Best experience of all in your Lotus Elise/Exige?
Discussion
Too many to list really.
Picking up my first S1, I'll always remember that drive home, an iconic moment in my life for sure. For about a month afterwards, always grinned like an idiot every time I said "my Lotus".... something I'd dreamed of saying since I was four.
My first trackday down in Taupo with ClubLotus NZ was memorable... fantastic drive down in convoy, loads of nice people met, and great day on track.
Catching the first glimpse of my Exige on the transport ship was a BIG moment.
Also my first trackday in the Exige was a revelation.... after a couple of years on track in the Elise, this was the ultimate evolution and culmination for me... some great time on track and a great trip down and back, even breaking down and repairing the car whilst "on tour" was a bit of fun.
Picking up my first S1, I'll always remember that drive home, an iconic moment in my life for sure. For about a month afterwards, always grinned like an idiot every time I said "my Lotus".... something I'd dreamed of saying since I was four.
My first trackday down in Taupo with ClubLotus NZ was memorable... fantastic drive down in convoy, loads of nice people met, and great day on track.
Catching the first glimpse of my Exige on the transport ship was a BIG moment.
Also my first trackday in the Exige was a revelation.... after a couple of years on track in the Elise, this was the ultimate evolution and culmination for me... some great time on track and a great trip down and back, even breaking down and repairing the car whilst "on tour" was a bit of fun.
Only had mine a month (2000 miles) but so far the best experience for me was when I realised just how capable an Exige S is..
Sunny sunday afternoon, late on in the day as the sun was starting to drop down above the moors...mile after mile of fast sweeping roads....made even more special by hanging on the back of a Gallardo watching blue flames firing out the exhausts....
Cant post pics from work as it doesnt allow access to Photobucket, but ill stick a couple up later.
Edited to add some pics..
Plus a couple of all of us taken earlier in the day....
Sunny sunday afternoon, late on in the day as the sun was starting to drop down above the moors...mile after mile of fast sweeping roads....made even more special by hanging on the back of a Gallardo watching blue flames firing out the exhausts....
Cant post pics from work as it doesnt allow access to Photobucket, but ill stick a couple up later.
Edited to add some pics..
Plus a couple of all of us taken earlier in the day....
Edited by purdy84 on Friday 30th November 17:58
Got to be, without doubt;
Roccastrada; http://www.pistonheads.tv/clip526
From a Eurohoon thread;
Roccastrada; http://www.pistonheads.tv/clip526
From a Eurohoon thread;
tonyhetherington said:
Tuscan roads was indeed it. It was funny; that day we (me, nubbin & Charlie, Ted & Johno) completely messed up (read; ted's sat nav bolloxed it up) and ended up going straight to the hotel down the motorway, seeing none of the fun roads.
We get to the hotel around 2pm, ring Nick who used the phrase "You have just missed the best driving roads of your life" CRAP. Very deflated and very annoyed at ourselves we discuss all manor of possibilities over lunch; going to following night's hotel, turning round, getting drunk etc. This is sprawled out over the table with route books, maps, and sat nav tom tom's!
Then, Ted noticed on his European map that a green and yellow road is a 'scenic route' and that we had one of these 'scenic routes' barely 10mins drive from the hotel. Still deflated, at around 3 0'clock in the afternoon we decide to go and drive it.
Click this link...
http://tinyurl.com/7nq9d
Can you tell what made us go there?
It was, truly, the best road I have ever driven (and I've been very lucky to do some great things!), and having the video of it (now infamous
) makes it all the more enjoyable.
It's difficult to put into words just how awesome that afternoon was, especially after being so deflated that we ballsed it up.
And to think...I was pushing for us to go onto the following night's hotel!
Thanks for making me realise how depressing it is to be at work!
Something which we were not prepared for was just how beautiful and untouched his small Tuscan village was - it really was amazing, and all the locals came out to see us. Truly spectacular.
We get to the hotel around 2pm, ring Nick who used the phrase "You have just missed the best driving roads of your life" CRAP. Very deflated and very annoyed at ourselves we discuss all manor of possibilities over lunch; going to following night's hotel, turning round, getting drunk etc. This is sprawled out over the table with route books, maps, and sat nav tom tom's!
Then, Ted noticed on his European map that a green and yellow road is a 'scenic route' and that we had one of these 'scenic routes' barely 10mins drive from the hotel. Still deflated, at around 3 0'clock in the afternoon we decide to go and drive it.
Click this link...
http://tinyurl.com/7nq9d
Can you tell what made us go there?
It was, truly, the best road I have ever driven (and I've been very lucky to do some great things!), and having the video of it (now infamous
) makes it all the more enjoyable. It's difficult to put into words just how awesome that afternoon was, especially after being so deflated that we ballsed it up.
And to think...I was pushing for us to go onto the following night's hotel!
Thanks for making me realise how depressing it is to be at work!
Something which we were not prepared for was just how beautiful and untouched his small Tuscan village was - it really was amazing, and all the locals came out to see us. Truly spectacular.
Edited by TonyHetherington on Friday 30th November 12:49
Mine was in 2003, early sunday morning in February. The car was an S1 - elise 160. I was on the Isle of Man, it was cold, dry and not a single cloud in the sky. Top down, warm jacket, scarf and gloves and the heater on full pelt on my feet. Due to the time of day, there were hardly any other cars or bikes on the TT course driving clockwise. Two parts I remember best was the stretch between peel and ramsey, where the roads are sinewey but pretty smooth. The low sun was making the light flicker through the trees that line both sides of the road and reach over it making a kind of tunnel effect (quite beautiful). The second was climbing over the mountain between ramsey and douglas. At the top of the mountain the roads are nice - smooth and twisty, many corners with superb visability.
