Lotus X100 in Manhattan Beach - LotusTalk

mikehall · 07-06-2005, 01:02 PM

After seeing War of the Worlds yesterday this car was parked in the car park. It is badged as a Lotus X100 which is an early testbed car - I didn't know there was actaully one driving around on the roads over here.

Randy Chase · 07-06-2005, 01:11 PM

Trying to figure out how that car is different than any other Toyota MKI MR2? Other than the badging...an headlight covers.

Joetz · 07-06-2005, 01:28 PM

Didn't Lotus do the chassis tuning on the Toyota MKI MR2 ?

I seem to recall reading that somewhere

TimMullen · 07-06-2005, 01:31 PM

It was, after all, pretty much designed by Lotus for Toyota...

Joetz · 07-06-2005, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimMullen

It was, after all, pretty much designed by Lotus for Toyota...

This site may shed some light on things: http://www.impactsites2000.com/autozone/lotus.htm

etypeiii · 07-06-2005, 01:36 PM

Personally I think it's a wag having some fun. I doubt Lotus, or any other company, would ever sell their engineering prototypes or test beds to the public, if for no other reason than liability concerns. They either are kept/sold as museum pieces, or crushed, generally speaking.

DLY

_JD_ · 07-06-2005, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joetz

This site may shed some light on things: http://www.impactsites2000.com/autozone/lotus.htm

I did not know that.

Joetz · 07-06-2005, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _JD_

I did not know that.

I kinda suspected that it wasn't entirely a japanese project since the car was dynamically superior to anything that came out of Japan. I have always felt that when it comes to steering and suspensions, the Europeans have always been light years ahead of the japanese.

ervsch · 07-06-2005, 03:15 PM

I was living in the mountains of northern California when the MR2 first came out - and owned a '70 Elan at the time. I talked the local Toyota dealer into taking one out for a spin (ok... it was more like him throwing me the keys and saying "go play with it... it was the '80s

). Pretty cool car - handled great!

No wonder I liked it so much...

And BTW, if I remember correctly Lotus did sell off the X100 prototype a few years back... although the MR2 in the picture is obviously not it!

OneFastLotus · 07-06-2005, 03:21 PM

Thats an old MR2 with a dork for an owner.

Am I missing the joke here?

MikeGalos · 07-06-2005, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etypeiii

Personally I think it's a wag having some fun. I doubt Lotus, or any other company, would ever sell their engineering prototypes or test beds to the public, if for no other reason than liability concerns.

Actually, Lotus sold their engineering prototypes (including the real X100) a few years ago. These included the Etna mockup and the Active Suspension test mules.

Now, as for this car, this is just an MR2 owner who heard the old story that the MR2 was actually the Lotus X100 design that was sold to Toyota when Lotus designed to make the M100 instead. They didn't and it isn't.

Randy Chase · 07-06-2005, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joetz

This site may shed some light on things: http://www.impactsites2000.com/autozone/lotus.htm

Interesting, this disagrees with everything I have read since the early 90s about who designed the MKI MR2. I understood it was done in house, with Lotus being brought in to consult on the suspension. Lotus had also previously been involved with Toyota on engine development.

etypeiii · 07-06-2005, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeGalos

Actually, Lotus sold their engineering prototypes (including the real X100) a few years ago. These included the Etna mockup and the Active Suspension test mules.

But, sold for private, daily driving use? In the U.S. no less? I would have imagined it to be like the big Ford prototype auction a year or two ago - most of the cars sold were not street legal at all, and were to end up in museums or collections.

DLY

etypeiii · 07-06-2005, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

Interesting, this disagrees with everything I have read since the early 90s about who designed the MKI MR2. I understood it was done in house, with Lotus being brought in to consult on the suspension. Lotus had also previously been involved with Toyota on engine development.

I also had questions about that article. Regarding the Isuzu Impulse, my understanding was that it was engineered by Isuzu (and styled by Giugiaro/ItalDesign.)

Lotus was brought in to tune the handling, hence the plethora of "Handling by Lotus" badges found on Impulses. But they didn't design the car itself - my memory is vague on this but I seem to remember the Impulse shared a lot of parts with the Chevette (as Isuzu and GM were/are affliated.)

DLY

MikeGalos · 07-06-2005, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etypeiii

But, sold for private, daily driving use? In the U.S. no less?

Sold to collectors. It's amazingly unlikely that any of them (and most were just mockups) ever see roads.

MikeGalos · 07-06-2005, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joetz

This site may shed some light on things: http://www.impactsites2000.com/autozone/lotus.htm

Actually, that site, while fun, is also pretty wildly inaccurate.

BMJM100 · 07-06-2005, 05:30 PM

I know Andrew Barron from Texas bought the M90 which was the early prototype of the M100 Elan. I think he still has it. I know he was thinking of selling at one point, not sure if he did.

The car pictured above looks clearly to be an MR2.

Bruce

TimMullen · 07-06-2005, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etypeiii

But, sold for private, daily driving use?

If I remember correctly, the Etna was just a chassis - no engine or running gear. The Active Suspension test mules had the hydraulics replaced with regular suspension.

