Im more about the looks of a car rather then trying to find the perfect performance on the regular roads you never really go more than 80% of what the cars got to give so im not worried about that so i'd take the Esprit its better looking has a nice engine note and its a Bond Car enough said for me :)
My uncle had a Elise since 2005. The only thing that went wrong in that car was the rearview mirror. He's 6'0 so leaning forward meant hes hitting the mirror with his forehead. Went through atleast one mirror a year.
Funny how times change in less than 2 years. He says this is the future of Lotus going forward and look at their new models coming out now. They even say their going after Ferrari and Porsche.
id have the esprit cos u only need to change the gearbox (an old NSX gearbox might fit) and then your good to go really, the prestige and the looks and with a new gearbox, no worrys of wrecking it and giving you a massive repair bill
me personally i would go with the Elise i love how small it is meaning its easy to park and store just about anywhere but also because im not a very big person im only 5'7" and ive always liked small cars. the 180 HP is just fine for me especially for how light weight the car is .
As an avid autocrosser, I would have to go with the Elise. One of the guys who races with us has a supercharged Elise on R-Comps. Sex on wheels. However, having been in an Elise and subsequently struggling to get myself out of it, I would lean towards the Esprit. :P
Elise all the way. Its reliable and responsive. Im a small guy so the interior is not a problem. It sucks that I cant listen to music though but I would rather deal with that then a fragile, and potentially faulty, transmission .
Esprit hands down. I'm the same size as you and you looked very uncomfortable in the Elise. It seemed that the performance of the Elise was really the only selling point. It doesn't have any sort of equipment, and is ugly. It is just a road legal go kart. The Esprit on the other hand is beautiful, and I would fit. Bond drove one (unfortunately Roger Moore) and it will always be awesome. The Esprit may also have reliability issues, but it is not an everyday car for where I live (Cleveland Ohio).
Lotus is back on track to kick some arse ! The best philosophy of driving experience ! You want to have driving experience buy a Lotus ! You want to be "bling bling" buy other prestigious brands.
Blue elise looks so much better than the dumb orange and green elises I see all the time in Atlanta. But they have the worst interior of all time. I hate the 2000 esprit compared to the 2011 esprit! It's so much cooler looking and feeling. Good car, good car.
galardo ferrari over priced '' i tell you all i love pulling up to a car show and being the only one there whit esprit v8tt there only 300in us i owne 1 of 81 2001 is the rares year for the v8s tt this is why one i love lotus 2 if you all for got 60s in to late 70s ferrari ho lotus was top dog and if Colin Chapmen did not pass you see lotus for what there are LOTUS was all ways ahead of game in all categories ....
i love to see shit like this you all talk out of your ass's did you ever driven one ?no did you ever owne one ? no heres the best one this guy said '' this one the best lol i would pick the galardo for$ cost more than the esprit and the esprit is faster lol look up galardo vs esprit you see esprit whit just a chip and boost controla the esprit one of the top 10 fasters cars in world look up top gear track time for a stock esprit you will be shocked
I understood what he said but "you expect that from a British sports car" is not right. You could say that about any sports car manufacturer. Look at Lamborghini, better carry a fire extinguisher with you if your driving one.
Both cars are cool but being 6'2'' it's hard for me to imagine driving Elise more than 20 minutes, on the other hand I really don't like unreliable cars, especially not expensive unreliable cars so Esprit is also out of question lol. If I have to pick one 4 free, Esprit is my car but if i have to pay, there are much better options imho...
you love the Elise but that toyota celica motor will make you sick wen the guy whit v8 tt blows your doors off its not raw at all looks no go cool but no go top end trust me bro esprit v8 is the only faster car in this vid this guy is dip shit from looks of it ...i race guy in free way i have 01esprit v8 tt i beat bikes never mind elise sorry man but i blew door of one early this year he told me he at some time did no even see me lol yeh this guy dip shit ,,
The Esprit is a very impresive car. Pictures do not do this car justice, it is incredible in person. The Elise is also very pretty but is small and looks about the same in pictures as is real life
@Vanbul1 at 6'4, you will be right on the edge of not fitting. It depends on your body type. I was just sitting in one yesterday and while I had enough headroom (2 inches with the roof on) the legroom was a bit tight. My knees were up next the the steering wheel and next to the shifter. Also keep in mind that the pedals are quite close together, so you might need some skinny driving shoes to be able to not mash them like a caveman.
Drove my buddy's Elise. Drove a S2000 before it. The Elise is GLORIOUS. The engine is good, but the brakes and steering precision seal the deal. FANTASTIC car.
Hands down Elise. One of my co-workers had an Esprit for a short time, but he proved what many of us thought: while you may be able to purchase a used 'exotic', you might not be able to afford to keep it running. I'd love to pick up an Elise some day. I don't think you could get a much more pure driving experience.
