Whom owns a Lotus?

Out of the 308 series (any of them),a G series something all the way up to a late 3.2 Carrera and the Esprit, you would expect the latter to have the highest level of grip, be the most responsive and have the most communicative chassis.

But it doesn't.

The Lotus feels fabulous up to about 9/10, perhaps that's enough in the real world. The Porsche and Ferrari just seem to have that last 10% of chassis development, and it shows. I've done a fait bit of work to early Esprits and they've all ended up the same and despite my best efforts with tyres, damping, ride height, bushes and alignment settings, it's as if the front and rear just don't work together on the limit.

That's not just me. At a track day in 1987, Alf Costanzo did some laps at Calder Park in Ivan Butterworths green 1985 Turbo Esprit. He said, and I quote; (Insert Italian accent);

I can't get the car to work with me like the Porsche or Ferrari, it's as if the front and rear fight each other

IMO they do look amazing and the chassis is communicative up to this 9/10 limit. Quick steering, light, plenty of torque and they make a good GT car too, with a reasonably quiet and compliant ride. The interiors wear poorly (As does the rest of the car actually) and the leather can look like a 1980s Peter Stringfellow designed night club after a while.

I really like them, the S2 version is probably the underrated runt of the litter however in the current insanity of the classic car market, the Esprits are good value.

 

You know you're in Britain when you see a Lotus on a hoist, a fuel tank removed, next to a bandsaw.