RE: Smart Roadster: Tell Me I'm Wrong
Discussion
fastgerman said:
I sat in one of these at a motorshow with a friend and our shoulders touched - we aren't that big before you start....
The only person I know who likes these had a green Megane, then a Fiat 500 and changes gear at 2000 rpm to save fuel
I cannot honestly imagine how the driver and passenger's shoulders could touch unless you are both > 30 stone, or are allergic to the windows, or were trying to kiss or something? The centre console bit is really wide, certainly no thinner than 'normal' cars - how the hell did you manage to touch (yeah, you *wanted* to didn't you?!)The only person I know who likes these had a green Megane, then a Fiat 500 and changes gear at 2000 rpm to save fuel
Most of my gear changes happen just after 6000 rpm
I know the Roadster might be a *bit* of a marmite car, but the vitriol (and plain b
ks) that gets spouted about it on here because it seems 'cool' to do, I wonder? Mind you, I think MX5's are massively overrated and rust...Haha... I remember going for a test drive in one of those Coupes when I still owned my Elise.
The gearbox was indeed a PITA, and could be made a bit more fun if you actually lifted, then shifted manually and reapplied throttle. But coming from a pretty sharp Quaife in the Elise... DAYUM.
Twisties were ok, chassis was ok, and driving position was very close to the Elise.
I did get a few weird looks from the sales guy, when I tried to make it to powerslide at every corner (with the normal engine, it didn't do much), and during braking situations (according to the sales, I braked "pretty late").
When we arrived back at the dealership, he asked me what car I was driving... I just pointed at my Elise saying "that yellow thing there" and he went "oh, the Roadsters big example. Now I know why you drive like that."
I'll say it, if Brabus would have brought out the V6... I might have. But they were wrong NOT to take that into mass production (making only 10 of them IIRC)
The gearbox was indeed a PITA, and could be made a bit more fun if you actually lifted, then shifted manually and reapplied throttle. But coming from a pretty sharp Quaife in the Elise... DAYUM.
Twisties were ok, chassis was ok, and driving position was very close to the Elise.
I did get a few weird looks from the sales guy, when I tried to make it to powerslide at every corner (with the normal engine, it didn't do much), and during braking situations (according to the sales, I braked "pretty late").
When we arrived back at the dealership, he asked me what car I was driving... I just pointed at my Elise saying "that yellow thing there" and he went "oh, the Roadsters big example. Now I know why you drive like that."
I'll say it, if Brabus would have brought out the V6... I might have. But they were wrong NOT to take that into mass production (making only 10 of them IIRC)
yonex said:
300bhp/ton said:
I love mine :- )
If there is a better more livable every day sports car I don't know of it.
MX5If there is a better more livable every day sports car I don't know of it.
MR2
Honda Beat
Cappuccino
MGTF
S2000
Boxster
Elise
As others have said, a well-conceived idea which was poorly executed. Limp steering, peaky yet gutless engine, and a gearbox which wasn't good in traffic or on open roads.
It will go down in history as "4/10. Nice, but must try harder."
PascalBuyens said:
Haha... I remember going for a test drive in one of those Coupes when I still owned my Elise.
The gearbox was indeed a PITA, and could be made a bit more fun if you actually lifted, then shifted manually and reapplied throttle. But coming from a pretty sharp Quaife in the Elise... DAYUM.
Twisties were ok, chassis was ok, and driving position was very close to the Elise.
I did get a few weird looks from the sales guy, when I tried to make it to powerslide at every corner (with the normal engine, it didn't do much), and during braking situations (according to the sales, I braked "pretty late").
When we arrived back at the dealership, he asked me what car I was driving... I just pointed at my Elise saying "that yellow thing there" and he went "oh, the Roadsters big example. Now I know why you drive like that."
I'll say it, if Brabus would have brought out the V6... I might have. But they were wrong NOT to take that into mass production (making only 10 of them IIRC)
It really wasn't aimed at Elise owners though, not in market segment or more specifically price.The gearbox was indeed a PITA, and could be made a bit more fun if you actually lifted, then shifted manually and reapplied throttle. But coming from a pretty sharp Quaife in the Elise... DAYUM.
Twisties were ok, chassis was ok, and driving position was very close to the Elise.
I did get a few weird looks from the sales guy, when I tried to make it to powerslide at every corner (with the normal engine, it didn't do much), and during braking situations (according to the sales, I braked "pretty late").
When we arrived back at the dealership, he asked me what car I was driving... I just pointed at my Elise saying "that yellow thing there" and he went "oh, the Roadsters big example. Now I know why you drive like that."
I'll say it, if Brabus would have brought out the V6... I might have. But they were wrong NOT to take that into mass production (making only 10 of them IIRC)
Personally I love the Elise and very much would like one. But truth be told, while the Elise is certainly a better sports car, it would be far less livable day in, day out.
dugmeister said:
Test drive in my sisters roadster, I thought this might be an interesting drive in a little sports car, boy was I wrong. Gear changes horrible, a pretty car for posers and tossers, no sense of urgency while driving behind the wheel.
