A&Q about Lotus
Q:
I voted "Yes" but I think it's pretty subjective. One item doesn't define it, either. Like price. Very few people can afford a Semi truck cab, but I would hardly call it exotic.
I think if you ask most hard-core car people if the Elise is exotic, they would say , "No." But if you asked the general populace if the Elise is exotic, they would say, "What's an Elise?" Then, after you show them one, they would say, "ooooooooh. Yeah, that's very exotic!"
A:
Originally Posted by Conan
But if you asked the general populace if the Elise is exotic, they would say, "What's an Elise?" Then, after you show them one, they would say, "ooooooooh. Yeah, that's very exotic!"
And after you tell them what it costs - assuming you don't lie - they'll say, "Oh... Is it a kit car?"
And after they take a seat and have a good look at the interior, they'll say, "Oh... I thought it was like a Ferrari."
A:
Originally Posted by kyohan03
All apply to the older Elans, Europas, 7's and the M100 Elan, and nobody would consider them Exotic.
Actually, I would.
A:
Originally Posted by kyohan03
All apply to the older Elans, Europas, 7's and the M100 Elan,
Why? I definitely consider a Ford GT exotic, but it certainly doesn't apply to the Windstar.
A:
Is there a "Who cares?" option?
A:
Yes!
I like the reference Steve gave to the made-up ad. The bottom line says it all: Change the rules.
Park the Elise next to any group of (easily defined) exotics -- Lambo, Ferrari, Maserati, Aston, etc., and see which car gets the most attention. Many posts here on ET attest to the fact that our cars are exotic by this (and nearly every other) measure.
'Sides which, I want to go out and drive!
A:
I vote Exotic, because exotic because of the very definition. It's a rare car, made in another country. Exotic. The Camry on the other hand, while (sometimes) made in another country or from another country is by no means rare.
A:
Why it's an exotic supercart, of course.
(shameless repost)
A:
Originally Posted by MikeAR303
Is there a "Who cares?" option?
If you really don't care, why do you seem to care so much that others care?
A:
Rather a silly vote, and you will probably find most of the people who are voting no are not owners I would imagine. The car is hand made of bonded aluminum and light weight composites by one of the most famous racing companies in the world. It has a single purpose in mind, racing. It has drilled aluminum spars and dashes instead of cushy walnut and leather. My insurance company lists it as a high performance vehicle, but also they don't have a category of "exotic"even for ferraris or such. I think "exotic" is a magazine catch phrase from the 80s after the cannonball run movies were so popular. By the definition of the word exotic, the Elise is exotic. You can say ooooh then the japanese Suboyotasan xwrsa-xyt is an exotic then ! No you can't because the vast majority of the Japanese high performance cars dont LOOK exotic ,which is a big part of the defining parameters and are not hand made they are stamped out of molds and upgraded with nicer engines and wheels.
A:
Originally Posted by delise
Rather a silly vote, and you will probably find most of the people saying no are not owners I would imagine.
I have had my car for quite some time. By the definition a lot of people have, both of my cars are exotic. I don't think either are.
I realize everyone wants to feel their car is somehow "special" but it really isn't. They make a few 1000 each year. Anyone that wants to go buy one can. Heck, they cost less than the average BMW these days.
People that want to call it "exotic" really sound like people that wish they could own a Ferrari, TVR, or Aston Martin but cannot. So they bought a lotus and now want to play with the big boys.
Out here we had a bunch of lotus owners crash an exotic car meet and practically get laughed at. I think that pretty much sums it up.
Now if you have spent more time trying to justify why your car is exotic than you have driving it at a track or autocross then I think we can classify that owner as a posuer
A:
Originally Posted by transio
2007 Audi TT, Panoz AIV.
Just a slight niggle here. The new TT uses more aluminum in its frame than the prior generation, but the frame is not completely aluminum. However, an even bigger difference is that it is not a monocoque chassis like the Elise. Outside of other Lotus cars, I am hard-pressed to think of many road cars that utilize a monocoque chassis. So I'd say that is somewhat exotic in and of itself.
A:
Originally Posted by Enigma
I have had my car for quite some time. By the definition a lot of people have, both of my cars are exotic. I don't think either are.
