VX220 Turbo v Elise...
Discussion
Am I missing a trick or something? Why is it that people seem to prefer an Elise to a VX220 Turbo? The Vauxhall’s are going for peanuts compared to the Elise’s and offer far more performance (maybe not quite as good handling?). Is it a case of badge snobbery or are the Vauxhall’s really not up to an Elise?
I’ve been contemplating selling my 968 Sport in favour of an Elise which I love the look of (I'm not so keen on the VX's looks I must admit), but the performance / price of the VX220 Turbo cant be ignored.
So, what’s the deal with these then? Are they worth opting for over an Elise???
MHM
I’ve been contemplating selling my 968 Sport in favour of an Elise which I love the look of (I'm not so keen on the VX's looks I must admit), but the performance / price of the VX220 Turbo cant be ignored.
So, what’s the deal with these then? Are they worth opting for over an Elise???
MHM
I eventually shortened my shortlist to the 111S, 111R and VX220t. The VX220 was fastest, but I didn't think the engine suited the car very well. I've never got on well with turbocharged engines, the lag drives me mad. I also didn't like the brakes in the VX very much, I massively preferred the non-assisted setup in the K-series car. The VX220 also falls slightly short in the handling stakes too, although a change of wheels and suspension setup can get it a lot closer.
I think you'd be mad to buy an Elise without at least trying a VX220t, but ultimately it just didn't seem as well resolved to me.
I think you'd be mad to buy an Elise without at least trying a VX220t, but ultimately it just didn't seem as well resolved to me.
Edited by kambites on Friday 24th June 11:30
I had a decent test drive in VX220 Turbo and nearly bought one. Then I tried an S1...............which I bought. Its not all about straight line speed. If that's your concern then you might not get the Elise concept. However, as you're coming from a 968 I assume handling finesse is important to you therefore I suspect that in the longer term you might find the Elise more satisfying.
On Ronin's point: sure Randy has developed the Europa (basically a VXT) to the Nth degree and created a fantastic car but it took a lot of work and £££££££. Randy's car is a long way removed from a boggo VXT/Europa.
It's also worth noting that Ronin has developed some reasonably priced enhancements for the Toyota engine in the 111R which were sold by Sinclairs (now Eseex Motorsport?).
For many, though, the Mk 2 Elise 111S is considered to be the best Elise of the lot for mixed road and track use. There's not a lot of difference in real world performance between the 111S and 111R.
I prefer the simplicity of the Series 1 Elise (which can, failry easily, be enhanced to suit your use).
Try before you buy.
On Ronin's point: sure Randy has developed the Europa (basically a VXT) to the Nth degree and created a fantastic car but it took a lot of work and £££££££. Randy's car is a long way removed from a boggo VXT/Europa.
It's also worth noting that Ronin has developed some reasonably priced enhancements for the Toyota engine in the 111R which were sold by Sinclairs (now Eseex Motorsport?).
For many, though, the Mk 2 Elise 111S is considered to be the best Elise of the lot for mixed road and track use. There's not a lot of difference in real world performance between the 111S and 111R.
I prefer the simplicity of the Series 1 Elise (which can, failry easily, be enhanced to suit your use).
Try before you buy.
Last year I test drove a 111r and VX220T, the Elise felt twice the car to me. I prefered the higher revving engine and the 2nd cam made it feel quicker than the VX (it wasn`t obviously) it also felt like it had more grip (it was pouring down at the time) and I prefered the longer throttle travel.
Sure the VX can be tuned very easily to give a much bigger bang for your buck but riding a torque wave and shifting early isn`t for me in a fun car, I do that every day in my diesel daily driver or the wifes 4x4.
Sure the VX can be tuned very easily to give a much bigger bang for your buck but riding a torque wave and shifting early isn`t for me in a fun car, I do that every day in my diesel daily driver or the wifes 4x4.
mikem7709 said:
Last year I test drove a 111r and VX220T, the Elise felt twice the car to me. I prefered the higher revving engine and the 2nd cam made it feel quicker than the VX (it wasn`t obviously) it also felt like it had more grip (it was pouring down at the time) and I prefered the longer throttle travel.