The Lotus Elise has been my favorite car ever since I was very small. My dad bought me a poster to hang in my room when I was only just 5. I loved looking at it. It's been my dream ever since to own the car and pretty soon I will have enough money to buy one :D
Exception: Some 70s cars look great (cough cough mustang...) just remove 70s from when I said 70s 80s 90s, it was 80s and 90s when cheapness and plastic and ugliness ran wild in the world of cars :)
It's amazing that there are people who think the sprit looks good. It looks old! And not the good kind of old either. Like, cars that are 1950s 1960s those cars look old, but they look GOOD. For example the Mercedes 300sl gull wing is absolutely beautiful. But the majority of cars from the 70s 80s 90s all share this same old wedgy, boxy, shape that looks just terrible. Now a days cars look great all streamlined and cool like the Elise with powerful and beautiful round high fenders and smooth cu
I have a 1991 Corvette ZR1, but if had to choose Lotus's, and I don't like spending $ in the repair shop, & I like Exotic with Toyota reliability, and most likely I am going driving, not grocery shoppin', I'd get the Elise even though I love the Esprit.
I Love that its a reliable engine i mean thats the only good thing about the ELise The espirit looks awesome and can do the same thing as the Elise with more creature conforts.
I wanna hammer the car and it not break. I am a prior owner of 1990 esprit and there are some nightmare issues even with the 4 cylinder turbo models, plus Renault gear box was unforgiving. My vote is the ELISE!
After having owned a Honda S2000 for about 3 years now and having driven a 2005 Lotus Elise.. I'm tired of low-torque 4-cylinders. Yeah they're great cars, well tuned with good engines considering their size and great handling, but I'd definitely go for the Esprit ;)
Since both cars are basically big toys, it would have to be the Elise for me, since I'd be able to cane it all I want and not worry about an exploding gearbox.
That said, the 2013 Esprit model they announced looks very interesting. :)
The esprit has been my fav. car for many years.. The weak gear box just means no hard launching.. hell I have other cars for that. Esprit all the way!
id want the gorgeous esprit style with the elise manufacture development. i think the value of the elise is more in its reliable toyota economic engine, the light weight and rawness. i love the style of both rides though they look fun and sound beautiful. however i dont like the way the gear box is and how touchy the tranz is. i think they could combine the body style of the esprit and the ways of the elise to make one hell of a car. that would be the day of Lotus.
ESPRIT all the way, a simple turbo upgrade, bigger intercooler and tune you have a car that will beat almost anything on the road. best performance for the money by far.
I can drive it pretty well with my 6'4 (Jeremy Clarkson is a bit taller and he could fit in it too. Not much room to spare, but you can drive it pretty comfortably. btw, if I would to wear a helmet on a track day, the roof has to be open :-) (how big is this guy anyway???)
I own a 1995 Lotus Esprit V8 and I absolutely adore the car. Not only fast in almost any condition but also very, very comfortable for longer stretches. The V8 version was released in 1996 but mine happens to be the last pre-production car with, among other details, a different anti-locking break system from Siemens which is actually better than the one the ended up putting in for production. I do believe the breakes are different as well.
ive heard the same thing about the esprit's gearbox and its a damn shame cause i love the esprit. i'd still have to choose it but there needs to be a way to upgrade the gear box or neither would be the answer
Esprit... as a kid I had a poster on my bedroom wall. One of my friend's dad got to bring home a promo car they had at his work for the weekendgot a run in it lol. White with Red leather, this was an 80's esprit, I was only 7 lol but I wont forget it.
As for the "gearbox issues" - the standard one might be from an ancient renault but I'm sure it could be easily replaced with an uprated unit......
The elise is a nice car too,wouldn't refuse eithe, but my heart says Esprit.
Every esprit owner I've met is a douche bag. The esprit is not for everyone, IMO its ugly "Lambo wannabe" and the cost of rebuilding the gear box could buy you a ton of aftermarket parts for the elise.
the elise is defintely an amazing car, my only grip is that they only squeezed ouut 40 more hp with the supercharged version. but maybe they were trying to keep the gas mileage good?
in any event did you like the exhaust note? its hard to judge a car through speakers. does it sound like a 4cyl?
I couldn't afford an Esprit when they were new. Great car. Would still like to have one. I did buy an '08 Elise and it is possibly the most fun to drive of any car I've ever owned. They must be running the base model, mine came with electric windows and locks, stereo w/CD, leather upholstery, sound deadening and 5,200 miles on it when purchased. It handles as if on rails, especially with the wider front tires. If you're going to buy a small sports car, Buy the Elise. It really is that good.
I've owned both cars and each has their charm. The Esprit was a fabulous car to drive, and had a certain unquantifiable joy in use, but it was reliability nightmare. My 2007 Elise is a far better car in every measurable respect: Almost equal acceleration but far superior handling, braking, and reliability. The only thing that has failed on it in 4 years is the hazard light button relay, a $10 part. It's as reliable as a toaster. Oddly though, there are days when I really really miss my Esprit!
got to go with the esprit...not many REAL car car lovers want to get the power in their 60000 dollar car from a 4 cylinder engine...the only thing you benefit by the 4banger is mpgs...and if you are concerned about that, dont buy a 60000 dollar car
I would definitely choose the Elise over the Esprit mainly because I think it looks a lot better, but if I could choose any Lotus I would want the Evora. It is probably one of the sexiest cars I have ever seen, and it has the slight potential to maybe be practical.
Matt is really the most entertaining and the most informative reviewer and the least to none bias person I have ever seen in car reviews. Gotta give this guy a bigger pay.
Funny the turn Lotus has taken recently, considering his assessment of Lotus' future (not that you can blame him). Big engines, heavier, more luxurious. Take a look at the new lineup they just introduced!
Both are great cars, but the Elise seems too girly for my taste. So i'd have to say the Esprit. Bcuz jesus christ look at it ! It looks cool as hell, sounds cool as hell, and lets not forget more space, yes I have driven both these cars, and both was GREAT. But the Esprit is my number one choice, I can live with the frigal transmisson and heavy gas paddle, as long as i'm driving an Esprit.
And lets not forget James Bond (007) Had an Epsrit...
I love the Elise for how raw it is. They need to make more cars this way. The reliability and fuel economy are both a massive plus on top of the lightweight philosophy.
by the way, i have a honday vvti engine in my elise, generates over 250bhp and goes a hell of a lot faster than the elise in this clip. 0-60 is under 4 and gets to 100 in around 10...same weight engine so has no impact on the handling either...awsome..
They are two very different cars. For me its the Elise, though its a lot harder to live with.
The esprit is almost an everyday type of car, the elise on the other hand is tough to live with. I am looking forward though to the new bread of cars from lotus, the new esprit, elan, elise and elite, all very different cars to the ones in this video, a big step up market for lotus
what is this show? why is some fat retard reviewing cars? imagine something like a 800kg sports car, then some 120kg small dicked idiot sits on the right front side of it...
If you want a real classic the Esprit is the one to go for. They will only go up in value now. Whereas the Elise is quite common and not really seen as rare of collectable.
drive a elise and your whole concept of fast will be forever change it is completly mind blowing then when modified it a whole nother monster best drivers car ever
the espirt looks good and is fast worth the cash if you buy one
The Lotus is ugly (in my opinion... though it has grown on me), its not that exotic, its hopeless impractical, not much in the horsepower region and so so...
Your passenger will have to carry it on his/her knees. Ho and carefull about what you out in the trunk too, since the engine is in the trunk. So things tend to get prettyhot. For those who didn't knew, no; the engine is not there. The cooling system, the electrical system is in front, but the engine is right behind your ears; literally.
Hope this input may help some people to decide if the elise is right for them or not.
. No tilt, no height etc... Anyway you go the idea. Storage? Behind the front seats you can put two brown paper groceries bags only (i put a 10 inches subwoofer box and amp). The trunk? Once you put in a briefcase and spread your lunch bag content around it, there are no place left. And that's with the roof on... Once it is rolled in it's bag (anually of course!), and put in the trunk, you can put 2 jeans, 2 t-shirts, and an extra pair of running shoes for the week end and that's it.
The elise is all about track and racing. It IS a 180 hp go-kart, with some body and security features; the minimum to be road legal. No power steering he said? Well there are no power or electronic whaterever in it. No power brakes, no electric windows, damn it even cames without a radio! There are no carpets on the floor either and the seats are only adjustable forward/rear
First of all, sry i had to cut the comment in parts do to a character limits, but i felt that having a first hand comment about someone who actually owned and drove an elise for some time may be interesting; as it is for different as to someone only doing a test drive. there are things to like, and despise that can only be learned through months of day to day driving.
I do believe it's the the valve LIFT that kicks in at 6000 RPM for the Toyota 2ZZ engine in the Elise, AKA switching camshaft profiles. The valve TIMING should be continually variable throughout the rev range. Just pointing that out. Still love the show!
Fail 2:20 :D
boubouSkz 2 days ago
almost no other option? 1987 late release audi GT coupe! LOUD QUICK AND AWESOME!
EvangelionFan 1 week ago
I think that's the Persia Blue ... gorgeous. The supercharged version is also verrrrry interesting.
etherjoe505 1 week ago
Im more about the looks of a car rather then trying to find the perfect performance on the regular roads you never really go more than 80% of what the cars got to give so im not worried about that so i'd take the Esprit its better looking has a nice engine note and its a Bond Car enough said for me :)
OBrechkin 2 weeks ago
My uncle had a Elise since 2005. The only thing that went wrong in that car was the rearview mirror. He's 6'0 so leaning forward meant hes hitting the mirror with his forehead. Went through atleast one mirror a year.
ItzCashew 3 weeks ago
Funny how times change in less than 2 years. He says this is the future of Lotus going forward and look at their new models coming out now. They even say their going after Ferrari and Porsche.
shotime166 3 weeks ago
British sports car, let down by a french gearbox! If you want it to be awesome, don't include french parts, keep it all British!
iceonthemoon 1 month ago
which one would chuck norris chose? That is the one i would chose.
notnerdiforthgrade 1 month ago
"But it's the way it goes with British sports cars. They're always fragile."
The fragile bit being French.
ftpaddict 1 month ago
id have the esprit cos u only need to change the gearbox (an old NSX gearbox might fit) and then your good to go really, the prestige and the looks and with a new gearbox, no worrys of wrecking it and giving you a massive repair bill
BritishCenturion 1 month ago
that isnt the last esprit, look on lotus' official website at their upcoming concepts
danisaac6 2 months ago
3:11 Dude! Get outta the road!!!
stickyr34 2 months ago
"Southern California is a car-guys playground"
Yeah, until you see the gas prices. umadcalifornia?
