Esprit Picture & Video Thread

[Jack Stone]

14 hours ago, jep said:

That is not how Bobby saw it. He said to me they did a version with compomotive wheels and body changes that Lotus copied.

Hearsay now but that is the conversation I had.

Justin 

 

I recently interviewed Mike Kimberley and Martin Cliffe (who ran the 910 project at Hethel) for Ab Lotus and they both said the B&C conversion was pretty awful for turbo lag - something the original Turbo Esprit definitely wasn't. They did admit though that the B&C turbocharged Esprit gave Hethel a bit of a kick up the backside to get on with the works turbo engine.

My article in the latest Ab Lotus issue (out now!) gives a lot of detail on the work that went into the design and engineering of the Lotus turbocharger installation, which was developed in conjunction with  Garrett AirResearch which supplied the turbocharger. All the info in the article came directly from those involved in the project, not from other articles and books.

 

 

[Andyww]

On 16/03/2022 at 22:41, Jack Stone said:

They did admit though that the B&C turbocharged Esprit gave Hethel a bit of a kick up the backside to get on with the works turbo engine.

 

 

Indeed, but in the Guigiaro context, did they really produce a car with the Turbo body mods as Justin mentioned earlier, which Lotus copied?
Its known that they modified 25 S2's with their turbo engines. All of them had unmodified bodies apart from the addition of the word Turbo above Esprit on the side decals.

There was a Lotus development car with stripped-out dash and a turbo rear spoiler seamlessley grafted on, which is mentioned in this thread:

https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/92203-very-strange-pre-production-esprit-turbo-prototype/

It seems unlikely that B&C did the Turbo body first. Also if they used CX500s they would have had to get Compomotive to produce a custom set of 4-stud wheels, as Lotus later did. 

[Lotusfab]

On 16/03/2022 at 20:18, Nu_S1 said:

Some would argue the original is also more fun to drive, being less refined and therefore more like a race car, even if a little slower (as Classic and Sports Car attested to in their Bond addition)...🙂

Classic and Sports car drove both my cars for the Bond mag. Their journalist did prefer driving the S1. I was surprised as my Turbo is pretty refined and very quick! He just loved the S1. The Turbo drives like a modern car, whereas the S1 is like an older racing car. Personal choice I guess.

[Jack Stone]

3 hours ago, Andyww said:

Indeed, but in the Guigiaro context, did they really produce a car with the Turbo body mods as Justin mentioned earlier, which Lotus copied?
Its known that they modified 25 S2's with their turbo engines. All of them had unmodified bodies apart from the addition of the word Turbo above Esprit on the side decals.

There was a Lotus development car with stripped-out dash and a turbo rear spoiler seamlessley grafted on, which is mentioned in this thread:

https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/92203-very-strange-pre-production-esprit-turbo-prototype/

It seems unlikely that B&C did the Turbo body first. Also if they used CX500s they would have had to get Compomotive to produce a custom set of 4-stud wheels, as Lotus later did. 

I've just interviewed MJK and Martin Cliffe extensively about the creation of the Turbo Esprit and both talked about the B&C conversion but no mention was made of any Giugiaro like body styling.

Incidentally, that Lotus dev car is the unsold 1978 federal S2 that Lotus used as the V8 mule and Martin Cliffe subsequently bought the car engineless (re-reg'd it) and added an NA engine. Now owned by Dan Bellolo in Austria (see Dry Sump thread). Check out my 910 article in latest issue of Ab Lotus for lots of insight from MJK and Martin on the engine project.

[obi-nu]

3 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

Classic and Sports car drove both my cars for the Bond mag. Their journalist did prefer driving the S1. I was surprised as my Turbo is pretty refined and very quick! He just loved the S1. The Turbo drives like a modern car, whereas the S1 is like an older racing car. Personal choice I guess.

That's just it though right?

It's more refined and quick but if speed isn't the deciding factor and one prefers the raw driving experience then surely it's the earlier car?

Which do you prefer out of interest having both Fabian? I was on the fence but I'm not a speed freak so went with an S1, I can't attest to a turbo however...

P.s. Sounds like we were both in the same line of work from reading the article btw!🙂

Nu.

[Lotusfab]

9 hours ago, Nu_S1 said:

That's just it though right?

It's more refined and quick but if speed isn't the deciding factor and one prefers the raw driving experience then surely it's the earlier car?

Which do you prefer out of interest having both Fabian? I was on the fence but I'm not a speed freak so went with an S1, I can't attest to a turbo however...

