VX220 Turbo v Elise...
Discussion
randy said:
Couple of weeks back at Brands GP I was roughly 8 secs a lap faster in my 400bhp Europa vs Richard Chamberlain in his 220(ish)bhp Honda Elise. Power counts!
Is that really all down to the power? Your Europa must have a huge advantage in terms of downforce vs. standard Elise bodywork with a hardtop and 111S spoiler?
Funny how the looks sway a lot of owners towards the Elise. When I was looking for an Elise several years ago I actually changed my mind at the last minute when I accidentally stumbled across a vx at Paul Matty. Admittedly the Elise looks prettier maybe, but I didnt want pretty! The vx just looked more aggressive and looks better in the flesh than in pictures, only the Exige of the lotus variety has better looks imo. It's all about opinions but both marques are great in their own right, the vx is a performance bargain at the moment.
Denno B said:
Funny how the looks sway a lot of owners towards the Elise. When I was looking for an Elise several years ago I actually changed my mind at the last minute when I accidentally stumbled across a vx at Paul Matty. Admittedly the Elise looks prettier maybe, but I didnt want pretty! The vx just looked more aggressive and looks better in the flesh than in pictures, only the Exige of the lotus variety has better looks imo. It's all about opinions but both marques are great in their own right, the vx is a performance bargain at the moment.
I like the pretty looks - am a big fan of 60s classics like the Ferrari Dino, or affordable options like the Triumph GT6 etc - they're all petite, simple, elegant and nice designs. The S1 Elise is a modern take on that, and I much prefer it to aggressive attempts at styling. VX does look more brutal in comparison, and it's actually a pretty good design. I parked my S1 next to a brand new Z4 last week and God it looked girly! It also looked a lot better IMO though.
RE the VX, I like the looks, but think the interior is pretty nasty, more low-rent plastics everywhere, too over stylised, hate the slab of a dash and the plastic sill covers (dislike the sill covers on the S2 Elise too), and dislike the massive headrests that are too high for most people to rest their heads on anyway (presume they're headrests? - the bits on the rollbar above the seats).
Also dislike the fact you can really notice an additional 150kg. Lots of people keep pointing out that you can do wonders with aftermarket bits and bobs - and yes you can - but you can't hide 150kg. They just don't feel as responsive - steering, throttle, what happens when you lift off - it's just not the same. All relative to an early Elise, obviously.
It is a massive bargain though, goes well, handles well, and I find the extra weight does actually help them when it comes to ride comfort.
Hi Phil, pretty much agree with all of that. I'm in a tubby at the moment after a couple of S1's
Those stupid things you call headrests are welded onto the rollbar, they are actually behind the seats as some kind of safety feature I guess. It's the little bits like this that add up to make the extra weight as well as the engine.
I remember on a factory tour the guy was pointing out even some of the stuff such as the rubber pipes being thicker and thus heavier. Certainly makes that difference that can be felt when pushing it round the garage manually though obviously it's still a proper lightweight car when compared against a proper one like a Z4, Boxster, etc. Still retains a very high percentage of that Lotus feel.
I agree with the comment above about the vx getting more attention than the Elises, get asked a LOT more about it than I ever did in the elise.
This was also the case on a couple of the Kent seloc runs I've been on - 1 vx, 5 elises and it's the Lego brick that the coach tourists were snapping
Not that I like that btw, prefer being less noticeable, but if you like all that then seems you'll need an exige to compete.
Those stupid things you call headrests are welded onto the rollbar, they are actually behind the seats as some kind of safety feature I guess. It's the little bits like this that add up to make the extra weight as well as the engine.
I remember on a factory tour the guy was pointing out even some of the stuff such as the rubber pipes being thicker and thus heavier. Certainly makes that difference that can be felt when pushing it round the garage manually though obviously it's still a proper lightweight car when compared against a proper one like a Z4, Boxster, etc. Still retains a very high percentage of that Lotus feel.
I agree with the comment above about the vx getting more attention than the Elises, get asked a LOT more about it than I ever did in the elise.
This was also the case on a couple of the Kent seloc runs I've been on - 1 vx, 5 elises and it's the Lego brick that the coach tourists were snapping
Not that I like that btw, prefer being less noticeable, but if you like all that then seems you'll need an exige to compete.
Moospeed said:
Hi Phil, pretty much agree with all of that. I'm in a tubby at the moment after a couple of S1's
Those stupid things you call headrests are welded onto the rollbar, they are actually behind the seats as some kind of safety feature I guess. It's the little bits like this that add up to make the extra weight as well as the engine.
I remember on a factory tour the guy was pointing out even some of the stuff such as the rubber pipes being thicker and thus heavier. Certainly makes that difference that can be felt when pushing it round the garage manually though obviously it's still a proper lightweight car when compared against a proper one like a Z4, Boxster, etc. Still retains a very high percentage of that Lotus feel.
