Hello all,
Glad to have found this forum, it's been a wealth of information.
A not-so-brief introduction:
I owned a black 2006 Exige with a Katana supercharger some 5 or so years ago (that I barely fit in!). I bought it locally for a great deal because it needed some work. Lotus are very uncommon where I live, so I jumped at the opportunity. While it needed some love mechanically and cosmetically, it did run and drive. After a test drive I was hooked, despite the most embarrassing ingress and egress that mankind has ever witnessed. After a year of fun, and with an impassible emissions test looming, I regrettably sold it to Wire Wheel in Florida (a Lotus specialist). I was in my late 20s at the time and it was just not what I needed then - - especially since I was already daily driving an '06 Mini GP (which I still own but no longer daily).
Anyways, the unique experience of owning a Lotus stuck with me, and I've been a fan ever since. I was never in a position to buy another Lotus because they're just so uncommon in my area, and frankly, completely unnecessary. So I enjoyed them from a distance and dreamt of owning another. I've been following the details on the Emira since it was announced, and it seemed like it was exactly what I was hoping for in a fun "toy" that wouldn't be quite as impractical as my Exige was (ie my wife would be able to ride in it without grimacing in fear).
Last year, I heard through the grapevine that Lotus was opening a franchise in Charlotte, NC (still 4 hours from me) and I thought seriously about trying to reserve one...until I also heard through the grapevine that they'd already taken over 30 deposits. After seeing that, I resigned myself to enjoy looking at photos and reading reviews yet again. I surely was not going to put a deposit on something I'd have to wait 2 years for.
Last month, fate struck. My father, knowing I was a fan of Lotus, forwarded me an email he'd received from a local auto group with an Audi and Jag/Land Rover franchise. They announced they were adding a BMW motorcycle and Lotus franchise in a new building that was under construction near the JLR store - - scheduled to open late summer. Not only that, but they had a handful of available allocations granted by Lotus for this fall. I couldn't believe my city was getting a Lotus franchise.
After I read the email a few times, I immediately got on the horn and in contact with the representative for Lotus Cape Fear in Wilmington, NC and put a deposit down on an Emira FE V6 6MT.
He gave me a few days to finalize my build, and that's how I found this forum, actually. Initially, I thought Seneca Blue was the only color to get. But there was this pesky voice in the back of my head that kept murmuring "daaaark verdaaaant". I scoured this forum to find decent photos of this mysterious green, color samples, anything! After reading multiple threads on Dark Verdant, it seemed the general consensus was "there is no consensus" as to what this color will actually look like.
So, after looking at a variety of very dark metallic greens from other manufacturers, I decided I liked it enough to roll the dice. I am hopeful the final product will be one of those colors that are hard to photograph but look stunning in person.
In either case, I'm thrilled that fate presented me the opportunity. I just hope I fit better in this Lotus than I did in my Exige!
Best,
"LOWTUSH"
(The username is my old vanity plate from the Exige, since my butt was like 4" off the ground.)
Glad to have found this forum, it's been a wealth of information.
A not-so-brief introduction:
I owned a black 2006 Exige with a Katana supercharger some 5 or so years ago (that I barely fit in!). I bought it locally for a great deal because it needed some work. Lotus are very uncommon where I live, so I jumped at the opportunity. While it needed some love mechanically and cosmetically, it did run and drive. After a test drive I was hooked, despite the most embarrassing ingress and egress that mankind has ever witnessed. After a year of fun, and with an impassible emissions test looming, I regrettably sold it to Wire Wheel in Florida (a Lotus specialist). I was in my late 20s at the time and it was just not what I needed then - - especially since I was already daily driving an '06 Mini GP (which I still own but no longer daily).
Anyways, the unique experience of owning a Lotus stuck with me, and I've been a fan ever since. I was never in a position to buy another Lotus because they're just so uncommon in my area, and frankly, completely unnecessary. So I enjoyed them from a distance and dreamt of owning another. I've been following the details on the Emira since it was announced, and it seemed like it was exactly what I was hoping for in a fun "toy" that wouldn't be quite as impractical as my Exige was (ie my wife would be able to ride in it without grimacing in fear).
Last year, I heard through the grapevine that Lotus was opening a franchise in Charlotte, NC (still 4 hours from me) and I thought seriously about trying to reserve one...until I also heard through the grapevine that they'd already taken over 30 deposits. After seeing that, I resigned myself to enjoy looking at photos and reading reviews yet again. I surely was not going to put a deposit on something I'd have to wait 2 years for.
Last month, fate struck. My father, knowing I was a fan of Lotus, forwarded me an email he'd received from a local auto group with an Audi and Jag/Land Rover franchise. They announced they were adding a BMW motorcycle and Lotus franchise in a new building that was under construction near the JLR store - - scheduled to open late summer. Not only that, but they had a handful of available allocations granted by Lotus for this fall. I couldn't believe my city was getting a Lotus franchise.
After I read the email a few times, I immediately got on the horn and in contact with the representative for Lotus Cape Fear in Wilmington, NC and put a deposit down on an Emira FE V6 6MT.
He gave me a few days to finalize my build, and that's how I found this forum, actually. Initially, I thought Seneca Blue was the only color to get. But there was this pesky voice in the back of my head that kept murmuring "daaaark verdaaaant". I scoured this forum to find decent photos of this mysterious green, color samples, anything! After reading multiple threads on Dark Verdant, it seemed the general consensus was "there is no consensus" as to what this color will actually look like.
So, after looking at a variety of very dark metallic greens from other manufacturers, I decided I liked it enough to roll the dice. I am hopeful the final product will be one of those colors that are hard to photograph but look stunning in person.
In either case, I'm thrilled that fate presented me the opportunity. I just hope I fit better in this Lotus than I did in my Exige!
Best,
"LOWTUSH"
(The username is my old vanity plate from the Exige, since my butt was like 4" off the ground.)
