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Monday, January 10, 2011
The 80s were a dark time for the automotive world. Manufacturers hadn't figured out how to make horsepower after federally mandated smog equipment had been bolted onto motors. The giants of the sports car realm - Supra, Corvette, 928 - didn't break the 300 horsepower mark until the very end of the decade. However, if you look hard enough there's always a light in the darkness. In the mid 80s, the light could be found in music by a still black Michael Jackson, the inherent goodness of Darth Vader, and the turbo V6 in the blacked out Buick Grand National.
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| autogaleria.hu |
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| autogaleria.hu |
When the old girl, the car not the girlfriend, lets you look under her hood, it really gets interesting. There sits a 3.8 liter V6 which had been turbocharged to a healthy 276 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque. Never mind the anemic V8 in a Corvette or even a Ferrari 328. This motor outclassed both! Porsche's 928 and its 5.0 liter V8 were the only competition for this car in terms of outright acceleration.
Turning is a different story. Buick's 80s technology couldn't exactly make the 200 inch, 3500 pound bruiser handle like a Lotus Esprit. Remember we're talking about an American car that is, arguably, responsible for a muscle car renaissance. Let's just say that, yes, it can turn.
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| autogaleria.hu |
When new, Grand Nationals cost somewhere around $18,000 while the optional GNX package was an additional $11,000 over that. Today, a clean example will fetch prices in the high teens. Don't be surprised if these prices start heading north in the next few years as GM releases the new Regal and nostalgia sets in. However, considering the way that things are going over at GM, this will be the last supercar out of Buick, affordable or not.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Lotus is a company that I highly admire. Throughout their existence, they've kept weight at a minimum to keep performance at a maximum. Until recently, their downfall has been their utter British "quirkiness" which makes older models about as reliable as a solar powered flashlight. If you're willing to overlook these little idiosyncrasies for a supercar that is bristling with personality, won't need a second mortgage, and can still hold its own against prancing horses and raging bulls.
Most of you would think of their most recent offerings like the Elise and Exige to make it into this column. Yes, they do generate astounding numbers and are very affordable (relatively). Calling one of those an "Affordable Supercar" is like calling Lady Gaga slightly off base. It's true but everyone already knew that. Come to think about it, the Elise and Exige share a bit more with Gaga. They're all stripped down and are only for the really hardcore fans.
Where was I? The Esprit is the next most qualified candidate in the Lotus line. In 1993, it got a major makeover and was graced with some curves to accentuate its sexy wedge shape. It still made do with a 2.2 liter slant four located mid ship but with the help of forced induction in the form of a turbocharger it made a modest 300 horsepower. By today's standards 300 horsepower isn't exactly earth shattering but also by today's standards a car weighing just under 2700 pounds is mind blowing! Put those two numbers together and you find the sum is indeed greater than its parts.
It runs a 0-60 sprint in about 4.5 seconds, can pull .91g on the skidpad, and can dice the cones in the slalom at 61.7 mph. Throw on some modern performance rubber and those numbers still have room to improve.
How much coin does it take to get into this British bombshell? As of this writing, a 1995 model with only 18,000 miles on the clock is listed on Ebay with a "buy it now" price of $36,900. At that price, you won't have to turn tricks like the "Pretty Woman" to drive one.
