[englishcarguy]

I recently saw a picture on here of an Esprit without the rear wing. I thought it looked damn nice. Made the whole car look lighter. The thing is heavy. I smack my head every time I work on it. It adds nothing to the performance. So I took mine off. Love it. Now you can actually see something out the interior rear view. I was going to replace the struts on the rear hatch but not now.

So what do you guys think? Nice addition or boat anchor.

 

[cyclops]

I recently saw a picture on here of an Esprit without the rear wing. I thought it looked damn nice. Made the whole car look lighter. The thing is heavy. I smack my head every time I work on it. It adds nothing to the performance. So I took mine off. Love it. Now you can actually see something out the interior rear view. I was going to replace the struts on the rear hatch but not now.

So what do you guys think? Nice addition or boat anchor.

Need a pic. I think it adds needed downforce at high speeds.

 

[esprit888]

I recently saw a picture on here of an Esprit without the rear wing. I thought it looked damn nice. Made the whole car look lighter. The thing is heavy. I smack my head every time I work on it. It adds nothing to the performance. So I took mine off. Love it. Now you can actually see something out the interior rear view. I was going to replace the struts on the rear hatch but not now.

So what do you guys think? Nice addition or boat anchor.

How much has Atwell paid you?rotfl

 

[sleekgt]

I recently saw a picture on here of an Esprit without the rear wing. [snip]So I took mine off. Love it. [snip] Nice addition or boat anchor?

To each his own.

I like the OEM SE wing.
The 350 Sport aluminum strut model - well, it is a fast car.
The V8 spoilers seem a bit over-the-top (but the Esprit itself ain't exactly a wallflower ya know).

But I'm also a card-carrying member of Atwell's wingless Esprit club:

 

[QuadCam]

do the wingless cars...and the S4 have a different lip on the rear of the car. In some pictures, it seems the rear lip (behind the trunk lid, above the taillights, etc) has a steeper angle. Is that correct?

 

[sleekgt]

do the wingless cars...and the S4 have a different lip on the rear of the car. In some pictures, it seems the rear lip (behind the trunk lid, above the taillights, etc) has a steeper angle. Is that correct?

I believe you mean this one - longer lip (as well as mid-wing):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jchennav/111721243/in/photostream/

 

[QuadCam]

Eddie,

That's the part with "LOTUS" on it. it is hard to tell from that picture, but that rear lip doesn't seem to be angled up any more than the most Esprits.

 

[carbuff]

How much has Atwell paid you?rotfl

Realization of TRUTH is it's own reward. :clap:

rotfl

+++++++++++

The Esprit GT3 transom (rear lip) is indeed a bit longer, looks good IMO. A few years ago, JAE had a couple available.

 

[MidLifeZ]

IIRC the only wings which were shown to produce any real downforce were the ones on the GT3 and S4 midwing...

 

[s2mikey]

How much has Atwell paid you?rotfl

Im on Atwells payroll too.... Wings are for eating, not cars. :coolnana:

The Esprits perfect lines need NO intrusion from a wing. Neither does the original Countach(LP 400) or any other car.

 

[ESPREE]

I have mixed feelings about the 4 cyl wings. Not a fan at all of the mid-window wing, but the smaller ones on the back are ok.

As for my V8... from some angles I really like it and from others I don't. I think it tends to look better in person too.

On one hand I realize it's a bit over the top and probably not very functional, but on the other hand it does make the car a bit more special.

It's that last part that mostly wins for me (being unique), so mine will stay.

 

[jtrealty]

My guess is Atwell hit his head too many times on that damm wing!
David Teitelbaum

 

[jfitz981]

I have to say that I really like the look of the S4 wing. It was a major reason for looking at the S4 when I made the purchase.

 

[carbuff]

My guess is Atwell hit his head too many times on that damm wing!
David Teitelbaum

HeeHee,

Can't comment on pending lawsuits. :huh:




Just Kidding.


Although, the V8 wing DOES hurt if you aren't expecting it to be there.

So Yeah, my vote is BOAT ANCHOR.

 

[e-spree]

I believe you mean this one - longer lip (as well as mid-wing):

Lotus Esprit S4 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I've been looking at this photo a lot and that lip looks different from my S4's. It looks bigger, ie, longer and given the wheels and exhaust on that car maybe it's not stock too. The lettering above the plate is different too. But picture angles have a lot to do w/the appearance of Esprit wings. For example, the wing on my car from this angle looks completely different (and better) to me than any other angle and I like the S4 wing. The S4s and V8 wings are like wacky harido's on a woman. She can be a stunner but all you look at is the crazy hair. Wingless SE's look good, but I'm generally on the side of originality. So if it came with one, I'd keep it. But wingless or not what I do like is the glass delete. Those exposed vents are cool (a pun too).

 

[lcf_guy]

S4s wing

Mine completely blocks any rear view I have. I took it off when I removed my engine and tried it for a short time that way, but thought it didn't look "right." I also try to keep my S4s as close to factory as possible.

 

[MRDANGERUS]

For wing to be effective, it must be mounted in the air-stream. Area above the spoiler suffers from delaminating, therefore Lotus tried to move it higher, which looks incongruous. Wing placement further to the rear and up yields some good results and looks better.

 

[yellow hornet]

I guess I am a bit partial....but I do really like S4s wing.... especially that it's basically illegal !!

GOD forbid an S4s gets rear ended, the wing sticks out past the bumper, hence the wing gets hit first. How the S4s wing was even allowed to be mounted on the Esprit is mind boggling. That's why the V8 wings are mounted inward of the rear bumper.

Needless to say....I am partial to the "Winged" Esprits!!

Sorry Atwell :facepalm

 

[4380r]

For wing to be effective, it must be mounted in the air-stream. Area above the spoiler suffers from delaminating, therefore Lotus tried to move it higher, which looks incongruous. Wing placement further to the rear and up yields some good results and looks better.

Well, it may be functional, but that does not look so good. Looks useful for tailgating at an NFL game, though.

 

[jtrealty]

The wing, aka spoiler, does not do much until you are going over 80 MPH. It is not adjustable so it is there more for appearances and styling than function. There is also another under the car too. Together they can create a LOT of downforce. They also create drag. The designer typically trades one for the other. On some cars the rear spoiler is movable and is only used in the turns so you don' t have all of that drag all the time. The one on the V-8 tends to always be in the way, especially when you open the trunk. If you do remove it remember the 3rd tailight is in it so you should find another place to mount one. Or wear a hard hat.
David Teitelbaum