jetboy Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 hi,anyone,fancy this in their drive? http://news.sky.com/story/1139022/james-bond-lotus-submarine-car-up-for-auction cheers Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gruffy Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 I love that! Shame it cant go under water though or id use it to travel to my holiday destination! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Ogilvie Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 I blame that car/film for a lot (I was an impressionable 10 year old) - and a lot of expense... Mine doesn't go underwater though. Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 LOTUS: Loads Of Trouble, Usually Serious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Ogilvie Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 206.000 miles and climbing on my Elise says that's rubbish! Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 (edited) I assumed the expense was ongoing repair bills, my mistake. They are good looking cars and I have visited their factory a few times. Edited September 9, 2013 by Nigel Heath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Ogilvie Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Well - I daren't work out what the Esprit has cost per mile in my 16 years of ownership - but it will be a BiG number. To be fair - that's not an issue with the car - more a lack of it being driven regularly (which leads to a list of other probs). But Lotus cars can be very reliable if kept on top of - they don't suffer skimping on maintenance... Elise gets used every day. Anyhoo - I blame that film for my addiction Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigsty Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 You can recreate the effect much cheaper with a Dinky toy and some Alka-Seltzer. Watch the film closely and you'll that that's what the effects crew did, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gruffy Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 I just need a sexy russian minx and i can go to blow up some crazy bloke who wants to take over the world! Hehe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Agree with Iain, Lotus cars are good when looked after, like most things really. It's the people that buy these cars and don't look after them that give them a bad name. Would love an Exige one day.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigsty Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Lotus cars are good when looked after, like most things really. It's the people that buy these cars and don't look after them that give them a bad name. Well, up to a point. All cars and all other machines work best when properly maintained. But how much maintenance you need to give them is a very different matter, and Lotuses didn't earn their reputation from everyone who bought one neglecting it. And it was Colin Chapman, no-one else, who reputedly treated the customer as the final development stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulj Posted September 26, 2013 Share Posted September 26, 2013 (edited) Some time around 1999 I remember an auction of items directly from Lotus Cars and the two main items were two Lotus Esprits' used in the Bond films, one was the famous white Esprit as a normal car, and another metallic red one, both had the titles to the registration number shown in the films. I was seriously tempted to bid, but expected them to go for a lot of money. Found out afterwards that both cars sold for somewhere near £50k for the PAIR. A museum bought the cars called "The Car is the Star" and he was surprised at how little they went for, and was prepared to go much higher. These cars were in fair drivable condition. I hate to think how much those cars would be worth Today, but I was pleased to find they went to that particular museum. I don't know what they would have been prepared to pay for them, probably more than I would have gone too at the time. Edited September 26, 2013 by paulj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulj Posted September 26, 2013 Share Posted September 26, 2013 I blame that car/film for a lot (I was an impressionable 10 year old) - and a lot of expense... Mine doesn't go underwater though. Iain I loved the Top Gear piece they did not so long ago making a submergable Lotus Elite Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMChladek Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 (edited) If a real S1 or S2 Lotus is a bit past your budget, the 1/24 kit from Nichimo is an excellent alternative. I've got two of the things and plan to do them up as Bond cars... perhaps one underwater with the other one on the surface. There was also a big 1/16 Lotus done as well. I don't know the original Japanese manufacturer of it, but Entex offered it in the states for a time and while it wasn't a licensed Bond product, the box did say in small print "James Bond's Car". As for the maintenance requirements of the Lotus, one of my favorite episodes of "Wheeler Dealers" was when Mike and Ed got their hands on what I believe was an S2 or S3 Lotus (normally asperated, no turbos) and restored it. I'm always amazed at how hand built British cars could be and the challenges faced to keep them in tip top shape. The Top Gear Lotus Elite submarine was ingenious, giving it positive buoyancy so if it ran into problems, it would pop to the surface. Anyone know if it was the same car that was originally used by James May in their camper holiday piece (where they took three cars and made them into mobile homes with the Elite having a silver "blimp" on top that a person could sleep in)? I'm curious as to the history of the auction piece. I read a story a couple years ago (back when I got my first Nichimo Lotus kit) about how one of the submarine Lotus shells was found painted red with christmas lights strung around it near a hous in Jamaica. It was rumored to be there for many years after the underwater production scenes wrapped and basically left for scrap before somebody "repurposed" it. I wonder if this might be that particular "car" after the restoration work was finished on it. To me though, the biggest Lotus find would be Colin Chapman's original Lotus Espirit S1 (silver I believe) which was used as the camera car chasing Bond's Lotus around Sardinia. Apparently, it was the ONLY thing that could keep up and they had to talk Colin into borrowing it since no other Lotuses were available for use. And I imagine with a heavy film camera and camera man strapped to the outside, I'll just bet it was downright dangerous to drive on those roads. But, they made it work and the resulting film footage was excellent. Edited October 9, 2013 by JMChladek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Ogilvie Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 If a real S1 or S2 Lotus is a bit past your budget, the 1/24 kit from Nichimo is an excellent alternative. I've got two of the things and plan to do them up as Bond cars... perhaps one underwater with the other one on the surface. There was also a big 1/16 Lotus done as well. I don't know the original Japanese manufacturer of it, but Entex offered it in the states for a time and while it wasn't a licensed Bond product, the box did say in small print "James Bond's Car". The 1:16 kit is an S1 originally released by Bandai. As for the maintenance requirements of the Lotus, one of my favorite episodes of "Wheeler Dealers" was when Mike and Ed got their hands on what I believe was an S2 or S3 Lotus (normally asperated, no turbos) and restored it. I'm always amazed at how hand built British cars could be and the challenges faced to keep them in tip top shape. Yup - they did an S3 (normally aspirated) - the original version of that programme featured my silver Turbo driving around Kemble airfield (with me at the wheel). 