I )
Looks like most people disagree with you , currently at 80% yes
By literal definition it is an exotic car, simple as that really. By definition I would not call it a super car like I would a Veyron or such but that is not the question ........
Speaking of which Beverly Hills Bentley has a Veyron in the window ! Olympic and Roberston area for you other Beverly Hillbillies on here .
A:
i can't see how anyone would even consider for a second that an E46 M3 is an "exotic" this coming from a 2 time e46 m3 owner.
A:
Originally Posted by Conan
Why? I definitely consider a Ford GT exotic, but it certainly doesn't apply to the Windstar.
The leap from Windstar to Ford GT is quite a leap to say the least.
The leap from mid 60's Elan/early 70's Europa/timeless 7 to the Elise is not that much of a leap at all...and they are not exotics.
My point was that the person to whom I was responding cited a number of things that made the Elise an exotic from his point of view. That is fine. But all the things he cited could apply to the earlier cited Lotus as well.
The backbone frame in the Elan and Europa was every bit as different and effective in its time as the Elise's chassis is now within the current context. It's the same niche manufacturer, if anything they made far fewer cars back then annually.
A:
For those of us who don't live in the largest metropolitan areas, very rarely does one see a Ferrari, Lamborghini, or even a Lotus. Perhaps, many of you here routinely see such cars, but the vast majority of the people in this country do not.
A:
Originally Posted by delise
Rather a silly vote, and you will probably find most of the people who are voting no are not owners I would imagine. The car is hand made of bonded aluminum and light weight composites by one of the most famous racing companies in the world. It has a single purpose in mind, racing. It has drilled aluminum spars and dashes instead of cushy walnut and leather. My insurance company lists it as a high performance vehicle, but also they don't have a category of "exotic"even for ferraris or such. I think "exotic" is a magazine catch phrase from the 80s after the cannonball run movies were so popular. By the definition of the word exotic, the Elise is exotic. You can say ooooh then the japanese Suboyotasan xwrsa-xyt is an exotic then ! No you can't because the vast majority of the Japanese high performance cars dont LOOK exotic ,which is a big part of the defining parameters and are not hand made they are stamped out of molds and upgraded with nicer engines and wheels.
Well, with all due respect I voted no, have owned two of them, and 6 Lotus altogether.
Lotus as it exists today is most certainly not the same company that built the famous racing cars. Lotus has not built a factory race car of any consequence in years. The company has changed hands two or three times since Lotus got out of Formula One.
By the definition of exotic looking, handmade, and rare, a Bradley GT would qualify.
If the car has racing as its single purpose, where is the car racing competitively? It's done well in autocross, but it does not dominate and on some courses is actually handicapped. I believe it's classed in T2 in the SCCA road racing, but I never see an Elise listed as finishing on the podium in any of those races. Where, exactly, is the Elise fulfilling it's sole purpose of racing with any regularity, let alone success?
You are right in that it's a silly vote, because there is NO definition of 'exotic' as it applies to automobiles. It's subjective at all levels.
A:
Originally Posted by RegGuy
I'm not sure it's exotic, but I'm facinated by how people are trying to define an exotic car.
I've always thought of a Lambo and Ferrari as exotic. I've never thought of a Porsche as exotic. Before owning one, I also thought of Lotus as in the exotic category.
I thought exactly the same way about the above mentioned cars.
A:
Originally Posted by transio
I'm just expressing my opinion. I don't think anyone here will claim that whether a car is exotic or not is a matter of indisputable fact. Personally, I think a Rolls Royce could qualify as exotic, even though its performance is subpar. I think of "exotic" as meaning "rare and exclusive" when pertaining to cars. If anyone can own one, that's an automatic disqualifier. Again, just my opinion.
The fact remains that the Lotus is still a "rare and exclusive" car,ie.only 300 Exige S in the U.S. for 2007. That being the case for a number of reasons. It is our good fortune that cost is not one of them.
A:
Originally Posted by SimonMExS
The fact remains that the Lotus is still a "rare and exclusive" car.
Don't kid yourself. It's only "exclusive" in that not everyone can tolerate owning one. Personally, I don't care. I love the car even though it's not exclusive.