RE: Lotus Elise 250 Special Edition
Discussion
Quickmoose said:
Rawwr said:
Interestingly, the tarted up S1 I bought in 1999 for £27,000 would be £43,000 in today's money. As far as value's concerned, it's probably not that bad. The carbon tat needs to eat a whole bag of dicks, though.
I'm using some converter found via goggle and getting £32k..... if your maths are right, then it's a very relevant little factoid. If not... this is still marketing over substance...but as said...why the hell not.
Rawwr said:
Makes you wonder why Caterham bother. The Seven is positively ancient.
That's an interesting point. Are the fundamentals of this car good enough to continue in perpetuity to fulfil a very small niche? Probably. Not really going to revive Lotus but if it remained as a fast-road/track special when the replacement arrives it would eventually get to the revered status of continuous development that the Seven has. Hitch said:
Rawwr said:
Makes you wonder why Caterham bother. The Seven is positively ancient.
That's an interesting point. Are the fundamentals of this car good enough to continue in perpetuity to fulfil a very small niche? Probably. Not really going to revive Lotus but if it remained as a fast-road/track special when the replacement arrives it would eventually get to the revered status of continuous development that the Seven has. If you enter those segments you first have to challenge the pace setter!
Nice idea too... would be good for Lotus long terms to have the bench mark in this area...
Audemars said:
No manufacturer would want the business model that Caterham occupies. They sell too few cars.
Caterham are also truely fugly.
They as a brand do not even exist in most peoples heads. Completely niche.
Well firstly beauty is in the eye of the beholder, for me they're iconic, and whilst no beautiful in the same way as an 8C, it has a form which follows function superbly...Caterham are also truely fugly.
They as a brand do not even exist in most peoples heads. Completely niche.
Anyway as a British company still British after all these years despite financial crashes and industrial failings... I'd say they're doing remarkably well given the niche they occupy.
For Lotus to have a model that becomes as timeless can only be good....hopefully get more sales and look to replicate the following that cars like the 911 have. It's not about the size of the market sector it's about the longevity, history and ability to capitalise and develop on the name in the future.
Quickmoose said:
I was thinking the same, as Caterham is a byword for 'ultimate road thrills'...Elise would become 'ultimate road biased track car', in the same way as the 911 has become ultimate sports/GT...
If you enter those segments you first have to challenge the pace setter!
Nice idea too... would be good for Lotus long terms to have the bench mark in this area...
That's a great way of putting it. In that segment this car has no serious competition. 4c mk2 will hopefully be better? MX5 is great, but softer. 86 is leaning to daily driver. If you enter those segments you first have to challenge the pace setter!
Nice idea too... would be good for Lotus long terms to have the bench mark in this area...
But then if you can't leverage that status you don't have a (real) business, like Caterham. Roll on the suv!
Still looks fabulous to me.
I think it's telling how so few magazines included a comparison of the Elise vs the Alfa 4c. I get the impression that whilst Alfa might well have a carbon tub, that in pretty much every way the Elise is a better car.
Who cares if it's 15 years old, but still being fettled. Still utterly brilliant. We should be celebrating it.
I think it's telling how so few magazines included a comparison of the Elise vs the Alfa 4c. I get the impression that whilst Alfa might well have a carbon tub, that in pretty much every way the Elise is a better car.
Who cares if it's 15 years old, but still being fettled. Still utterly brilliant. We should be celebrating it.
Mr_Sukebe said:
Still looks fabulous to me.
I think it's telling how so few magazines included a comparison of the Elise vs the Alfa 4c. I get the impression that whilst Alfa might well have a carbon tub, that in pretty much every way the Elise is a better car.
Who cares if it's 15 years old, but still being fettled. Still utterly brilliant. We should be celebrating it.
Yep. At a time when cars are becoming ever more digitised/diluted and enthusiast buyers looking to classics for that analogue feel Lotus is making new cars that give you just that. Sure it's dated but so what, plenty of choice if you need the latest thing (nothing wrong if that's your bag).I think it's telling how so few magazines included a comparison of the Elise vs the Alfa 4c. I get the impression that whilst Alfa might well have a carbon tub, that in pretty much every way the Elise is a better car.
Who cares if it's 15 years old, but still being fettled. Still utterly brilliant. We should be celebrating it.
Gales is wringing every last ounce out of what they've got which is the right thing to do, they've never been more appealing to me.
Mr_Sukebe said:
Still looks fabulous to me.
I think it's telling how so few magazines included a comparison of the Elise vs the Alfa 4c. I get the impression that whilst Alfa might well have a carbon tub, that in pretty much every way the Elise is a better car.
