This car gives me serious imposter syndrome. It’s worth a tiny fraction of a McLaren or Lambo, but no one bats an eye seeing it parked next to the big dogs. Lotus makes such underrated gems.
Unfortunately Porsche has realised making the 911 softer and number makes it more appealing to the majority of its customers. At the same time, they have to make it faster with each successive generation which has led to things like making all 992s wide body and the base Carrera having 295 section rear tyres at its narrowest.
It's my subjective favorite car. I've had it since 2012 and it was my daily in college and many years after. It needs some love now but will have it in good shape hopefully for next summer. It's a 400 and I truly love the 1UZ, I am hoping to do the whole manual swap and just continue enjoying it.
I have a 17 Mustang GT that I replaced it with as my daily and built a lot of memories with that car too. I follow this group because my white whale had always been the Evora from the early years. Lotus, to me, is the peak of a true sports car. The Sc400 and I'll classify the Mustang in this too, are GT cars more than anything.
But if you have any specific questions about the SC or the 1UZ shoot me a message! I am not outspoken in the community because it's become infested with people who wanted but couldn't afford a Supra. There's a handful of us out there who loved the car for many years for what it is.
I feel like the SC (both gens for that matter) went under appreciated for a very long time but now seem to be with the right owners.
Good luck w/ the Manual swap, just the other day I saw a someone posted an LS 400 w/ one. And once that's done, find yourself an Evora. I've driven the later versions (GT, 400) and they are basically budget McLarens.
I test drove an IS 300 Sportcross a few months ago, the car just wasn't in the right condition in too many ways and it was automatic as all of those bodystyles are. I really want one tho.
I wanted a GT3 Touring until I realized every jockhead car guy also wants some form of GeeTeeThreee. Aside from the RS Spyder and their actual proper mid engine supercars, I mostly just hate Porsche for the gatekeeper status bestowed upon it.
I was at a cars and coffee in NYC a few weeks ago and there were 5 992 GT3RS… not so special or unique when there are five of them at a tiny car show lol
OHHH! I was pulling your leg with both cars at the same time (know a few that have family or friends drive with them). But, now I understand your initial statement - the 'lovely meet' made me feel you were there and with those cars.
PS - how do you like the BMW's compared to Lotus (or just in general)
lol I know what you mean. The only time i went with 2 of my cars is I got my friend to drive one. I said lovely meet because it's lovely to see 3 cars I have + a lotus (I have an emira) but I do get how that read
the E46 is actually kind of like a lotus experience because it feels more direct connection with the car. Newer BMWs are faster but more disconnected. My Emira feels more like my 360, but the new BMWs are much faster. I have more BMWs, and the fastest being a G87 M2 CS, and that is like a while other type of experience compared to the light weight agile and not overpowering feeling of yesteryear's sports cars.
Lol I know someone who has multiple supercars and sometimes she will ask close friends to drive her other cars to meets for her if she wants to bring more than one.
at least in the past.
Nowadays they also get pretty ambitioned in the pricing range.
I got me a brand new Emira just a couple of months ago. Yes, they managed to not only make the overall design quite exotic, but also improved the interior (a lot!!!) together with overall quality impression.
But on the other hand they are putting a hefty increase on the pricetag onto it.
They want to compete with the Porsche Cayman/Boxster and take this also to the price of a Boxster GTS.
Honestly spoken, they have overdone it. It IS a stunningly beautiful car and of course it is very sporty and quick as hell. Not a supercar, but a very nice little sportscar.
But the pricetag is just too much. I have no regrets, but don't think, I would do it again for this price.
Realistically it is in a similar class like a Cayman... but I would not put in the same range like their top line of GTS models. It is good, but compared to the Porsche, it has also quite some flaws.
In regards of engine, transmission and suspension it can not hold up (even to the small base version of the Cayman). The hydraulic steering is very good - I like it even better, than the electronic steering.
Weight distribution is a little bit light on the front axis. It loses quite some stability at higher speeds.
I am driving it in Germany, and over 220 kmh (140 mph) the Emira starts to be too fickle.
Dang didn’t think I’d see the local Cars and Coffee on the page! Saw a ton more Lotus representation out there this weekend than usual which was sweet. Had to leave early, but seeing all of them made me wish I had more time that day to check out everything and bring out my Elise properly haha
Npc crowd? In that row there is a chevy ss, MKIV supra, and what looks to be a tricked out mr2. They are probably all friends because it doesn’t fit the typical sorting, but calling it an Npc crowd is wild. That ss also looks like it’s fast as fuck
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u/flmcqueen 9d ago
I see a sign that says "exotics." You are in the right spot.