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Thursday 11 July 2013

Having a blast

Following our busy weekend, on Monday evening I managed to obtain a mileage accumulation car from work, It was a Lotus Exige S in a lovely blue colour. With 20k on the clock it was well run in.
Parked next to the TR7 at home I was surprised how large it looks.
Shame about the one on the right:-)
I had to put approx 100 miles on the car as they where validating certain items, so we set of for a ride to Southwold, via a couple of friends houses to give them a quick spin.
Had a stop at Flixton air museum for a photo.
We then had a really exhilarating ride to more friends who would accompany us to Southwold in their Lotus Elan SE.
It is really easy to scare yourself in this beast, the acceleration is unbelievable, the rev range very long, still pulling at 7k rpm, even when cruising along in 5th or 6th just booting it will easily allow you to overtake quickly, drop it down a gear and it fly's. The brakes and road holding are fantastic, as you expect from a Lotus. Quality is vastly improved over the previous Exige and Elise's, however as it is still by all means a track car their is little in the way of luxuries.
Elan SE and Exige S, Thirty years between them.
The last of the Elan's, like the Elan SE above where I believe the closest Lotus came to comfort and performance at a reasonable price. The current Evora is luxurious, comfortable, and sporty but it is in a higher price range. Hope to bring one of them home shortly.
We headed off on a fast run to Southwold in the evening sun in the 2 Lotus's, firstly stopping in the town for fish and chips before finding somewhere to take the dog.
Quick walk with Toby the dog.

























We then headed for Blythburgh for drinks at the White Hart, before heading home on a circular route to get the miles required.


2 comments:

  1. Bonjour Andy,
    first visit at Hethel was around 1991 with Alain Mercier French Manager Lotus GM Bezon 95 near Paris. One of the two pilot the French one (he came to Michelin later) factory drive with me on passager side in an Elan INCREDIBLE handling at his top speed on the Lotus 'Hethel circuit' and specialy in the virage. I remenber he told me he was just coming back from south of France with the sport 300 esprit "quicker than a F40 but nobody knows that". In 1997 I bought new the last S4 Lhd built. Driving it on near 80000km until 2007 when the driving laws became to dangerous... Returning definitively to the TR7 of my thirty years.
    And your blog shows that TR7 is a great car to day . And your choice and that you are ingenieur Lotus let me think that in 1981 TR7 AND 8 was able to be developped as the Esprit has been developped with world success .Lotus for ever as Clive Chapman signed my "carte grise de l'esprit' met during the fantastic 50'Lotus day anniversary in Hethel.

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  2. Glad to hear from you Patrick. Nice that you are TR7 and Esprit fan, both good wedges. Saw lots of French Tr and Lotus at 2010 Le Man's Classic.

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