Who cares if it's 15 years old, but still being fettled. Still utterly brilliant. We should be celebrating it.
er, they have. and the 4C has been a letdown. Shame, i really hope they get it right in Mk2. i want this segment to grow as a whole!I think it's telling how so few magazines included a comparison of the Elise vs the Alfa 4c. I get the impression that whilst Alfa might well have a carbon tub, that in pretty much every way the Elise is a better car.
Who cares if it's 15 years old, but still being fettled. Still utterly brilliant. We should be celebrating it.
bazza white said:
Quick question ss that Toyota engine still in production or do lotus\toyota have warehouse stocks. Engine must be a few years old now in design.
The old high rev unit was phased out a few years ago that was the cars high point IMO, theirs very little reason other than wanting a newer car to get the current versionsThe engine used at present is just a standard engine with a blower tacked on, not as good as the VTEC style former unit that was designed from the outset as a high performance inline 4, such a shame it went out of production
Edited by peter450 on Friday 26th August 21:26
t spouted by the same old people. Ooh it's ugly, ooh it's old etc. Largely written by people who have never driven, let alone owned one.Funny thing, people's perception of how a car may be 'ancient'
Is it the actual age of a car, or how it has 'aged', as to be fair, I'd say that the Esprit Turbo, and the Eclat /Excel still look contemporary, and with suitable upgrades to the running gear would still find a market today.
The Lotus Elan (M100) however looked poorly proportioned in period, and in my eyes still looks so.
Instead of condemning the Elise because of familiarity, shouldn't we be celebrating the fact that Lotus got it almost spot on from the word 'go'.
How many cars that have occupied a similar place in the market as the Elise are still around now and still drive as well?
Other than to keep ahead of ever-more draconian laws, what is to stop Lotus continuing production of the Elise for another 10+ years, because as Caterham has shown, a design that is effectively frozen in time can still compete with more modern competition.
Let's face it, the Caterham, KTM X-Bow or the Aeriel Atom aren't exactly able to cover all the bases of a road car / track car as well as the Elise, and I doubt that the latter two will age any better than the Caterham.
I'm blathering on a bit, but I'll pin my colours to the mast and say I'd have an Elise over the others in a flash, and be happy that I've got great driving dynamics and a car that will still look relevant in another 10 or 20 years.
Is it the actual age of a car, or how it has 'aged', as to be fair, I'd say that the Esprit Turbo, and the Eclat /Excel still look contemporary, and with suitable upgrades to the running gear would still find a market today.
The Lotus Elan (M100) however looked poorly proportioned in period, and in my eyes still looks so.
Instead of condemning the Elise because of familiarity, shouldn't we be celebrating the fact that Lotus got it almost spot on from the word 'go'.
How many cars that have occupied a similar place in the market as the Elise are still around now and still drive as well?
Other than to keep ahead of ever-more draconian laws, what is to stop Lotus continuing production of the Elise for another 10+ years, because as Caterham has shown, a design that is effectively frozen in time can still compete with more modern competition.
Let's face it, the Caterham, KTM X-Bow or the Aeriel Atom aren't exactly able to cover all the bases of a road car / track car as well as the Elise, and I doubt that the latter two will age any better than the Caterham.
I'm blathering on a bit, but I'll pin my colours to the mast and say I'd have an Elise over the others in a flash, and be happy that I've got great driving dynamics and a car that will still look relevant in another 10 or 20 years.
amen. 
I still think it's in need of a facelift....but here's to classic, well judged design from the off, twinned with unrivalled driving characteristics. Personally I know full well it's nit picking, but I just wished they'd develop the interior a bit more. But I'm eyeballing and Exige as a potential future purchase...
What the hell as the age of a car got to do with how good it is.
It is wholly possible that the likes of the Caterham and Elise will never be matched in our lifetime...especially at that price point...I'm sure they'll make an electric version soon (morgan have) and they may even get it to be light and have decent range....but even then it'll have no clutch pedal or soundtrack...
Oh and PLENTY of people here lament the Porsche specials....but it seems evident that as a business case, limited editions are the new 'norm'
I still think it's in need of a facelift....but here's to classic, well judged design from the off, twinned with unrivalled driving characteristics. Personally I know full well it's nit picking, but I just wished they'd develop the interior a bit more. But I'm eyeballing and Exige as a potential future purchase...
What the hell as the age of a car got to do with how good it is.
It is wholly possible that the likes of the Caterham and Elise will never be matched in our lifetime...especially at that price point...I'm sure they'll make an electric version soon (morgan have) and they may even get it to be light and have decent range....but even then it'll have no clutch pedal or soundtrack...
Oh and PLENTY of people here lament the Porsche specials....but it seems evident that as a business case, limited editions are the new 'norm'
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