RE: Lotus 2-Eleven

[Kurgen]

Sam_68 said:

The 2-11 seems to be a missed opportunity... ...... Instead, it looks like the 2-11 will follow the 340R into commercial oblivion as a short term, loss-making 'halo project'.

Interesting thread..

I was racing <briefly> a 997 cup car earlier this year, then decided to get out of it due to the huge costs of running a race car. So then my next plan was to jump back in another 997 GT3 and do so some more trackdays with my mates.

I was without a track/race car last Tuesday at Brands GP for the RMA Padoock club day.. so decided to hire a 2-11 for a bit of fun. Have never driven a Lotus before, and being a bit of a snob.. would never have considered buying a cheap plastic, British crappy Lotus.. when I could have bought nice German or Italian exotica instead!!

Suffice to say, I will be collecting my new 2-11 from the dealer (who fortunately had a cancelled order in the showroom), next weekend!

Anybody who rubbishes this car without driving it.. is a fool!

I was blasting pass 997 GT3RS with ease, and only a mate of mine (who finished 2nd in class at Silverstone in a 996 cup car on Sat) in his Slick shod/ Intrax 997RS was quicker.

The steering accuracy of this car is without equal, you can hit a 50p coin on the apex of a corner, every lap. In the last session of the day I banged out about 15-20 laps, and the car did not miss a beat. No brake fade, no tyre fade, nothing.




Rob

[HundredthIdiot]

Very interesting Rob.

I saw a customer 2-11 at RSR Nurburgring, who are considering getting a fleet of Lotuses in for next year.

Though I don't doubt it's performance (and the way that the performance is delivered - see DR videos), it does lack "showroom appeal", in the same way as a Caterham.

Which raises the question: measured on pure driving experience and performance, does it make more sense than an R300 at over £10k less?

Also, the journos have made quite a big deal about the variable traction control, but apparently it's just a racelogic system.

[Kurgen]

I don't know Chris Harris, but have met and had a brief chat to him at Silverstone, we were both testing 997 cup cars. He has proved himself as a reasonable race driver.. his view on the 2-11.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuLpKhpjdP0


Driver Republic test of 2-11/ Arom 300/ R500 sequential

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w8nC77-Ugc&fea...
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfVqRj0qDsI&fea...
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx_pc0XCCXQ&fea...

[HundredthIdiot]

Those were the videos I was thinking of.

The R500 and Atom 300 were both criticised for having excessive power (for that circuit).

I wonder what the result would have been if they'd have chosen an R400 or R300 with the same sequential box.

[Sam_68]

Kurgen said:

Have never driven a Lotus before, and being a bit of a snob.. would never have considered buying a cheap plastic, British crappy Lotus..

...Anybody who rubbishes this car without driving it.. is a fool!

...The steering accuracy of this car is without equal, you can hit a 50p coin on the apex of a corner, every lap.

Thing is, you'll get the same almost surreal steering accuracy and precision from most Lotus products, including a £6.5K second-hand Series 1 Elise. That's why so many of us love the marque, despite the questionable reliability and build quality. There's nothing quite like them, as a precision driving tool, regardless of cost.

[Kurgen]

Sam_68 said:

Kurgen said:

Have never driven a Lotus before, and being a bit of a snob.. would never have considered buying a cheap plastic, British crappy Lotus..

...Anybody who rubbishes this car without driving it.. is a fool!

...The steering accuracy of this car is without equal, you can hit a 50p coin on the apex of a corner, every lap.

Thing is, you'll get the same almost surreal steering accuracy and precision from most Lotus products, including a £6.5K second-hand Series 1 Elise. That's why so many of us love the marque, despite the questionable reliability and build quality. There's nothing quite like them, as a precision driving tool, regardless of cost.

Maybe.. but I'm pretty sure a Series 1 Elise is not capable of lapping a circuit quicker than a McLaren F1 or an Enzo....

http://www.fastestlaps.com/track10.html

[Sam_68]

Kurgen said:

Maybe.. but I'm pretty sure a Series 1 Elise is not capable of lapping a circuit quicker than a McLaren F1 or an Enzo....

No, certainly not, but then track days are non-competitive, and in many cases all you really acheive by having a faster car is spending more time held up in traffic, frustrated.

If you're seriously seeking the quickest lap time:
a) you should be racing
b) you need a wings-and-slicks single seater. Even a fairly cheap one won't have any trouble out-lapping even the most exotic road legal car (with the possible exception of the Caparo).

The nice thing about the Elise generation cars is that they're 'soft' enough to sensibly use on the road as well as the track.

[Scuffers]

Kurgen said:

Sam_68 said:

Kurgen said:

Have never driven a Lotus before, and being a bit of a snob.. would never have considered buying a cheap plastic, British crappy Lotus..

...Anybody who rubbishes this car without driving it.. is a fool!

...The steering accuracy of this car is without equal, you can hit a 50p coin on the apex of a corner, every lap.

Thing is, you'll get the same almost surreal steering accuracy and precision from most Lotus products, including a £6.5K second-hand Series 1 Elise. That's why so many of us love the marque, despite the questionable reliability and build quality. There's nothing quite like them, as a precision driving tool, regardless of cost.

