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When you had that photo of an Esprit on your bedroom’s wall in the ‘80s and closed your eyes, this is probably how you imagined life with a mid-engined Lotus: a never-ending winding road in never-ending sunset. Back then, there was no Evora an Esprit could transform into, but Richard Morris’s latest video solves even that pesky problem. Morris, whose photography and videos we’ve featured here before, shot this clip for UK-based Lotus specialist Scott Walkers. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5805934&view=rss&microfeed=true Lotus developing new "lighter" V6, V8 in-house. Good bad news or bad good news? You decide. [Automobilemag] More »
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The Lotus Esprit is that marque's longest running model. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe turbo edition doesn't look long in the tooth but does its price make you long for it to be in your driveway? More »
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The spirit of Colin Chapman died today, as a creepy green dude watched on. Today's E-gasmic unveiling of the 2015 Lotus Elise, 2014 Lotus Elan, Elite, Esprit and Eterne only revealed that yes, the old Lotus is dead. More »
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The 2013 Lotus Esprit is no longer a light, simple car. It's a complicated and extremely fast one, reaching 205 MPH flat out. Unfortunately, that means its now got a lot of competition. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5652249&view=rss&microfeed=true Lotus will supposedly unveil an Esprit-succeeding supercar this fall. Whatever it's called it'll likely use the same chassis as every other Lotus. Good. [Edmunds Straightline] More »
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Any cinephile petrolhead worth his salt will tell you underwater motoring requires the possession of a Lotus Esprit. But in the real world? As you see above, and in the epic video below, choose the Acura NSX. More »
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You may not be licensed to kill, but that doesn't mean Nice Price or Crack Pipe can't find you a car to drive, and a beauty to seduce, so you can make believe, poseur. More »
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When the next-gen Lotus Esprit arrives in 2012, it'll receive some pretty epic power options according to EVO, including the yet-to-be-released 500 HP, high-revving V10 out of the vaporware upcoming Lexus LF-A. More »
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Welcome to Project Car Hell, where you choose your eternity by selecting the project that's the coolest... and most hellish! Last round, PCH Superpower Britain crushed PCH wannabe Germany, but today it's an all-Superpower affair. More »
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James Bond's transforming Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me is up on the auction block again, so if you've got $175,000 and an appreciation for the Giugiaro-designed 1976 Lotus Esprit we recommend booking a flight to London next month for the Bonhams auction. What makes the Esprit so famous is that, at the touch of a button in the film, it turned into a submarine. We're fairly certain the Lotus up for auction, though from the film, will not actually turn into a submersible. If you want one of those you'll have to wait for the Rinspeed sQuba or invest in a blue screen. Happy bidding. Hit the jump for "official" specs on the Esprit from the movie. More »
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Moments after unveiling the Lotus Evora, Lotus Group CEO Mike Kimberley announced the brand would continue its expansion with two more new platforms. This means Lotus will be shifting to a three-platform model, with the Elise and Europa on the smallest chassis, the Evora occupying the second platform and a new, high-performance mid-engined supercar on a third, expected to debut in 2010. To top it off, Kimberly stated all three platforms would be refreshed or debuted within the next five years. More »
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We've spent months seeing the 2010 Lotus Eagle in get-ups ranging from an old Lotus Esprit mule to an homage to the caped crusader with makeup and heavy camo obscura. Now, thanks to a single image making its way onto the internet by way of Lotus, we're now finally get our first idea of the Eagle's real shape. The teaser shot hints at a surprisingly Elise-like hood and headlight treatment. Visible under the shroud of Lotus, the sharp fenders and slanted headlight treatment are clearly visible, as is the center hood spine over the front mounted radiator outlets. More »
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Future Spyker models will be built on Lotus platforms and share many of their parts thanks to a deal made earlier today. The Parts and Platform Commonality agreement should be good news for the troubled Dutch sportscar maker, meaning much of their development cost will be carried by troubled English sportscar maker, Lotus. The timing is especially good for Spyker, as it means they'll be able to take advantage of the forthcoming Eagle and Esprit models. More »