Sure the VX can be tuned very easily to give a much bigger bang for your buck but riding a torque wave and shifting early isn`t for me in a fun car, I do that every day in my diesel daily driver or the wifes 4x4.
I looked at a VX before the Lotus. Styling wise the Lotus is in a different world. The VX looks awkward in comparison. No offence meant to VX owners.Sure the VX can be tuned very easily to give a much bigger bang for your buck but riding a torque wave and shifting early isn`t for me in a fun car, I do that every day in my diesel daily driver or the wifes 4x4.
I prefer the look of the Lotus but for me the n/a VX220 was a superior package. If you supercharge the n/a VX220 with the Courtney package you end up with a car thats got a better PWR and torque than an Exige CUP 260. Set of same offset & sized wheels & Nitrons, geo setup and there is little between them and certainly not the £20K price difference.
Driven a couple of S1 Elises and had a VXT and a VXR.
Standard Elise S1 feels more planted than the VXT BUT, upgrade the suspension and that makes a big difference!
The roof on the VX can be taken off and put on while sitting in the car (I believe it is the same as the S2 roof?)
Vauxhall dealers are a real pain I am not sure what Lotus is like. Just trying to get a header tank for a VX that comes from the Astra cannot be done at any old Vauxhall garage you have to go to a special one to get the same plastic tank!!!!
All in all you have to try them to really find out.
In many regards they are v similar:
Standard Elise S1 feels more planted than the VXT BUT, upgrade the suspension and that makes a big difference!
The roof on the VX can be taken off and put on while sitting in the car (I believe it is the same as the S2 roof?)
Vauxhall dealers are a real pain I am not sure what Lotus is like. Just trying to get a header tank for a VX that comes from the Astra cannot be done at any old Vauxhall garage you have to go to a special one to get the same plastic tank!!!!
All in all you have to try them to really find out.
In many regards they are v similar:
- For performance mpg is great
- You hold the boot lid open with your head
- Stopping at lights in the rain results in fog from the radiator over your windscreen
- Tyres are expensive
- When they spin they go quite quickly
- Getting in and out are about the same, kind of like getting into your own washing machine
- Roofs leak a bit but who's doesn't
- Grip in the dry is fantastic
- Grip in the wet is not so much (why I got a Murtaya)
- Heaters - there is a heater?
- Every drive is an occasion
Who said anything about badge snobbery
To find out if its the case ask one or two basic questions
Question 1- Ask any schoolboy which car hed rather have without showing a picture. A Lotus or Vauxhall. A huge wad of moneys says 90% or more will go for Lotus.
Question 2- Youre in a pub and talking to a nice young lady. Try saying 'fancy a spin in the Vauxhall' and then 'fancy a spin in the Lotus'. One reply leads to the lady walking away, the other leads to intimate baby making opportunities.
Nuff said. The vauxhall may be brilliant , even better who knows, but its not and never will be a LOTUS
Once a vauxhall, always a vauxhall and thats why they're cheaper
To find out if its the case ask one or two basic questionsQuestion 1- Ask any schoolboy which car hed rather have without showing a picture. A Lotus or Vauxhall. A huge wad of moneys says 90% or more will go for Lotus.
Question 2- Youre in a pub and talking to a nice young lady. Try saying 'fancy a spin in the Vauxhall' and then 'fancy a spin in the Lotus'. One reply leads to the lady walking away, the other leads to intimate baby making opportunities.
Nuff said. The vauxhall may be brilliant , even better who knows, but its not and never will be a LOTUS
Once a vauxhall, always a vauxhall and thats why they're cheaper
Gnits said:
Driven a couple of S1 Elises and had a VXT and a VXR.
Standard Elise S1 feels more planted than the VXT BUT, upgrade the suspension and that makes a big difference!
The roof on the VX can be taken off and put on while sitting in the car (I believe it is the same as the S2 roof?)