Sooprazn 2 months ago 3
@Sooprazn haha we are mad about gas prices. lol :p
alexgonick 2 months ago
me personally i would go with the Elise i love how small it is meaning its easy to park and store just about anywhere but also because im not a very big person im only 5'7" and ive always liked small cars. the 180 HP is just fine for me especially for how light weight the car is .
TheSteve777vai 2 months ago
I consider myself lucky to own an Elise at the age of 21.
salut151 3 months ago 2
@salut151 Rich parents? Started a new kind of social networking site? The cheapest Elise is still around $30,000. No way you worked $30,000 worth.
trancedsailor 2 months ago
As an avid autocrosser, I would have to go with the Elise. One of the guys who races with us has a supercharged Elise on R-Comps. Sex on wheels. However, having been in an Elise and subsequently struggling to get myself out of it, I would lean towards the Esprit. :P
MrQMX5 3 months ago
mmmmmmmmmmmm them r888's on the elise just add that much more to it :)
atreyukicks 3 months ago
i go way back to the Lotus Esprit S1 baby, yup the original one of the 1970s, its the most classic one, plus its in 007 the spy who loved me
sportzguy77 3 months ago
there both great cars that cost to much for what you don't get.
mbsnyderc 3 months ago
I would love to have a job like this.
How did you start out?
namybot 3 months ago
Elise all the way. Its reliable and responsive. Im a small guy so the interior is not a problem. It sucks that I cant listen to music though but I would rather deal with that then a fragile, and potentially faulty, transmission .
HellBoundLegacy 3 months ago
Esprit hands down. I'm the same size as you and you looked very uncomfortable in the Elise. It seemed that the performance of the Elise was really the only selling point. It doesn't have any sort of equipment, and is ugly. It is just a road legal go kart. The Esprit on the other hand is beautiful, and I would fit. Bond drove one (unfortunately Roger Moore) and it will always be awesome. The Esprit may also have reliability issues, but it is not an everyday car for where I live (Cleveland Ohio).
thompsonj007 3 months ago
i like the looks of the espirit, i really respect it, but i dont think ill enjoy it as much as the elise
"the elise is the AE-86 of europe" - Keiichi tsuchiya
shobin05 4 months ago in playlist More videos from TheSmokingTire
Lotus is back on track to kick some arse ! The best philosophy of driving experience ! You want to have driving experience buy a Lotus ! You want to be "bling bling" buy other prestigious brands.
SangoFett 4 months ago
esprit all the way. Lotus should have copied the Porsche philosophy and keep making evolution changes (911) instead of discontinuing it. bummer!!
dan87951 4 months ago
Mazda Rx7
sb12302 4 months ago
ESPRIT
thesimguy1905 5 months ago 2
British design and chassis with a jap engine, it has to be the Elise
Best handling car for the money, actually, it's probably the best handling car when money is no object.
If you're 6.2 or less, just get one.
eurosceptic1 5 months ago
I would go with the Esprit personally, but I would definitely want to swap out that Renault transmission...
kasm279 5 months ago
Love your works a lot, guys! You've really improved since the first videos.
Ekaterate 5 months ago
if i had a chois between the two defanatly the elise but if it was betwene any lotus it would be the exige
VALCISAW 5 months ago
I would def take the Elise, but do not blame any big fella for choosing the Esprit!
subspase 5 months ago
the 1996-2001 Lotus Elise was assembled in
Hethel, Norfolk, England.
Annihilator1111 6 months ago
Hands down, the Esprit is the better car.
Mimsk 6 months ago
I like the elise better cause it handles better imo. Also cause im 5' 8 so the size different doesnt bother me. The new exgie I want so bad
spazzanator16 6 months ago
Blue elise looks so much better than the dumb orange and green elises I see all the time in Atlanta. But they have the worst interior of all time. I hate the 2000 esprit compared to the 2011 esprit! It's so much cooler looking and feeling. Good car, good car.
orangegold1 6 months ago
Exige? I will take the Esprit, I am 6'2" and about 280 though.
caesarmoridon 6 months ago
Lotus Elise
lveratadeo 6 months ago
ELISE
AirsoftSmarts 7 months ago
ROTUS ERISE!
suprgamer 7 months ago
galardo ferrari over priced '' i tell you all i love pulling up to a car show and being the only one there whit esprit v8tt there only 300in us i owne 1 of 81 2001 is the rares year for the v8s tt this is why one i love lotus 2 if you all for got 60s in to late 70s ferrari ho lotus was top dog and if Colin Chapmen did not pass you see lotus for what there are LOTUS was all ways ahead of game in all categories ....
f1teamlotus 7 months ago
i love to see shit like this you all talk out of your ass's did you ever driven one ?no did you ever owne one ? no heres the best one this guy said '' this one the best lol i would pick the galardo for$ cost more than the esprit and the esprit is faster lol look up galardo vs esprit you see esprit whit just a chip and boost controla the esprit one of the top 10 fasters cars in world look up top gear track time for a stock esprit you will be shocked
f1teamlotus 7 months ago
Of course: the achilles heel of the british supercar; the french component. 8-|
rockshox101avidjuicy 7 months ago
"Nothing to go wrong" (with the Elise)... How about oil cooler lines bursting and toe links failing... Still better than the old ones though...
skottoman 7 months ago
@GerGa769
I understood what he said but "you expect that from a British sports car" is not right. You could say that about any sports car manufacturer. Look at Lamborghini, better carry a fire extinguisher with you if your driving one.