ChrisB · 07-06-2005, 08:26 PM

This account of the X100 and MR2 development rings much truer:

http://shell.deru.com/~sgn1/AW11/Intro.htm

Icedog_16 · 07-12-2005, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etypeiii

I also had questions about that article. Regarding the Isuzu Impulse, my understanding was that it was engineered by Isuzu (and styled by Giugiaro/ItalDesign.)

Lotus was brought in to tune the handling, hence the plethora of "Handling by Lotus" badges found on Impulses. But they didn't design the car itself - my memory is vague on this but I seem to remember the Impulse shared a lot of parts with the Chevette (as Isuzu and GM were/are affliated.)

DLY

I am pretty sure that it is referring to the second-generation Impulse like the one below. Both that and the M100 Elan were similar in that they used the same engine and were both FWD. IIRC, the GEO Storm of the day was also in the same gang, being based on the Impulse. Whether the chassis was the same for the Elan, I don't know. I would tend to doubt that, though. You are correct, however, the FIRST-generation Impulse was designed by Giugiaro. I still remember being pissed at how closely that car resembled my VW Scirocco 16V.

07-06-2005, 01:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
mikehall Mike Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Manhattan Beach, CA Posts: 450	Lotus X100 in Manhattan Beach After seeing War of the Worlds yesterday this car was parked in the car park. It is badged as a Lotus X100 which is an early testbed car - I didn't know there was actaully one driving around on the roads over here. Attached Images

07-06-2005, 01:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
Randy Chase Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: San Diego and where ever the roads lead Posts: 28,174 Images: 761	Trying to figure out how that car is different than any other Toyota MKI MR2? Other than the badging...an headlight covers. __________________ * V E R I T A S * A E Q U I T A S * No Longer the ADMIN here, please do not PM me asking for help. Thanks! 2006 Noble M400. Getrag tranny, Quaiffe LSD, Hinged clams. Duratec dual turbo V6. Hoosier 315-18 tires. 2350 pounds. Over 500hp. Track weapon. 2009 Rossion Q1. Monaco Orange. Wing. Black leather/Alcantara with orange stitching. The street car. In build: 2009 Toniq R (300whp? 1100 pounds?). Chrome Orange. Lexus GX-470 tow vehicle.

07-06-2005, 01:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
TimMullen Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Chantilly, VA Posts: 11,382 Images: 19	It was, after all, pretty much designed by Lotus for Toyota... __________________ Tim Mullen --- There is no such thing as Touring suspension or Touring wheels. I love being married. It's so great to find that one person that you want to annoy for the rest of your life. - Rita Rudner Chantilly, VA http://members.cox.net/elans4/ 05 Lotus Elise - Chrome Orange - No Touring - No LSS - No Hardtop - Lotus Driving Lights - Lotus "Chin Guards" - plain and simple. 94 Miata R Package - Black 72 Lotus Elan Sprint - Colorado Orange/Cirrus White

07-06-2005, 03:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
ervsch Late apex, don't lift! Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Chicago-area Posts: 857 Images: 8	I was living in the mountains of northern California when the MR2 first came out - and owned a '70 Elan at the time. I talked the local Toyota dealer into taking one out for a spin (ok... it was more like him throwing me the keys and saying "go play with it... it was the '80s ). Pretty cool car - handled great! No wonder I liked it so much... And BTW, if I remember correctly Lotus did sell off the X100 prototype a few years back... although the MR2 in the picture is obviously not it! __________________ Erv Schweiger '05 Ardent Red, Touring Package, Starshield, Schroth Harnesses, 4Tress Harness Bar, Boomerang Rear Tow Hook, Porterfield R4 Brake Pads, More Mods to come...

07-06-2005, 03:21 PM	#10 (permalink)
OneFastLotus Loch Ness Monster Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Mars Posts: 5,531	Thats an old MR2 with a dork for an owner. Am I missing the joke here? __________________ First Fold Member of the Limited Slip Mafia "L'Ombra" -Saffron Yellow Elise, all options. -Chrome OrangeElise/ Superstock pillager "currently living in the wild" -Black on Black Exige debadged, all options.

07-06-2005, 01:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
Joetz Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Stamford CT Posts: 379	Didn't Lotus do the chassis tuning on the Toyota MKI MR2 ? I seem to recall reading that somewhere

07-06-2005, 01:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
etypeiii Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bothell, WA Posts: 352	Personally I think it's a wag having some fun. I doubt Lotus, or any other company, would ever sell their engineering prototypes or test beds to the public, if for no other reason than liability concerns. They either are kept/sold as museum pieces, or crushed, generally speaking. DLY

07-06-2005, 05:30 PM	#17 (permalink)
BMJM100 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Worcester, Ma. Posts: 400	if I remember correctly Lotus did sell off the X100 prototype a few years back I know Andrew Barron from Texas bought the M90 which was the early prototype of the M100 Elan. I think he still has it. I know he was thinking of selling at one point, not sure if he did. The car pictured above looks clearly to be an MR2. Bruce

07-06-2005, 08:26 PM	#19 (permalink)
ChrisB I'm Lovin' It! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 3,968 Images: 1	This account of the X100 and MR2 development rings much truer: http://shell.deru.com/~sgn1/AW11/Intro.htm

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