Maybe.. but I'm pretty sure a Series 1 Elise is not capable of lapping a circuit quicker than a McLaren F1 or an Enzo....

http://www.fastestlaps.com/track10.html

I think you need to get out more....

there are plenty of Elise's out there that can run rings round almost anything including all out GT3 race cars...

no 2-11 is even close to this, period.

[Kurgen]

lol.. touchy!

Just wanted to post, that I thought the Lotus 2-11 was a nice little tool.. seems I've rattled the Elise girl's brigade..

[Scuffers]

Kurgen said:

lol.. touchy!

Just wanted to post, that I thought the Lotus 2-11 was a nice little tool.. seems I've rattled the Elise girl's brigade..

then why not just say that instead of posting the rubbish you did then?

[The Pits]

Kurgen said:

lol.. touchy!

Just wanted to post, that I thought the Lotus 2-11 was a nice little tool.. seems I've rattled the Elise girl's brigade..

I can't begin to imagine why any lotus or elise fan would not like the superb 211 but there you go. Welcome to the forum!

[Scuffers]

The Pits said:

Kurgen said:

lol.. touchy!

Just wanted to post, that I thought the Lotus 2-11 was a nice little tool.. seems I've rattled the Elise girl's brigade..

I can't begin to imagine why any lotus or elise fan would not like the superb 211 but there you go. Welcome to the forum!

not a question of that, I just wish people would look at the facts/reality before they post stupid comments, they just make themselves look silly...

[Kurgen]

The Pits said:

Kurgen said:

lol.. touchy!

Just wanted to post, that I thought the Lotus 2-11 was a nice little tool.. seems I've rattled the Elise girl's brigade..

I can't begin to imagine why any lotus or elise fan would not like the superb 211 but there you go. Welcome to the forum!

Old Scuff has been itching since last Monday!

[John_W]

Scuffers said:

I just wish people would look at the facts/reality before they post stupid comments, they just make themselves look silly...

I think I can see exactly what you mean.
J

Edited by John_W on Sunday 28th September 22:12

[Scuffers]

John_W said:

Scuffers said:

I just wish people would look at the facts/reality before they post stupid comments, they just make themselves look silly...

I think I can see exactly what you mean.
J

Edited by John_W on Sunday 28th September 22:12

yea, right

http://mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=361821

just for example....

[DIN0]

Kurgen said:

Interesting thread..

I was racing <briefly> a 997 cup car earlier this year, then decided to get out of it due to the huge costs of running a race car. So then my next plan was to jump back in another 997 GT3 and do so some more trackdays with my mates.

I was without a track/race car last Tuesday at Brands GP for the RMA Padoock club day.. so decided to hire a 2-11 for a bit of fun. Have never driven a Lotus before, and being a bit of a snob.. would never have considered buying a cheap plastic, British crappy Lotus.. when I could have bought nice German or Italian exotica instead!!

Suffice to say, I will be collecting my new 2-11 from the dealer (who fortunately had a cancelled order in the showroom), next weekend!

Anybody who rubbishes this car without driving it.. is a fool!

I was blasting pass 997 GT3RS with ease, and only a mate of mine (who finished 2nd in class at Silverstone in a 996 cup car on Sat) in his Slick shod/ Intrax 997RS was quicker.

The steering accuracy of this car is without equal, you can hit a 50p coin on the apex of a corner, every lap. In the last session of the day I banged out about 15-20 laps, and the car did not miss a beat. No brake fade, no tyre fade, nothing.




Rob

Praise indeed.

Considering a track car (that can be drive on road too) up to about £30k and wondered if people still rate this car in 2014 vs anything else that now competes is the same space ?

I was considering a 996 GT3 but after reading above and seeing prices now of GT3's the 2-11 looks competitive

Also how are prices holding up on these cars and expected future values ?

Any advice welcome

[Stephanie Plum]

Prices have held up extremely well. Not much else new on the market that would get me excited. I sold mine after 5 years of ownership, 20,000 miles, 80-100 trackdays and quite a few long trips inc The Ring, Ascari, Le Mans Bugatti twice and Scotland. I stiffened the engine mounts, added a Letsla gear linkage and a Moroso sump and it was faultless. Couple of minor warranty issues, one involving an oil leak around one of the Accusump pipes and the other needing a new loud pedal assembly. I suffered less than 25% depreciation in that time which I was quite happy with.

Great car. I'm no god behind the wheel but was able to embarrass a lot of much more expensive machinery on track. No regrets about owning one at all - ticked every box I wanted to during ownership.

[DIN0]

Stephanie Plum said:

Prices have held up extremely well. Not much else new on the market that would get me excited. I sold mine after 5 years of ownership, 20,000 miles, 80-100 trackdays and quite a few long trips inc The Ring, Ascari, Le Mans Bugatti twice and Scotland. I stiffened the engine mounts, added a Letsla gear linkage and a Moroso sump and it was faultless. Couple of minor warranty issues, one involving an oil leak around one of the Accusump pipes and the other needing a new loud pedal assembly. I suffered less than 25% depreciation in that time which I was quite happy with.

Great car. I'm no god behind the wheel but was able to embarrass a lot of much more expensive machinery on track. No regrets about owning one at all - ticked every box I wanted to during ownership.

Thank you . Does sound promising.