Porsche. I’m sorry there is a substitute.

Maintenance appointments are non-existent. You will wait a long time just for your first 1000-mile maintenance check up. When you do get your car serviced -- bring your platinum American Express. Make sure you know where the inertia kill switch is located – will leave you stranded should you activate it.

Great Car for a Sunday drive. Love the car for short & fast drives on the Parkway. Looks great in the garage and on the street. Turns everyones head -- some will try to act like they don''t see you -- but they do, trust me. You get all types that want to race you on the street -- quite annoying should you ask me -- since I just want to enjoy myself driving my car. Those who drive BMWs and the likes, show their personal inadequacies and complexes when trying to show you that they too can keep up in traffic. It''s actually quite funny to watch them. A true race car in every way.

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The newly developed V-8 engine twin-turbo charged to create a massive figure of 349 horsepower was a great improvement. That helped it work against Ferrari and others. At that point in time this car had been around for 21 years (and still is). Back in 1993 the car was restyled givinh it a much better balance between its own masculin and feminine lines. Hitting 0-60 in about 4.7 is another plus as well as its top speed of 175 MPH. The interior is quite interesting to look at. On normal city driving it has great acceleration and grip. It corners very well. The sound of the engine has a lovely whine to it as well as a roar when you really push at it.

When using it in a race mode it is very tempermental when cornering. A better word would be "Picky". Certain turns like large round turns sometimes found in parking lots and malls it tends to understeer. In "s" type curves it performs really well but I find myself constantly switching between first and second with my foot moving back and forth between all three pedals. On really angled corners it goes either way. If it understeers you slide onto the grass or nudge a barrier if it oversteers you spin out or fishtail loosing grip. I have noticed however that has some visibility problems at certain angles but nothing that cannot be fixed or modified. Fuel Economy can be improved somewhat.

Esprit is a concept. A concept which has been refined and defined, sculpted and crafted, then refined again to produce a superlative. If you are a true enthusiast such as myself as well as a collector you might want to check around a little and investigate more into this vehicle.

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Ferrari 355, Porsche 911 and Dodge Viper. The Esprit and Viper run close on Fuel Economy. The Ferrari however is the lighter of the bunch. Dodge is cheapest. Biggest gas tank goes to the Ferrari at 23 gallons. Viper has more horsepower.

- "head turning" exterior styling
- awesome power
- phenomenal handling
- aggressive engine note

- heavy clutch
- large "blind spots" from the cockpit
- instrument panel layout
- bulky steering wheel

I purchased my Lotus Esprit S4S in June of 1998 after dreaming about it since 1992 and I can honestly say that Lotus is one of the best kept secrets in exotic motorsports. It lived up to (and still does live up to) everything I expect from a true performance oriented automobile. I would highly recommend this car to auto enthusiasts who are looking for a true sports car, not be be confused with a "luxury sports car"; that is, cars eqiupped with automatic (or "auto-stick") transmissions, luxury suspensions, climate control, etc. If the latter is your cup of tea, i recommend a 911 or NSX.....however, if you want a car you can "drive", keep reading..........

One of the decision i had to make buying a 1995 (or 1996) model year Esprit is whether the purchase the S4S or the S4 as they come in two varieties. The S4S has 300hp vs. 264 on the S4. The S4S also has upgraded brakes and Brembo calipers. Visually, the distinction can be made by the rear wing; on the S4S, the rear wing looks much more aggressive and rests on the very rear tip of the car -it adds about 3 inches to the car's overall length. On the S4, the rear wing rests just aft of the sunroof. My particular S4S has a dual-exhaust upgrade by Lotus (standard is a single exhaust) which gives it a very "throaty" V-8 like sound (as opposed to a 4 cyl. whine). I definitely recommend having this done.

