Famous Lotus owners

[Vicki]

Bob Carolgees made me cry once. I was six and it was 4 o'clock in the morning. I'll let you create your own version of events.

(n.b. Spit the dog was not involved)

[fmxa]

I'm calling the police for you right now ....

[WayneB]

Nigel Mansell did have a company car Turbo Esprit in the early 80s, it was black ,with gold JPS lettering/striping reg.no. UAH 272W

Interested to read of Fishys encounter with Miss Carlisle

A friend of mine was obsessed with her and went to all of her U.K. concerts. As he failed miserably to meet/sh*g her, he found himself a girl who kinda looked like her and got married

As for pathetic celebrity name dropping, as its sunday and Im bored here goes:-

1. I was in the same class at Moseley Art school as the guys that are in the UB40 band.(we werent friends) Other famous people that were there, Christine Mac Vie,(Fleetwood Mac), Roy Wood (Wizzard) and me old mate Trevor Beattie(enfant terrible of british advertising)

2. Used to see Kevin Roland about alot(Dexys Midnight Runners) He dessed like a Keltic Gypsey before he was famous(he was a hairdresser, and did my mates birds hair) Saw Boy George once at Oasis Birmingham, he was a hairdresser as well, and scarey as all get out.

3. Crashed a party once for Michael Parkinson , he looked a 100 yrs old without makeup, Valerie Leon was there also(Hi-Karatie girl)

4. Worked on the set of the movie Clockwise and met John Clease

5. Pat Roach(007 actor/stuntman wrestler) sponsored my racing car in the80s

6. Met my idol Jackie Stewart and his son Paul whilst sheltering from the rain in the pit garages at Silverstone

7.Met Paul Newman twice (looks realy old)

8. Met Dan Gurney and Phil Hill (gentlemen)

9. Stefan Johanssen and Vern Schuppan(not)

10. My wife Deb,was on the Tiswas show with Lenny Henry and Chris Tarrant

11. Sat next to Susannah York on a Trans Atlantic flight

was interesting trying to remember that lot

Edited November 27, 2005 by WayneB

[Jussi]

I have met some finnish celebrities , but I think you haven't heard of them

But here are some you may know

1. drinking coffee at the same table with Mika Hakkinen (formula1 world champion 1998 and 1999).

2. also drinking coffee with Mika Salo (formula1 driver 1994-2002).

3. Last summer I took some photos (in a private happening) from Karita Tuomola (miss Finland 1997).

4. Last summer Hannu Mikkola (Rally world champion 1983) was inspecting my Esprit with his son. There was also Teemu Selanne (hockey player).

[Kimbers]

How about King Hussain of Jordan? He bought 4 direct from my dad.

[fmxa]

All right here's my addition - back in the late 80's I used to rent a guest cottage on an estate previously owned by Mick Fleetwood, and was told Stevie Nicks used to write songs there. I also shared a KFC lunch with Mr.T from the A Team - "You going to to eat that chicken wing fool"!

[Kimbers]

ithink nigel mansell was given one by lotus  .paul matty sold the x colin chapman turbo .it can be seen on lotus esprit world owners page  .what a car .noel edmounds car could be seen on the saturday night early eightys tv show ,showing him drive off  ithink it was an x reg  red car might be wrong.the show was the late breakfast show .my wife thinks i should get a life  .she is only jokeing .ihope  mike

Sorry Mike,

You are right on the Nigel Mansell thing but Colin Chapman NEVER EVER owned or drove an Esprit. He had a Merc 600 that he drove everywhere. He drove most Lotus's but never had an Esprit, He loved his Elite and Hazel had an Eclat.

Got this from my dad who is sitting next to me and was Colins Right hand man and CEO after Colin died. Cheers Tony Kimberley.

[EspritMiltonKeynes]

Sorry Mike,

Colin Chapman NEVER EVER owned or drove an Esprit.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Colin Chapman never drove an Esprit? That's unbelievable - still geniuses can be strange.

Here's photographic evidence of him getting out of a Kiwi - but maybe he never actually drove it.

[Kimbers]

Colin Chapman never drove an Esprit? That's unbelievable - still geniuses can be strange.

Here's photographic evidence of him getting out of a Kiwi - but maybe he never actually drove it. 

Sorry, should have deleted that bit. If you read the whole thing you would see that it said "He drove most Lotus's but never had an Esprit" by which I meant he never owned one or used one in a dialy capacity. Hope that clarifies things.

By the way, got pictures of my dad getting into the company black and gold plane but doesn't mean he flew it.

[EspritMiltonKeynes]

Haha..

Thought so. You know in many ways I'm not surprised Colin Chapman wasn't the hugest fan of the Esprit - when you look back on his early days of Lotus Sevens and those other bug-eyed things I can easily see him looking at the S1 and thinking 'what is this futuristic Italian shite, where's my elan gone'?

Think he would have liked the elise tho...

[Kimbers]

You're not wrong in that he would have liked the Elise, Dads sitting here with me and said he would say, great styling now start again and this time PUT A LOTUS ENGINE IN IT!

Joking aside, we've been looking at the Lotus Esprit Turbo that refutes to be Colins Car on the web site mentioned and Dads exact comment was "Colin never owned an Esprit and if it's certified then it's just plain wrong" We lived next door for 14 years and dad was there for 26, designed the Elite with olly Winterbottom & Eclat, Was Project leader on Esprit, Excel.....not to mention Chief Engineer on the Europa TC.......(did I mention the e type Lemans car?)....anyway, Colin just wasn't an Esprit man and if he did 4400 miles in that Esprit he was asleep in the passenger seat! will sort this one out...Dads calling some old mates.....watch this space......

