Reborn Russian car.
October 3, 2005 7:53 PM Subscribe
Video from the Lotus team. People from Lotus car design team have found a bloke who owns 6 years old Russian “Lada” and decided to give it a complete makeover.
lovely.
posted by Turtles all the way down at 8:14 PM on October 3, 2005
posted by Turtles all the way down at 8:14 PM on October 3, 2005
This is from the BBC show Top Gear, which started as a quite small car programme, and has since turned into a real phenomena -- there is a magazine, another web site, even their own Motor Show. They often do this kind of stuff, and it's always at least that entertaining.
posted by Gamecat at 8:17 PM on October 3, 2005
posted by Gamecat at 8:17 PM on October 3, 2005
Brilliant, I love Top Gear, this hasn't aired yet in the US, I can't wait to catch it on TV again.
posted by riffola at 8:23 PM on October 3, 2005
posted by riffola at 8:23 PM on October 3, 2005
Forgot to mention; one of the main presenters of the show, Jeremy Clarkson, also reviews cars for the Times. His writing is about as sensible as the show.
posted by Gamecat at 8:24 PM on October 3, 2005
posted by Gamecat at 8:24 PM on October 3, 2005
This is fugging awesome. I want a Lotus Lada!!!!!! Maybe they can turn my CRV into a Maserati or something...
posted by Eekacat at 8:24 PM on October 3, 2005
posted by Eekacat at 8:24 PM on October 3, 2005
Will the Lotus guys pimp out my Mazda GLC if I ask them nicely?
posted by zardoz at 8:26 PM on October 3, 2005
posted by zardoz at 8:26 PM on October 3, 2005
Dammit, this means I'm the only that got sound but no video from the link.
I better have a good Monster Garage on Tivo or someone's gonna die.
posted by fenriq at 8:46 PM on October 3, 2005
I better have a good Monster Garage on Tivo or someone's gonna die.
posted by fenriq at 8:46 PM on October 3, 2005
Top Gear runs in the US on Discovery Channel now. After Mythbusters.
It is the best car show ever.
posted by smackfu at 8:50 PM on October 3, 2005
It is the best car show ever.
posted by smackfu at 8:50 PM on October 3, 2005
We really need to teach our overseas brothers the concept of REAL displacement.
Bill
posted by evilelvis at 8:53 PM on October 3, 2005
Bill
posted by evilelvis at 8:53 PM on October 3, 2005
Is it just me, or are boxy, non-American cars really great-looking?
I want one of these little cars.
posted by secret about box at 8:54 PM on October 3, 2005
I want one of these little cars.
posted by secret about box at 8:54 PM on October 3, 2005
most shops charge about $ 70/work hour... just imagine your bill after 1000 work hrs... and thats before parts
posted by graham1881 at 9:12 PM on October 3, 2005
posted by graham1881 at 9:12 PM on October 3, 2005
Will the Lotus guys pimp out my Mazda GLC if I ask them nicely?
posted by zardoz at 10:26 PM CST on October 3 [!]
Hey, it's a Great Little Car!
This was a lot of fun to watch.
A friend had an Isuzu of some sort back in the early 1990's, little small hatchback, that had a handling package by Lotus. And I'll be damned if it wasn't one of the best handling cars I've ever driven.
Was it a gimmick? I'm sure. But it also made a hell of a street performer. It was so fast because you could more-or-less keep on the gas around all but the tightest turns.
posted by Ynoxas at 9:16 PM on October 3, 2005
posted by zardoz at 10:26 PM CST on October 3 [!]
Hey, it's a Great Little Car!
This was a lot of fun to watch.
A friend had an Isuzu of some sort back in the early 1990's, little small hatchback, that had a handling package by Lotus. And I'll be damned if it wasn't one of the best handling cars I've ever driven.
Was it a gimmick? I'm sure. But it also made a hell of a street performer. It was so fast because you could more-or-less keep on the gas around all but the tightest turns.
posted by Ynoxas at 9:16 PM on October 3, 2005
I was at the petite le mans in atlanta this weekend. I saw some incredible lot(i)? parked around the event..... always preffered them over larger name brands like ferrari etc.... for the upper eschelon of sports cars.
posted by sourbrew at 9:18 PM on October 3, 2005
posted by sourbrew at 9:18 PM on October 3, 2005
Well worth the machinations to get it to show video along with the sound. Really great.
A much, much more tasteful and subdued Pimp My Ride.
posted by fenriq at 10:23 PM on October 3, 2005
A much, much more tasteful and subdued Pimp My Ride.
posted by fenriq at 10:23 PM on October 3, 2005
BTW, this is season/series 1, episode 8, if anyone happens to be trying to find a higher quality torrent.
posted by smackfu at 10:37 PM on October 3, 2005
posted by smackfu at 10:37 PM on October 3, 2005
This is spectacular. God know that 1000+ hours of work by Lotus is far less cost effective than just having them buy you a new car....of course, having said that I can't even imagine how cool it would feel to be given your car back after that kind of thing.
Pure awesome. Thanks for the link, mrkredo.
posted by Stunt at 10:45 PM on October 3, 2005
Pure awesome. Thanks for the link, mrkredo.
posted by Stunt at 10:45 PM on October 3, 2005
Still just an ugly box.
