Live or Exist?

The great author Oscar Wilde once wrote, “To live is the rarest thing in the world.  Most people exist, that is all.” It is true, people who truly live are the exception to the rule most go about their daily activities leading up to the point where the mortgage is paid the grand children have left school and you put up with the sh*t your company chucks at you just to make sure you get your pension at the age of 65. 

I'm currently reading "Colin Chapman: Inside the Innovator", it's a truly fascinating read but I did not expect anything less, Colin Chapman was one of the most influential and inspirational characters ever to existed. He had charisma and an arrogant charm that you need to succeed coupled with the fact he was a true innovator. This reminds me, I must add him to the "spotlight" list on this blog. 

Lotus Cars is legendary but that has been built upon past glories, I just wonder what Colin Chapman would think of the company if he were alive today?  Personally I could not say if the company would be in a healthier state, who knows, it's too difficult to say, however what I do think Mr. Chapman would do if he walked into the gates at Hethel tomorrow and that would be to put a spark back into this great company. He would cover the company in a blanket of confidence and a belief that a small car company in the turnip fields of Norfolk can take on the world? Although Danny Bahar's disastrous tenure at the helm of Lotus was more about the look than the substance, he did bring that arrogant belief to the company of taking on the world and other small sports car manufacturers with the likes of the rebirth of the gorgeous Espirit, see the video below.

Danny Bahar just crossed the line on too many occasions. You see when you have a company with a lot of history and a highly dedicated and skilled workforce who are very passionate you need to tread carefully and not make enemies with the people you work with, you cannot rule the world in that fashion.

The new Espirit is now cancelled and all that seems to come out of Hethel at the moment is new editions of the same old product. Do we want another Lotus Exige? Maybe? but what is clear is that Lotus Cars should not be a company that exists, it is a company that excites, innovates, and engineers this is the Colin Chapman way, its a company that should live!

Lotus Exige 360 Cup

New Espirit (Cancelled)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpwEz7R5_1I

London Overload II
It never looked so good! (Again)

You want more cars, I give you more cars!

London Overload
It never looked so good!

 You want cars, I give you cars!

Porsche:1983 Le-Mans

It's always nice to see a mega-successful company such as Porsche cleverly market a negative statement into something that is ultimately positive...very clever.

In 1983 Porsche managed to finish in all the top 10 places apart from one, 9th was taken by the Sauber team powered by a BMW engine. 1983 was full of world class drivers and some noticeable names, Jacky Ickx, Derek Bell, Mario Andretti, Jonathan Palmer, Tiff Needell, Jacques Villeneuve but it was the heroics of Diego Montoya, Tony Garcia and Albert Naon that spoiled the Porsche top 10 party. 

Just wondering how much the annoyance of not gaining all top ten places was compounded by the fact that the Sauber's car was powered by a BMW engine? Still awesome achievement.

McLaren 675LT

The McLaren portfolio goes from strength to strength and its latest addition the 675 LT ("Long-Tail") is no exception. Inspired by the McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’ an all conquering Le Mans racer that finished the 1995 race in 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 13th positions, an unprecedented result that made McLaren the only manufacturer to win the world-famous endurance race on its first attempt.  A record they still hold today!

Ferrari FXX K

If you were one of the lucky 40 people that Ferrari invited you to spend £1.5m (circa) to own this special vehicle and I do mean special then you are part of Ferrari's exclusive XX club. Being part of the XX development program is similar to the concept exhibited in "Goodfellas" where the mafia nominate you as a "made-man", you have to have a family tree dating back to the old country (Sicily) no bad blood. Then and only then will you have the opportunity to drive it but only on dedicated test tracks, so is it worth it?

For Ferrari this is good business and it makes perfect sense, most people with a spare £1.5m will swoon at the "hyper-sclusivity" and "one-up-manship" that exists within the mega rich to own this hyper car. These customers are more likely to be doing other things than really enjoy full-ownership so it's a business win-win. Most people who read this will probably not agree, as the "average-joe" wants to feel that if they do well in life they can have a shot at owning a hyper-car like the FXX K but that's not true. The XX development cars and most hyper cars are not made for "average-joes" that's what the TATA Nano was made for, Ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini they all aim at the "well-to-do" end of the car range, they don't care if we say, "it's not fair". 

There are people in the world who have and will part with £2m for a hyper car that they won't own and only get to drive it twice a year, "why?" because they have so much money they can and the challenge for companies is how they manage to part money from these dummies with cash. Ferrari have an advantage, as they can put the prancing horse on a trash can and still make £90k and people will buy that trash can, is that Ferrari's fault? No, of course not, so stop whingeing and thank your lucky stars that these companies make cars like the 458 and 12C so it is possible at the very least to drive an awesome car on a track day for the price of a lawnmower!

You can't own it in the truest sense but you can do better than a TATA Nano!

The Icona Vulcan

I'm liking it...French design, Italian engineering an average combination in the auto world but it looks good so its a good start. The interior looks like it has been well thought out especially the centre console unlike Tesla's monstrosity! Keep up the good work.

Hyper Car For Sale
In Dubai

Apparently some owners who leave Dubai and cannot be bothered to sell their car because the second-hand market is practically non existent leave a note, the keys and the cars paperwork!

One useless stinking rich previous owner has left this Ferrari Enzo, only one of 400 which would cost you circa £800,000 at auction to rot! Just requires someone who loves cars to give it some tender loving care.