Needless to say, speed limits were not an issue and she absolutely screamed. Absolute and total heaven.
Needless to say, speed limits were not an issue and she absolutely screamed. Absolute and total heaven.
Only got my elise in May and Summer was terrible here (Ireland) but one day the sun shone, I had the day off work and I woke up at 6.am and saw the light glinting through the curtains, jumped out of bed and headed for Kerry, about a 4 hour drive with empty roads and the best mountain pass I ever found. No idea what its called but I know where it is. Absolutely flung the car at it, best day I've had in it yet.
One of two for me, the first was having a sideways 'moment' on the roundabout before joining the Mulasne straight at Le Mans this year. The other was a few weeks ago with the roof down, sun shining and stereo on driving through the countryside to our house in France along deserted roads at 9am.
Loads....
Driving round Europe on a Stelvio tour, the first trackday round Brands, picking up the 'Brands rhythm' and being rewarded by the car, everytime I learn a new driving technique, car shows where you get to give something back - when I was a kid I'd have loved to sit in a sportscar so I'm more than happy to open the door at these events.
What makes this car better than the others is participating in events with other owners, never had that before.
Driving round Europe on a Stelvio tour, the first trackday round Brands, picking up the 'Brands rhythm' and being rewarded by the car, everytime I learn a new driving technique, car shows where you get to give something back - when I was a kid I'd have loved to sit in a sportscar so I'm more than happy to open the door at these events.
What makes this car better than the others is participating in events with other owners, never had that before.
45 miles from Brands Hatch to my place after the SELOC meet, clear dry night and not a single car in front of me at any point in the 45 miles roof off and a fantastic drive A and B roads all the way (mostly B)I had owned the car for around a month and this was such a great drive.
Oh and the run to the last goodwood Breakfast club with the Sussex SELOC group
Oh and the run to the last goodwood Breakfast club with the Sussex SELOC group
- RAF Marham track day in 2006. The top bend at vMax only to arrive at the next corner and discover that I'd undertaken two hypercars on the big one (they took a very different line through the wide corner). Nothing to do with driver talent, just an amazing set-up and the confidence that the car gave.
- A 9-tenths dawn charge up Mont Ventoux on the FB5K Millau Mini-Tour. Single most enjoyable drive I've ever had in the car.
- The 'Ash Road' in Norway on the FB5K Viking Tour. Like driving an Elise in the Ice Age. Breath-taking.
I have only owned the car for 7 months, but there are already so many
1. The drive home after I picked the car up from the seller ... In fact, it was the very first time I had ever driven an Elise! I opted out of test driving any private sale cars I viewed due to age/insurance problems. So instead my father and his friend (Both in motortrade) test drove the cars for me. Risky I know, but I've found a decent one!
Fell in love with the car instantly - Unbelievable amounts of fun! Couldn't quite believe I owned one ... Many a night spent looking at the car in sheer disbelief and awe.
The first wave from another Lotus owner and driving down country roads with the roof off for the first time are also high up on the list!
2. Sun, Sea and Burning Rubber Weston-Super-Mare meet ... Excellent bunch of people, a great little hoon round Cheddar Gorge and of course being part of a 25+ Elise convoy from Cribb's Causeway to WSM
3. Driving side by side with a black Esprit V8 on the A404 heading up to Handy Cross round-about near Wycombe. Pulled up beside each other at the lights, revved and both lit up the tyres onto the round-about
1. The drive home after I picked the car up from the seller ... In fact, it was the very first time I had ever driven an Elise! I opted out of test driving any private sale cars I viewed due to age/insurance problems. So instead my father and his friend (Both in motortrade) test drove the cars for me. Risky I know, but I've found a decent one!
Fell in love with the car instantly - Unbelievable amounts of fun! Couldn't quite believe I owned one ... Many a night spent looking at the car in sheer disbelief and awe. The first wave from another Lotus owner and driving down country roads with the roof off for the first time are also high up on the list!
2. Sun, Sea and Burning Rubber Weston-Super-Mare meet ... Excellent bunch of people, a great little hoon round Cheddar Gorge and of course being part of a 25+ Elise convoy from Cribb's Causeway to WSM
3. Driving side by side with a black Esprit V8 on the A404 heading up to Handy Cross round-about near Wycombe. Pulled up beside each other at the lights, revved and both lit up the tyres onto the round-about
Edited by Ikemi on Friday 30th November 18:27
Gruffy said:
* RAF Marham track day in 2006. The top bend at vMax only to arrive at the next corner and discover that I'd undertaken two hypercars on the big one (they took a very different line through the wide corner). Nothing to do with driver talent, just an amazing set-up and the confidence that the car gave.
Fantastic pic- A 9-tenths dawn charge up Mont Ventoux on the FB5K Millau Mini-Tour. Single most enjoyable drive I've ever had in the car.
- The 'Ash Road' in Norway on the FB5K Viking Tour. Like driving an Elise in the Ice Age. Breath-taking.
S Works said:
So far two stand out.
a) On track - Craner Curves at 100+ mph. Utterly fantastic bit of track.
b) On road - the BoLOCs to Wales tour when DaveyS2 took us on a 250 mile tour through Wales via the Elan Valley. Best day of driving I've ever had.
Completely agree with (b), just wish the weather had been better. Just need to get up there again when visibility is greater than 100fta) On track - Craner Curves at 100+ mph. Utterly fantastic bit of track.
b) On road - the BoLOCs to Wales tour when DaveyS2 took us on a 250 mile tour through Wales via the Elan Valley. Best day of driving I've ever had.
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