Elise R v Elise S

[northernsoul]

I'm in need of some advice - I'm thinking of buying either an Elise R or an S. I've read a fair bit of stuff that says the S is a much better bet for road use and the R only really better for track. I've taken one of each for a spin but the R I took out only had a hundred miles on and the dealer didnt want me thrashing it at the top of the rev band.

Anyone with an R on here?

[S Works]

Loads of people. Have a search in the history, this has been discussed quite a few times before. Go find a dealer with one that's properly run-in if that one doesn't want to sell you a car.

[NathanE]

I'd say they're both good road cars. Perhaps the R gets labelled as more track worthy because it is simply a faster car. The S is pretty darn slow really, ~18s to 100mph. But you will have fun getting there and that is what counts.

An S with a nice induction/exhaust upgrade will be a great piece of fun but sadly won't ever match what an R can do. You have to work the R harder to get what you want. Most R's are sold based on the noise and adrenaline that the 2nd cam makes - but what a noise AND what a rush!!???

2 great cars. One is for the more relaxed, less speed freak of a driver. The other is for the more hardcore people

Edited by NathanE on Sunday 30th September 22:03

[miro]

Depends what you have driven before and what you want out of it . if its fun then either will do if its bragging rights then you have to have the R. speed is relative and well I got the S as its my first sporty rwd car and common sence would dictate that the R = faster and more likely to get into trouble. you could say I wont know what im missing but i have loved every mile of the 500 i drove this weekend I just dont think you can go wrong . get a proper testdrive and go with the one YOU like driving and that suits the way you drive. I have never been happy doing going at three figure speeds on a public road. Is that 3rd or 4th in an R??

all imho (and I have a totaly rose tinted view on it all)

[S Works]

miro said:

get a proper testdrive and go with the one YOU like driving and that suits the way you drive.

[Jonblue]

Having driven both for a while, I have to say that there is no easy answer to this. With it's high revving +6000 rpm power band, the R is madness, and I can highly recommend it. But this does not mean that the S is its poor relation. I understand that the S is identical to the R (on paper) until the second cam kicks in, but it just 'feels' like it has more torque, and this means that the S 'feels' like a more satisfactory everyday road car.

If you have a choice then I'd advise the R simply because you can spank more bottoms with it, but if you go for the S then don't feel that you have opted for a lesser car - far from it.

There seems that there is a lot of variation in the way individual cars have been put together and the way that they drive. Some feel really solid, with slick gear changes and a well planted posture - other's feel a bit cheap and skittish. I would make a judgement on the individual car as much as the S/R thing.

[worldwidewebs]

I think you might be thinking of the K-series engined 111S and not the Toyota engined S.

The S (134 bhp) is pretty much like the R (189 bhp) apart from the fact that the R has a massive kick around 6000 rpm when the second cam kicks in. I've not driven an S but I think some may find it rather disappointing.

The 111S (156 bhp) is much more linear in its power and torque delivery and hence why some people prefer it on the road where revs are usually lower. ie you don't have to be screaming the nuts off it all the time!

[peter450]

The engine in the elise S has a longer stroke than the one in the R hence why you feel it has more low down urge, it's design is more tuned to providing stronger torque the 111r main design brief was high revs/an power output, so i'd be surprised if it's low end torque matched that of the S