Yay for another boring Lotus special edition with barely anything separating it from a regular Exige! This time it is the Lotus Exige Sprint, a tribute to the original Elan Sprint, also to commemorate the 40th anniversary of production at their Hethel plant. EXCITING!
It is identical to a 2008 Exige equipped with Touring and Performance packages, but also includes a really questionable-to-anyone-who-doesn't-know-the-original tribute paint scheme! Go Lotus!
But somehow, it is apparently cheaper than an intecially-specced Exige S240. Can't really figure out why. Only 40 produced. Oh, you also get an autographed plaque by some British bloke and a book about Lotus, which makes the deal so much more desirable!
What's wrong with the current car? I say don't fix it if it ain't broke. Specialty cars tend to have longer production runs anyway. Is there anything on them making a replacement? Or would they wait until they get that Espirit thing out?
What's wrong with the current car? I say don't fix it if it ain't broke. Specialty cars tend to have longer production runs anyway. Is there anything on them making a replacement? Or would they wait until they get that Espirit thing out?
I thought after I posted that that it sounded like I may be coming across as saying the current car is bad... Im not, its fine but just a bit dated, take for example the old skyline, there was nothing wrong with it but eventually after a long time it needed an injection of something new to keep people interested.
Its more about the interest / marketing / brand image in something new than anything else. Having a totally new car would make people look at Lotus differently and maybe a whole new crowd of people will consider buying from that brand that wouldn't have before.
Its the basic principle of most car manufacturers, eventhough theres nothing wrong with the old one (s class is another which comes to mind) they feel the need to make a totally new one!
Im really just getting bored of seeing the Elise in different guises.... and Im sure others are also.
Hmmm, buts thats not mass market (in a lotus sense btw)... they need that technology on an everyday accessible car but that may come soon anyway as you said.
They need to make a new Esprit...... looking like a wedge of cheese again....that would be hot!
I hope that new redesign doesn't become rounded. (Aston Martin Lagonda)
The Elise has a nice paint scheme, but there could have been better choices. As far as these cars go, they might as well just issue special colours for their cars.
Hmmm, buts thats not mass market (in a lotus sense btw)... they need that technology on an everyday accessible car but that may come soon anyway as you said.
They need to make a new Esprit...... looking like a wedge of cheese again....that would be hot!
The Project Eagle is mass market. It will come before the Esprit, because Lotus feels that the market is too competitive in that segment to compete for a few years. It just wouldn't make sense, espcially with the higher-end Porsches still boringly perfect and now the newly marketed Audi R8, which would undercut the Esprit price-wise and make the Lotus supercar practically unsellable on a large, non-loyalty basis.
The Eagle will be a major indication of Lotus's future. If it flops, it will be seriously bad news for the Hethel boys.
I'd know what the significance of the paint job was - without needing an original Elan Sprint sat next to it.
I don't think it is a particularly tasteful colour scheme, but then Lotus has a loyal group of owners for whom 'heritage' is an extremely important factor. Some of the reasons why Lotus keep pulling out these special editions is to a) keep brand awareness up and b) keeping stock piles of all the optional extras to manageable levels.
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