Def not a drivers car, nuf said.
I'll happily take you for a spin in mine. Pretty sure you'd feel differently about them afterwards.Def not a drivers car, nuf said.
The truth is that it is easy to make a small lightweight fun car. Easy peasy. You have got to give them credit for bringing it to market. I agree that this was a missed opportunity. If they had gone down a different route on engine, box and build, they woukd have had a winnder on their hands.
But this misses the point, if they had done this, it would have no longer been a Smart. Just like if my auntie had a knob she'd be my uncle. (My father told me this every single time I ever dared to say 'if'. It took me years to work it out, but I was very young).
But this misses the point, if they had done this, it would have no longer been a Smart. Just like if my auntie had a knob she'd be my uncle. (My father told me this every single time I ever dared to say 'if'. It took me years to work it out, but I was very young).
I could honestly live with one if it wasn't for that fking terrible gearbox.
With no malice or offence intended, I genuinely cannot fathom how anyone who has driven one of those can think of it as anything other than fking terrible. In fact its worse than terrible. Its utterly, utterly abysmal.
king terrible gearbox.With no malice or offence intended, I genuinely cannot fathom how anyone who has driven one of those can think of it as anything other than f
king terrible. In fact its worse than terrible. Its utterly, utterly abysmal. 300bhp/ton said:
yonex said:
MX5
MR2
Honda Beat
Cappuccino
MGTF
S2000
Boxster
Elise
So which of those manage an easy 52mpg, good parts supply and weigh under 800kg?MR2
Honda Beat
Cappuccino
MGTF
S2000
Boxster
Elise
Is this going to be another one of those threads where you defend/argue something to death because you like/own it, and can't understand why others don't agree with you?
jamespink said:
Ghastly looking, horrid, needlessly complex gearbox arrangement. The Grinnall Scorpion is the polar opposite for a similar price. Stonkingly fast, massive brakes, slick sequential box, rocking beam suspension, massive fun. If in the slightest doubt, drive one! http://www.grinnallcars.com/scorpion-IV-sports-car...
What on earth, a Grinnall Scorpion was the best part of £30k, had three wheels, no roof, doors or decent luggage space, in what world are they comparable? A McLaren F1 pisses all over a Grinnal Scorpion, drive one! Plus, an Elise is a lot better than both.
MrBig said:
I could honestly live with one if it wasn't for that fking terrible gearbox.
With no malice or offence intended, I genuinely cannot fathom how anyone who has driven one of those can think of it as anything other than fking terrible. In fact its worse than terrible. Its utterly, utterly abysmal.
On the flip side, I honestly don't understand how people complain about it. I think too many of you seem to think it should be a PS3 or a £140k Ferrari.king terrible gearbox.With no malice or offence intended, I genuinely cannot fathom how anyone who has driven one of those can think of it as anything other than f
king terrible. In fact its worse than terrible. Its utterly, utterly abysmal. You put your foot down, you reach the point you'd change gear in a manual, so you bang the lever. And low and behold it changes gear.
You are coming up to a corner, you brake, you want to change gear, so you pull back on the lever, and amazement, it downshifts.
In either case it'll start changing gear the instant you move the lever. And then proceed to shift the cogs about at a similar pace to what a human would with a H gate.
If you believe that the instant you move the lever it should have already completely changed gear, then you are simply being unrealistic.
The only time the gearbox will really catch you out, is when YOU the driver make an error, like for get to down shift as you approach a round about. You need to make sure you, the 'driver', select the correct gear. If you don't, then the gearbox will be slow trying to make the best of the bad situation you created. Remember it isn't an auto box, so it won't drive like a normal auto. And it's won't ride the clutch like a human does when you pull away in 2nd from a stand still at a round about because you hadn't left yourself time to select 1st.
Drive properly and use the box how it's designed and intended to be used and it works brilliantly with the car. And I know I'll enjoy almost all of the gear changes on my 40 mile drive home in mine tonight.
pthelazyjourno said:
What on earth, a Grinnall Scorpion was the best part of £30k, had three wheels, no roof, doors or decent luggage space, in what world are they comparable? A McLaren F1 pisses all over a Grinnal Scorpion, drive one!
Plus, an Elise is a lot better than both.
There was a four wheeled version of the Scorpion too (called the Scorpion 4, logically enough). Still not really a competitor, though. Plus, an Elise is a lot better than both.
300bhp/ton said:
So which of those manage an easy 52mpg, good parts supply and weigh under 800kg?
Within 3mpg or so, and with considerably better performance, a better parts supply, better (IME) weather protection, better driving experience, the Elise. For the sake of argument. I do actually like the Roadster (Coupe), and would happily own one. Maybe I will one day, but it's not as good as the Elise.
Edited by pthelazyjourno on Wednesday 18th December 17:17
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