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This is one of those rare occasions where the most appropriate reaction to an engine transplant is to stand from your chair, and begin a slow clap of awe-inspired appreciation. It takes a certain kind of bonkers maniac to wrest the 2.2 liter 4-cylinder Lotus engine and Citroen gearbox from an otherwise impeccable example of a 1981 Lotus Esprit and install a monster German V8 of aluminum und schteel. Follow along in forum format as our hero goes about the heart transplant, and wonder in awe as he custom machines parts for the beast. We want to be like him when we grow up. [Motorgeek] More »
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While the 8-door '57 Chrysler limo almost beat out the stretched Ferrari 400i limo in our last Choose Your Eternity poll (and what an upset of reigning PCH Superpower, Italy, that would have been!), V12 power and Italian build quality seem to have triumphed over fins and rust. Today we need to see how Italy fares against its fellow PCH Superpower, Great Britain (with the winner moving on to take on France, of course). And, just to make things more fun, we're going with some serious Malaise machinery today, because Euro-Malaise is inherently cool-yet-hellish. More »
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Each week we'll let two silver screen automotive icons face off and let you decide which stays and which one goes home, tailpipe between their legs. That's right, it's like an online Thunderdome — except without the death thing. We call it the "Star Car Shootout." Let's get ready to rumble. More »
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Sometimes you need to ask yourself: How bad do I need a Ferrari? Actually, in Project Car Hell, the question goes: How bad can a Ferrari project be? Either way, the problem with Ferraris is that most of them are so expensive that you're spared the torment of actually owning one... that is, until now. We've managed to round up a couple of Ferrari deals that cost less than most Fiero-based Ferrari-influenced kit cars, and one of them even comes with a bonus Lotus Esprit! More »
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Yesterday, we saw a slight majority of you go for the Volvo Bertone as your eternal vehicular companion in the Wrenching Underworld. Thing is, though both are certainly cool, neither a 200-series Volvo nor a fairly straight Ford wagon would really punish you sufficiently to provide that "going through hell for your cool car project" feeling we strive for. To remedy that, we've got a couple of real challenges lined up... More »
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The Dutch boys over at AUTOGESPOT snapped up some pictures last week from a Lotus forum of what appears to be a camo-ed 2009 Lotus Esprit. We don't really understand what they wrote, but it looks like they're expecting the '09 to drop at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show. As far as the engine, we're hearing it'll be a 4.8-liter V8 via BMW, and the folks at the "GESPOT" think it'll have in excess of 400 HP. [via AUTOGESPOT] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=281859&view=rss&microfeed=true With a new Esprit on something resembling the horizon, we started getting nostalgic for the old S1 and S2. Which, were our pockets lined with a modicum of dosh, could get us in some serious, serious, unthinkable trouble. Meanwhile, here's a Top Gear clip from the first season featuring Jezza and the Stig whirling one of the last examples of the line around Dunsfold airfield, as well as a discussion of the merits of pop-up headlights. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=280939&view=rss&microfeed=true It's funny, because it's not been that long since The Spy Who Loved Me last crossed the television screen at the abode of Jalop Johnson. But we constantly romanticize the Lotus submarine, when in reality, the scene is kind of wooden and lame. Still, it's a Lotus submarine! We've always been perplexed at how the fish got into the car, though. – Davey G. Johnson More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=242839&view=rss&microfeed=true Our love for the Lotus Esprit dates back to its appearance in The Spy Who Loved Me, and while we forget about the old girl now and then, whenever we see one, we want one all over again. We realize, of course, that this is some deranged madness. But then again, Lotuses have often been deranged, mad cars. Just ask Jim Clark, Al Navarro or the two girls in this strange long-form advert. – Davey G. Johnson More »
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The Dutch masters at Autovisie procured some shots of what spies say is the next Lotus Espirit. It appears to be the same test vehicle seen indoors recently. This time, it's out on the street, with its assumed BMW-sourced V8 getting a workout of some measure. We'll have to wait until 2009 or thereabouts to see the finished product, which the company's been working on since the Clinton administration. But at 2,600 pounds and nearly 400 horsepower, we're just going to assume its worth the wait. – Mike Spinelli More »
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Considering the Lotus Esprit replacement has been in development since the Clinton administration — and the only evidence we've seen has been a few test mules disguised as the previous model — these spy shots gave us a bit of the gibblies. Still, we have no idea from where AutoGespot procured these pics of what could be an in-development prototype. All we know is that it may have a BMW-sourced V8 and will likely launch in 2010. And possibly weigh as much as a sack of kittens, or so we hear. – Mike Spinelli More »