[oneshot]

4. Worked on the set of the movie Clockwise and met John Clease 

Small world! The school that features in the first 20 minutes of the film was my old school and features a number of my old mates as extras

[cbclotus]

No probs Kimbers,don't mind being corrected by anyone who knows better.Good threads,keep them coming.Think you're going to be busy.....

[Kimbers]

...Dads calling some old mates.....watch this space......

Phew, Struggling to keep up with things here....especially with everyone asking for anecdotes!

OK

The Lotus Esprit EVF 464X was built as a one off and would technically have been down as Colins car. Like my dad, colin disliked the steering and wanted to try one with power steering and what Colin wanted.......... ANyway this car is the outcome, It was actually a prototype (one was made for my dad which was also classified as a prototype due to the fact dad is 6ft 5in and it had to be "modified") and Colin did drive it but def not 4400 miles and prob only to test it for himself...in fact dad destinctly remembers driving it himself for a few days.

You are right Colin liked the Elite better

End of......can't keep up with other topics, cheers matey for that one, dad will add it into his autobiography.

[hovgaard]

Ok.... I'd better clarify that a bit!

It was a ride in a lift! lmao

When I was signed to EMI, my singer, manager and I shared a lift with her...

Suddenly it doesn't sound so cool!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A colleague of my moms once shared an elevator with John & Yoko.

My dad is in a secret band with Poul Ehlers, world renowned jazz bass player. They never record or play in public.

I have a friend who knows someone who knows Kofi Annan, boss of the world.

My ex girlfriend and a couple of friends were taking a casual stroll in Central Park, just minding their own. Kevin Spacey walks up, and HE asks THEM if anyone would care for an autograph. They gracefully accepted.

I have petted the royal Swedish dog.

I could go on, but all this really doesn't make me look very cool at all, does it?

[diasafe]

hi all

Barry Mcguigan the boxer chappie had a turbo !!

think i remember reading that his son wrote all over the leather with biro !!

paul

[Toua]

Here's some ex-famous owners cars out there:

One of the guys from BROS had a white SE 

TV Chef Gary Rhodes had an S4 or GT3

Mark thatcher had an Essex Turbo

Robin Williams has an '85 turbo

(previous owner of mine was a lady who

worked for the subaru world rally team!!!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

does robin williams still have his 85 turbo?

[Paul C]

does robin williams still have his 85 turbo?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes! But i was wrong, it's an '86 turbo

But the Robin Williams i mention here

is not the 'fisher king' Robin Williams...

Its our own 'Evil Dr Fish' Robin Williams.

[WayneB]

Small world! The school that features in the first 20 minutes of the film was my old school and features a number of my old mates as extras 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes it was shot in a school in West Bromwhich and also in Edgbaston. Never worked in movies again(too tedious)

Jussi you sure it was just COFFEE you were drinking(wink) with Hakkinnen?

Jens, you petted the royal Sweedish dog

Kimbers, are you telling me that car dealer was lying when he told me Colin Chapman once owned my car?

[hovgaard]

Jens, you petted the royal Sweedish dog 

Kimbers, are you telling me that car dealer was lying when he told me Colin Chapman once owned my car?      

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, I was invited to a British car meet held at a royal summer castle. The king never made it (he likes his cars Italian or American ), but the dog was in the gardens.

Get over it, Wayne, technically Colin owned all the cars built under his rule till they were sold to customers.

[Mark Blanchard]

Mike Read, rubbish Radio 1 DJ, had a red Turbo Esprit in the 80's.

George Best had a Lotus Europa:

[Loose Cannon]

Can we pursue the I-met-a-tedious-minor-celebrity-name-dropping thing, its been the most fun topic on here in a while!!!!! Anyone else think that being owned by Suzi Quatro is a legitimate reason for buying a particular car??

Just for fuel;

I'm related by some bizarre marriage to gravel voiced siren Bonnie Tyler

My missus took minutes for Prince Charles

My stepson played a football demo for Tony Blair

My aunt's cousin is facially-challenged actor Alun Armstrong

An ex girlfriend declined offers of sex from Freddy Star and Bernard "bootiful" Matthew's son (but unfortunately didn't from a Portuguese squaddy )

My mates old Ferrari was owned by Mohammed Al Fayed

My great aunt was Rowan Atkinsons preschool nanny

I have met Robin Williams on two distinct occasions

And if that lot isn't reason to jack up the price of my car by 25% when I sell I don't know what is.

PS If Adam Gumbiner is still around he needs to relate his tale of sharing a hot tub with Barbara Bach

Edited November 28, 2005 by britten_mark

[Guest teigan]

i have suzi quattro's old hairstyle. i doubt she'll ever want it back.

is there a jon voigt esprit?

[USAndretti42]

I once travelled in a lift with THE HOFF!. We were flying to Italy through Munich and Hasselhof was on the same flight, in first class of course. We both were travelling to the transit terminal. The guy with whom Mr. Hasselhof was travelling said I looked like the Hoff's dad. That made me feel really old.

Boy! Haselhof is tall.

[Mark Blanchard]

Can we pursue the I-met-a-tedious-minor-celebrity-name-dropping thing

Ok, tedious celebrity list, in no particular order, here we go;

Met and briefly chatted to:

John Major (Work)

Jeff Beck (Guitar Legend) (Party)

John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) (Party)

Don Felder (Eagles Guitarist) (Party)

Nick Mason (Last week) (Party)

George Martin (Beatles producer) (Party)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis) (Party)

Jeremy Clarkson (Baftas)

Alan Partridge (Baftas)

John Cleese (Work)

Queen Mother RIP (Work)

Oprah Winfrey (Work)

Sue Lawley (New reader) (Work)

Michael Palin (Baftas)

Wonder Woman (she sat in my chair at work )

Trevor McDonald (Work)

Felicity Kendall (School friend