On the track, the car handles absolutely beautifully. Right around 120mph it when the car really comes alive. Even at 120mph, you still feel a strong kick upon command by your right foot. At 160mph the car is as stable as ever - primarily due to its low center of gravity and low drag angular design. On low speed (2nd gear courses), cornering is excellent, due to the 50/50 weight distribution of the mid-engine design.

For those considering to purchase a Lotus Esprit, you should be aware of a few quarks about the car. First of all, i recommend that you have the rubber hydraulic clutch line upgraded to a steel line. Otherwise excessive use of the clutch in a short period of time (i.e. in traffic), causes the rubber clutch line to expand with heat, which in turn causes a loss in clutch pressure, rendering you unable to get into ANY gear (a mere $200 upgrade, installed). Also, due to the weight distribution (the driver's side is a bit heavier), the driver's side rear wheel bearing tends to work itself loose every 10k miles or so -- care should be made to tighten the center wheel bearing periodically (this is definitely the biggest complaint i have with the car). Tire: Pirelli PZero's or Michelin MXX3 should be used religiosly. Lotus' susupesion is quite sensitive to its tires. In traffic, visibility around the car is quite poor (ie. there are many blindspots).

In summary, i beleive that the Lotus Esprit is a lot of car for the price. When compared to other exotics, it is by far the best value for money. Its acceleration and handling characteristics have to be experienced to be believed!

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None

Very Fast, extremely awesome handling, Looks beautiful

Piece of Junk after driving 15k miles.

Drove the car for 15k miles, roughly a year and a month. Then one thing after another, at one point i had the car serviced 3 times in a row after driving it just one day each time. Every time it was towed back to the dealership. Maybe i just got a lemon but these cars are not made to be driven, they are made to look good and take out very rarely unless you want to take out a loan. My warrantee is going to be up soon and don't know what to do. Probably will trade on another 911, which is fast but not nearly as stylish.

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Porsche 911C4s, Ferrari 328, Lamborghini Jalpa, with the exception of reliability, it is much better than these.

Shape!!! Still one of the most beautiful car ever produced. Exclusiveness, I see Porsche and Ferrari's everyday here in Los Angeles, I lived here for 8 years and I've seen 4 Lotus so far on the road.

Where should I start... Overall quality. Interior noise is crazy at speeds over 70mph, everything and I mean EVERYTHING starts to shake in the cookpit after 80mph. Can't see anything but what is in front of you, the rear view mirror is a joke, I have SE model, so that means 3 thick glass behind me, how can Lotus expect you to see anything after placing all those glass behind you? Side mirrors are useless too.

I fell in love with the Lotus sine "the spy who loved me" when I was barely learning how to ride a bike. I finally came across my Lotus 2 years ago, it only has 19,000 miles on it. I jumped right on it. My mistake was not learning enough about the car before I bought it.

First it was the windows, stoped working, then came the clutch, AC soon follwed, master cylinder came right after, lights went on strike... and the darn noise!!!!!! I drive slow now because I can't stand the rattling and the shaking of everything around me.

As upset as I get with every NEW problem it all seems worth it some how by just looking at it... It is a beautiful car, and driving it home from the mechanic shop reminds me of why it is worth it. It is just a joy to drive.

Anywhere I go I get stared at, even in Beverly Hills, people get use to the Porsches and Ferraris, but seeing a Lotus is a treat. I've had countless people asking me "what is it" Every time I tell them it is a Lotus, they ask again, "what is it" It seems the general public does not really know that Lotus exist, some even asked if it was a kit car, which in a sense it kind of is. Hand built, poor built quality, rare, beautiful... My GOD it IS a KIT CAR!!!

All kidding aside, do not buy this car if you are not ready to sell your vacation home, or have your kids go to community college, no matter what year you buy, even the new V8's, owning a Lotus is very costly.

Do not buy it unless you are rich and REALLY, REALLY, LOVE this car.

My friend once told me owning a Lotus is like dating a HOT BEAUTIFUL women, they both look great, both are high maintanes, and both can leave you stranded at any time, but boy do you look good with them...