P.s. Sounds like we were both in the same line of work from reading the article btw!🙂

Nu.

Hi Nu, Very tricky question and I can’t really say which one I prefer. I enjoy driving both and they are both very good in different ways. I think the Turbo is more comfortable and easier to drive. The S1 is very much seat of the pants and you are far more engaged with the driving experience. I think the Turbo is a much better design from an engineering point of view, but if I sell one it would be the Turbo first. This is probably only because the S1 had a much bigger influence on me when I was 10 and its the car I always wanted.

[Jack Stone]

11 hours ago, Jack Stone said:

I've just interviewed MJK and Martin Cliffe extensively about the creation of the Turbo Esprit and both talked about the B&C conversion but no mention was made of any Giugiaro like body styling.

Incidentally, that Lotus dev car is the unsold 1978 federal S2 that Lotus used as the V8 mule and Martin Cliffe subsequently bought the car engineless (re-reg'd it) and added an NA engine. Now owned by Dan Bellolo in Austria (see Dry Sump thread). Check out my 910 article in latest issue of Ab Lotus for lots of insight from MJK and Martin on the engine project.

*I meant the S2 was the 910 mule (not V8!)

[Giniw]

That makes more sense, I was a bit surprised

[obi-nu]

15 hours ago, Lotusfab said:

Hi Nu, Very tricky question and I can’t really say which one I prefer. I enjoy driving both and they are both very good in different ways. I think the Turbo is more comfortable and easier to drive. The S1 is very much seat of the pants and you are far more engaged with the driving experience. I think the Turbo is a much better design from an engineering point of view, but if I sell one it would be the Turbo first. This is probably only because the S1 had a much bigger influence on me when I was 10 and its the car I always wanted.

Thanks Fabian. Great to hear your thoughts as, what must be, one of the few to have both.

It reaffirms what, I think, is generally accepted.👍

I'm Sussex based so it sounds like you aren't to far away as I would love to have a chat about the differences in person one day!

Best, Nu.

[JNW3]

Took the S1 up to Hethel yesterday as Lotus are borrowing it for some filming - managed to get a few snaps😊

[Yo1]

 Long time I haven't been on the forum. Here are a few pictures of my Esprit S3 HC NA LHD. You can find it on Insta: @yo1nn or in Supergommes's insta: @supergommes

My car is now at the garage waiting for the new windshield to be installed. (and a little body work to make it perfect.

[RobinB5]

Some spring cleaning, before and after. Last waxing was over a year ago using @Greg | ValetPro's 'Beading Marvelous'. It's incredible the shine still left under all the dirt!

[Barrykearley]

Layer on another coat 😍

[RobinB5]

7 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

Layer on another coat 😍

A bit too parky at the mo Barry! 

[Barrykearley]

It’s bloody freezing outside 🥶 - was considering a run out first thing - now not so sure @RobinB5

[jep]

Get those Lotus out. Lovely morning for a run and they haven't salted roads around Surrey. Roof off in Elise.

Cleaning cars is an over-rated pastime. 

Justin 

[exeterjeep]

1 hour ago, jep said:

Cleaning cars is an over-rated pastime. 

But better than waiting in a queue for a auto car wash - like you see at petrol stations.

[Greg | ValetPro]

1 hour ago, jep said:

Get those Lotus out. Lovely morning for a run and they haven't salted roads around Surrey. Roof off in Elise.

Cleaning cars is an over-rated pastime. 

Justin 

Agree to disagree

 

This might not help my point, I enjoy detailing any car ( i do love looking back once the jobs done and admiring  the finish).  I love driving depending on the car.  
 

so i guess i enjoy driving much more.  

 

 

 

2 hours ago, RobinB5 said:

Some spring cleaning, before and after. Last waxing was over a year ago using @Greg | ValetPro's 'Beading Marvelous'. It's incredible the shine still left under all the dirt!

Thanks for the mention.  The car looks great Beading Marvellous clearly doing its job.

[JR]

Taken this week at a certain other car maker's F1 team's HQ...

[Jack Stone]

Nice set of pics of the recent Esprit meet at Otake Beach, Hokota City, Japan, tweeted by @miniesprit 

 

[Toqcars]

I was crying when saw it. At least it wasn’t seen when diving… 

[jep]

Presumably a prop car. 

[RobinB5]

That's atrocious! 

[exeterjeep]

Wonder who was at the helm of the design, will it sink or swim.

[jep]

It only had a bit part; came on as a sub