Iceman

Can you post the exhaust note?? Man, those Pantera's have a great muscle car and European note that's very distinct! Nice ride!

Hey guys what's up!?!? Yes, I'm back from the temporary-dead!! Yep, still have mine as well... thumb shifters and all... wife took a liking though and it's no longer mine :-/ (Then again, either is anything else I own anymore!!) Funny thing is that I brought it to the local Lambo driving experience about 2 months ago when they setup an autocross at Gulf Stream. Embarrassed some people before the event got going, but the Superlegerra quickly reminded me this was a Lambo event!! Great cars for tight autocrosses!

Exactly what I was about to say.... it's actually in the $34-$38K range.

Nice pix, but have also seen one in person... other than the "never seen one before" reaction, I'd put my $$$ on a G anyday. Interior definitely seems comfortable and just tight enough for proper high performance driving positioning and with the correct stitching and color combo, exotic as well. The Audi badge on a supercar conflicts with me just a bit, but other than that, a nice job. Hell, they didn't have to do too much thinking with the G on the road already. Would like to hear more on how it compares to the G's handling and acceleration?? Exhaust note is definitely loud as hell at WOT!

Cup Holders!! Heated Seats!! Heads Up Display!! Not of importance things of such nature are for a TRUE exotic performance machine!!

Well looks like the amazing Noble M12/M400 has gotten new ownership, facelift and HP, as well as better aerodynamics! Dean Rossin and his new partner have created "Rossion", they were the importers of the Noble to the U.S. (1G Racing). Although they will continue to support the Nobles, the new Rossion corrects many to all of the issues with the Noble, including giving it a much more supercarish look and upgraded interior. Specs so far are that of the M400 with 0-60 in 3.2, 1/4 mile in 11.4, Top Speed of 185, and max Lateral G at 1.15... all this with the car weighing in between 2400-2500 lbs and producing 450 HP with 400 lbs/ft of Torque. You can read more here... http://www.rossioncars.com There's even a spy shot that has been released... http://jalopnik.com/cars/new-cars/rossion-...cans-308891.php Here's a rendering of the car:

Yes, it is a component car here in the U.S. (Legal production car everywhere else on the planet...), or kit car as some put it. On the other hand, I'd say it's the one exception to the rule, as the only reason shy Noble didn't go for the ABS brakes is due to it's race use nature (take it from me, I don't have a Lotus anymore due to ABS failure!!) and the way the chasis is setup... HELL, it's a driver's car, the few that are still out there. It also does not have Air Bags (Hate those too!), but replaces it with an even better Steel Tube Fram Roll cage hidden around the cockpit. I've driven and tracked the early M12-GTO-3R's and they are absolutely amazing... even more so when it out performs vehicles on the track without all the electronic crap like traction control, although I'm sure it would have some deficiency in the rain, but not much. It was my choice before the Esprit, but ended up with the Lotus due to it's non-production difficulties like insurance, resale value and financing... Since 2004, all of these items are MORE than fixed. Just about all large insurance companies are now insuring these type of vehicles, they have around 4+ large banks that will finance and resale value for all the Nobles have been quite healthy, now especially since only around 200 were produced until ending production. Noble and the U.S. importer 1G racing will continue to fully support the car, but now 1G Racing has bought the rights from Noble and is cooking up ONE HELL of an upgraded contender!! I'm already on the list for this one... just about all my concerns have been addressed and they have one cool supercar coming up... will be unvailed at the L.A. Auto Show in November... production begins in December and there's arleady a waiting list... www.rossioncars.com

Man, now that was an entertaining back-in-time tour!! Hell, I'm a Lotus Esprit fanatic, can't get much more retro in the exotic car realm than that!! Just look at my User name!? But C'Mon, Top Gun was the discovery of Speed + Shades = Cooler than Cool

FUN you say!?!? I have driven F-Cars, P-Cars, and other exotics, as well as the Lambos... aside from the Gallardo (which is another amazing ride), the Esprit if anything is FUN!! IMHO, the control and steering is the most presise I've ever experienced... also said by the mag testers. Due to warranty, these cars are sent governed from the factory (the "just incase" syndrome), but with a mere $5-6K, you've suddenly got 500HP!! (Engine is rated to 650HP, although Johan's Esprit is runing at 720HP with changed out Forged Pistons). Hell, the car weighs less than 2800 lbs, just that alone makes it an amazing drive. Mechanically speaking, these cars are very refined yet technologically simple. Incredible performance at an even more incredible price!