Daveskie360 7 months ago
looks like an slightly advanced delorean lol
reinyray15 7 months ago
2:15 Can't belive he said "Its the way it goes with british sports cars" Lotus have to de-tune the engine because the gear box won't take it.
The gear box is by renault. They are French ya fuckin idiot!
Daveskie360 7 months ago
@Daveskie360 I don't think you fully understood what he said. You are reading into it too much
GerGa769 7 months ago
For a $100,000 car I think I'll go with the Gallardo
LivinInFuture 7 months ago
Both cars are cool but being 6'2'' it's hard for me to imagine driving Elise more than 20 minutes, on the other hand I really don't like unreliable cars, especially not expensive unreliable cars so Esprit is also out of question lol. If I have to pick one 4 free, Esprit is my car but if i have to pay, there are much better options imho...
Gilach 7 months ago
i love the Esprit its the best car in the world...
larrynoodle007 7 months ago
The Esprit, is a classic car that make you feel like you're James Bond. The Elise is a little to much like a go cart. for my taste
MarkIrmina 7 months ago 12
cant wait for the new espirit!
cardude1992 7 months ago
you love the Elise but that toyota celica motor will make you sick wen the guy whit v8 tt blows your doors off its not raw at all looks no go cool but no go top end trust me bro esprit v8 is the only faster car in this vid this guy is dip shit from looks of it ...i race guy in free way i have 01esprit v8 tt i beat bikes never mind elise sorry man but i blew door of one early this year he told me he at some time did no even see me lol yeh this guy dip shit ,,
f1teamlotus 7 months ago
@f1teamlotus yeah... definately... that 4.3 0-60 fucking sucks right
rpcbws77440 7 months ago
@f1teamlotus Yeah man fuck gas and reliability.
candywrapp 7 months ago
@f1teamlotus In a straight line yeah the esprit is faster,but on a twisty track the elise is faster. way better breaking and power though the corners
sausagenmuff 7 months ago
Never knew the esprit was that rare. I see a guy driving a black one in my town from time to time (Harrisburg, pa)
alreadyplatinum2007 8 months ago
lookin forward 2 this next 1.........if they get it right. if not i will mbe highly upset lol
DrJCCC20 8 months ago
The New ESPRIT unveiled at the Paris motor show will kick some arse !
sil3nttt 8 months ago 17
I'm 6'2" and 200 lbs. I'm taking the Esprit. Ever see someone big get out of the Elise? It is a true comedy.
MRRY0703 8 months ago
esprit is dead sexy.
Boston1775 8 months ago
Esprit is faster and it's less expensive
Esprit is better in snow because I live in 6 Months of snow
Esprit overall is a better car
TehCoolJoe 8 months ago
Elise Elise Elise
ChristewieTV 8 months ago
2:16 thats what i call professionalism
yo93yeah 8 months ago 2
THat V8 Roar in combo with the blow off is like listening to a voice on the other end of a 1-900 number, just dirty :)
Dance1617 8 months ago
esprit raw power lambo look plus im 6'1
jtcollier09 8 months ago
2:16 was the cameraman filming into the boot????
davidpfreak 8 months ago
@davidpfreak Haha I believe so, they need to invest in an SUV or or truck for filming.
Blown98regal 8 months ago
The Esprit is a very impresive car. Pictures do not do this car justice, it is incredible in person. The Elise is also very pretty but is small and looks about the same in pictures as is real life
cptcolo 9 months ago 2
Lmao he hit vtec at 6k rpm.
ILikeReallyBigButts 9 months ago
@ILikeReallyBigButts Vtec is honda. This has a similar system but is made by toyota and tuned by lotus
ChristewieTV 8 months ago
@ChristewieTV You're stupid. I wasn't serious.
ILikeReallyBigButts 8 months ago
What size and weight are you out of interest? I'm 6.4" and 115KG so might be cutting it too fine for the Elise?
Vanbul1 9 months ago
@Vanbul1 at 6'4, you will be right on the edge of not fitting. It depends on your body type. I was just sitting in one yesterday and while I had enough headroom (2 inches with the roof on) the legroom was a bit tight. My knees were up next the the steering wheel and next to the shifter. Also keep in mind that the pedals are quite close together, so you might need some skinny driving shoes to be able to not mash them like a caveman.
CalFan5 9 months ago
elise. when im older... im gettin one
flyingcows547 9 months ago
Drove my buddy's Elise. Drove a S2000 before it. The Elise is GLORIOUS. The engine is good, but the brakes and steering precision seal the deal. FANTASTIC car.
eronan03 9 months ago
Hands down Elise. One of my co-workers had an Esprit for a short time, but he proved what many of us thought: while you may be able to purchase a used 'exotic', you might not be able to afford to keep it running. I'd love to pick up an Elise some day. I don't think you could get a much more pure driving experience.
primaltone 9 months ago
The Lotus Elise has been my favorite car ever since I was very small. My dad bought me a poster to hang in my room when I was only just 5. I loved looking at it. It's been my dream ever since to own the car and pretty soon I will have enough money to buy one :D
MrReman23 9 months ago
elise. hands down.
