NEW Top Gear Lotus Esprit

[0XxBesTofTheRestxX0]

You know, i was actually thinking about why they stopped making pop up head lamps. Maybe they can bring them back but re-design them. I have had some crazy ideas swamping my head for a new pop up head lamps.

[McLarenMercedes]

Never was a fan of those small rear headlights found in the last year the Esprit was sold. The large square ones fit the car better.

For such an old 70's design the Esprit was still doing well in the mid 90's. Any other car that can produce that? Even the old Porsche 911 was throughly re-engineered in the early 90's.

[xSinfullySexy]

I just noticed... the front lip (both left and right corners) hit on concrete!!!

3:28 I could hear it ... =[

[details78]

how can you be properly sad Clarkson?

[bendtx]

Im going to buy one someday, I love these cars!

[goldrushexpedinc]

Dont know where you are getting your esprit info from. The esprit is dead. Evora is the replacement. and lotus only dropped toyota motors into the newer bug cars, but they are heavily modified and nothing like toyota intended...

[NobleM15fan]

@goldrushexpedinc The Evora is not the replacement for the Esprit - the Evora was built to rival the Porsche Cayman and the Jaguar XK. There will be a new Esprit in a year or so, and that's going to be priced to compete with the Audi R8. I can send you a video featuring it if you don't believe me (and I can send you a link to where I read about it). It will be available with either the 5 litre V8 from the Lexus ISF, or the 4.8 litre V10 from the LFA.

[ur2sensitive]

He doesn't drive the Ford GT all the time because it keeps breaking down!

[bvillmek79]

hey NobleM15fan yes your right but he also has a ford gt but does he drive that all the time hmmmm lets think here.......NO!!!

[NobleM15fan]

There's going to be a new Esprit fairly soon. Has a choice of engines; either the 5 litre V8 from the Lexus IS-F, or the 4.8 litre V10 from the Lesus LFA.

Lotus are really coming back now - I'm glad they've stopped using Rover and Ford engines.

[an50331]

i really like that gauge that tells you g forces and speed during the laps. what ever happened to that great idea?

ohh and by the way the the corvette had pop ups until 2004.

the nsx is an honorable mention at 2001.

[buckyohare420]

its sad pop up headlamps are gone, almost seems the manual gearbox is next :' (

[NobleM15fan]

@buckyohare420 Pop up headlamps are gone because a: the motor ruts out eventually, b: it's more expensive and c: headlamps are better looking than they were 30 years ago, so companies don't need to conceal them. I wish someone would bring them back though; if I started a car company that would be my 1 demand of the designer.

As for the manual gearbox? Aston Martin still use them. So do Noble, Gumpert, Ascari, Pagani, Koenigsegg, Porsche, Dodge, Chevrolet, Subaru, Mitsuibishi...need any more?

[viru52000]

@NobleM15fan Nah, costs aren't the issue on popups headlights. Keep in mind that anything that fails after the warranty is out is good for a car company as they then get to sell the replacement parts, so it's not the motors.  The main reason is pedestrian crash safety standards.

[NobleM15fan]

@viru52000 True - you made a good point. Is that why Mercedes and BMW stopped making the bonnet emblems?

[viru52000]

@NobleM15fan probably more that they're tacky or get stolen.  Rolls still has them.

[NobleM15fan]

@viru52000 Why would people nick a bonnet emblem? That's weird. But anyway, I'd like to see pop up headlights come back. You are still allowed to use a car with them on the road.

[Johannes823]

0:03 that's Hammond

[peterbuilt1089]

Clarkson would never put a Corvette in the same league as a Lotus. Especially in 2003 or 2004. He shot one to bits in Clarkson Apocalypse.

[Starsandstraps31]

You know Clarkson owns a Corvette ZR-1 right?

[NobleM15fan]

No he doesn't. I don't know who started that rumour, but it's not true. He owns a Mercedes CLK Black.

[Starsandstraps31]

He owns a lot of cars, and he has/had a ZR1.

[NobleM15fan]

No he doesn't!! He borrowed a ZR1 for a trip in America, and really enjoyed it (and later found it had been a bit of a holiday romance!). I think that's where the rumour comes from. My sources tell me (his books and newspaper articles) that he currently drives a Mercedes CLK Black.

[absolut3zr0]

Song is Samuel Barber - Agnus Dei.

Look for the one by a choir, not the one done by an orchestra.

[hbc84]

Does anyone know the name of the classical piece used near the end? Been driving me bonkers

[JohnFromSpace]

I thought the C5 was the last car with pop up head lights

[blabbershnitz]

same here. how old is this clip?

[DualofChaos]

yeah your right

[TheVtieg6]

blabbershnitz

2003 or 2004 i think.

[Johannes823]

no, but 2002