Comments on: Report: Lotus gives production go-ahead to Esprit supercar

By: Stix

Stix — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:33:01 +0000

The Esprit was like a childhood dream/favorite to me.

Just hearing this piece of news is just pure sex to my mind and ears!

By: darkwingduck

darkwingduck — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:34:30 +0000

YEAH!!!! Dear Santa,
This year I would like a red Fire Truck, a cup and ball, PS3, and the LOTUS ESPRIT!!!!! oh and a n2010 Mustang GT500 to please… lol

By: zeegone

zeegone — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:03:33 +0000

I always loved the classic wedge look of the Esprit- too bad the engines, while quick, were terribly unreliable. I think teaming up with Toyota was one of the smartest decisions they could have done to save the brand. All the small Lotus smart cars are awesome handlers with bullet proof engines. Bring on the Esprit! Hopefully the Lexus V10 rumor will be true

By: nickkop

nickkop — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:31:51 +0000

niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice

By: Borat

Borat — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:26:29 +0000

Beatus, congratulations! The good news that you having a boy, the bad news even if you manage to save coins for new Esprit, little rascal will be stealing it from you to go dates and ruin interior. Congratulations again.

By: 928dreamer

928dreamer — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:25:02 +0000

Congratulations Beatus, having the other gender from what you are already used to dealing with is a whole new ballgame.
LOL. I’m going to have to remember the Stig as a Halloween costume idea.

@aesir
I was thinking that using the LFA engine would allow Lexus to recoup costs of engine development. The engine has been designed and built. The most expensive elements. Producing a few more engines could be done without extravagent expense.
You also mention that the car would do fine with a properly tuned V8 or force fed V6. The issue is that Toyota doesn’t design or make high performance engines. So Lotus is left trying to get a Vanilla V6 to do something it was never designed to do. The LFA engine was born with performance in mind. I really hope they don’t end up using the Avalon V6 again. I will be so disappointed. It would be like finding out Megan Fox is a guy in drag stuffing his shirt with kleenex.

By: reedfast

reedfast — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:01:59 +0000

i wish lotus would use another make, they could make way faster cars if they didn’t have to use a camry v6

By: beatusmongous

beatusmongous — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:40:26 +0000

Oh, and this is my third. I already have two girls, the oldest of which already loves racing.

By: beatusmongous

beatusmongous — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:39:28 +0000

For all those that want to know, IT’S GOING TO BE A BOY!

And his first Halloween costume will probably be The Stig. Or something like that.

By: spg900

spg900 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:46:14 +0000

Jake…say “S” and “PRE” (as in pre-kindergarten).

By: scratchy

scratchy — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:25:29 +0000

i hope one day Lotus will develop their own engines again.

By: aesir

aesir — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:15:37 +0000

The Esprit isn’t going to be in the $400,000 price range that the LFA is in. I’m not really sure who the LFA is trying to compete with… A properly tuned V8 or force fed V6 would be fine for the Esprit.

By: EMINEM

EMINEM — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:05:10 +0000

LLN,
Now this is actually news.

By: 928dreamer

928dreamer — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:53:16 +0000

The LFA engine is the only Hot engine Lexus has. If the Esprit is given some warmed over Toyota mill this car will not get anywhere close to its potential, and will definitly not be a Supercar.

If Toyota and Lexus are unwilling to share the LFA engine, Lotus needs to seriously shop around for a new engine supplier.

By: Ring-Taxi

Ring-Taxi — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:38:41 +0000

Lexus has made it clear that they don’t source their hot engines to other makes, there’s no way this Lotus will get a Lexus engine. Maybe a modified, force-fed medium-sized Toyota engine.

By: johngalt

johngalt — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:14:47 +0000

Congratulations, beatus. January 12 (10 months ago) was the best day of my life. I used to be early to work, leave late. Now, I wait until the last minute to leave the house and hurry home at the end of the day to see my son as much as I can. I’ll smoke another cigar for you.

The bad news for me is that I named my son “Panamera.” Porsche has been harrassing me since spring.

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:52:53 +0000

beatus… awesome! As long as it has 10 fingers and 10 toes and knows how to use a clutch that’s pretty much all you can ask for.

And speaking of things paternal, my dad had an Esprit once. I think it was a ‘79. He let me drive it… once. I don’t think he appreciated the smell of brake that early in the morning.

By: aesir

aesir — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:26:45 +0000

Denver: well put! If I had a “cheers” smiley I would use it right now!

By: 928dreamer

928dreamer — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:04:57 +0000

Lexus is a luxury car maker who made a pretty darn fast GT. But I would expect a Lotus to be very light. Lighter than the Evora. That is what Lotus does. They make fabulous handling cars that are as light as possible. Luxury be damned.
I love the saying that Lotus “Adds Lightness” to its cars.

So, a true Lotus with the LFA engine should be fantastic. That has been my only need with modern Loti is their engine choices. This should be a winner.

By: LS7

LS7 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:25:29 +0000

LFA is already considered one of the best handling cars… Lotus is known for their handling.. not sure where they are going with this.

I guess they can make a mid-engine variant…

Since Lexus put some focus on luxury, maybe Lotus can look at a sub-3,000lb car.

Heck, I wouldn’t mind seeing a 2,800lb car with a “lowly” ISF 5.0L V8 motor, if it means keeping the prices down… 414HP, 2800lb? Oh yeah…….

By: leftwingagenda

leftwingagenda — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:21:25 +0000

lfa engine? lotus? wow….

‘grats beatus…i don’t mean to butt into your personal life, but leftwing does make a great name…just a suggestion…

By: excrement_between_my_toes

excrement_between_my_toes — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:19:02 +0000

I absolutely love the look of that lotus Esprit in the picture. That design has a timeless modern look. I’m surprised I don’t see that many of them on the road, almost none. They were expensive, but still much more affordable than a Ferrari. They cost about the same as a new Acura NSX, yet the NSX I see alot on the roads. NSX is a great car, but this Esprit is such a looker, and looks so exotic. An alot faster than an NSX.

By: 05Z88Path

05Z88Path — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:16:14 +0000

The Esprit is such a good looking car…it has that timeless classic sports car look that I think Lotus will have a hard time improving upon. I’m definitely interested in seeing their outcome!

By: shaver

shaver — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:07:14 +0000

Great news indeed. One of my favorite childhood dream cars being revived.

By: JakeK66

JakeK66 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:03:43 +0000

And yes, I said Espirit, because Esprit is too hard for most people to say.

By: JakeK66

JakeK66 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:02:32 +0000

Congrats beatus!!!!

I hope it doesn’t stray too far from the original Espirit.

By: beatusmongous

beatusmongous — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:51:47 +0000

2nd best news I’ll here today.

The best will be the gender of my upcoming child.

By: DenverGuy217

DenverGuy217 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:51:11 +0000

The Esprit was like the Carrie Prejean of sports cars. Nice looking on the outside even with a few fake add-ons attached to the body, but a bit full of crap on the inside. But boy could it make itself scream!