New Esprit - just put my name down

[markizok]

Guys

Got a letter form JCT yesterday updating me on the new lotus arrivals, one is the new Esprit which is due in 2008 - put my name down on a whim as it would make a nice 30th bday present, i was just wondering if there were any photos of wat it will potentially look like?

Thanks
MR

[lawrence5]

No - few styling sketches but design has not been signed off. carr is wanting to make it wedge shaped so you shouldn't be too upset if you liked the old one........

[markizok]

Yeah. Its was my dream car as a kid. Just did a search on google and it looks like a Lambo of some sort - perfect

[ErnestM]

From what I understand, the following drawing represents the closest thing to the Esprit replacement:



ErnestM

[markizok]

that looks awsome

[cross-eyed-twit]

I seem to remember the blue car picture from the front page of Autocar being the Gallardo lookalike. I think, however, Lambo got a lot of styling cues from Lotus which is flattering for Hethel.

[markizok]

www.lotusespritworld.co.uk/ERoadtests/Autocar_Feb04.html

[beachbum]

Having spoken to someone,who I would consider an insider, his opinion was that the Esprit, whilst wished for by Lotus will never reach production, given the current ownership.
However, if ownership changes again, alls to play for

[markizok]

It would be a real shame if it never came to pass - as the GT is on the cards i hope they see the light and give the Esprit the go ahead!

[snuffy]

I thought about putting my money down for an M250 but decided against it. What a stroke of luck that was. After that farce I'd not trust Lotus until I actually saw it, in the plastic, as it were.

[GKP]

snuffy said:

I thought about putting my money down for an M250 but decided against it. What a stroke of luck that was. After that farce I'd not trust Lotus until I actually saw it, in the plastic, as it were.

Yup! I put a deposit on an M250, too. I got some of the cash back....

I'll be waiting until I've driven one before dusting off the chequebook again.

[hedgerley]

According to the interview with Lotus MD in EVO last month and several threads in other forums, the new Esprit will appear late 07. As quoted by the MD, the development programme is well advanced, with the V8 engine decided, the final shape signed off ("wedgy", to retain the lineage) and wind tunnel testing in full swing. They have over 160 engineers assigned and he reckons its the biggest project they have undertaken. It uses the new VVA they have developed which allows several models to be built on the same platform simply by extending the various extrusions between common 'hard points' such as suspension corners. Latest info is that that the decision to build it in Malaysia has been reversed and engineering staff and hardware are being returned to the UK.

Looking on the bright side this is great news of course as it will be built in Britain. But the pessimists are suggesting this is the start of Proton distancing themselves in preperation for a sale, which would be a shame as I reckon Proton have done an excellent job in the past few years nurturing the perenial automotive problem child.

[jig]

ErnestM said:

From what I understand, the following drawing represents the closest thing to the Esprit replacement: ErnestM

That picture came from a Lotus calendar. The text that accompanied it stated that these were designs that Lotus had decided <b>not</b> to use and showed no styling cues for future models. For some reason the press picked up on this picture, stating that this was an early drawing of the new Esprit.

[ErnestM]

hedgerley said:

But the pessimists are suggesting this is the start of Proton distancing themselves in preperation for a sale, which would be a shame as I reckon Proton have done an excellent job in the past few years nurturing the perenial automotive problem child.

Yes, but don't forget that VAG are currently courting Proton. I'm not entirely sure if it would be good or bad for Volkswagen to actually own Proton and then, through Proton, own Lotus as well. Probably good if VAG can do for Lotus what Audi have done for Lamborghini (build quality, supply, etc)

ErnestM

[Tuna]

ErnestM said:

Probably good if VAG can do for Lotus what Audi have done for Lamborghini (build quality, supply, etc) ErnestM

This gets repeated regularly, but I'm not sure it's true. Lotus problem is neither build quality or supply. They certainly don't need to have their style and engineering skills brought in line with some parent company to fit in a particular niche. They need free reign and cash to get on with the projects that best suit Lotus cars. They don't need some parent company demanding that the produce a specific product just to give a halo effect on the rest of the group.

[anonymous-user]

The l-o-n-g history of "new Esprit" stretches back around 20 years yet to date it remains a purely mythical creature. The biggest problems seem to have been that every time they work up a design with their relatively limited resources they either find the market has moved on in terms of power/performance/emissions/safety or the sales numbers required to turn a profit just don't stack up. Unlike some other companies there's no assurance that sticking the magic badge on the front of the bonnet will guarantee at least sufficient sales to break even. They took a bath with the M100 Elan and were only able to get the Elise going by starting out with an extremely basic car which found an unoccupied niche in the market. Whatever the new Esprit may turn out to be it's got some serious and proven competitors already in the market. Depending on price point I see those as including the Cayman, 911, Gallardo, F430 with maybe the V8 Aston joining in as well. Thin sales of the Honda NSX in recent years will do nothing to encourage bravado at Hethel. One thing's for sure; the new Esprit has to be right first time and good enough to sell worldwide.