oxysean 9 months ago
matt is fucken sexy! :D
eortegareynoso17 9 months ago
Exception: Some 70s cars look great (cough cough mustang...) just remove 70s from when I said 70s 80s 90s, it was 80s and 90s when cheapness and plastic and ugliness ran wild in the world of cars :)
Cartier736 9 months ago
The esprit* not "sprit" lol
Cartier736 9 months ago
It's amazing that there are people who think the sprit looks good. It looks old! And not the good kind of old either. Like, cars that are 1950s 1960s those cars look old, but they look GOOD. For example the Mercedes 300sl gull wing is absolutely beautiful. But the majority of cars from the 70s 80s 90s all share this same old wedgy, boxy, shape that looks just terrible. Now a days cars look great all streamlined and cool like the Elise with powerful and beautiful round high fenders and smooth cu
Cartier736 9 months ago
Esprit so bad ass
papatronix 10 months ago
Hands down, the Elise.
helsfury 10 months ago
I have a 1991 Corvette ZR1, but if had to choose Lotus's, and I don't like spending $ in the repair shop, & I like Exotic with Toyota reliability, and most likely I am going driving, not grocery shoppin', I'd get the Elise even though I love the Esprit.
templedigital 10 months ago
I Love that its a reliable engine i mean thats the only good thing about the ELise The espirit looks awesome and can do the same thing as the Elise with more creature conforts.
KreatorOfDeath1985 10 months ago
Elise looks like a cheap go-cart.
Can't wait for the new Esprit to be released.
phantom5573 10 months ago
Too bad that it turned out that Lotus really isn't going for lightness in the future :(
TehRacooonODoom 10 months ago
exige is my fav
AsuckersFool 10 months ago
If the Esprit had a better transmission I would go for it.
boyroney 10 months ago
Elise all the way... reliability is a big deal to me
SubaruG27 10 months ago
I wanna hammer the car and it not break. I am a prior owner of 1990 esprit and there are some nightmare issues even with the 4 cylinder turbo models, plus Renault gear box was unforgiving. My vote is the ELISE!
SuperClindley 10 months ago
After having owned a Honda S2000 for about 3 years now and having driven a 2005 Lotus Elise.. I'm tired of low-torque 4-cylinders. Yeah they're great cars, well tuned with good engines considering their size and great handling, but I'd definitely go for the Esprit ;)
SabaothChristou 11 months ago
Out of these two, I'd definitely have to go with the Elise. It is the epitome of handling.
bane762 11 months ago
Since both cars are basically big toys, it would have to be the Elise for me, since I'd be able to cane it all I want and not worry about an exploding gearbox.
That said, the 2013 Esprit model they announced looks very interesting. :)
Maybe we'll have more choice soon.
Jesus45U 11 months ago
I'm 6'2'' so i guess i'll have to forget about the Elise. I've always had a crush for the Esprit anyways, so my choice is made.
By the way, i LOVE your reviews!
frincho 11 months ago
i like the supercharged elise/exige, great power and reliability, and to me it's one of the best looking cars around.
ShopVids 11 months ago
The esprit has been my fav. car for many years.. The weak gear box just means no hard launching.. hell I have other cars for that. Esprit all the way!
mante78 11 months ago
I would take an esprit over a base elise. But id take an Exige S over anything else lotus makes.
whygodrums10 11 months ago
a great, objective and absolutely very nice vid...well done people!!!
NorthernFreelancer 11 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
lotus esprit has always been a dream car of mine, so i pick that
jester1614 11 months ago
lotus esprit has always been a dream car of mine, so i pick that
jester1614 11 months ago
Good show, are caterham's legal in the US, I drove one and it was amasing
bnmcmhn 11 months ago
id want the gorgeous esprit style with the elise manufacture development. i think the value of the elise is more in its reliable toyota economic engine, the light weight and rawness. i love the style of both rides though they look fun and sound beautiful. however i dont like the way the gear box is and how touchy the tranz is. i think they could combine the body style of the esprit and the ways of the elise to make one hell of a car. that would be the day of Lotus.
rondenham 1 year ago
I would love to drive the Esprit, but would rather own a Elise!
cowmilky 1 year ago
ESPRIT all the way, a simple turbo upgrade, bigger intercooler and tune you have a car that will beat almost anything on the road. best performance for the money by far.
H22ACB 1 year ago
I can drive it pretty well with my 6'4 (Jeremy Clarkson is a bit taller and he could fit in it too. Not much room to spare, but you can drive it pretty comfortably. btw, if I would to wear a helmet on a track day, the roof has to be open :-) (how big is this guy anyway???)
fhuisma 1 year ago
I own a 1995 Lotus Esprit V8 and I absolutely adore the car. Not only fast in almost any condition but also very, very comfortable for longer stretches. The V8 version was released in 1996 but mine happens to be the last pre-production car with, among other details, a different anti-locking break system from Siemens which is actually better than the one the ended up putting in for production. I do believe the breakes are different as well.
I would also like to say THANKS for a great vid!
MsWintermute 1 year ago
I would go for the elise, even tho i do like the esprit.
i would like to thank gran turismo for showing me many amazing cars, especially lotus
Uv7x77 1 year ago
esprit ftw! :D
nathanrojas 1 year ago
Matt and team, Great stuff. It's hard to find honest, fun auto journalism these days that caters to purists without being too "fanboy."
