[Is electric really the answer?]

19 hours ago, au-yt said:

Electric cars might be good at towing but that reduces the range by half.

The number of electric cars type approved for towing in the UK is tiny. We're talking just four or five models and none of those are capable of the full 3500kgs tow weight. The Model X has the largest towing capacity at a mere 2270kgs. The E-Tron and EQC can tow just 1800kgs whereas the I-Pace is a miserly 750kgs. They've got some way to go before they are comparable with even a 25 year old Discovery. 

[Future of Lotus]

What new models? It's all the usual smoke and mirrors so far and you don't have to be overly cynical to roll your eyes and mutter under your breath about the situation as it's all been seen before. We haven't had any new models for years. The last new model we had I went with Bibbo and Tony to see it being featured at Top Gear. That was in 2008 and, for context, a fit and healthy Schmacher was pretending to be the Stig.  The re-bumpered, re-engined and re-upholstered cars since then are not new models no matter how great they are.

Where's the new stuff? Where are the new cars that will grab the column inches, the YouTube minutes and the Instagram likes? Where's the new stuff that will make it worthwhile seeking out the stand at Goodwood or even worthwhile having a stand at Geneva? Where are the new models that will eventually succumb to endless Limited Editions while we moan about waiting for  the next new stuff?

We've had nothing but empty promises for years and it's only been the genius of the engineers being able to successfully tinker with the existing line-up and the loyalty of a handful of Lotus enthusiasts that have kept the production line from collecting cobwebs. Utterly and repetitively exasperating.

[Aston Martin Bulldog to Try for 200mph]

[Future of Lotus]

Another new Esprit and another five year plan. Is that the fourth or fifth time this combination has been lauded? Can someone remind me of the etiquette here, please. Are we supposed to be excitedly giggling or cynically eye rolling? I forget which one we're up to. 

[Kirk Douglas]

What are you upset about?

The infatuated teenage aspiring actress being brutally raped by an influential Hollywood heavyweight (who some years later "drowned" while she was married to another Hollywood stalwart)?

Or how no one has ever been brought to justice over either event? 

[Kirk Douglas]

Meh, another rapist dies. 

[Body removal S4 / S4s]

Yep, it's doable at home but don't underestimate the weight of the bodyshell - especially if you're leaving doors/tailgate in situ.  They got a bit portly compared with the G cars.

Don't forget the nuts/bolts that hold the pedal box on, too. 

[Happy birthday Sparky]

Wait, what? Another one? 

[Random Pictures & Videos]

Frikkin' starving. Make mine a double, please. Extra cheese, splosh of brown and hold the fruit, ta very much. 

 

 

[Concorde Memorabilia]

I'd pay not to. 

[Random Pictures & Videos]

 

[Lotus Babes]

That's missing a flappy bit on the front. 

[SE turbo leaking gravy]

4 hours ago, Sparky said:

Those who know me will attest to the fact that I identify vehicle fluids by taste.  Transmission oil is eminently identifiable.

Not keen on the prospect of tasting gearbox oil. The smell is enough to identify it. However, is that a puddle of brake fluid, screenwash or cat pee? Only one way to find that out and that's using your tongue. Note, your tongue - not my tongue.  

[Prescription Glasses]

[Win a Jim Clark Special Edition Lotus Evora GT410 Sport - The 100,000th Lotus!]

Winner announced:

 

Quote

We are delighted to confirm Mr C Fraser from Midlothian, Scotland the winner of the Jim Clark Lotus charity competition. We would like share a huge THANK YOU to over 11,000 entrants from all over the world for your support. Congratulations Mr C Fraser!

 

[Delco-Moraine ABS Deletion]

Is the other one Wilson? 

[Win a Jim Clark Special Edition Lotus Evora GT410 Sport - The 100,000th Lotus!]

The trust made an announcement on Twitter this morning. 

 

No, not a name - just an update and an explanation for the short delay:

Quote

Thank you to everyone who entered the competition that ended 29 Aug. We are adding entries from the final few weeks at events to combine with website entries. We will select a winner at random to make an announcement very soon. GOOD LUCK!

 

[Questions about 1982 Esprit S2]

It's on five stud wheels. 

[Range Rover mid life crisis...what to buy/avoid]

Great, you can tarmac drives to earn some extra cash too.  Do ya loike dags? 

[Random car and/or Lotus related pictures and videos]

Talking of Bugs, this one cracked 300mph last month. This Chiron hit 304.77mph (490.48kmh) at VW's Ehra-Lessien track back on August 2nd. Driven by Andy Wallace - who else? 

 

 

[Should All Police now be armed?]

1 hour ago, C8RKH said:

Remind me why he thought running was a good strategy in the first place? 

There was no running done by the victim. Remind me why the police lied? 

[Front Hub Nut Thread]

You can go down the same route with "if the replacement castellated nuts are fitted correctly" too. Just use the correct, Lotus approved parts for this and save yourself some grief.  (It's not a specific Lotus solution, many manufacturers use a similarly designed part.)

The job you had done previously obviously wasn't done properly. The locking ring can't vanish once the dust cap has been put back on, so it was never replaced for whatever reason. They didn't use the correct, Lotus approved parts - they used fresh air, which isn't always satisfactory for these types of jobs. If they used fresh air while refitting your castellated nuts the outcome would have been the same.

[Should All Police now be armed?]

There are armed response officers but it's not the norm nor is it wanted to have our police carry firearms as an everyday occurrence. Every so often an incident will highlight  this subject and mean questions like the one Tony posted to be asked. The terror attacks in London and Manchester a couple of years ago caused a spike in favour of the idea, but on the whole the public don't wish to be policed by officers carrying firearms. 

[Front Hub Nut Thread]

The locking ring is A089C8009F and costs about £3.00. Surely it would be easier to fit the right part? If installed correctly it won't fail or require any attention outside of servicing. 

[Should All Police now be armed?]

The story of Jean Charles de Menezes is a cautionary tale as to why our Bobbies can't be trusted with anything more lethal than a stick. Multiple cock-ups and negligence meant he was shot seven times at close range. Then the Stockwell lies, cover-ups and falsehoods followed in an attempt to disguise their incompetence. 

Absolutely no need to have more of that walking around trigger happy.