I agree with the comment above about the vx getting more attention than the Elises, get asked a LOT more about it than I ever did in the elise.
This was also the case on a couple of the Kent seloc runs I've been on - 1 vx, 5 elises and it's the Lego brick that the coach tourists were snapping
Not that I like that btw, prefer being less noticeable, but if you like all that then seems you'll need an exige to compete.
Hey,Those stupid things you call headrests are welded onto the rollbar, they are actually behind the seats as some kind of safety feature I guess. It's the little bits like this that add up to make the extra weight as well as the engine.
I remember on a factory tour the guy was pointing out even some of the stuff such as the rubber pipes being thicker and thus heavier. Certainly makes that difference that can be felt when pushing it round the garage manually though obviously it's still a proper lightweight car when compared against a proper one like a Z4, Boxster, etc. Still retains a very high percentage of that Lotus feel.
I agree with the comment above about the vx getting more attention than the Elises, get asked a LOT more about it than I ever did in the elise.
This was also the case on a couple of the Kent seloc runs I've been on - 1 vx, 5 elises and it's the Lego brick that the coach tourists were snapping
Not that I like that btw, prefer being less noticeable, but if you like all that then seems you'll need an exige to compete.
They're pretty rare, too!
Outside of meets, have only seen a couple in years - one parked up in Brick Lane, and a blue one this month who waved at me (well, the driver, not the VX!).
They're cool. My post sounded pretty harsh, and I didn't mean it to. It was more in response to some of the VX-biased posts earlier on in the thread - some owners get carried away and believe it's only brand snobbery that leads to people picking the Elise over the VX, and for a lot of us it's not the case.
I would still happily own a VX, but would have to attack the sills / dashboard etc with alcantara, which would no doubt add more weight!
Thorburn said:
They wanted to look up what it was later.
Opposite problem with the Elise - waiting to pull into busy traffic in Bristol the other day, 50 metres from a big bunch of schoolkids stood at a bus stop when one of them spotted the car and started shouting "Lotus! Lotus! Oi Lotus! Lotus" followed by his mates. Gave them the thumbs up and managed to get out into the traffic before they could get any closer 
I recently bought an Elise but didn't consider the VX. I don't care about badge or looks, but just wanted the best, most pure driver's car. Drove all sorts including an S2 and a few 911s but nothing came close to the S1.
Mine gets a fair bit of attention but nothing compared to the Caterham!
Mine gets a fair bit of attention but nothing compared to the Caterham!
Edited by SidewaysSi on Friday 24th May 18:55
Interesting thread 
I have very little experience of either car but am tentatively looking at one as my only vehicle since I don't do a lot of miles. Realistic choices for me would be the standard 120bhp Elise v. the NA 2.2 VX, but a lot of the arguments still stand IMO.
From the information I've found / opinions I've formed so far:
In the VX's favour:
- Cheaper / more car for the money
- Cheaper to insure for similar levels of performance (2.2NA VX v boggo 1.8 120bhp Elise)
- More exclusive
- Arguably more reliable drive train
- Sheer performance of VX Turbo
- Turbo unit is easier to tune
In the Elise's favour:
- More prestigious brand / heritage / pride of ownership / badge snobbery
- Emissions are lower (NA 2.2 v 120bhp 1.8) so tax is cheaper / fuel economy should also be better
- The interior of the VX is pretty nasty
- Arguably the Elise looks nicer, but this of course is subjective
- VX Turbo has a heavier engine and hence greater overall weight / rear weight balance - I suspect the Elise is a bit more forgiving and neutral
- Bespoke parts availability and cost for either won't be great, however the VX will be worse given the tiny quantity of cars produced; I suspect in future the larger number of Lotus cars around will drive a reasonable supply of aftermarket parts
- A high proportion of VXs have been written off - I suspect as a combination of their lower value and potentially higher cost of repair (body panels, lights etc).
While I'm usually captain practical the Elise undoubtedly raises a more emotive response than the VX - I don't find the prospect of owning a VX particularly exciting; the Elise on the other hand...
While aesthetics / badge heritage / pride of ownership don't make it go round corners any faster, buying a car such as this is never a totally rational decision and I think pandering to your heart a little will only improve the ownership experience.
On the up side compared to most vehicles they're both fantastic and we should be lucky to have the ability to own either
I have very little experience of either car but am tentatively looking at one as my only vehicle since I don't do a lot of miles. Realistic choices for me would be the standard 120bhp Elise v. the NA 2.2 VX, but a lot of the arguments still stand IMO.
