at Are Elise that bad in the wet?
Discussion
I should be taking delivery of my first ever lotus next saturday, a 111S. I keep hearing how bad they can be in the wet and its got me a little concerned. I'm thinking if the handling in the dry is so awesome surely it isnt that bad in the wet. I've had a mk1 mr2 for nearly 8 years now and thats perfectly fine in the wet if you respect it. Does the light weight and wide tyres on the Elise make it any worse or can i just expect it to handle fine and not spit me of the road at the first sign of a puddle. The Elise is on near new AD07's.
I find the Elise really stable in the wet. This was a concern of mine as I have had some real handfuls in the past like a RX7 twin turbo. However the Elise has given me no unexpected moments in the last two years.
Of course the downside in the rain is the leaking roof and fogging up windscreen...
Of course the downside in the rain is the leaking roof and fogging up windscreen...
They do aquaplane a bit on standing water (due to a relatively high tyre-width to weight ratio) and they seem to catch spray more than other cars, maybe because the windscreen is so low down. The only time I've found this an issue is on really wet motorways and dual carriageways. If there isn't standing water, I find I can push on in the wet with just as much confidence as in the dry.
AD07s are truly appalling on snow, though.
AD07s are truly appalling on snow, though.
NEVER had any aquaplaning in 30,000 miles in the Elise.
It will go sideways in the wet if you hoof it or lift off the throttle/brakes mid corner, but that's to be expected.
Easy to feel what it's going to do, and pretty predictable. I'd say they're actually more snappy in the dry due to the high levels of grip - they can be going at pretty daft speeds when they eventually let go, so you need to be quick.
In the wet everything obviously happens a lot slower.
Carlimits or something if you're concerned?
It will go sideways in the wet if you hoof it or lift off the throttle/brakes mid corner, but that's to be expected.
Easy to feel what it's going to do, and pretty predictable. I'd say they're actually more snappy in the dry due to the high levels of grip - they can be going at pretty daft speeds when they eventually let go, so you need to be quick.
In the wet everything obviously happens a lot slower.
Carlimits or something if you're concerned?
Because the dry limits are so high many people don't get near them. In the wet the drop in grip can be more pronounced than other cars.
Classic mistake is winding on too much lock as the car is understeering which gives snappy oversteer when the front eventually regrips. Always minimise the front end slip angles and you'll be fine...
Seconded Carlimits worth doing (if not 100% familiar with the above). The car will tell you everything and they're actually great fun in the wet.
Classic mistake is winding on too much lock as the car is understeering which gives snappy oversteer when the front eventually regrips. Always minimise the front end slip angles and you'll be fine...
Seconded Carlimits worth doing (if not 100% familiar with the above). The car will tell you everything and they're actually great fun in the wet.
Edited by alicrozier on Tuesday 16th October 09:59
They understeer a fair bit in the wet if you drive like you have hiking boots on...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAHxk0iu6oc&fea...
Then again, you could probably try driving with a measure of finesse (something I unfortunately lack!!). As above, just don't wind all the lock on at the same time (like me!). A good laugh though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAHxk0iu6oc&fea...
Then again, you could probably try driving with a measure of finesse (something I unfortunately lack!!). As above, just don't wind all the lock on at the same time (like me!). A good laugh though.
Edited by pthelazyjourno on Tuesday 16th October 10:21
They are very sensitive to wheels, tyres & geo. In my experience my S1 Elise was much more tricky than the MR2 mk1 - I base it on 2 equally wet trackdays in each car on the same circuit. I would have a guess they are over-tyred and over-cambered at the rear which causes the twitchyness in the wet.
The only reason I found my S1 trickier than my Mk1 MR2 is because it had a noticeable chunk more power and weighed 300kg less - I didn't find the handling itself any more difficult in the wet, and mine was running a lot of camber.
Also driven other Elises on wet track days, and always found the handling fairly similar.
MK1 MR2 just felt like a heavier car to me, but with similar attributes - it reacted in the same way to provocation (which I guess is to be expected).
The only time I've found it to be snappy in the wet is when trying to drift it on wet handling days, and then it / I've been pretty hopeless. I'm confident that would be the case in any mid-engined car though!!
Although you're right - shagged alignment / tyres / suspension will all make a difference, but again applicable to any car.
Also driven other Elises on wet track days, and always found the handling fairly similar.
MK1 MR2 just felt like a heavier car to me, but with similar attributes - it reacted in the same way to provocation (which I guess is to be expected).
The only time I've found it to be snappy in the wet is when trying to drift it on wet handling days, and then it / I've been pretty hopeless. I'm confident that would be the case in any mid-engined car though!!
Although you're right - shagged alignment / tyres / suspension will all make a difference, but again applicable to any car.
Edited by pthelazyjourno on Thursday 18th October 22:34
they are hard to unstick in the dry due to high grip levels but much more fun in the wet where you can start to appreciate how sweetly balanced they are (I have an S2).
streaming wet anglesey track day a few years ago was as much fun as I've had in a car, certainly the longest sustained drifts i've ever done in anything. I'd recommend doing similar.
Used to own a Honda S2000. I won't hear a bad word about them but that WAS treacherous in the wet. Would snap out suddenly on a light throttle.
Agree aquaplaning can be an issue with a light car, so always one to watch but standard narrow front tyres cut through standing water well. Might not be so true of cars which have upgraded to wider front rubber.
Nothing to fear while the brain is engaged.
streaming wet anglesey track day a few years ago was as much fun as I've had in a car, certainly the longest sustained drifts i've ever done in anything. I'd recommend doing similar.
Used to own a Honda S2000. I won't hear a bad word about them but that WAS treacherous in the wet. Would snap out suddenly on a light throttle.
Agree aquaplaning can be an issue with a light car, so always one to watch but standard narrow front tyres cut through standing water well. Might not be so true of cars which have upgraded to wider front rubber.
Nothing to fear while the brain is engaged.
t in the wet and you'll be fine. The grip limits are very high in the dry - so much so that if you reach the limit in the dry you ARE driving like a kn0b!!!
In the wet they CAN slide if provoked, but no worse than any other mid engine grippy car.
In over 100k miles, I have have never spun in the dry and had one spin (well half spin) in the wet - and yes I was being silly.....
The real answer is go and do an airfiled day - Mr Walsh is excellent and comes highly recommended.
By doing one of his days you will know where the car's limits are and you will be MUCH safer and enjoy your car loads more.
In the wet they CAN slide if provoked, but no worse than any other mid engine grippy car.
In over 100k miles, I have have never spun in the dry and had one spin (well half spin) in the wet - and yes I was being silly.....
The real answer is go and do an airfiled day - Mr Walsh is excellent and comes highly recommended.
By doing one of his days you will know where the car's limits are and you will be MUCH safer and enjoy your car loads more.
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