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Lotus's latest corporate newsletter has more than just snapshots from the last company pot-luck supper (cheese puffs again?). It's got a primer of the engineering process that will, one day, lead to a replacement for the long-running Esprit and the new Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA) that will underpin its next-generation models. It also features sketches of prospective cars, including a GT coupe and a seven-seat crossover, which speak equally to Lotus's project outsourcing business as to its own brand. Speed through lightness through technology. How clever. – Mike Spinelli More »
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It's high-altitude and brake testing that sent Lotus engineers into the Alps with a test mule that's likely the new Lotus Esprit coupe. Spies caught the patchwork supercar in the mountains, in the most complete prototype of the 2009 Lotus we've seen to date. It would appear that the blokes at Hethel have chosen a powertrain too, which sources say is a BMW 4.4 or 4.8-liter V8 hooked to Lotus's own ECU. Spies also say the Esprit, which reportedly has the Ferrari F430 in its sights, will also be built in roadster form. – Mike Spinelli More »
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The blokes at Lotus are preparing for a veritable product blitz that will bring three new models to market in the next five years, including the new, long-awaited Esprit-replacement flagship. According to the company, the two additional models will include a vague mid-market entry set to launch in December 2008, along with a high-performance model created with Lotus parent, Malaysia's Proton, coming in May 2008. Despite rumors the Esprit flagship was coming next year, the company says the Esprit replacement's introduction has been extended to 2009 to "incorporate more Lotus 'DNA' and other enhancements to meet the changing needs of the global marketplace." Exactly. Someone must have left the barn door open. More »
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We love Lotus. We love the odd designs, we love the sheer randomness of the cars and their penchant for finding obscure words that begin with the letter E. (Seriously, who thought "Eclat" was a good name for a car? It sounds like a bowel dysfunction.) We love the Seven because it's like a well-endwed featherweight bear, if such a thing could possibly exist. We love the Esprit because it fires missiles and can travel underwater. We love the Elise because who else has the guts anymore to build such a raw vehicle and not feel the need to apologize for it? More »
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As PistonHeads tells it, Lotus's chief Mike Kimberley has confirmed the name of the company's Esprit-replacing flagship will be — Esprit. It's the first word from the company that the Esprit line — one of the most storied Lotus marques ever — would continue. According to PH, Kimberley said, "For Lotus to be successful we need a three model line-up and the jewel in the crown is the Esprit," to which a PR rep corrected him, with "mid-engined sports car." In other news, The Society for the Prevention of CEO Tourette's Syndrome wants a few bucks. More »
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What's a test mule other than a masquerade ball on wheels, with only the guest of honor in attendance. In this case, it's the new, long (long) awaited Lotus Esprit replacement, dressed as a Lotus Esprit. Does that mean, by default, it's the Lotus Esprit replacement? Well no, but those who are in the know say it is. And that's good enough for us. It's Friday. More »
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Left Lane News has the scoop on Lotus's reworked flagship, the Esprit. (The new model's been so long in the making, we'd taken to calling it Esprit de Corpse.) But Lotus's CEO Mike Kimberley now says the mid-engined supercar will arrive sometime in 2008. It'll be built at Lotus's Hethel HQ, not in some Proton facility in Malaysia, as had been rumored, and will use an all-new, all-aluminum architecture. Word is it'll use a BMW-sourced V8 for power, but that's far from confirmed. More »
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After "Moonraker," the first movie we ever slept all the way through in the theater, Bond fans weren't expecting much from the series, which appeared to be petering out. But then came "For Your Eyes Only," and only the Connery purists' hearts were hardened. FYEO was a far better, more traditional Bond caper starring a proper, earth-bound sports car: the Giugiaro-designed Lotus Turbo Esprit. Now, the Bond Esprit from the movie, which became our favorite car right up until our ill-fated Countach period, is up for bidding on eBay, though it'll cost $250,000 just to get in the game. Damn. Now that Shirley Bassey Sheena Easton tune is stuck in our head. More »
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All this noodling about with go-karts like the Elise and Exige and Europa — not that we'd throw any of them out of bed for crying "Steve" (not our name) — has been great fun for Lotus and its acolytes. But the real show is about to begin, and its name was once Esprit. The company's been working on its newest flagship for what seems to be decades. Now, according to Autocar, the mid-engined supercar (quite literally) is nearing production. The new model is undergoing crash testing ahead of a 2008 launch. Word is a twin-turbofied, BMW-sourced V8 will provide power, and a six-speed sequential tranny will direct mechanical traffic. Hopes are running high. More »
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