LEF Factory Visit (chat about the Event!)

[karluk29]

i have come to the conclusion that all our friends in those foreign lands are rollin in cash LOL, pilots lessons, just nipping over to hethel, and to top it off meerkats. "oh the joy to one day ride a meerkat"

[Kimbers]

Sounds like a plan Paul But I'd rather ride Wayne's meerkat too

SLADE

The RSPCA will arrest you for that over here.

[Loteuk]

Me plus 1 also??

[Bibs]

I see you've posted that in the right thread now.

Nice car

[slade]

The RSPCA will arrest you for that over here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You know, I really ought to check up on what they will arrest you for before I'm over there err doing something I shouldn't be.

What a country!

slade

[Kimbers]

Hi all

It's official. I had a call tonight. Quite exciting as our visit is going to be part of their........yawn.....really tired.......finish this later.

[Guest Troy Halliday]

oooh you bitch

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

That was HOURS ago you evil sod! LOL

Come on... spill!!

[gghc87]

Lotus

Hethel

100 Esprits

The new Esprit

Beating fishy at poker

Edited June 17, 2006 by gghc87

[fmxa]

Maybe he got caught getting up to no good with Wayne's meerkat

[Kimbers]

Sorry guys genuinely fell asleep at the computer. Was meaning to finish it last night, hope you don't hold it against me...unless you are a lady.

They want to use the visit as part of their 40 years at Hethel celebrations!

I will know more tomorrow when I ply the old man with alcohol and fathers day pressies.

Looks like all systems are go.....just need and exact day now and we can start booking up the hotel etc.

[Jonathan]

Great news...oh and did someone mention Poker ?

[Kimbers]

Great news...oh and did someone mention Poker ?

Oh god this could get expensive........I have the table and poker set though.....am in middle of a big tourney so must get on......

[rocket63]

Why not just confirm a date? then we can all make arrangements.

[Bibs]

It's not quiet that simple. You'll know as soon as it's been confirmed with the factory.

[Kimbers]

The event has been confirmed but still no date other than the beginning of October as Lotus are unsure of how to cater for 200 Esprit nutters in one go. Could get even bigger if all the factories thinking comes off and we could have Elite and Eclat owners attending with us as part of the 40 years at Hethel celebrations.......Now for me that would REALLY be a great event!!!

[mayevora]

Better be quick with the Hotels / B&B's. Won't be a bed left in town!

[RichardN]

Since things have gone a bit quiet on this front recently (not a criticism Kimbers, I know how long organising events like this can take) I thought I would throw in a subject for discussion.

When this meeting was first suggested it was a forum only event where Esprit owners could get together for a pint or two, put faces to names, discuss their cars, show off in a "parade" through Great Yarmouth and generally have a good time with the added bonus of this all happening at the "grand temple" at Hethel. In essence, a sort of international club meeting.

We were all going to have a chance to drive our cars around the track (now sadly not possible for insurance reasons), get a tour around the factory and maybe get a sneaky look at the new Esprit (I can dream).

Now, things have changed dramatically. It is looking as if Lotus is planning to turn this into a sort of repeat of the 50th Anniversary event with owners of all the cars built at Hethel invited along. It is no longer looking like a bunch of like-minded Esprit nuts getting together for a boy's (and girl's) day out but a carefully organised event probably with a bouncy castle for the kids and craft stands for the disinterested other-halfs (of either sex - no discrimination intended). With so many people invited there is less chance of getting a ride around the track with a "test driver" and almost no chance of seeing anything interesting hidden under a sheet (I know, there was no chance anyway!).

The question is - has the event been highjacked? Is this what the forum members actually signed up for?

Personally, I liked the idea of the more intimate meeting. I went to the 50th Anniversary event and while I enjoyed it felt it was almost too big. That's not to say that I wouldn't come to the event whatever form it takes. I'll take any excuse to drive the car and especially one that ends up at Hethel with a chance to meet some of the people I have communicated with on here.

Please don't think this is a criticism of Kimbers and Bibs' hard work organising this event. We are all very grateful to them and whatever happens we will have a great time. This is just a subject for discussion.

I open the floor to comments...

Richard

[Loose Cannon]

Now, things have changed dramatically. It is looking as if Lotus is planning to turn this into a sort of repeat of the 50th Anniversary event with owners of all the cars built at Hethel invited along.

Where did you read this?

[RichardN]

In Kimbers' post further up the page...

"The event has been confirmed but still no date other than the beginning of October as Lotus are unsure of how to cater for 200 Esprit nutters in one go. Could get even bigger if all the factories thinking comes off and we could have Elite and Eclat owners attending with us as part of the 40 years at Hethel celebrations.......Now for me that would REALLY be a great event!!!"

Ok - perhaps "all the cars" built at Hethel is an exaggeration but even without the Elises that's still a lot of people.

Richard

Edited July 1, 2006 by RichardN

[Guest Troy Halliday]

Yes I have privately spoken to a few members of this site who all feel the same way. Although a large avent could be interesting there seems to be more than enough events where the Esprit get pushed to the back of the field. Time after time we see the Elise/Elan crew dominating a show because of there numbers. To my mind this is the biggest reason for limited turnout of Esprit owners at these avents.

Well lets see how the wind blows on this one, but I am not eager to play second fiddle to the mid range models again.

[Loose Cannon]

Oh bugger that obviously didn't sink in. So it will be swarming with Elises, yippy-doo. I seriously don't mind the older stuff but I find a kind of inverse snobbery with some of the Elise clan, I think maybe one in 5 has ever returned a wave or thumbs-up.

[matk]

Got to agree, much keener on an Esprit only meet, we seem to have a special connection on this forum and would really like to focus on that as Richard has said. I also though recognise the work of Kimbers and Bibs and think we should all remember that we are fortunate to have the opportunity to debate this (i.e. any visit better than nothing). To me it's also another indication of the close regard Lotus have for the Esprit owner which seems to me to "above and beyond" when compared to other manufacturers.

Regards

Mat Kutub

1979 S2

[esprit350]

I also agree, I thought the original idea was for members of this forum, to have a get together at Lotus, I have nothing against owners of other lotus cars, but if it is an allcomers event then I am not going, I can see all the other cars at Donington or Stonleigh.

[fmxa]

I appreciate everything Kimbers and Bibs are doing, but I agree this really needs to be an Esprit only get together. As someone else mentioned, if opened to the Elise crowd we'll probably end up stuck in an obscure corner of the factory behind a potting shed!

It's not exactly a trip up the high street for me to get there (despite a free ride in Waynes Lear Jet ), and thus I was hoping for more of a personal experience, not a carnival.

Again, don't take this as a criticism, just an opinion ............

P