'Restoration' is a word that doesn't really apply to Wheeler Dealers IMHO - more entertainment over substance - and they are always way under on any costs they quote. I'm curious as to the history of the auction piece. I read a story a couple years ago (back when I got my first Nichimo Lotus kit) about how one of the submarine Lotus shells was found painted red with christmas lights strung around it near a hous in Jamaica. It was rumored to be there for many years after the underwater production scenes wrapped and basically left for scrap before somebody "repurposed" it. I wonder if this might be that particular "car" after the restoration work was finished on it. Wondered that too - have the article somewhere - but there were several shells used IIRC. To me though, the biggest Lotus find would be Colin Chapman's original Lotus Espirit S1 (silver I believe) which was used as the camera car chasing Bond's Lotus around Sardinia. Apparently, it was the ONLY thing that could keep up and they had to talk Colin into borrowing it since no other Lotuses were available for use. And I imagine with a heavy film camera and camera man strapped to the outside, I'll just bet it was downright dangerous to drive on those roads. But, they made it work and the resulting film footage was excellent. The one the Esprit boys want to see is the original Guigiaro prototype - known as 'The Silver Car' and built on an enlarged Elan chassis IIRC - reportedly last seen at Guigiaro's design studio. Here's my baby: Iain (who's Elise has just passed 207,000 miles - and off up to Manchester tomorrow...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormfrontmodels Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 You extremely jammie so-and-so...what a beauty!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetboy Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 HI, Well he,s going to make it really go underwater? is it too much money/time/ boredom? http://www.magicam.co.uk/news/entertainment/20131019-tech-billionaire-admits-buying-bond-submarine/ cheers Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMChladek Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Incredible looking machine. Thanks for showing me an image of it. Only thing yours needs would be one of those Q branch "Burglar Protected" stickers for the window (as long as the car doesn't blow up if anyone tries to enter it). I think they kept some of the footage of your car, but I can't recall for sure. And yes, I know it is entertainment over substance on that show (lack of labour rates for one thing, there are A LOT of man hours in those cars), but it can be fun to watch just to see how some things fit into cars for detailing purposes when one doesn't have access to a real example to look at. Yup - they did an S3 (normally aspirated) - the original version of that programme featured my silver Turbo driving around Kemble airfield (with me at the wheel). 'Restoration' is a word that doesn't really apply to Wheeler Dealers IMHO - more entertainment over substance - and they are always way under on any costs they quote. Here's my baby: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBOHMSS Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Wet Nellie is a bit of an icon but not as nice an icon as the Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger...sold for over £2m...that was cheap...well in fairness it was the road car in the films not the main close up car which was stolen and never recovered. The two that sold as a pair were the For Your Eyes Only pair bought by Cars of the Stars...however that museum has now fallen by the wayside and most of the stock went to the US. If Cars of the Stars had set up nearer London he would still be thriving but Carlisle has little else to offer the traveller/tourist. The new Skyfall car is a new addition to the stable - no ejection seat on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBOHMSS Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I do know where Colin Chapman's wind tunnel model for the Esprit resides, has his original hand writing on it with notes of aero dynamics. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Nice looking car Iain, one of only two cars that I've driven that genuinely terrified the life out of me, (the other being my mates heavily modded 6.6 ltr blown 1978 Trans Am, with all the emission gubbins disabled).A pal of mine who ran a race tuning garage in Kent turned up with a 1979 JPS S2 and took me for a 'spin' around the leafy lanes of Sevenoaks and the locale....OMG..I thought I was going to die, then I drove it....and nearly did !! my abiding memory was the lively handling and that everything seemed to shake independantly of everything else !...... but boy was it a blast... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Ogilvie Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 S2 and later S3s/Turbos very different animals... Completely different rear suspension, engine mounting and chassis - as well as more power and far better build quality. They made the cars a lot more refined (noise and vibration) whilst keeping the leech like grip and gokart handling. Biggest problem is visibility - you really are sat low - and *everything* dazzles you at night I'm a little biased (and used to the jibes from everyone about Lotus reliability (usually from people that have never owned one)) - but I really do believe they're amongst the finest drivers' cars in the World and mine are keepers! Would love a 7 to add to the fleet though <gratuitous photos of the other one> Would you believe this car has 208,000+ miles under her wheels - and still returns high 40's MPG? Can't afford to run the Esprit at the mo - but she's safely tucked away... Iain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Ogilvie Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 I do know where Colin Chapman's wind tunnel model for the Esprit resides, has his original hand writing on it with notes of aero dynamics. Now that's got my attention! Can I ask where? Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBOHMSS Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 You can ask.... Only kidding, an ex neighbour of my parents owns it down in Cornwall. He was looking to sell at one point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general melchett Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Biggest problem is visibility - you really are sat low - and *everything* dazzles you at night Ah yes forgot that one !!....seem to recall it was like sitting on a sheet of velour covered aluminium, 2 inches off the ground with a sheet of perspex on top of you, great fun driving into the low sun on a wet road !!..............go kart sums it up nicely. I know the S3's were completely different beasts but the early cars sure were fun... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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