I like those little boxy cars, thanks very much. Especially at the end, that thing was sharp as hell. Much better than the new cars coming out now...why is it that new cars keep getting uglier and uglier?
posted by zardoz at 11:13 PM on October 3, 2005
I've actually dreamed about getting to do the moderately priced car fastest lap thing on Top Gear. I'm pretty sure I could make it into the top third if only I had the chance!
And zardos major word on the old boxy versus new bubble-like cars. My old sharp edged Nissan Sentra handled like a race car (according to at least one actual race car driver!) but the new bubble like replacement was a sad imitation. Plus all the new cars look the same.
posted by fshgrl at 1:06 AM on October 4, 2005
And zardos major word on the old boxy versus new bubble-like cars. My old sharp edged Nissan Sentra handled like a race car (according to at least one actual race car driver!) but the new bubble like replacement was a sad imitation. Plus all the new cars look the same.
posted by fshgrl at 1:06 AM on October 4, 2005
"Why is it that new cars keep getting uglier and uglier?"
OK, so admittedly the link opens to the Pontiac Aztek, which is (oxymoron ALERT!) pretty ugly.
But anyone who includes that Morgan on this list has set his standards somewhere out beyond left field. That is one beautiful little hunk of automotive machinery."Why is it that new cars keep getting uglier and uglier?" And the guy writing about it sounds like he's just whining because he found out the waiting list is so long.
Feel free to replace it with this thing:
posted by Mike D at 6:23 AM on October 4, 2005
OK, so admittedly the link opens to the Pontiac Aztek, which is (oxymoron ALERT!) pretty ugly.
But anyone who includes that Morgan on this list has set his standards somewhere out beyond left field. That is one beautiful little hunk of automotive machinery."Why is it that new cars keep getting uglier and uglier?" And the guy writing about it sounds like he's just whining because he found out the waiting list is so long.
Feel free to replace it with this thing:
posted by Mike D at 6:23 AM on October 4, 2005
Needs more Xzibit.
Between this, Pimp My Ride, and Monster Garage, I've come to the point where my dream ride is some piece of crap (1999 Daewoo Nubira: CHECK!) that's been converted to something spectacular. I have no interest in a 'normal' great car.
posted by Eamon at 8:17 AM on October 4, 2005
Between this, Pimp My Ride, and Monster Garage, I've come to the point where my dream ride is some piece of crap (1999 Daewoo Nubira: CHECK!) that's been converted to something spectacular. I have no interest in a 'normal' great car.
posted by Eamon at 8:17 AM on October 4, 2005
I need to get cracking on the z sitting in my lot. These things always remind me of what I'll never be able to afford doing to it :(
posted by IronLizard at 9:05 AM on October 4, 2005
posted by IronLizard at 9:05 AM on October 4, 2005
Havana is full of Ladas that have been modded. Can't find you any pictures, but they don't lower them, they raise them!
posted by asok at 11:07 AM on October 4, 2005
posted by asok at 11:07 AM on October 4, 2005
Top Gear on Discovery really is an amazingly good show. The part where they had eminent professors doing burnouts was priceless.
posted by vronsky at 1:01 PM on October 4, 2005
posted by vronsky at 1:01 PM on October 4, 2005
warning to you yankees watching Top Gear.
Clarkson things most of your cars are appauling. The Ford F150 (?) he hated, the biggest selling vehicle in America (?) and he tested a Toyota Prius against a battery car and a diesel car driving around town and motorway and proved a diesel was more economical, quicker and better to drive.
Plus it will feature a whole bunch of cars and reference a whole bunch of things that are very British.
And he often goes up at the end of a sentance.
posted by 13twelve at 4:41 PM on October 4, 2005
Clarkson things most of your cars are appauling. The Ford F150 (?) he hated, the biggest selling vehicle in America (?) and he tested a Toyota Prius against a battery car and a diesel car driving around town and motorway and proved a diesel was more economical, quicker and better to drive.
Plus it will feature a whole bunch of cars and reference a whole bunch of things that are very British.
And he often goes up at the end of a sentance.
posted by 13twelve at 4:41 PM on October 4, 2005
I remember back in the early '90s looking at an '85 Lada in a used car lot for $500. Asked the guy to start it for us--it took nearly ten attempts. And when the damn thing finally fired up, it poured out exhaust smoke from the entire underside of the car.
If you really wanna improve one, use whatever budget you've got for it to buy a match, a can of gas and ANY OTHER CAR.
On an entirely different note, I've got no idea who build it, but I'm amazed somebody built this out of a Citroen 2CV.
posted by arto at 5:40 PM on October 4, 2005
If you really wanna improve one, use whatever budget you've got for it to buy a match, a can of gas and ANY OTHER CAR.
On an entirely different note, I've got no idea who build it, but I'm amazed somebody built this out of a Citroen 2CV.
posted by arto at 5:40 PM on October 4, 2005
13twelve: Yeah, but you have to admit that the car Clarkson actually bought was a Ford GT40.
posted by smackfu at 7:40 PM on October 4, 2005
posted by smackfu at 7:40 PM on October 4, 2005
smackfu - and look at all the problems he's had with it (even though he's decided to keep it now)
posted by jonvaughan at 3:15 AM on October 5, 2005
posted by jonvaughan at 3:15 AM on October 5, 2005
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