GTP Cool Wall: 1996-2004 Lotus Esprit V8

[Dennisch]

This is one of those British contraptions you just need to forgive every time it breaks down. Not quite up there with the Etype or older AM's but still.

That cloud of smoke eventually dies off.

 

[Cano]

Lacking that Giugiaro magic.

It doesn't lacks it, because it's there. It... builds from there, but kinda messes it up with those skirts and Veilside-ish air intakes in the front bumper, which are the sole elements that drag it down to cool for me, because everything else is pretty freaking awesome in every damned way.

 

[Heldenzeit]

Very cool.

Except that awful Pontiac Firebird airbag.

 

[synchromesh]

Man, the Esprit was one of the coolest cars you could buy. Pop-ups in the 2000s, too.

 

[Aesthetics]

Instant yes. So much yes.
I loved this car as a kid.

 

[MoLiEG]

Low cool.

 

[Connoissuer]

Wasn't there some unorthodox way of starting these things?

 

[Tornado]

Wasn't there some unorthodox way of starting these things?

Step one was calling your mechanic.

 

[Connoissuer]

Step one was calling your mechanic.

Nice joke, but I remember my uncle having one of these and him having to have a special key or something required to turn it on. Or maybe it was aftermarket, I can't find anything on the Internet as of right now.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

I've liked the look of the Esprit since I was kid. It's also not as highly-priced as most Supercars in its class at the time and I don't think a silly celebrity or some snobby rich person will be driving one as they mostly go after the bigger brands. With that said, I gave it a cool vote.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Always loved Esprits. Especially this generation with the V8s. Still look great even today and still ooze presence as they did in the '90s. Pop up headlights mean automatic cool.

SZ.

 

[axletramp]

Actually considered getting one of these. Stunning and many of the common gremlins have been sorted by previous owners so they're not as bad as their reputation would suggest. But since when has reliability dictated how cool a car is? SZ all they way, any other answer is simply wrong.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

As a cool wall for another British car of the same period is voted upon, I'm quickly reminded how cool that era was for British performance cars. No they weren't the best electrically (neither were the Germans) but man they did some cool stuff with V8s, that Americans were definitely not doing for their performance cars.

 

[Tyger]

At risk of citing T** G*** it came across as admirably sturdy in the Patagonia thing, big surprise.

 

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

From memory, it never actually broke down once, or had any other issues either. I was especially surprised by how good off-road it was. Even when the other two had raised their ride height, all the Esprit had was some studded tyres and a roll cage, and yet it did just as well.

 

[edawg456]

When I was younger, this was my dream car. Which makes it a sub zero.

 

[Vegard]

Ew, what's that smell? Is that... fiberglass?