bengel wrote:
> While waiting for yet another late AmericaWest flight to California, I came
> across the
> October Issue of "Sports Car International". It has a great review of the
> Esprit V8, all
> empirical, but good reading. " It's the kind of car Colin Chapman would
> still be proud to
> sell".
>
> Then in the "Highest Bidder" auction results section the sale of an M100
> was reported
> as:
> Christie's Auction, Los Angeles, June 19, 1999
> Sale Price: $23,000 Price New: $40,000
> "Now after storage and insurance, and not being driven, has lost 50%
>of
> its value, the Lotus Elan Turbo SE, with its Isuzu engine, whoopee
>cushion
> exhaust note and front-wheel drive is the Porsche 924 of Loti, and
>never
> likely to appreciate..."
>
> Now I find that insulting, even when I have never owned an M100! But, I guess
> every marque needs it's alpha and omega car...Ford had the Edsel, Jaguar
> the MK-X, Yugo the Yugo...So, now we have the omega, shall we start a new
> thread on what is the best Loti?
> JUST KIDDING!!!!
>
Hi Brett,
Yes, I read that too. I think Lotus made a giant miscalculation and paid for
it.
Unfortunately, they made us pay for it too when they wouldn't make a US version
of
the Elise.
As for criticism of the M100 being insulting, well, I it helps if one thinks
"car"
instead of "Lotus". What's our (nameless) ideal in a car? In my case, after
owning
and driving lots of sports cars (all of which I did enjoy), I was stopped in my
tracks the first time I drove an Elan.
After that, only formula cars felt better to drive.... more at one with the
driver.
And certainly, nothing with two seats ever has approached a good Elan for me.
I see there is going to be a fwd Jaguar. I guess that's what can happen when
large,
corporate facelessness comes to a small, independent company. Lotus made its
biggest
blunder when it was owned by GM.
Wonder how Ferrari enthusiasts would react to ..... Oh it's too funny.
Rod :-)
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