I know. That's why you can't afford one. There is simply no better car in the world to do a drive like that in. My previous scooter didn't get that sort of economy. Amazing technology.
Yes, it is amazing, but do you eagerly look forward to your next Drive in it, or look back and remember how great your last Drive in it was? Probably not. Still 2.8 Ltrs per 100 Klms is to be applauded. Just makes your next Drive in your Ferrari even better!
I can absolutely assure you that if I was doing that drive in a ferrari, I'd be cursing it and wanting to sell it. So, was the drive in the Prius exciting and memorable? No, of course not.......but in either (or any) ferrari it would be a nightmare, and that's a fact. If I was going for a morning drive through the hills, well...you know. Horses for courses.
A couple of left of centre ones for the cut and pasters on ebay(if you can be bothered). '59 Lloyd Alexander station wagon,um...burnout car.........350 chev and turbo 400,'nuff said.Page 8 ...and the precursor to Horse's beasty,'65 Datsun Skyline,fully restored on page 12.
Who said it was? I desperately wanted to buy one a couple of times now, but I just couldn't allow myself to do it in the end.
OMG Fake BMW sound [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM0xLja4Rt4&[/ame] Pagani fun too.. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beutB6R0Zqg&[/ame] and sounds like Lewis is doing ok!
You mean this one? Gorgeous (insert puke here) Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
At 20k I'll take it. Can you gift wrap it please! My man will be be around to collect at 9am. (whats the bet it gets no bids)
Seriously good car. I think the longer wheelbase makes the car look so much better and less like some dinky toy. I dont understand why so many criticise the Toyota units in all the Elises and Exiges. Maybe they lack charisma but it gets the job done and lets you focus on the fine handling dynamics. In the longer term, it can only help resale value. Pantera's have held on to their value incredibly well because the engine is so tuneable and cheap to maintain. The only reason I don't consider one seriously is the terrible ingress. I'm pretty athletic but I don't like folding myself in half to get into one. Does any sports car have a worse cockpit entry?
Because it makes the Lotus just another Pommy kit car. When they made their own engines (albeit Ford based) they had some claim to being credible and justifying their price tag. They should have hired Cosworth/Ilmor/etc to re-engineer the Esprit turbo to make it reliable, then stuck with it. Modern Loti are overpriced by about 50% and that's why they're about to go under for the 3rd time. DeTomaso used bought in engines too, but the big Ford V8's have more appeal than weedy Toyotas. There's nothing effete about a Pantera, but an Elise/Exige is just a tad missing in the trouser dept. nb. Panteras are quite horrible to drive, Elise's are huge fun.
Fair point-I have a friend in Adelaide who owns a Lotus Europa Twin Cam which I rather like. It really was a kit car but as you say, the modified Cortina engine with the Twin Cam head gave some sense of credibility and back then, there was a real and tangible link between the road "kit car" and the F1 race "kit car". For me, thats the real missing link in the current Lotus story-there is no real connection between the road cars and F1 team and as a result, the cars lack real charisma and kudos. P.S Don't you think a Pantera GT5 is a seriously good kit car-dallara designed suspension and proper north-south engine/ZF gearbox makes it a desirable proposition for me-remember reading a road test by John Miles, former Lotus F1 driver and tester,and he raved about its handling.
even I've whooped a Pantera at Lakeside in the Qv, flogged on the straight but it was all over elsewhere
Doesn't surprise me but a well sorted Pantera should be quicker around a circuit given the drivetrain/suspension set up. I'll put it down to the driver in the 308 in this case
YEP agree & driver, the vehicle I was referring to often has the wood over GM's well sorted & preped 911
