RE: 2002 Esprit Tested
Friday 8th March 2002
2002 Esprit Tested
Colin Goodwin has driven every single model of Esprit. Time to sample Esprit 2002.
Discussion
quote:
, but compare the styling to the Elise & M250 concept and it does show it's age.
Bulls@@t!
Hurray! The King is dead, long lives the King!
Among all the wedges that have been built in the History of Motoring, today's Esprit is IMO definitely the finest.
Showing its age doesn't necessarily mean it should be scrapped; IMO they should come back to those more down to earth shapes, instead of fooling around with complex, no staight forward lines (see dreadful M250 and 'a bit too much' Elise Mk 2).
Keep it up Lotus, plesae don't ever bin the Esprit!
"How much ground clearance at the front?"
As Colin says, the latest car uses the same front splitter as the Sport 350. I had one of those on test for a few days a couple of years back and had no problems with speed humps or anything else - though it did scrape when they unloaded it off the transporter. Just as well the bottom bit is made of rubber...
As Colin says, the latest car uses the same front splitter as the Sport 350. I had one of those on test for a few days a couple of years back and had no problems with speed humps or anything else - though it did scrape when they unloaded it off the transporter. Just as well the bottom bit is made of rubber...
quote:
Keep it up Lotus, plesae don't ever bin the Esprit!
![](http://www.pistonheads.com/include/images/cry.gif)
(If it were me I would simply source a new transmission, but maybe Lotus has something else up their collective sleeves. Can't wait to see it
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ErnestM
It's not the tranny. Most Esprits are sold in NA and the Esprit does not pass Federal DOT crash test standards. Lotus has a waiver now that will expire. It has to do with the A pillor being too close to the drivers head... Can't be fixed without a complete redesign and sales don't justify the cost of doing that. Personally, I think if they did a good redesign they would see a huge jump in sales. Too bad for us...
Roy
Roy
![](http://www.pistonheads.com/include/images/read.gif)
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Guess I should have checked it out before I passed it on. Apoligies for blaming it on your countrymen Thom...
ErnestM
The esprit may look dated to some, but when I drive mine down any high street, anywhere, the sound of jaws hitting the pavement,kids shouting "how fast does it go mister..." and boyfriends explaining to admiring girls that I am "..a flash t*sser who should be killed" is enough for me to realise that the Esprit is still one of the most gorgeous cars around.
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