Anyone ever driven a Lotus Evora GT? Manual transmission and super great, apparently.

2021 Lotus Evora GT Review: Farewell to the Perfectly Imperfect Sports Car The Lotus Evora’s days are numbered. We send off the Evora GT, one of the finest Evora models built. https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/42...ect-sports-car

I'm the guy that had the 2016 lemon that led to a 2019 "free" "duplicate" build from the factory, spec'd identically (went from first manual model year to last manual model year). HQ did a stellar job curing my situation, which sucked. But I sub to Keith Martin's Sports Car Market, and it's making me itch to build out more of a collection, which feels like the start of a problem. But so is the ease of hitting a button on Cars and Bids or Bring a Trailer.

I even want some weird cars, like an UniMog. Other than our car, I've only a single owner (me) 1995 restored engine Jeep Wrangler, and a 2011 Mini Cooper which is fun enough.

So like the Lotus review... what previously owned or driven cars can you not get out of your mind?

 

lots, all of these were fun....Lambos, Ferraris, Z06 Corvettes and a Nisson GT-R (maybe my favorite).

 

The F type is my 29th vehicle. I've had some decent stuff, but the 2 standouts are a 78 240D, and a 69 Datsun 1600 roadster. I can't really say why. It's just the "feel" those cars had.

 

Yes, though I might be biased since I designed and built it... Will be selling it to help fund the F-Type though! Mixed feelings, as it's got twice the power-to-weight of the R, hah.

 

My favorite to date has to be my 2013 BMW 335is. Best handling and most engaging car that I've owned so far. I don't currently have an F Type but am starting to look at some though I don't know if it will rival the last good 3-series (in my opinion). The N54 was a beast of an engine as well and the DCT was a lot of fun.

 

My '70 240Z, '84 300z turbo, '12 Slk55 AMG, of course my Jag, my wife's Maser Ghibli S, my son in laws Testa Rosa ( while dating my daughter), my daughter's Bentley V12 vert. Also lesser Z cars and a couple of SL's.

 

We're in the market for a Cayman S to add to the fleet.

 

My Grandad's '67 Pontiac GTO 400/360 4-speed, positraction, no A/C, no power steering, no power brakes. Total torque monster and would love to have one of my own (hint hint) if anyone sees one for sale at a reasonable price.
His is already promised to another.

 

elise s1 k20 sc

 

Not had a huge car history, but there are 2 cars I do genuinely miss. My old Peugeot 106 GTi and the Alfa 156 I bought with my father. The 106 was a 'pocket rocket' that was perfect for UK 'back roads' - small, nimble, light (~2000lb in your language!) and just enough power to have fun but not enough to ever really get into stupid amounts of trouble. It's a car that made me breathless with every drive, turning every drive into an experience, raising my pulse through every lift-off-oversteer induced four-wheel drift through a corner. It's a car that made me glad to be alive and if I had the space, I'd buy a mint condition one again in a heartbeat.

EDIT: I would attach a photo, but I only ever took one of it, just before selling, and I have no idea where it is (yes, it's a proper photo. In colour!)

 

My modified (by me) '08 Subaru Imprezia STi daily driver is a blast to drive (especially sideways in the snow). More nimble than my F-type R but many notches lower on the refinement scale.

I must admit I never used to think I would ever get rid of it but I'm starting to get tired of the exhaust. I suppose I could replace the exhaust with OEM, but I suspect that I'll eventually replace the STi by a practical EV for getting around the city, leaving the Jag as my 'fun' car.

 

A TR8! No kidding. I remember when those came out. I think Road and Track called it a "Corvette killer". Cool.

 

Back in my youth I owned a Triumph Spitfire. It made me happy till it didn’t. A 2013 Miata was much fun, but not much power. Enough, but still not much. Then there was my 2015 Infiniti Q70L 5.6l V-8 that was such a sleeper. The look was refined limo-like car that was wicked fast.

Now the happiest of all is at the wheel of my current F-Type.

 

'69 Dodge Super Bee. First and last muscle car. Had it for about 3 months before I crashed it. '87 Mazda RX7 Turbo II. My first brand new car.

 

There seems to be a sort of trend towards the older cars…mine was the 1975 BMW 2002. Such a fun car to drive, small motor, light weight, no power steering, etc. and once I put Panasport race wheels that weighed 15lbs compared to the BBS’ at 23lbs, totally transformed the car. This is the car I regret selling.

 

I had a few great drives before the Jag Ftype, but I will only list 2 of my many favorites.

The 94 RX7 I had was pure raw sports car, and crazy fast with mods I had a 3.5 sec 0-60.

The 2016 Shelby GT350 that I had until 2020. This was a mean super car, but over steer was crazy, even with the sport mode turned on. Cornering you had to hold on tight.

My base F-Type in dynamic mode is more fun than both. Once I get the mods on the 2016 Jag (had it 3 weeks), it will come close enough in HP to the GT350, but be as nimble as the RX7, I think.

Jim

 

I've had a number of cars over 53 years of driving. Unquestionably the best one has and still is my 2010 5.0L XKR. The car I drive on Sunday canyon drives is my 1972 De Tomaso Pantera. I've owned it about 24+ years, but for about 18 years I just didn't drive it because of too many problems...overheating, breakdowns, terrible carburetor issues, impossible to start, numerous problems too many to list. About 7 years ago after realizing from the ownership of my XKR that you didn't have to sacrifice everything or subject yourself to misery to drive a very quick car ( XKR is pulleyed and tuned to about 600hp), I made the decision to make the Pantera a drivable car. It spent 4 years being modified and restored including replacing the engine with a modified 500hp. one, C4 Corvette seats that were sculpted and covered in diamond stitched leather to provide more support, more comfort, and more luxury. For the last 3 years, I have finally been enjoying driving her on a weekly basis, and the thrill at any speed comes as a result of being so low to the ground, having a resounding roar explode from just behind your head, and rowing through a gated, very mechanical 5 speed shifter. My other interesting cars include my favorite car design of all time the 1968 Pontiac GTO which I don't drive because it feels like a Cadillac hearse. Though it's been restored and looks beautiful it is going to have to have a full suspension makeover for me to drive it. Finally, in 1978 I got a beautiful Datsun 280Z which I still own. I don't drive it any longer because it feels like an old car, much older than the Pantera. Some time this year it will start undergoing a restoration during which I will address the issues I don't like about it including either boosting the power output of the original straight 6 or doing the Chevy small block swap, a common modification. I will also replace the entire cheap plastic interior with a custom one like in the Pantera.

 

I have owned many cars over the years but most memorable would be my 78 Trans Am and my 87 Grand National. I had a 1976 Triumph TR7 for my first car but it just never ran right. I loved the car since not many people had seen one and it was my first car but it would always overheat and I would stop a handful of times on the way home from school to cool off enough to drive further.

 

My best friend had a TR7 he bought new. Had to have the heads replaced twice and the whole engine once because of overheating and coolant leak issues so you were not alone.

 

I was 16 and before I started tearing into motors and cars myself but do recall the heads continually essentially having to be replaced. It was cheap to buy ($1200) but just never ran. It was also a stick so my dad tried to teach me and we simply just didn't see eye to eye and I would get mad with his help. He threw the keys at me and said figure it out yourself. That was actually a great way for me to learn. I could either hop and kill the car every 10 feet or quickly learn how to shift properly.