Ara, What's up!?!? Well I'd consider myself a general car nut, but definitely Lotus is my marque :icon_super: If cost is not a factor for the best years and line of Esprit, I'd go for an '02 or '03.5-'04 (Final Run). The ladder are the same years, just that the '03.5 is just a way of making the '04 legal in CA for the new emission regs that year. I spent almost 2 years looking for mine, and another 3 months to actually acquire it after plenty of negotiations and even legal matters. I'd definitely suggest the '02 simply b/c it is one of the best values and most sought after due to only 100 being produced, it's the 25th Anniversary Ed., and has the final revamp of the exterior (like the round brake lights). The nice thing about the '04 is the amazing Lotus/Bilstein/Eibach adjustable suspension. Although you can always upgrade to this setup for about $3500 for the '02 (although Lotus now makes a 2-way adjustable damper setup specifically for the Esprit that only costs half that...). This is the setup I have on my '02 and it's truly amazing! As for mileage, I'd go with a car that's been driven at least 3000-6000 miles per year... these cars NEED to be driven. I'd be much more afraid of very low mileage cars than those that have been driven a few miles. The other suggestion is that you get onto www.espritfactfile.com and www.lotusespritworld.com in order to get familiarized the Esprit, and believe me, these are the Top of the line sites for this car. The car should also have the usual as in any Exotic purchase such as all required maintenances and proper ext/int. care. Mods... I have become quite the R&D hobbyist on this subject, as all my upgrades have already been tested on at least 2 other Esprits, and serve double purposes (better engine safety/preservation & performance upgrade). Since Esprits are pretty much governed from the factory, a simple chip change (like Johan's Race ECU) will instantly give you approximately another 40-50 HP, and if you do the exhaust, another 15-20... the list goes on. You'd definitely also want to do a compression test on the engine and check for oil and coolant leaks. Anyone who have properly driven these cars and take proper care of it knows that they are quite trouble free sans wear and tear items. I've only had an alternator go (repaired under warranty), and it was more my fault for putting in a defective battery. I noticed you mentioned the gearbox. Once you know how to properly shift and drive an Esprit, you will find it's an amazing ride. No, it's not a drag or stop light car, but after 2nd, it's awesome. FYI, an English designed and American redesigned/manufactured gearbox upgrade will be available the end of the year from a very well recognized U.S. gearbox producer. I will be on display at LOG 27 (Lotus Owners Gathering) in Aspen, CO on August 23-25th. I can talk on this subject forever, so post some more and I'll throw some back...

Totally with you on that one! After all the stages for the definition of "fast" over my years driving sports cars, only amateurs in my book still concentrate on 0-60 & 1/4 mile numbers. It's an all-around performance car that turns my dials, especially on the track. Futhermore, in today's sportscar market, exotic or not, newer cars aren't by far the best performers anymore. I can comment on the final models of Porsche 928's as being incredible performance cars, as well as sleek! Going back to the '95 Lotus Esprit S4s, just try to find one, and if you do, it's gone in 24-48 hours... an INCREDIBLE performing exotic for a ridiculous price (considering it's capabilities). Just look at the F-40/50's and McClaren F1... Good maintenance and superior driving skill does the rest.

KICK ASS!! I have the issue... CONGRATS!! I was thinking exactly that it was your car!! Funny that this issue has two of the baddess modified Blue exotics around... a Blue Murci and your car... BLUE KICKS MAJOR ASS!!