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NSX, had it for 1 year, too boring, it REALLY feels like you are driving a Honda. RX-7, love it, just as much problem as the Lotus but cheaper to fix, not by much but still cheaper.

Handling, looks, handling, performance, handling, acceleration, handling,
fun, handling, etc.

No local dealer (couple hours drive to nearest certified mechanic)... but
what a fun drive that is.

I have had a very good experience with the car so far. About to get the
new 2001 aka "Sport 350" ECU upgrade, which will put a lot more "area
under the curve" as far as power band, turbo kick-in points, etc.

Best bang-for-the-buck in an exotic. Pay twice as much (or worse) for
a Ferrari, for a slower 0-60, and 5-10mph difference on the top end.
Out handle almost anything on the road, and have an unparalleled
fun time while doing so.

Be sure and get a good radar detector (i.e. Valentine1), as cops
naturally assume it is speeding, even while sitting still at a
traffic light.

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Corvette (not nearly as fun to drive as the Lotus), Mustang (ahem),
Porch (bleh, abysmal handling in comparison).

AWSOME POWER IN THE HIGH RPM
LOOKS LIKE A CAR THAT IS ABOUT $200,000
DRIVES WELL AND JUST FEELS COOL WHEN TURBOS KICK IN

RELIABILITY
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS ALL THE TIME I HAVE HAD OIL SPILLS,OIL LIGHTS,CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS THAT WONT TURN OFF AND THE INSIDE IS VERY SQUEEKY IT HAS MANY CREEKS.
IT IS NOT CLOSE TO A PORSCHE IN HANDLING AND THE CARRERA MAY NOT LOOK LIKE IT BUT IT HAD MORE HANDLING.

DONT BUY IT PLEASE UNLESS U ARE GOOD FRIENDS WITH A MECHANIC

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95 CARRERA S

Handling, Design, Torque and sheer power, Usability, Traction

gearbox, enginesound unless you install the sports exhaust, then it sounds awesome.

I am driving my third Esprit already and after the 4cylinder area with the most powerful 4cylinder model S4s with 305hp and 400nm torque I have finally ordered my brandnew V8GT in 1998. I even went to the factory to visit my car while production. That's cool with Lotus. One Esprit every day they build, so the customer is still a customer. After 500hours of production I got delivery on a rainy day, but anyway, I had to pick it up from my dealer. So, what do I like with it so much, that I kept it for three years now, having around 30'000miles on now? First of all, the absolute brute power of that small engine behind your back. All the time, it is pure adrenaline, when the two turbos cut in so smothly and pull the car so fast toward unbelievably speeds. This car does feel like much more than the 354hp they promise. And after a test the printout of the testingfacility showed a stunning figure of 397hp, and I did not tune the car at all. Why should I? Even with that power, the wheels do not spin if you floor the throttle in first gear, you just have to be quick, as within 2 seconds you need to move up to second. And that's where the weakest part of that car shows in. The gearbox is not so bad as many say, but it's outdated now and Lotus should have changed it a long time ago already. Changing from first to second cannot be done without having a small pause between the two gears allowing the synch to sync. Otherwise you will make such noises as Richie Gere did in Pretty Woman. No wonder, the gearbox is basically still the same. It's a Renault unit, heavily modified, but the roots it can't hide. Every other gears are no problems at all, it's just shifting from first to second. Otherwise it is quite good. The cornering feel of the car is simply amazing. It feels so neutral, fact to the midengine design. The removable roof which can be stored in the trunk, which is amazingly big is heaven for me. Best thing they could have done. It's stiff as a coupe, but you still have kind of a roadster feeling. With the sports exhaust, which is illegal on our roads here, the sound is brilliant as well. It's every time a pleasure to drive through tunnels, windows down, roof in the trunk. Anyway, if you'd like to have a quiet GT car, stay with the standard exhaust, but don't expect a racingsound from the engine then. The car's supposed to have a limited top speed of kmh 274 but I cannot confirm that, as my car did several times go to the 7000rpm limit in fifth gear with some little over 300kmh on the speedo. It is quite stable with such speeds although the rear wing of the V8SE does do a lot to let the car feel more stable. About the trunk(s) again. In the rear, there is enough space for two big weekend bags, in the front there is another trunk for a smaller bag, and there is my cd-changer as well. So, what shall I say? I am looking for even more thrill, and so I tried so many cars, but did not manage to find something that feels better or faster, unless it costs money, that is not in my range. Servicing costs are remarkibly low for such a fast car, it is for example three times cheaper than a ferrari, a small maintenance cost about $300 a big one (once every 40000miles) cost about $800. I had to replace the engine once, as there was a wrong mounted sparkcover that let the water from rain etc. destroy the engine. Problem was known and it all went on Lotus' account. The gearbox broke this year and this as well, Lotus changed without any problems. Apart of that, the car is fine and I am thinking of buying one again, if only they would bring a new model, maybe with some more horses? smile. Verdict: If you want to drive a sportscar, and you are looking for the power, go for that one. If you are an easier driver, more cruising or so, take the Ferrari 355 - Spider would be my choice.

