Thursday 18th December 2003

Pininfarina Enjoy

Lotus based roadster will go into production

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Since its launch at the Geneva Motor Show, the 'Enjoy' has enjoyed sporadic press coverage as none of us could quite believe that Pininfarina wanted to press ahead with  what everyone assumed was a stying exercise.

Press ahead they will though and the Elise based roadster is set to be built in a limited run of less than a hundred models. None are expected to be ready before 2005 though.

The car uses the K series from the Elise 135R and benefits from a wider track (2.5 inches front and rear) and from a wheelbase stretched by three inches. That extra length is included in the 'bonnet' section and initially upset the balance of the car making it tail happy. To counter that, the engineers moved to an inboard suspension setup and increased the camber of the wheels. Wider 17" and 18" wheels are used helping both the look of the car and then grip.

One benefit of the construction methods employed is that some of the bodywork can be removed by simply undoing cotter pins leaving you with an open wheeled car which (if allowed on track!) creates a whole new experience again.

So, place your bets. Are they seriously going to put it into production...?

[docevi1]

it looks good?

[PetrolTed]

It's grown on me a lot actually. I was quite cynical about it at first but it looks like a nice motor

[cuzza]

I like it too - it looks much better with the bodywork off IMHO. Hope they produce it

What is The Stig doing in the top picture?????

[t1grm]

Err... I hope they improve the panel fit before they put it into production

[docevi1]

cuzza said:

I like it too - it looks much better with the bodywork off IMHO. Hope they produce it What is The Stig doing in the top picture?????

hmm, good point!

It does look better with bodywork off, but don't road cars have to have wheels covered?

[docevi1]

PetrolTed said:

It's grown on me a lot actually. I was quite cynical about it at first but it looks like a nice motor

you actually write these pieces? I thought you nabbed them from elsewhere (with permission of course)

[dontlift]

consign it too the parts bin

[86turbo]

cool, especially with the fenders off... but the K series engine means we won't see it in the US, doesn't it. Oh well...

[james]

I think it looks stunning. Both with and without the bodywork.

[PetrolTed]

docevi1 said:

you actually write these pieces?

[cuzza]

docevi1 said:

cuzza said: I like it too - it looks much better with the bodywork off IMHO. Hope they produce it What is The Stig doing in the top picture????? hmm, good point! It does look better with bodywork off, but don't road cars have to have wheels covered?

I think so, but on some track days they allow open wheel cars like formula fords etc so you could whip off the wings so to speak. Wonder what the weight difference will be?

[Bonce]

Isn't it going to be more than £50k though?

Does anyone know where it will be built?

[dinkel]

It could do without the K. Looks Merc gullwingish and so it's good. Stig says: now u take batmobile 4 a spin.

[jimbocam]

Wouldn't like to be in it if it rolls. [-]

If the 340R is anything to go by then it'll fall to bits and the owners will have to complete the development process. [-][-][-]

[ErnestM]

Bonce said:

Isn't it going to be more than £50k though? Does anyone know where it will be built?

According to the smart money, all roads lead to Hethel...

Also - about $55,000 US...

ErnestM

[cuzza]

ErnestM said:

Bonce said: Isn't it going to be more than £50k though? Does anyone know where it will be built? According to the smart money, all roads lead to Hethel... Also - about $55,000 US... ErnestM

D'you think Lotus will be interested in 100ish units?? I suppose if the money's right and the dates would tie in with the end of VX production (next year IIRC).

$55k is about £31k which is better. Anyone got any more details, weights etc?

[Bonce]

If it does go into production, there's no way it'll look as raw as that. For a start, the wheels will need to be covered to pass type approval/SVA.

[cuzza]

Bonce said:

If it does go into production, there's no way it'll look as raw as that. For a start, the wheels will need to be covered to pass type approval/SVA.

Are they not allowed to be removable though? So wings on for the test but removed for the track??

[smele]

Hope the wings fix on well, would not want to be blasting down the road and bits of the car fly off into the distance. Not saying anything about Lotus build qaulity or anything, but...

[karlfranz]

I hope they get rid of those silly triangular butresses which look like they came straight out of Speed Racer.

I also noticed that you loose all front and rear lights on the vehicle when you remove the fenders. This means that you must unplug your fenders when you remove them.

BTW: something is wrong with the world when Pininfarina is designing cars to be built by Lotus. I guess the Maranello folks told him to take that ugly design somewhere else!