Mark H Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 Lotus Exige “Espionage” makes fashionable entranceat Harrods Truly British Event Lotus Cars, the sportscar manufacturer, and Gieves & Hawkes, the Savile Row tailor, have conspired to form two of the most fashionable accessories for the modern day spy. The collaboration of the British brands is part of Truly British at Harrods, which runs until 15 October, showcasing the best this country has to offer, revelling in the fascinating melting pot of cultures that makes Britain Great. Creating the ultimate vehicle for the secret agent demands a flair for creativity and a passion for engineering the latest innovations, therefore making Lotus the perfect candidate. With proven experience from the Lotus Esprit, made famous for its starring role in a couple of the James Bond films such as the “The Spy Who Loved Me”, the Lotus Design Team led by Chief Designer, Russell Carr, was able to develop the one-off Lotus Exige “Espionage.” Based on the standard 189 hp Lotus Exige, the coupé sportscar combines the elegant sophistication of the Gieves & Hawkes collection with the engineering ingenuity and style of the high performance trackcar-for-the road. Complementing the Gieves & Hawkes-designed bespoke classic navy pin striped Spy Suit, the Lotus Exige features a navy exterior and a central white pinstripe flash. Inside the car, the design philosophy has been extended to the seat upholstery (squab and cushion), door inserts and dashboard, using the same Gieves & Hawkes pinstripe wool cloth used in the Spy Suit. Silk, used in the lining of the suit has been used to clad the back of the seats. The interior also boasts tailor-made leather floormats with “eyelet” detailing, taking cues from the classic shoes worn by the ultimate English secret agent. Commenting on the unique Lotus and Gieves & Hawkes partnership, Clive Dopson, Managing Director of Lotus Cars, explains, “In this prestigious celebration of British lifestyle and culture, it has been an exciting opportunity to change the rules, combining the style and elegance of fashion with the interior design of a high performance sportscar. To be associated with a fashion collection such as Gieves & Hawkes, synonymous with a rich tailoring heritage, has provided a unique platform for the demonstration of the design qualities which make Lotus cars such an exciting and special driving experience.” The Lotus Exige “Espionage” and Gieves & Hawkes Spy Suit will be on display in The British Tailoring Room, on Ground at Harrods, until 15 October, 2005. Following the high level of interest, the one-off Lotus Exige “Espionage” is to be retailed at the on the road price of £39,995 following the event. This post has been promoted to an article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve J Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 Oohh, ooohh, suit you sir, ooohh! What a load of old tosh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GCCK Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 "Ooh that looks really classy - I must have one and then maybe I'll get accepted into the aristocracy..." There's a fundamental mismatch between your pretty hardcore Exige customer and the needless tatt added to this car. OK it's a publicity stunt but scores a big fat zero for real-world relevence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterField Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 Another dreadful Lotus Harrods (not so) special! Sad thing is somebody'll buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren5591 Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 The Lotus Exige “Espionage” and Gieves & Hawkes Spy Suit will be on display in The BritishTailoring Room, on Ground at Harrods, until 15 October, 2005. Well what do you expect from harrods stick to the new Exige Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlylove Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 PPPHHHHHLLLUUURRGH! That was the nearest I can get to spelling a trump anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbk Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 i know it looks a bit odd and all that pinstripe cloth is a bit bold, but the real killer is that i work for gieves and hawkes as 1 of only 12 store managers and wasnt offered the car at a staff discount of 50o/o. how gutted am i. still should at least get af ree factory tour out of it at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 The outside colours look ok, well, what looks like 2 grey stripes look nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich111s Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 i know it looks a bit odd and all that pinstripe cloth is a bit bold, but the real killer is that i work for gieves and hawkes as 1 of only 12 store managers and wasnt offered the car at a staff discount of 50o/o. how gutted am i. still should at least get af ree factory tour out of it at least. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Count yourself lucky you didn't get offered the discount - you may have been tempted to buy the 'dapper monstrosity'!! Push for the factory tour - word of advice though - don't wear your best pinstripe & bowler hat as they might get oily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddog Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Some bloody toff will buy it, then say its really uncomfortable and try sell it on ebay for twice the price of the market value, saying its a special edition then we can all take the piss out of him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren5591 Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Surely if someone wanted that "special" pinstripe effect on the dash and door cards then all they would have to do is retrim it, not pay £39,995 for a little bit of cloth and some stripes..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHOOSH Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 I think it looks delightfull................................NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Suits you sir......................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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