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I have tried almost every sportscar there is out there. If you are looking for the ultimate accelleration feeling, you are right here. I did not see another car that accellerates harder, presses you harder in the seats that the V8 TwinTurbo of the Esprit. Here some impressions of others:

Ferrari F355: Sounds fantastic, goes almost as well as the Esprit, but so seamless, this feeling of power is not "feelable". Feels very light.
Lambo Diablo VT: Goes even better, but does feel so heavy and big. Not practical at all, but looks great and sounds fantastic.
Porsche 993 Turbo: Goes like hell, even better than the Esprit, but has a bigger turbohole. Quite cool car, if it was a sportscar in the looks as well.
Maserati 3200GT: Goes quite good, thanks to the turbos, but feels heavy and has a huge turbo gap. Typical GT with loads of comfort but not enough sporty for me.
TVR Cerbera 4.5: The only car, that feels as fast or even faster (remember: Feel!) but is not a car for having fun on a alpine road with lot of bends, but sounds great. Could be my next car.
BMW M5: is a limousine of course, but as this is my everyday car, I can compare quite well. Again, the normally aspirated engine can't cope with turbocharged ones. Goes quite good and throttle response is really immediate. I like it, but I am missing the 4wd here. Can't handle the power properly.
Lotus Elise: Even with the standard 120hp the Esprit gets behind from a standing still on the first 30meters. The Elise does not feel powerful at all, but if you are a traffic light racer, that's the one you need. There is no car that makes more fun at low speeds!

Fantastic handling.
Fantastic acceleration.
Amazing looks.

Few build quality issues?

Well what a car. It is as close as you will get to a racing car for the road. Lotus suspension is the most advanced in the world and the car handles very well indeed. But beware. If you are used to Ferrari/Porsche you may well struggle with the handling/comfort/heat. As I say its a race car, its for people who love to drive more than pose. Clutch heavy, gears heavyish both of which are very good because at these speeds you need to know that everything is happening properly. I would recomend this car to serious drivers, if you don't have the money go for the TVR Cerbera (even faster).

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Beautiful styling, beautiful interior, sheer fun to drive, quick acceleration, incredible cornering.

Reliability. When I get visitation rights to it from the service shop, it is worth it.

After owning four Porsches, and still owning a 88 911 at the time. I felt like the Porsche drove like a toy in comparison. Prior to owning the Lotus, I loved the Porsche and felt it was the best. The Lotus, while not as reliable as the German engineering, is in a different class of cars than the Porsche. It is not as practical as the Porsche, but boy is it more fun to drive.

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I have owned 4 Porsches over the years.