NgoSepthemba odlule, i-lotus Esprit engaphansi kwamanzi eyafa yafa ngo-007 - I-Irresitible Agent, yathengiswa endalini ngenani elimangalisayo lama-€728,000. Umthengi? U-Elon Musk, oyi-CEO yeTesla Motors.
U-Millionaire Elon Musk unesandla ezinkampanini ezifana ne-Paypal ne-SpaceX, inkampani yokuqala ukumaketha izindiza zenyanga. Ngaphezu kwalezi zinkampani ezimbili, u-Elon Musk uyi-CEO ye-Tesla Motors, inkampani ezobamba iqhaza ekuguqulweni kwe-James Bond submersible Lotus Esprit.
Imodeli eyisisekelo yomkhumbi-ngwenya yi-Lotus Esprit. Yethulwa njengomqondo esaluni yaseTurin ngo-1972 futhi yaklanywa u-Gioretto Giugiaro, kwakungenye yamamodeli "amaphepha agoqiwe" okuqala omklami wase-Italy. Inguqulo yokukhiqiza yethulwa e-Paris Salon ka-1975, nezinguquko ezimbalwa kumodeli yokufunda. Hhayi-ke, kodwa kungcono ukuthi sime lapha, asiyishiye indaba yezimoto zezemidlalo ezihamba phambili eziphakathi nenjini yama-70s esigabeni sethu seMishini Yesikhathi Esidlule.
Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ungumlandeli wamafilimu e-007 noma cha, umenzeli oyimfihlo owaziwa kakhulu waseBrithani owake waba khona, ngokuqinisekile isithombe seLotus emhlophe engaphansi kwamanzi enamaphiko amane asisona isimanga. Nokho, futhi engafuni ukonakalisa umcabango wengane ngaphakathi komunye nomunye, iqiniso liwukuthi iLotus eyaguqulwa yaba umkhumbi-ngwenya ngokucindezela inkinobho elula, yayingenalo ngempela lelo khono. Imoto engaphansi kwamanzi empeleni yayiwumzimba we-Lotus onezinguquko ezithile ze-hydrodynamic kanye nama-thruster amane kagesi. Ingaphakathi lalingenawo amanzi ngakho-ke ukaputeni kwakudingeka ahlonyiswe ngezinto zokutshuza.
Njengomntwana othola ukuthi uSanta Claus akalona iqiniso, u-Elon Musk wadumala ngeLotus Esprit engaphansi kwamanzi kusukela ngo-007, nokho, ingcebo yakhe imvumela ukuthi aguqule ukudumazeka kube amaphupho abe yiqiniso, ngakho-ke iTesla Motors izohlomisa umkhumbi-ngwenya ngakho konke okudingekayo ukuze iguqule ibe yimoto esebenzayo (ngomqondo weqiniso wegama) eyingxubevange.
