Esprit GT3/S1

Esprit GT3/S1

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Discussion

britten_mark

Original Poster:

1,593 posts

260 months

Saturday 15th March 2003
quotequote all
Hi
New to this site despite 27 years of lusting after Esprits. Needing a toy bigtime at the moment to remind me why I exist, and currently looking at a very sweet S1 with my hand on my wallet. Unfortunately, my head is telling me to go for my other love, a GT3, the only trouble is finding one to my taste. It must be Orange with aircon, with the new dash if possible, low mileage and pristine (no track-day hacks). In the last 18 months I have seen only 2 or 3 that meet this spec, the new dash one being way out of my price range. Does anyone know any figures as to how many orange ones are out there? I tried emailing Lotus, but got their usual indifferent response.

katolotus

49 posts

279 months

Sunday 16th March 2003
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Big mistake looking for a Colour. There's so few Esprits on the planet to choose from. You don't want to reduce your choice further. I reckon there to be only around 7-8,000 Esprits in the World left. And a large amount of those are in the US.

Read my Buying Guide on Lotus Esprit World. You may save yourself the price of a respray (£2-3,000), by getting a healthy car, apposed to getting an orange dog!

All GT3 have the new interior. So I'm not sure what you were looking at without one! Most good GT3's are going for between £18,000 and £22,000 depending on age and mileage. What's your budget? (persume your UK based?)

Sorry to put the dampers on!

kato
Lotus Esprit World

kylie

4,391 posts

264 months

Sunday 16th March 2003
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Hi, sorry cant you with whats available in your neck of the woods, but am sure someone here can. Lots of friendly helpful people here.

If your reaching for your wallet on a S1 ahh....just get it. Am sure you will have just as much fun in the mean time.

I wanted a Black 300 Sport when I was looking, but do you think I could find one, plus for the savings I had at the time, no. Well I got something a little less, but am so happy with it, I think I would struggle selling it. I would rather have two

See ya,
Kylie
89 Esp Turbo

doct93

23 posts

261 months

Sunday 16th March 2003
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Actually, I think the early GT3 doesn't have the new dash... mine doesn't- still it's a fine car, the old dash looks good with the tunnel colour..

TimB (97 GT3)

armynick

631 posts

268 months

Sunday 16th March 2003
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Yeah, I have a 97 GT3 with the old dash. I prefer it to be honest. I think it has more character.

andecorp

267 posts

270 months

Sunday 16th March 2003
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kylie said:
I wanted a Black 300 Sport when I was looking, but do you think I could find one, plus for the savings I had at the time, no.


A few months ago there was a Black 300 for sale in Sydney. Not sure if it's still there. There's a burgundy/magnolia one for sale right now at Lotus Melbourne.

Ye Olde Esprit

238 posts

261 months

Sunday 16th March 2003
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pre 98 GT3 have the S4S/V8 style innterior and dash with S300 style seats.

98 onwards GT3 have the later small binnacle V8 interior.

Regards,
Nicholas

adrianmugridge

10,496 posts

291 months

Sunday 16th March 2003
quotequote all
Mark

I have an Orange GT3, it also has the old style interior. Leather was an option ( V8 seats ) or you could have alcantara interior.

I emailed Lotus ages ( 2 years ! ) ago to ask for production figures on the GT3 and orange ones and never got any reply other than we'll let you know. But, there are not many around, say 150ish ? So, how many are going to be in orange with A/C ? And how many of those are currently for sale ? You might end up with the roundest figure of all !

Adrian
www.adrianmugridge.co.uk

britten_mark

Original Poster:

1,593 posts

260 months

Sunday 16th March 2003
quotequote all

katolotus said: Big mistake looking for a Colour. There's so few Esprits on the planet to choose from. You don't want to reduce your choice further. I reckon there to be only around 7-8,000 Esprits in the World left. And a large amount of those are in the US.

Read my Buying Guide on Lotus Esprit World. You may save yourself the price of a respray (£2-3,000), by getting a healthy car, apposed to getting an orange dog!

All GT3 have the new interior. So I'm not sure what you were looking at without one! Most good GT3's are going for between £18,000 and £22,000 depending on age and mileage. What's your budget? (persume your UK based?)

Sorry to put the dampers on!

kato
Lotus Esprit World




Hi
Thanks for the info. I know where you are coming from, but unfortunately for me, the colour of a car (any car) is as important as the choice of car itself. Must be my feminine side appearing (ugh!). Actually the only reason I am hesitating over the S1 is that it is yellow (not in one of my preferred hues). Don't get me wrong, I love vivid colours; lime green, orange, bring it on! Just yellow seems to be a bit unimaginative. The quality of the car may change my mind though.
Incidentally, the "new "interior I meant was post '98, ie with the small binnacle. I have never been in one, and the only reason I would prefer it is that contemporary reports said that footwell room was increased, a big plus for my size 11s. However, one of you chaps will probably tell me the difference is negligable!
Cheers
Mark

britten_mark

Original Poster:

1,593 posts

260 months

Sunday 16th March 2003
quotequote all

adrianmugridge said: Mark

I have an Orange GT3, it also has the old style interior. Leather was an option ( V8 seats ) or you could have alcantara interior.

I emailed Lotus ages ( 2 years ! ) ago to ask for production figures on the GT3 and orange ones and never got any reply other than we'll let you know. But, there are not many around, say 150ish ? So, how many are going to be in orange with A/C ? And how many of those are currently for sale ? You might end up with the roundest figure of all !

Adrian
www.adrianmugridge.co.uk



So you got the brush off too. All I can say is Lotus cars must be bloody amazing for enthusiasts to put up with the way they are treated by the factory.
Cheers
Mark

rob.ellis

2,861 posts

285 months

Sunday 16th March 2003
quotequote all

britten_mark said:
Hi
Thanks for the info. I know where you are coming from, but unfortunately for me, the colour of a car (any car) is as important as the choice of car itself. Must be my feminine side appearing (ugh!). Actually the only reason I am hesitating over the S1 is that it is yellow (not in one of my preferred hues). Don't get me wrong, I love vivid colours; lime green, orange, bring it on! Just yellow seems to be a bit unimaginative. The quality of the car may change my mind though.
Incidentally, the "new "interior I meant was post '98, ie with the small binnacle. I have never been in one, and the only reason I would prefer it is that contemporary reports said that footwell room was increased, a big plus for my size 11s. However, one of you chaps will probably tell me the difference is negligable!
Cheers
Mark



The difference is negligable.