What would you get

[Daniel]

I'm going to buy an esprit.......right.......so

I'd originally budgeted for 14K and was looking at a turbo SE......but

I'm buying it through my company, and I just want to make sure I'm going for the right car soooooooooooo.

If there are cars out there much better than the SE, should I up the budget? I dont want to spend 14K.....tip up at a meet or track day and think "should have spent a few more and got one like that"

I'll be using it for weekend blasts and a few track days a year.

[lrg_machine]

you don't say what you're willing to go up to though.

Adam G has his S4s ( which is a very nice example ) for sale at 17.5K

If you want a weekend blast then what a way to go with an S4s

[Daniel]

OK how much better is a S4s than an SE?

[DBredS4]

about 3 times better. Arguably the best Esprit on the road

(other than >>>>>)

the sport 300 which would be 3 times better again

[Daniel]

Hardly 3 times better...........seriously

11K on an SE or 18K on an S4s?

[gmendoza]

about 3 times better. Arguably the best Esprit on the road

(other than >>>>>)

the sport 300 which would be 3 times better again

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Even better than a V8?

[lrg_machine]

I don't know about "3 times better" but the S4s does tend to command a premium on price because of it's relative rarity and apart from the Sport 300 it is the quickest of the 4 pots.

There's also a comment on LEW somewhere that the Lotus guy's at Hethel were asked which is the best Esprit they built ? "S4s"

One of the general rule for buying Esprits is get the best you can afford.

P.S.

I am biased of course

Edited September 1, 2005 by lrg_machine

[Paul C]

I'm not going to comment as i'm too biased and

have nothin constructive to add....

Oh go on then...

1989 SE, lotus introduce a chargecooled 2.2L turbo good for 4.7 seconds, 165mph, 0-100 11.9 seconds.

1993 S4, lotus introduce a chargecooled 2.2L turbo good for 4.7 seconds, 165mph, 0-100 11.9 seconds.

1995 S4s, lotus introduce a chargecooled 2.2L turbo good for 4.6 seconds, 168mph, 0-100 11.4 seconds.

1997 GT3, lotus introduce a chargecooled 2.0L turbo good for 5.1 seconds, 163.5mph, 0-100 12.5 seconds.

I bring to you the SE!!!! No ABS, PAS etc to go wrong and all the GO!

Bargain (if slightly less refined, but hey!)

[Daniel]

I'm not going to comment as i'm too biased and

have nothin constructive to add....

Oh go on then...

1989 SE, lotus introduce a chargecooled 2.2L turbo good for 4.7 seconds, 165mph, 0-100 11.9 seconds.

1993 S4, lotus introduce a chargecooled 2.2L turbo good for 4.7 seconds, 165mph, 0-100 11.9 seconds.

1995 S4s, lotus introduce a chargecooled 2.2L turbo good for 4.6 seconds, 168mph, 0-100 11.4 seconds.

1997 GT3, lotus introduce a chargecooled 2.0L turbo good for 5.1 seconds, 163.5mph, 0-100 12.5 seconds.

I bring to you the SE!!!! No ABS, PAS etc to go wrong and all the GO!

Bargain (if slightly less refined, but hey!)

[lrg_machine]

I bring to you the SE!!!! No ABS, PAS etc to go wrong and all the GO!

Bargain (if slightly less refined, but hey!) 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I could live without the ABS, but I use my S4s as a daily driver and am sooooooooooooooooo !!!! glad for the PAS

[Daniel]

OK theres an S4 in Autotrader.....it's the championship celebration car, 1 of 11 made (racing green with mustard wheels).....14.5K

Whats the general opinion?

[gmendoza]

Even better than a V8?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So is an S4s better than a V8? Why or why not?

[Jonathan]

I'd sort of agree on the PAS front, although I haven't driven a non-PAS esprit but I'd expect if it were anything like the Elise the feed back you get is much more informative and somewhat pleasurable to drive.

Be interesting to hear how a non-PAS handles at very hgh speed, when in the GT3 at silly speeds the handling is superb, it's like you're doing 50 but with the needles over to the right and lots of cars disappearing in the rear view.

As for the S4s / V8, I have some experience of both. The S4s is more balanced due to the weight distribution, with a chip the S4s its not much off a V8 as far as performance goes in a straight line upto about 100mph, tested this out on a private race way

After than the V8 comes into its own, it'll get to top speed faster.

Other than that the distinct difference is the power distribution.....S4s relys on turbo to get it going, the V8 doesn't as they spool up fairly quickly and you have 8 cylinders to provide you with low end torque - which is better....horses for courses if you ask me, totally depends on your driving style and ability to get the most out of the car - seen both cars in the right hands do incredible things.

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

The V8 is considered by many to be physically less well balanced than the 4 Cyl cars.

Don't forget the GT3 - I have heard as many quotes from the factory saying this was the best Esprit they ever made. You WILL need to get Chip 10 though.

With a chip and very minor upgrades (and just ones youre likely to want to do anyway - eg exhaust, filter and maybe a bov) an SE or S4 will run the same code as an S4s

I have heard th SE is considered to be a little 'twitchy' and the S4 is supposed to have remedied that. (contentious)

(aside) I hate ANYTHING fly by wire tbh - PAS, ABS the lot. No stupid ZX81 in my engine bay running my fuel either!

[Paul C]

I have heard th SE is considered to be a little 'twitchy'...

Twitchy?

Mclaren F1 was described as 'twitchy'

Like a racing car twitchy?

Hey! who wants their Esprit to feel like an audi anyway?

TWITCHING AND A BITCHIN' SINCE 1989

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

Paul... your mind is a scary place to be!!

[EspritMiltonKeynes]

TWITCHING AND A BITCHIN'

Edited September 3, 2005 by EspritMiltonKeynes

[Jonathan]

Aye, pretty sound - but you wont get an S300 for

[Paul C]

Also, the new GT3 dash has no Boost guage

This seems inane to me, as it's the guage i look at most.

When i have had ECU problems it has been the very first

indicator, (showing me limited boost). In fact i think it's the

most useful guage on a turbocharged car. - the fun-ometer!

If i had a new dash, i'd be on to demon tweeks the next day

to buy a nice boost guage (maybe a turbo timer with built in

digital boost guage?).

They should have binned the clock and stuck it there instead!

[Guest esprit geoff]

I have heard th SE is considered to be a little 'twitchy' and the S4 is supposed to have remedied that. (contentious)

Never ever heard that one!!! My SE hasn't got a hint of twitch.

Anyway, Daniel there are a lot of options for your money, the GT3 does like to be heavily revved to get the performance out of it. The S4 is well sorted if you like the high-wing (that's the thing I personally don't like), updated interior. The SE is without PAS and ABS (although ABS was added to the later high-wing SE - I think). I've got used to the lack of PAS, it's not that heavy, but I do like the styling of the SE.

So you've got plenty of choice. But you do need to keep some money for repairs etc. And do get a specialist inspection, they will find stuff you never had a clue about, it can even drive beautifully and still require 1K of work. So tread carefully.

Good luck.

Geoff.