Never seen these BMW videos before... Absolutely CLASSIC!!! :icon_super:

Especially since it has Lambo heritage in the engine compartment!! I'm not a fan of the colored side panels and especially that front Audi trademark grill, especially on an exotic!! Performance in the mags show good numgers though... I guess I'll find out on the streets

Kudos on the tranny... but as the phrase goes. "Lotus, if you don't know what it is, you won't know how it drive one!". It's a learning curve that takes some time, but after that, you'd be amazed!! Matt has been running 500++ RWHP on his '02 Esprit, and has won NUMEROUS races, not to mention his street driving, and his gearbox is PRIMO!! I'll tell you this, once you master the shifting techniques on an Esprit, you can drive just about anything. The 2nd gear synchro is really the only weak link, but that's manageable. BTW, for those of you who like the Esprit and still want to stop light drag race, there's a replacement tranny on the way from one of our highest acclaimed Lotus Gurus and a very respectable manufacturer....

BTW, 11.89 1/4 mile on a Gallardo... that's pretty damn good for stock!! Not defending the F-430, but I also agree that it's not easily beat. Remember that when racing, or "driving spirited" , the SPACER has a lot to do with the end result! The spacer in between the steering wheel and the seat! I've seen serious supercars get beat by everyday rice cars on the track simply due to either Shitty ass driving, or Incredibly great driving!! :icon_thumleft:

Hey man, let's get something straight... I'd NEVER "lump" the Gallardo with the 360 ever! You may have misunderstood what I wrote. I simply stated that I've pulled on both types of cars (as did this other guy's M5, but he was just telling me this, no proof...) but the G wasn't easy pickings!! My neighbor has an Orange G, I've driven it twice already... the car's throttle reponse and torque are awesome (then again I do have a turbocharged car). What I didn't like too much was the steering response and somewhat lack of "road" feedback. I'm also not a fan of the E-Gear (which is what he has), although I can definitely see the advantage for it, but I'd much prefer the extra control you get from a good manual gearbox, especially in turns and track situations. Talking of the track, I also raced against a Gallardo at Homestead Racetrack. He was pretty good taking the corners (less roll than my car and sticks well, but I also have the higher setup on my stock Lotus suspensions), but I'd smoke him coming out of the Apex and on the straightaways. I wasn't able to speak with him too long, as we were both busy with other things going on that day; but I know he had a Carbon Fiber wing, K&N's and exhaust on that car, and I must say that is sounded kick-ass. As for the M5, judging by the exterior (special aero pkg and carbon fiber insterts all over the place), I know that guy had some mods in there, as he kept saying stock with a smile... so I did the same. After hearing your comment, I'm pretty certain!

Totally agree... the previous GT2 was really "Bad-Ass" and much more distinctive look...

Here's interesting information from my Lotus forum... as we're on the subject of upcoming Bimmer engines. Rumore has it the next Lotus Esprit will have a Lotus modified BMW engine in it... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interesting data... Maybe Esprit will get this one from BMW?.... 4.0-liter V-8... This 32-valver is derived from Formula 1 technology, so it shares the same basic design and components of the Formula 1 race car's engine as well as the M5/M6's V-10, but minus two cylinders. It's rich with new technology and includes features such as double VANOS variable valve control, individual throttle butterflies, an upgraded MSS60 ECU and a high compression ratio of 12.0:1. It also has two oil pumps plus a wet-sump system to ensure efficient oil supply at 1.4g of lateral and longitudinal acceleration. Thanks to the lightweight aluminum block, heads and crankcase, the new V-8 is 33 lb. lighter than the previous model's inline-6. And we hear that it's going to be a screamer. The new powerplant redlines at a relatively high 8400 rpm, with peak output of 420 bhp realized at 8300. Torque is rated at 295 lb.-ft. at 3900 rpm. This gives the engine 105 bhp per liter, making it one of the most potent for its size in the marketplace. The V-8's power has been designed to get stronger as engine speed climbs. The torque band is broad with the sweet spot between 3500 and 7000 rpm.

