cost or how they perform. My Esprit and My 308GTS are nothing performance wise stacked agaist the newer Vett's. Who cares? At the end of the day "that guy" goes home in a Vette. Ferrari is simply a marketing job these days IMO. The new ones have not impressed me in any way. Yes, I can even say something I thought I'd NEVER say... there are ugly Ferrari's. the new California and even the 599 are just nothing to look at. Lambo, as previously noted by me, has gone all stealth fighter tribute. Extra cast for tacky looking add on scoops IMO. Sure, all these cars will sell...

BUT! they will sell for much the same reason Lotus can sell. they have a following. These rides are a niche market and as long as they stay that way all is well. The new Esprit needs to be exotic looking and not just a big Elise or stretched out Evora with tacky scoop add on's... but I have some realistic hopes. Lotus needs to mind the P&Q, but I think they can do okay if they don't sattle themselves with some jack-assed group like GM again.


Cameron

[Kylie]

The Lamborghini Revention shouts "Look at me I'm exciting and different " just as much as the Countach and original Esprit did!:mf_dribble:
http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg221/ximscreamingx/Revention-1.jpg

The retro look is all about familarity in automobile design, the trouble is all of the most striking and interesting designs looked like nothing that came before them.


If Lotus just want to keep on plodding down memory lane so be it, but I think in the long run it will be their ultimate undoing.:(


Yr bang on as always Wayne you and I should design for Lotus designing new cars - What a team hehehe!!!

I am seriously in love with the Revention, if Lotus goes down this sort of path they will have winner IMO

[Cowley Jerry]

Hello,
So, this is gag no? I begin think that all new Espirt never start in production.-2008-2009-2010-2012:001_unsure:

[WayneB]

Yes it is more than a bit dissapointing isnt it?:crying:

It seemed to be all systems go a couple of years ago re: the Esprit, then we get the Europa and the Esprit project is cancelled in favour of the Evora.

I was kinda wondering about the comments at the start of this thread stating that "Production of the Esprit is dependent on sufficient funds being generated by the Evora and possibly cash from an outside investor":no:

It may be a good idea to now show the Esprit styling mockup publically to create a stir of positive opinions to see If the money can be raised from god knows where to actually build it.:yes:

http://rlv.zcache.com/i_try_to_keep_my_faith_alive_skateboard-p186878811487201241qq3r_400.jpg

[Autocross7]

Historically Lotus seems to have a habit of getting in bed with a company that should be able to move them forwards with funding, but only ends up moving them back wards - the previously noted GM comes to mind. I hope this time around is different for sure!


Cameron

[WayneB]

In what way do you think Lotus moved backwards under GM's ownership Cameron?:confused:

The X180 redesign of the Esprit was a product of the GM colabaration and we know how much you love your car!

I was talking to a long time employee of Lotus and he had nothing but fond memories of the time Lotus was under the GM umberella from 1986 to 1993.

Apparently having the huge(at that time) GM supplier base and amount of differing components available is very handy If you are in the low volume car business!
http://www.diseno-art.com/images_2/Chevrolet_Corvette_CERV_III_side.jpg

Of course I was dissapointed (as were alot of others) when GM sold Lotus to Romano Artioli in 1993 for $30 Million, but then up pops the Elise which is probably the most popular car Lotus has ever built!

The Proton ownership has had its ups and downs,most nothing to do with Lotus but the problems of the parent company. I myself think Lotus will never be huge (like Porsche), but will continue on surviving under various owners producing some interesting low volume cars (as they always have)

[Autocross7]

It seems that the collaboration started okay. The Fierro def. got better once input from Lotus was taken into design. The Corvette benefited as well as far set up goes. Peter Stevens was more or less left alone to redesign the Esprit as I understand it? I remeber being quite thrilled that GM was in bed with Lotus. And for a time all was well!

Then the following years came and GM seemed to drop the ball a little in typical "big board" room fashion. The M110 Elan was sitting pretty and marketing (at least as I remember it in the states) was virtually missing. GM dealers were never really Lotus Flag wavers as they should have been and Lotus suffered due to the poor quality dealer support. Do not even get me started on the total crap service departments of the time period. As a result, the reputation of Lotus suffered. I remember a long time English car specialist here in Mobile (still talk to him quite often) having all sort of business from the chop jobs the local GM dealer was doing.

I don't know? I'll give you that it could very well be a perception on my part, but what I recall - is being really pumped that GM was going to help Lotus do great things... and nothing really came of it except Lotus loosing money and GM selling them off. Even now when I read old articles from the later 80's where all the 'good things for the future' are so readily written about, I think, "damn... that didn't happen".


You know, I have often wondered or thought that GM dealerships and service must have been better outside of the USA becasue it seems most Americans have no great love for GM and others do... I know my buddy Harvey Moore, a former and retired GM engineer, talks about how his entire career was spent fighting with the middle management guys over various things in the USA, but when he would travel outside the country it was like an entirely different company...

Cameron

[Autocross7]

The Proton ownership has had its ups and downs,most nothing to do with Lotus but the problems of the parent company. I myself think Lotus will never be huge (like Porsche), but will continue on surviving under various owners producing some interesting low volume cars (as they always have)

I think you are prob correct, but I would very much like to see Lotus get in with the right parent group. Proton seems to have had the smarts to let the Brits run the show at least (for lack of a better description). Lamborghini for example seems to have a good set up these days. From driving a few, I think the newer Lambos have def. lost a little of their Italian flavor and have a somewhat German flavor these days. However, not to a great extent and the trade off for quality is more than acceptable. Dealer support and service also gets good marks these days. Lotus needs to find a relationship that works in a similar way...

Cameron

[WayneB]

I was admiring a 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo the other day and boy have they done a great job on the re-style on that car.:mf_dribble:

The new Esprit will have to be hot sh*t to equal or better how that car (the Gallardo) now looks.:weight_lift:

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/03/19/automobiles/autoshow/2009-Lamborghini-Gallardo-600a.jpg

http://image.automobilemag.com/f/features/10098854+w440/0808_07_z+2009_lamborghini_gallardo_lP560-4+front_three_quarter_view.jpg

[Martin]

...and it will have to have similar performance too........

[Kylie]

http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/235813/new_esprit_to_challenge_gallardo.html

And this one just came out. Brian if you’re reading this. :no: From a purests point of view no no no No. It’s not Esprit it’s just an Elise S1/Evora on steroids. Please go all out with the Esprit it is the daddy of all production cars after all. Styling ques of the Lambo Revention would be a winner. Love the V10 power plant though.

The Esprit needs to be agressive. But beautiful from every angle.

[Martin]

http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/235813/new_esprit_to_challenge_gallardo.html


...The Esprit needs to be agressive. But beautiful from every angle.....

Got that Lotus? That is all we ask! :thumbup:

[WayneB]

At first that sketch looked suspiciously like one of the concept sketches for the Evora to me, BUT If you take off that greenhouse, take off that scoop on the top of the rear fender and subsitute some classic Esprit cues .....................
Clues to the new Esprits styling lie in these images IMO, the car under the cover and the black test mule appear to have the same rising beltline and windsceen rake , curviture and roofline. There is also a pic of the Esprits base unit which shows the windscreens curviture at the scuttle, and at the B and C pillar points what looks to be an apature for a small window which slopes down with the fastback.
The black mules lower splitter and the VVA's front bumper beam also show the curve of the front fascia.

From what I can figure out , the side profile looks to be an amalgamation of shortened Lamborghini Diablo, ( rising beltline and greenhouse)Classic Esprit/Giugiaro Silver Car ( straight A pillar, roof profile, fuel filler locations, rear ducktail spoiler and radiator air exit in hood) and Lower down exaggerated Evora elements(the engine cooling air intake on the rocker panels).

http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/200710/2009-lotus-esprit---_460x0w.jpg

http://carbl.com/im/esprit.jpg

http://www.lotusespritturbo.com/New_Lotus_Esprit_Chassis.jpg