The Forgotten Exotic of the 90s...

ThePerfectExposure · 01-05-2009, 11:34 PM

Today, whenever the brand Lotus is brought up, the tiny little Elise would immediately come to most people's mind. Sadly, nobody remembers the older underrated yet more exotic Espirit.

http://the-perfect-exposure.blogspot...us-espirt.html

TopDown · 01-05-2009, 11:36 PM

I have not forgotten the Esprit. It's a modern classic.

PaulBailey@ltbmw · 01-05-2009, 11:45 PM

Huh?
What's that??

j/k j/k
Nice pics

WLS · 01-06-2009, 12:28 AM

My buddy's dad has one of those. One of the most beautiful exhaust notes I have heard.

KonigsTiger · 01-06-2009, 06:31 PM

Ahh!! Sooo nice!

RRGOO7 · 01-06-2009, 06:54 PM

Ive never been a fan of Lotuses....not sure why wither

nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn · 01-06-2009, 06:57 PM

They aren't forgotten. It is just that the 2004 was an insane car, and some what over shadowed the 90's cars. Although it wasn't too different, it being the last model year made it more popular. My friend had one. He was afraid to drive it because it was such a crazy car.

M3350Z · 01-06-2009, 07:03 PM

Aww I was hoping to open this up and see an F50. But the Espirit is still a nice car. Guy I used to know had one, let me sit in it. Pretty cool car.

Ender514 · 01-06-2009, 08:51 PM

i forgot about them....but i like them

Davin · 01-06-2009, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopDown

I have not forgotten the Esprit. It's a modern classic.

Motor She Wrote · 01-08-2009, 11:33 PM

I thought about trying to pick up a used one but from what I've read, these things are a money pit, unfortunately. Even more so when you try to mod them, which is a damn shame for a mid-engined car with a twin-turbo V8.

FStop7 · 01-08-2009, 11:45 PM

I was sure this was going to be about the Vector W8

TSM330i · 01-08-2009, 11:53 PM

A friend of mine had a chrome orange anniversary V8 Esprit. Very exotic looking car, but it didn't handle very well. The ride was like a mid-sized sedan (very soft and floaty) and the handling was all understeer when pushed hard in corners. The front end just never seemed to bite.
Driving it was very unusual with the floor mounted clutch and brake. The total distance the clutch pedal moved was about 3"! I promptly stalled the car the first time I tried to pull out (I haven't done that in 15 years). Once I got the hang of it, it was really cool.
The engine was great. He had the tune from Lotus and the car really moved quite well. I had a supercharged C5 Corvette at the time and he asked me why his car didn't feel that fast. I said it's because my car has about 140 more HP

This little car was quick and sounded fantastic. It felt like it was kicking you in the back when running through the gears.

01-05-2009, 11:34 PM	#1
ThePerfectExposure Private First Class 320 Rep 155 Posts Drives: Lexus Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Orange County iTrader: (0)	The Forgotten Exotic of the 90s... Today, whenever the brand Lotus is brought up, the tiny little Elise would immediately come to most people's mind. Sadly, nobody remembers the older underrated yet more exotic Espirit. http://the-perfect-exposure.blogspot...us-espirt.html
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01-05-2009, 11:36 PM	#2
TopDown Captain 93 Rep 615 Posts Drives: 2017 G30 540i M Sport Join Date: May 2007 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0) Garage List 2002 BMW Z3 Roadster [0.00] 2007 BMW 335i Coupe [0.00] 2012 BMW 335i Sedan [0.00] 2006 BMW M Roadster [0.00] 2017 BMW 540i [0.00] 2015 BMW 428 Gran C ... [0.00]	I have not forgotten the Esprit. It's a modern classic. __________________ Mine G30 540i M Sport Hers F36 440i Gran Coupe
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01-05-2009, 11:45 PM	#3
PaulBailey@ltbmw General 678 Rep 26,876 Posts Drives: 2-325 330 2-335 2-Z4 2-135 X5d Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Huntington Beach, CA iTrader: (34) Garage List 2008 BMW 335i E90 [7.00] 2011 BMW 335i E92 [7.96]	Huh? What's that?? j/k j/k Nice pics
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01-06-2009, 12:28 AM	#4
WLS Private First Class 4 Rep 137 Posts Drives: 2002 M5 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Seattle WA iTrader: (1)	My buddy's dad has one of those. One of the most beautiful exhaust notes I have heard.
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01-06-2009, 06:31 PM	#5
KonigsTiger Racying Dynamics 118 Rep 4,369 Posts Drives: E92M3 RS46 Club Sport, others Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Dweller iTrader: (0)	Ahh!! Sooo nice! __________________ ==================================================
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01-06-2009, 06:54 PM	#6
RRGOO7 Colonel 376 Rep 2,451 Posts Drives: GTR Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Miami FL iTrader: (13)	Ive never been a fan of Lotuses....not sure why wither
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01-06-2009, 06:57 PM	#7
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Lieutenant 114 Rep 465 Posts Drives: 1 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: 2 iTrader: (0)	They aren't forgotten. It is just that the 2004 was an insane car, and some what over shadowed the 90's cars. Although it wasn't too different, it being the last model year made it more popular. My friend had one. He was afraid to drive it because it was such a crazy car.
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01-06-2009, 07:03 PM	#8
M3350Z Second Lieutenant 39 Rep 270 Posts Drives: E92 335i MT Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New York iTrader: (0)	Aww I was hoping to open this up and see an F50. But the Espirit is still a nice car. Guy I used to know had one, let me sit in it. Pretty cool car.
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01-06-2009, 08:51 PM	#9
Ender514 General 228 Rep 20,998 Posts Drives: 2009 E92 335i Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Philly iTrader: (0)	i forgot about them....but i like them
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01-08-2009, 11:33 PM	#11
Motor She Wrote Private First Class 14 Rep 117 Posts Drives: 2010 135i Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: LA, CA iTrader: (0)	I thought about trying to pick up a used one but from what I've read, these things are a money pit, unfortunately. Even more so when you try to mod them, which is a damn shame for a mid-engined car with a twin-turbo V8.
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01-08-2009, 11:45 PM	#12
FStop7 I like cars 340 Rep 5,051 Posts Drives: M6 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Newbury Park, CA iTrader: (3)	I was sure this was going to be about the Vector W8
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01-08-2009, 11:53 PM	#13
TSM330i 2006 330i, TSM, Black, manual, sport 899 Rep 3,698 Posts Drives: '17 C2, GTI, Z4 3.0si Racecar Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chester Springs, PA iTrader: (2)	A friend of mine had a chrome orange anniversary V8 Esprit. Very exotic looking car, but it didn't handle very well. The ride was like a mid-sized sedan (very soft and floaty) and the handling was all understeer when pushed hard in corners. The front end just never seemed to bite. Driving it was very unusual with the floor mounted clutch and brake. The total distance the clutch pedal moved was about 3"! I promptly stalled the car the first time I tried to pull out (I haven't done that in 15 years). Once I got the hang of it, it was really cool. The engine was great. He had the tune from Lotus and the car really moved quite well. I had a supercharged C5 Corvette at the time and he asked me why his car didn't feel that fast. I said it's because my car has about 140 more HP This little car was quick and sounded fantastic. It felt like it was kicking you in the back when running through the gears. __________________ 2017 Porsche C2 - manual of course 2015 GTI S 2008 BMW Z4 3.0si Coupe - because racecar
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