Thought I’d share an encounter I had on the way home today with a black ’06 BMW M5. Those things are DAMN FAST!! And the lines are quite nice as well. At the beginning of the pull at around 50 mph, at WOT, he took off right with me and stuck to my rear till about 120, at which I started pulling away. I was only doing about 13 PSI of boost with my Methanol Injection system turned OFF, so if I had set at least 15 PSI of boost and the injection on, I would have blown him away… but the fact still remains that he kept right up at the beginning! We pulled over afterwards to have some laughs. Seems his car is completely stock (except some Carbon Fiber cosmetics) with only upgraded air filters and uses it as his daily driver (of course…). He says he was quite surprised that I pulled away, as a previous encounter he had with a red Esprit V8 was quite different, where he took the Lotus out!! This is why he even gave it a shot in the first place. He also mentioned that he takes out Porsches all the time, and even keeps up with 911 TT for a short while, but not for long. Gallardos and F-360’s have also been on his hit list already, but they’re on mine too, and not impressed with the 360's performance whatsoever. The Murci and F-430 are another story, but then we’re talking $300K and $250K, quite different price class. I explained how the Lotus Esprit V8's come ECU "governed" from the factory due to expensive warranty backup and finicky Gearbox for those who don't know how to properly shift and drive these things (which is about 95% of American drivers!). I must agree with that and when asked what it the best mod to put on my car, I always answer, "The Spacer"..... :eusa_think: The Spacer in between the steering wheel and the seat!! Lotus sells 2 ECU upgrades (also available elsewhere now), the better of which throws the HP from 350 to about 400 just like that. If people did a little research before buying any of these high end cars, I'd bet Lotus would be much more popular, especially at their prices! Hell, for under $6K you can get the car SAFELY to 512 RWHP, or about 600 at the crank!! Matt from this forum has already proven that! I was thinking about a Caddy CTS-V, ’05 or ’06, as a daily driver; but after seeing that M5 in action, I have to check price comparisons and maybe re-evaluate… Anyone else here have a '04-'06 M5?? What's the difference in the earlier models... I'm not, or ever will be, a new car buyer... I hate those first 2 years of devaluation!

Well now lets see how Lotus turns out. With the quickly deteriorating parent company, Proton, and VW patiently allowing its price to keep dropping, it's very shaky so far. What does seem sure as to 2 articles I've read, they are interested in Proton's production plants, but not in Lotus. Lotus would be sold off (Porsche, who has stake in VW/Audi, doesn't want another supercar company competing within its own ranks). Keeping an eye open...

Keep us posted... I'd definitely like to see the final feel and specs on your Exige. BTW, is looks ultimately BAD ASS! I've test driven the Exige S, and found it INCREDIBLE, but quite LOUD. The FF application is much quieter, and the turbo spooling sound is Uniqe! Good luck and hurry up :icon_super: BTW, can you post a few more pix??

Well I won't even bother posting any more cars, all mentioned got my vote (well almost all...) BUT GUYS, he's talking about the BEST bang for the buck!! I noticed plenty of high performance cars, but there's something to be said about the "EXOTIC" part of some of them. Sure, you can add about $20K to a 350Z and put away Lambos (proven by my lil bro's 400HP '04 350Z, who's on this list BTW), but where's the supercar, exotic and class!?!? Not b/c I own one, but if you want exotic class appearance AND performance, proven track record and history, legal production vehicle that you will see less than any Ferrari or Lambo (and of course, your "Best bang for buck"...), the Lotus Esprit V8, or if you are just hardcore, the Lotus Exige S or Noble M400. Not to mention that you can modify the Esprit for more than reasonable prices. About $5K gets you an extra 100 HP and then some in reliable and simple upgrades. My car SAFELY does about 425 HP to the wheels (that's about 500HP at the crank). All these cars are GREAT choices, and I definitely agree with the EVO and Mercedes SL's... not to mention the toughtest and most reliable pure sports car in the world, Porsche. But are these Exotics??

By the way, while on the subject, how much different is a standard Escy compared to a decked out GM Yukon?Tahoe, which would be the Denali I presume?? Aside from pricing of course??

AWESOME!! :supz: :supz: I just happen to see a black Tahoe and Suburban on the Beach today... and I must agree, GM truly outdid themselves! I will probably go for the GM rather than Cady as I tend to get rugged on my SUV's... I currently use a '06 Nissan Pathfinder for my everyday "Clark Kent" car, due to what I though would get better gas mileage (14 mpg). To my surprise (and a little late), the '06 Tahoes/Escys get over 19 mpg, and are Flex-Fuel enabled (Can use E85 Ethanol & gasoline)... The '07 are even better with the perfected 4-cyl shut-off capability! Hope GM can get some revenue before they go blindly into that Nissan/Renault deal!! :vom: