Got the Bonne out of storage, cleaned up and looking good, so drove it to my favorite golf club to play a round. It'* a low buck place, and as I pulled in I smiled seeing I definitely had the nicest looking ride in the lot. Started walking to the clubhouse, and in pulls this 2006 Lotus Elise! Dark cherry redish, coupe, absolutely stunning. Litttle tiny thing, but boy was it beautiful! Out comes the driver, and he couldn't be more the 18 y.o.a. So much for my Bonne being the nicest ride in the lot. I've never seen a Lotus like that on the road. Small engine, but checking the specs, the little sucker can really haul a$$.

For North America the engine is lifted out of the Toyota Celica GT-*, but Lotus tweaks it up a bit to their specs.. I caught a *supercharged* one a few weeks ago at a local autocross:




no photoshop involved here, folks

Needless to say it moved pretty well

I would never own one regardless of price but they are awesome to look at

I guess they retail for about $42,900. Not to bad, but they are so small, I would have to "put it on" rather than get into it.

I don't think Lotus is that expensive. I'd take the Lotus Exige over a Vette any day.

I was set on getting a Esprit, but then a found out Lotus was powered by Toyota...and my dream was crushed

Still cool lookin cars though
Seen several Elise/Exiges around here
Only seen one Esprit before

Well, apart from the rice implications, Toyota makes great engines, and based on what has been happening in NASCAR, seems the performance end is good also.

I see them occasionally around here, they are quite affordable for the performance you get and the handling is supposed to be second to none. I'd love to have one in my garage.

The 2ZZ-GE is a great motor... and the only Toyota-powered Lotus would be the Elise. Any crushed dreams are all in your head

cousin owns an espirit. sweet car