Bravo!
astronmr20 1 year ago
ive heard the same thing about the esprit's gearbox and its a damn shame cause i love the esprit. i'd still have to choose it but there needs to be a way to upgrade the gear box or neither would be the answer
CUNextTuesday56 1 year ago
Esprit... as a kid I had a poster on my bedroom wall. One of my friend's dad got to bring home a promo car they had at his work for the weekendgot a run in it lol. White with Red leather, this was an 80's esprit, I was only 7 lol but I wont forget it.
As for the "gearbox issues" - the standard one might be from an ancient renault but I'm sure it could be easily replaced with an uprated unit......
The elise is a nice car too,wouldn't refuse eithe, but my heart says Esprit.
asm1 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
┌∩┐(◕_◕)┌∩┐
Fuck the new youtube design
TheTauros0427 1 year ago
Every esprit owner I've met is a douche bag. The esprit is not for everyone, IMO its ugly "Lambo wannabe" and the cost of rebuilding the gear box could buy you a ton of aftermarket parts for the elise.
I own a 06 Exige.
burtondude155 1 year ago
I got respect for the elise but the espirt is one hella badass car. So i choose the espirt!!
HaloOnlineVideos 1 year ago
the elise is defintely an amazing car, my only grip is that they only squeezed ouut 40 more hp with the supercharged version. but maybe they were trying to keep the gas mileage good?
in any event did you like the exhaust note? its hard to judge a car through speakers. does it sound like a 4cyl?
AlexanderBlueAvenue 1 year ago
I couldn't afford an Esprit when they were new. Great car. Would still like to have one. I did buy an '08 Elise and it is possibly the most fun to drive of any car I've ever owned. They must be running the base model, mine came with electric windows and locks, stereo w/CD, leather upholstery, sound deadening and 5,200 miles on it when purchased. It handles as if on rails, especially with the wider front tires. If you're going to buy a small sports car, Buy the Elise. It really is that good.
Nicodemus98 1 year ago
the esprit is what i chosen because is a damn god locking car and listen that noise
ojusticeiro2010 1 year ago
i would have the Lotus Esprit
dasgilde 1 year ago
my father´s got an esprit v8 se^^
damn fast, this thing is really eating it´s curves :-D
possessedtaurus 1 year ago
Neither
MovieTheaterHead 1 year ago
I've owned both cars and each has their charm. The Esprit was a fabulous car to drive, and had a certain unquantifiable joy in use, but it was reliability nightmare. My 2007 Elise is a far better car in every measurable respect: Almost equal acceleration but far superior handling, braking, and reliability. The only thing that has failed on it in 4 years is the hazard light button relay, a $10 part. It's as reliable as a toaster. Oddly though, there are days when I really really miss my Esprit!
Ramasurinen 1 year ago
got to go with the esprit...not many REAL car car lovers want to get the power in their 60000 dollar car from a 4 cylinder engine...the only thing you benefit by the 4banger is mpgs...and if you are concerned about that, dont buy a 60000 dollar car
airdrummond241 1 year ago
LOVE the camera work!!
LOL :p
boy31 1 year ago
2:15, u can see the hatch. lol
NismoPWNS 1 year ago
i love the Esprit
FoolieGraffiti 1 year ago 34
love the elise's bug-look
foltaj 1 year ago
elise. its way better looking
yourmom935 1 year ago
I would definitely choose the Elise over the Esprit mainly because I think it looks a lot better, but if I could choose any Lotus I would want the Evora. It is probably one of the sexiest cars I have ever seen, and it has the slight potential to maybe be practical.
akajesusfreak 1 year ago
My neighbor bought the new elise and i think its better
cmack7177 1 year ago
well i bought the exige
sentravq 1 year ago
Add some humor and it will be more entertaining to watch than last night premier episode of Top Gear America
gasforu 1 year ago
esprit!
131132128 1 year ago
i dont know!!!!!!!!! I want both of them
Dragon12203 1 year ago
Matt is really the most entertaining and the most informative reviewer and the least to none bias person I have ever seen in car reviews. Gotta give this guy a bigger pay.
HateWhatISee 1 year ago
Funny the turn Lotus has taken recently, considering his assessment of Lotus' future (not that you can blame him). Big engines, heavier, more luxurious. Take a look at the new lineup they just introduced!
MrBabirusa 1 year ago
Both are great cars, but the Elise seems too girly for my taste. So i'd have to say the Esprit. Bcuz jesus christ look at it ! It looks cool as hell, sounds cool as hell, and lets not forget more space, yes I have driven both these cars, and both was GREAT. But the Esprit is my number one choice, I can live with the frigal transmisson and heavy gas paddle, as long as i'm driving an Esprit.
And lets not forget James Bond (007) Had an Epsrit...
So yeeeeeeah... I'd take the Esprit ! =)
krocialblack 1 year ago
My neighbor has an Elise.
It is exotic to look at but it reminds me of a go-cart.
I would be embarrassed to drive it in traffic as I think people would get a chuckle as it looks so cheap and.. well... go-cart like.
phantom5573 1 year ago
esprit is so sexy
japantoine 1 year ago
I love the Elise for how raw it is. They need to make more cars this way. The reliability and fuel economy are both a massive plus on top of the lightweight philosophy.
