Best 100 bhp road car, to date?
Discussion
BCA said:
Roadie, your car is too heavy standard for my liking, and a bit obvious... 
hehe... seriously though, the gearbox is just too awful.
Modified ones are quick in gear with 100bhp(ish) though - very fun, but no where near the best 100bhp roadcar.
Its too heavy when I am in it maybe...I did say the acceleration can be improved. I did not mention the gearbox. Smart seem to have put that in to frustrate you. But there are remedies (sport clutch, lighter flywheel and the obvious remap which incidentally also brings the bhp up). hehe... seriously though, the gearbox is just too awful. Modified ones are quick in gear with 100bhp(ish) though - very fun, but no where near the best 100bhp roadcar.
I have been in lightweight hot hatches with around a 100Bhp. I have driven a cooper S with almost 200Bhp(which is always praised by everyone) but they are not as fun as the roadie. Might be that I am now used to the RWD thing and i find adjust the line with the throttle, rather then lifting off.
I am not saying the roadster is the best but it is really good. However to put my full opinion I think the best road car around 100ish bhp is the Elise. Ok it has 120Bhp but on the fun factor it is off the scale.
millband said:
RobM77 said:
(talking about the Smart Roadster) I've never really thought that grip was equal to fun, rather that fun was all about adjustability and involvement, regardless of grip levels.
Nope, fun = "activities that are enjoyable or amusing" according to Google. Driving a Roadster is both of those 
I agree it's no paragon of adjustability, and it's far too flawed to be the best anything. The problem is that once you've driven a few hundred miles in one you think of the flaws as "character" and modify your world view accordingly
On a track you can get past the grip and you find it's actually quite nicely balanced. I wonder if the euro-spec "light" version with narrower steel wheels and no power steering would be an interesting drive?
Steve
Maybe the non agreement is based on the fact that I used the word 'fun'. Fun is subjective. I think going around a bend and pulling X amount of G's is fun. But you wouldn't do that without having adjustablility would you. If you know that when the grip dies the car lets go and throws you in hedge, you would not do it.
Case in point, lately I changed the rear tyres from normal road tyres to semi slicks. The grip level increased drastically but so did the adjustability level at the limit. As a result it is more fun. Before I could not floor the throttle without the tail snapping out of shape every corner. Ok granted it is not an Elise for adjustability but with some tinkering.....
roadieblues said:
millband said:
RobM77 said:
(talking about the Smart Roadster) I've never really thought that grip was equal to fun, rather that fun was all about adjustability and involvement, regardless of grip levels.
Nope, fun = "activities that are enjoyable or amusing" according to Google. Driving a Roadster is both of those I agree it's no paragon of adjustability, and it's far too flawed to be the best anything. The problem is that once you've driven a few hundred miles in one you think of the flaws as "character" and modify your world view accordingly
On a track you can get past the grip and you find it's actually quite nicely balanced. I wonder if the euro-spec "light" version with narrower steel wheels and no power steering would be an interesting drive?
Steve
Maybe the non agreement is based on the fact that I used the word 'fun'. Fun is subjective. I think going around a bend and pulling X amount of G's is fun. But you wouldn't do that without having adjustablility would you. If you know that when the grip dies the car lets go and throws you in hedge, you would not do it.
Case in point, lately I changed the rear tyres from normal road tyres to semi slicks. The grip level increased drastically but so did the adjustability level at the limit. As a result it is more fun. Before I could not floor the throttle without the tail snapping out of shape every corner. Ok granted it is not an Elise for adjustability but with some tinkering.....
Beemer-5 said:
Well guys, it seems 100 bhp CAN be good!
I've just spent a few days in my new BMW coupe, and got into the Elise this morning to drive to work. It was an utter revelation! The little Lotus has handling, controls, agility and feedback in a different league to most cars. The difference from the BMW (itself not a bad car) was remarkable. My journey to work is only 15 minutes, so I barely use the Elise's power at all. In other words, I turned up at work with a big smile on my face having never gone above 3k or used more than about 50bhp!That's fun out of the way, but low powered cars can also be pretty quick. My Caterham's a good example that you don't need big power to be fast:
It's only got about 115-120bhp, and is fully road legal, but can lap Brands Hatch quicker than most road cars (according to Autocar 27th July 2004 it's quicker round Brands than a 911 GT3 RS, Lotus Exige, Mitsi EVO VIII, Lambo Gallardo, etc etc). Plus it has a useable boot and space for two adults in reasonable comfort (yes, really!).
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