K9VYN

Interesting....

More go, better handling



http://www.rsportscars.com/eng/cars/lotus_elise.asp

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

I thought this came out a while ago Wasn't it tested on Top Gear in the last series?

K9VYN

dunno, hadn't seen it - i guess it could have been! how did it fair ?

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

Pretty well actually. Clarkson couldn't get it handle but the Lotus test driver had it dancing You can't buy those wheels seperately

K9VYN

they are quite nice aren't they! i guess you were after some?

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

No I don't own an elise (or like 'em after driving one ) My friend has one and was trying to get the wheels for his but you can't buy them Maybe that one might be better but I don't like his one, there isn't as much performance as you expect (maybe my expectations were too high ) and without an LSD they don't handle as well as you'd think.

Paul

K9VYN

all useful points to note - you just tend to think Lotus and handling go together hand in glove!

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

So did I until I drove one My friend keeps spinning his all the time and bent the chassis so I guess they are not that forgiving. It's just the lack of grunt that got me, on a motorway you are struggling to pull 120 (not that you should ) and through the lanes it just doesn't have the power that the chassis could use. They are quick on track though but that's not real life

Dapster

The one I drove for a weekend sounded like a hair dryer and the change was awful - the box was sloppy and the lever too long. It handled really well, but the acceleration wasn't breathtaking given how stripped out and hard core it is.

I can't understand them - if you want something extreme for the weekend get a Caterham, and if you have £30k lying about for a daily sports car then get a used Boxster S. I'm saying this having sold a Caterham for a Boxster.

K9VYN

admittedly my girlfriends best mate and her boyfriend got stuck insider their elise recently when the locks failed

Ross Taylor

*sigh*

There's always an anti-Elise thread in here from time to time...Some people just don't get them at all...

In answer to the original post, the S2 111S came out in June 2002...

http://www.elises.co.uk/models/s2/111S/

It's got 156 bhp (up from the std 120), different wheels etc, and is seen as being more 'luxury' biased (read 'usable') than the std car...

I wouldn't say it is any 'better handling' - Different wheel design, but the same size and type of tyres (RE040's), and no suspension changes...(If you want better handling seek the 135R which came out in May this year http://www.elises.co.uk/models/s2/135R/index.html

As for some of the points made in the following posts -

You don't need an LSD with 120bhp (or 156)...Only the full race spec 190+ cars are fitted with them...

If you enjoy driving down a straight motorway at 120mph, then yes - Don't buy an Elise...I've never seen more than 125 mph from mine... (Which was reached on the run from Flugplatz to Schwedenkreuz on the 'ring...)

They are quick on track - Espec the tighter ones with short straights, where a std 120bhp car will make and Evo / STi work hard to stay ahead...Not so great on GP circuits and the like, but then driving fast in a straight line isn't my thing, so haven't attended that many...

The box isn't great - Espec reverse gear, which can require double declutching to find...But if you change up the box with a good positive movement, you shouldn't miss any gears...

Finally, as for not understanding the point of them...Not sure I understand the arguement there...Yes, a Caterham is more hardcore, but how many are used as daily drivers, compared to Elises? The steering (imho) is better than a Boxsters (yes - I've driven both),and the brakes have better feel...

You can pick up an early S1 for £12k - How much is an early Boxster?

They're also a far rarer sight on the road, and don't have the same hairdresser image the Boxster (unfairly I contend) has...

All of the above imho of course, but I don't make my motoring choices lightly, and drove lots of cars (including Scoobies /Integrales / Boxsters / TVR's etc) before settling on the lowest powered of the lot...

The Elise...Must say something about it??

Ross.

P.S Best kept secret is the VX220...MY2001 for under £14k anybody?

K9VYN

Ross,

don't feel to agrieved - the thread was not intended as an Elise bashing forum.. in fact i only posted because (and albeit over a year late) it seemed very interesting especially with the extra pace.

not everyone has the same requirements of their car and so some will favour other motors. i love my Scooby its now ultra quick IMO and is nicely suited to m-way or b road - but, by no means do i think its the best car on the road (nor, i don't think do other people) - it just does what i want it to do and very well.

but hey, lets not go off track here, we are talking about the Elise in its own right, not making a comparision as such

Kevin

Type R

You really don't need an LSD in an Elise, as for spinning all over the place, you have to laugh, the first thing I did when I got mine was driver training, and am glad to say it is far more predicatble on the limit than every car I have driven, the S2000 when you lose the back end it has gone, snaps. The S1 is trickier than the S2 to drive.

Ross Taylor

Kevin,

I know - I wasn't having a dig at yourself...It's just that whenever the Elise is mentioned, somebody usually replies with a pop at how slow/rubbish they are...Should be expected on a Scooby board, but I can never resist rising to the bait...

You should blag a test drive in one - You could be surprised...

Ross.

P.S For the record, I'm an ex Scooby owner myself...STi V4 Type R with decat/induction/BOV/more boost...Ran 300+bhp, was very tail happy with the diff open, and nearly lost me my license a few times...

K9VYN

i may see if Chris & Emma will allow me to have a play in theirs (if they have managed to get out yet )