Desm0Rob 1 year ago 21
@Desm0Rob Sad to think cars are getting bigger, fatter, slower
Uv7x77 1 year ago
The Esprit fave Lotus of all time!
t5killer95 1 year ago
ELISE
Lorten1986 1 year ago
by the way, i have a honday vvti engine in my elise, generates over 250bhp and goes a hell of a lot faster than the elise in this clip. 0-60 is under 4 and gets to 100 in around 10...same weight engine so has no impact on the handling either...awsome..
AndrewOneDegree 1 year ago
They are two very different cars. For me its the Elise, though its a lot harder to live with.
The esprit is almost an everyday type of car, the elise on the other hand is tough to live with. I am looking forward though to the new bread of cars from lotus, the new esprit, elan, elise and elite, all very different cars to the ones in this video, a big step up market for lotus
AndrewOneDegree 1 year ago
what is this show? why is some fat retard reviewing cars? imagine something like a 800kg sports car, then some 120kg small dicked idiot sits on the right front side of it...
ZZombyWooff 1 year ago
I have had an 02 V8 esprit since new and it is a great car.....great to drive!
nigel0434 1 year ago
Plural of Lotus is Lotus....
As an Elise owner I enjoyed the video...but my obvious vote for the Elise is biased.
WT350Z 1 year ago
Esprit all the way. its got the heritage, plus you can drive it under water....unless if that was a limited edition bond car only. :p
amehta11 1 year ago
there is a supercharged Elise now, at least here in the uk.
I would still take the esprit what an utterly gorgeous looking car.
gibster70 1 year ago
If you want a real classic the Esprit is the one to go for. They will only go up in value now. Whereas the Elise is quite common and not really seen as rare of collectable.
nick945 1 year ago
drive a elise and your whole concept of fast will be forever change it is completly mind blowing then when modified it a whole nother monster best drivers car ever
the espirt looks good and is fast worth the cash if you buy one
marcelskaterkid94 1 year ago
The Lotus is ugly (in my opinion... though it has grown on me), its not that exotic, its hopeless impractical, not much in the horsepower region and so so...
BUT why the hell do I still want it!?
god damnit!
TheBrokenEclipse 1 year ago
I would take the elise. Turn up the boost. Woot woot
NehpetsK57 1 year ago
@NehpetsK57 Elise has no trubo to increase the boost on. Possibly an ECU mod at best.
doninjabkb 1 year ago
@doninjabkb you cant turn up the boost on a supercharged engine? Its still forced induction.
NehpetsK57 1 year ago
@NehpetsK57 The Elise is NA so it has no forced induction of any type. The 2007+ Exige is the one with a supercharger
germankid93 1 year ago
@germankid93 Oh right. I just assumed it was SC'd because he said it was as fast as the esprit. Its crazy that a NA I4 can keep up with a tt v8.
NehpetsK57 1 year ago
Your passenger will have to carry it on his/her knees. Ho and carefull about what you out in the trunk too, since the engine is in the trunk. So things tend to get prettyhot. For those who didn't knew, no; the engine is not there. The cooling system, the electrical system is in front, but the engine is right behind your ears; literally.
Hope this input may help some people to decide if the elise is right for them or not.
saabsly1 1 year ago
. No tilt, no height etc... Anyway you go the idea. Storage? Behind the front seats you can put two brown paper groceries bags only (i put a 10 inches subwoofer box and amp). The trunk? Once you put in a briefcase and spread your lunch bag content around it, there are no place left. And that's with the roof on... Once it is rolled in it's bag (anually of course!), and put in the trunk, you can put 2 jeans, 2 t-shirts, and an extra pair of running shoes for the week end and that's it.
saabsly1 1 year ago
The elise is all about track and racing. It IS a 180 hp go-kart, with some body and security features; the minimum to be road legal. No power steering he said? Well there are no power or electronic whaterever in it. No power brakes, no electric windows, damn it even cames without a radio! There are no carpets on the floor either and the seats are only adjustable forward/rear
saabsly1 1 year ago
I think that comparing those two cars is... well... like comparing a go-kart to a 18 wheel truck!
Having owned a 1999 lotus elise (the best looking one in my opinion), i know what i am talking about. At least about the elise.
saabsly1 1 year ago
First of all, sry i had to cut the comment in parts do to a character limits, but i felt that having a first hand comment about someone who actually owned and drove an elise for some time may be interesting; as it is for different as to someone only doing a test drive. there are things to like, and despise that can only be learned through months of day to day driving.
saabsly1 1 year ago
I do believe it's the the valve LIFT that kicks in at 6000 RPM for the Toyota 2ZZ engine in the Elise, AKA switching camshaft profiles. The valve TIMING should be continually variable throughout the rev range. Just pointing that out. Still love the show!
Daemo4 1 year ago
I love the elise, but being 6'3 / 190cm, i can't fit :'(
Cactaceae33 1 year ago
So basically what I would want to do is replace the gearbox and then update the engine to 500whp? That's what it sounds like.
tranchedevie2 1 year ago
Def... Elise. it is my favorite car soo yea i go for it!
oscar22311 1 year ago 16