Vauxhall dealers are a real pain I am not sure what Lotus is like. Just trying to get a header tank for a VX that comes from the Astra cannot be done at any old Vauxhall garage you have to go to a special one to get the same plastic tank!!!!
All in all you have to try them to really find out.
In many regards they are v similar:
You wouldn't have been competing directly against NA Elises? Surely you'd have been up against supposedly faster machinery and would have been expected to achieve a better time than the supposedly slower Elises and other cars in their class?Standard Elise S1 feels more planted than the VXT BUT, upgrade the suspension and that makes a big difference!
The roof on the VX can be taken off and put on while sitting in the car (I believe it is the same as the S2 roof?)
Vauxhall dealers are a real pain I am not sure what Lotus is like. Just trying to get a header tank for a VX that comes from the Astra cannot be done at any old Vauxhall garage you have to go to a special one to get the same plastic tank!!!!
All in all you have to try them to really find out.
In many regards they are v similar:
- For performance mpg is great
- You hold the boot lid open with your head
- Stopping at lights in the rain results in fog from the radiator over your windscreen
- Tyres are expensive
- When they spin they go quite quickly
- Getting in and out are about the same, kind of like getting into your own washing machine
- Roofs leak a bit but who's doesn't
- Grip in the dry is fantastic
- Grip in the wet is not so much (why I got a Murtaya)
- Heaters - there is a heater?
- Every drive is an occasion
Worth noting that you can also considerably improve on any standard Elises suspension: comparing modded to standard isn't a valid argument.
Finally, there's plenty of grip in the wet.
TIPPER said:
You wouldn't have been competing directly against NA Elises? Surely you'd have been up against supposedly faster machinery and would have been expected to achieve a better time than the supposedly slower Elises and other cars in their class?
Worth noting that you can also considerably improve on any standard Elises suspension: comparing modded to standard isn't a valid argument.
Finally, there's plenty of grip in the wet.
At sprints all times for all classes are displayed so you can compare across groups. VXT and VXR are both forced induction so run in a different class to NA. In reality of course the thing behind the wheel makes the most difference.Worth noting that you can also considerably improve on any standard Elises suspension: comparing modded to standard isn't a valid argument.
Finally, there's plenty of grip in the wet.
I thought standard Elise suspension was rather good straight out of the box, definitely much better than the standard VXT.
Grip in the wet? Behave.
I can see the driveway appeal of the Lotus but having had 4 VX220s I've not been seduced by the badge. My problem is I'm terminally logical when it comes to buying cars and I dont waste a penny of precious income that I dont need to. Over all the 4 cars I've had I've not lost a penny on them and that includes consumables too.
If you look at what you get for your money VX vs Lotus its insanity to buy a Lotus. No matter what the forum beardies say the Lotus Elise S2 IS a VX220 but with an arguably less reliable drivetrain and more expensive parts.
One other part of the argument thats missing is that the VXT isnt the best VX either. Pick yourself up a standard 2.2 NA for a max of about 8-9k and you've essentially got 12 grands worth of Elise. And you can use it all the time without it breaking. Supercharger conversions can be done for 3k so for a total of no more than about 11-12k you have something thats lighter and faster than an Exige S.
All the above points aside there are two reasons for getting an Elise. 1 is that its a Lotus with a Lotus badge and 2 is that if you want to spend more you can have a newer car as all the VXs were produced from 2000-2004.
If you look at what you get for your money VX vs Lotus its insanity to buy a Lotus. No matter what the forum beardies say the Lotus Elise S2 IS a VX220 but with an arguably less reliable drivetrain and more expensive parts.
One other part of the argument thats missing is that the VXT isnt the best VX either. Pick yourself up a standard 2.2 NA for a max of about 8-9k and you've essentially got 12 grands worth of Elise. And you can use it all the time without it breaking. Supercharger conversions can be done for 3k so for a total of no more than about 11-12k you have something thats lighter and faster than an Exige S.
All the above points aside there are two reasons for getting an Elise. 1 is that its a Lotus with a Lotus badge and 2 is that if you want to spend more you can have a newer car as all the VXs were produced from 2000-2004.
Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff