Restomod Esprit

[Beany]

For half a million fucking quid, you'd rather hope that effort was made on that front - or that a better engineered solution was found.

Which is sort of why you're paying half a million fucking quid.

[Explosive Newt]

About 50 grand

Presumably quite a bit of that half mil cost is recouping their R&D.
Big gamble from this company if they don't sell their target I would guess.

The nice thing I get from the walkaround though is how small it is. That I like.

[jamcg]

Just in case anyone needs reminding how good the V8 that you’re about to pull apart looks. Particularly on these wheels (better than the Sport350 wheels for me).

I’d rather have one of those modernised, engine made bomb proof with a modest power gain, lights that look the same but with modern brightness, updated brakes, get the 6 speed they’ve missed out, full carbon body if you insist on redoing the bodywork but not a necessity. Basically a restomod as they used to be before they became about shitty led lights and big wheels

[Rich B]

I’d rather have this.



if i want a fully modern drivable car id get a GT3 to sit next to it!

[mik]

if i want a fully modern drivable car id get a GT3 to sit next to it!

[Rich B]

if i want a fully modern drivable car id get a GT3 to sit next to it!

Solid work there Mik!

[ZedLeg]

I’d rather have this.



if i want a fully modern drivable car id get a GT3 to sit next to it!

I was wondering how feasible giving an actual S1 to someone like Retropower for a k swap and other choice mods would be. Seems more desirable than the V8 based one, even if I wouldn’t fit

Maybe a future project if @dan decides to become the Singer of Lotus

[Rich B]

The lotus guy near me in guildford does more classic stuff, he always has early esprit’s and elans in being torn apart/assembled.

[jamcg]

I’d rather have this.



if i want a fully modern drivable car id get a GT3 to sit next to it!

I’d rather have that shape of esprit too, I was meaning in contrast to the abomination this thread is about, as in upgrade the car you have instead of making it into something it’s not

[IanF]

Just in case anyone needs reminding how good the V8 that you’re about to pull apart looks. Particularly on these wheels (better than the Sport350 wheels for me).

I nearly bought one of those in 2000/01 - it was between that and a 4.5 Cerbera.. after seeing the many oil stains on the drive of the chap’s house, my father wisely suggested I get a more reliable car for my daily nd so I bought a CLK230 with a plan to get the Lotus/TVR in the future (obviously the future hasn’t happened yet, so I’m still waiting!)

[IanF]

Another carbon fibre bodied resto - Sounds good, but who knows?…

[IanF]

Ten a penny..

[Rich B]

Another carbon fibre bodied resto - Sounds good, but who knows?…

I think that’s a great looking thing, but not worth destroying a normal NSX for.

[mik]

I nearly bought one of those in 2000/01 - it was between that and a 4.5 Cerbera.. after seeing the many oil stains on the drive of the chap’s house, my father wisely suggested I get a more reliable car for my daily nd so I bought a CLK230 with a plan to get the Lotus/TVR in the future (obviously the future hasn’t happened yet, so I’m still waiting!)

The best time you could have bought one of these was 2000/01.

The next best time is now.

(Although yeah - might have been a challenging daily).

[Mito Man]

You must have been about 70 years too young for a Mercedes in 2001

[Beany]

Another carbon fibre bodied resto - Sounds good, but who knows?…

I'm sure part of the appeal of the NSX was a ride height and wheel travel - along with wheel size and tire sidewalls - that made it a genuine daily in the real world. Like, not just 'usable' but actually driveable on normal, shit roads with potholes, speed humps and the like, without thinking about it. A real world 911 rival, not just on track or in the hands of a journo.

Guess that doesn't matter now. 20" wheels and totally tekkers aero for the win or something.

If you want an NSX that's sharper, lighter and more focussed they made the NSX-R for fucks sakes.

[V8Granite]

It will probably be fine, I followed a very gangster C8 RS6 a while back down a fen road and it handled it surprisingly well.

If I already had a standard NSX then that Restomod one would be a brilliant addition.

Dave!

[RobYob]

Not a fan on the restyling done to the NSX, it was ageing very gracefully and removing the nice strong lines in the door to rear scoop is a big mistake.

Frippery around the rear and exhaust finishers unecessary. DRLs are ok but the new air dam looks more aftermarket Veilside than reimagined OEM.

Old man shouts at cloud etc.

[Rich B]

To be fair, you might as well just buy a 458/488 and have pretty much the same thing but with a better engine and interior etc…

[jamcg]

Wonder what the resale value of these will be in the future? Singers stay expensive because they’re singers and everyone’s heard of them and knows the work they do. I imagine the esprit and the nsx will be worth little more than the donor cars and possibly less than a low mileage good condition example