From the information I've found / opinions I've formed so far:
In the VX's favour:
- Cheaper / more car for the money
- Cheaper to insure for similar levels of performance (2.2NA VX v boggo 1.8 120bhp Elise)
- More exclusive
- Arguably more reliable drive train
- Sheer performance of VX Turbo
- Turbo unit is easier to tune
In the Elise's favour:
- More prestigious brand / heritage / pride of ownership / badge snobbery
- Emissions are lower (NA 2.2 v 120bhp 1.8) so tax is cheaper / fuel economy should also be better
- The interior of the VX is pretty nasty
- Arguably the Elise looks nicer, but this of course is subjective
- VX Turbo has a heavier engine and hence greater overall weight / rear weight balance - I suspect the Elise is a bit more forgiving and neutral
- Bespoke parts availability and cost for either won't be great, however the VX will be worse given the tiny quantity of cars produced; I suspect in future the larger number of Lotus cars around will drive a reasonable supply of aftermarket parts
- A high proportion of VXs have been written off - I suspect as a combination of their lower value and potentially higher cost of repair (body panels, lights etc).
While I'm usually captain practical the Elise undoubtedly raises a more emotive response than the VX - I don't find the prospect of owning a VX particularly exciting; the Elise on the other hand...
While aesthetics / badge heritage / pride of ownership don't make it go round corners any faster, buying a car such as this is never a totally rational decision and I think pandering to your heart a little will only improve the ownership experience.
On the up side compared to most vehicles they're both fantastic and we should be lucky to have the ability to own either
No-one I know has ever said to me 'Wow, look at that Vauxhall' I've never been to the pub and heard anybody say 'I dream about buying a Vauxhall. I've never seen Vauxhall coming anywhere near Formula 1. Call it badge snobbery if you like but a Vauxhall will always be a Vauxhall in most peoples eyes. While Lotus may lack the quality of germanic brands, it remains amongst peoples aspirations, arouses passion and has history into the boot. To me its like comparing supermarket own brand versus the market leader. You buy it because its cheaper. It may be equally as good, sometimes better but remains 'second choice'. I'd go Lotus every time. Fulfill the dream!
simpo555 said:
No-one I know has ever said to me 'Wow, look at that Vauxhall' I've never been to the pub and heard anybody say 'I dream about buying a Vauxhall. I've never seen Vauxhall coming anywhere near Formula 1. Call it badge snobbery if you like but a Vauxhall will always be a Vauxhall in most peoples eyes. While Lotus may lack the quality of germanic brands, it remains amongst peoples aspirations, arouses passion and has history into the boot. To me its like comparing supermarket own brand versus the market leader. You buy it because its cheaper. It may be equally as good, sometimes better but remains 'second choice'. I'd go Lotus every time. Fulfill the dream!
See what you are saying. However, both cars are special to drive. Have you driven both? Turbo vx represents massive smiles for a great £ and LOTS of smiles.I had this dilemma, but for my money I could get much more(of a very similar)car by buying the VX. I'm sure that the Elise will be slightly better handling, but after a Westfield I figured that either would have felt a bit tame. I also like the fact that the VX is the much rarer car. Can't sat the Vauxhall badge particularly bothers me, but then I did get a Westfield over a Caterham for the exact same reasons!
simpo555 said:
No-one I know has ever said to me 'Wow, look at that Vauxhall' I've never been to the pub and heard anybody say 'I dream about buying a Vauxhall. I've never seen Vauxhall coming anywhere near Formula 1. Call it badge snobbery if you like but a Vauxhall will always be a Vauxhall in most peoples eyes. While Lotus may lack the quality of germanic brands, it remains amongst peoples aspirations, arouses passion and has history into the boot. To me its like comparing supermarket own brand versus the market leader. You buy it because its cheaper. It may be equally as good, sometimes better but remains 'second choice'. I'd go Lotus every time. Fulfill the dream!
How about if a Lotus badged Corsa was on the market? John D. said:
How about if a Lotus badged Corsa was on the market?
Fortunately thats not the case. However, if it weighed around 500kg, did 0-100 in under 4 seconds why not
More seriously, a choice of car involves several criteria, image, prestige, emotion and cost too name but a few. A VX might be good to drive, relatively inexpensive and might just make me smile but can't help feeling the smile wouldn't last because it's a Vauxhall. Just can't help feeling that it would leave me short changed. In the end its down to personal taste and fortunately for Vauxhall not everyone thinks like me. Funnily enough one of the few times Vauxhall actually had some sort of image seemed to be with the Lotus Carlton, so a Lotus Corsa or Astra, why not
I had some fun with a VX220 on a track day a couple of years ago at Croft. The yellow VX in the video had about 350bhp, my S1 at the time was basically standard engine wise (118bhp). It totally monstered me on the straights but i pulled a bit back through the twisties and helped by traffic at times.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-Uvx5Nb0NbA
Not sure I really like the styling of the VX the front just doesn't do it for me.
Are the prices of VX's firming up, they seem to be more expensive than I remember.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-Uvx5Nb0NbA
Not sure I really like the styling of the VX the front just doesn't do it for me.
Are the prices of VX's firming up, they seem to be more expensive than I remember.
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