RE: Why the Lotus Elise still matters | PH Footnote
Discussion
How does the the new Exige (V6) compares to the elise if I may ask? Does the extra power makes up for the extra weight? Has the agility been diluted? Is it a more physical car to drive considering the close to 1200Kgs weight? How is the reliability of the big Toyota motor and gearbox? Are they much heavier on consumables (tyres,brakes, petrol)?
I'm in the market for a Lotus and I tend to go out and drive a few examples but the depreciation of the early V6s makes it a very tempting purchase.
I'm in the market for a Lotus and I tend to go out and drive a few examples but the depreciation of the early V6s makes it a very tempting purchase.
I had an S2 111s for 2 years in my 20’s. I quickly learned how true the murmurs around the K series were even post a highly researched and careful purchase. It’d had £3k spent on the engine at a Lotus specialist months before I bought it, 600 miles in the head went. I learned about how rare VVC heads were and had one shot peened. I learned about the horrifically designed cooling system lifted from hatchbacks that shocks the engine with 10L of cold water and plumbed in a bypass thermostat from a Freelancer to prevent it. Fitting it all myself cost me £2k to fix. I put £600 of Yokohamas on it because the OEM Bridgestones were genuinely appalling. At the time that was a lot.
You couldn’t put a cover on it to protect it when outside as the potential moisture build up can damage the paint. One time it snowed lightly and paint flecks the size of 50p’s flew off each door, it became apparent that panels were left outside the factory as raw fibreglass shells before painting, where they took on moisture. The water can then freeze later in life popping the paint off, so that was a new paint job. Rain leaked in the cabin, a lot. The windows could be adjusted but never stayed true long. The key and ignition was from a Vauxhall Corsa, the wing mirrors from a Rover Metro. You had to unscrew the engine cover with three small and insanely easy to drop bolts to top up washer fluid.
It is the worst car I have ever owned in many respects. And none of that matters.
The feeling you get driving at normal speeds is intense in every good way, the one you get on a good empty road should in its own right be illegal. It’s like being wired into the matrix for the first time, every time. It feels special to drive, it feels special to be in, it feels special to look at. It’s stupid and brilliant all at the same time. And as many have said if it’s driving itself you’re into, the feeling, the challenge, chasing perfection on each apex on the road it’s unfathomable and sublime. Critically, once you’ve owned one nothing compares. It all feels big, soggy, lethargic in response no matter the power, other cars just don’t do everything in the same instinctive way.
I’m currently steering a tidy low mileage 130i with Birds B1 suspension and shortly ARBs and LSD. It’s intended to be a fun all rounder whilst paying off the wedding and house purchase next year. Then I’ll be hunting an Evora.
Or that’s what I’ve been obsessing over. But maybe I’m off the mark. I’ve read numerous posts from Elise/VX owners who’ve moved to Evora’s and found them a less interesting steer, which makes sense given the brief. I’ll be keeping the 130i for future family needs and this will be for driving, I don’t need something with GT DNA. If the Evora is simply a larger, faster slightly better fitted Elise with the same feel that’s something I’d love to try.
If anyone has experience of the two and can give insight I’d be hugely appreciative. Perhaps I should be after a 220 or 250 Cup.
You couldn’t put a cover on it to protect it when outside as the potential moisture build up can damage the paint. One time it snowed lightly and paint flecks the size of 50p’s flew off each door, it became apparent that panels were left outside the factory as raw fibreglass shells before painting, where they took on moisture. The water can then freeze later in life popping the paint off, so that was a new paint job. Rain leaked in the cabin, a lot. The windows could be adjusted but never stayed true long. The key and ignition was from a Vauxhall Corsa, the wing mirrors from a Rover Metro. You had to unscrew the engine cover with three small and insanely easy to drop bolts to top up washer fluid.
It is the worst car I have ever owned in many respects. And none of that matters.
The feeling you get driving at normal speeds is intense in every good way, the one you get on a good empty road should in its own right be illegal. It’s like being wired into the matrix for the first time, every time. It feels special to drive, it feels special to be in, it feels special to look at. It’s stupid and brilliant all at the same time. And as many have said if it’s driving itself you’re into, the feeling, the challenge, chasing perfection on each apex on the road it’s unfathomable and sublime. Critically, once you’ve owned one nothing compares. It all feels big, soggy, lethargic in response no matter the power, other cars just don’t do everything in the same instinctive way.
I’m currently steering a tidy low mileage 130i with Birds B1 suspension and shortly ARBs and LSD. It’s intended to be a fun all rounder whilst paying off the wedding and house purchase next year. Then I’ll be hunting an Evora.
Or that’s what I’ve been obsessing over. But maybe I’m off the mark. I’ve read numerous posts from Elise/VX owners who’ve moved to Evora’s and found them a less interesting steer, which makes sense given the brief. I’ll be keeping the 130i for future family needs and this will be for driving, I don’t need something with GT DNA. If the Evora is simply a larger, faster slightly better fitted Elise with the same feel that’s something I’d love to try.
If anyone has experience of the two and can give insight I’d be hugely appreciative. Perhaps I should be after a 220 or 250 Cup.
Edited by Repent on Wednesday 7th August 22:56
RobM77 said:
john41901 said:
Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious 
....
Yep if you want to pretend to be a 'proper' enthusiast on here there are only two car options you can have, this and a Caterham. Utter nonsense of course spouted by clueless idiots.
I can't quite get over the amusing irony of quoting a phrase coined only to describe 1960s and 70s Lotuses in response to an article on a modern Lotus, and then calling other people clueless idiots! Lotuses have had Toyota engines for well over a decade now, the aluminium chassis doesn't rust, and electrical problems are rare..... Yep if you want to pretend to be a 'proper' enthusiast on here there are only two car options you can have, this and a Caterham. Utter nonsense of course spouted by clueless idiots.
Furthermore, anyone who likes driving and overlooks Caterhams and Elises is sorely missing out. It's not nonsense at all - those two cars are, in my humble opinion at least, the pinnacle of pure driving enjoyment for road cars. For sure, practicality stands in the way of most of us; in the past I've owned 2 Caterhams, an Elise, and a 2-Eleven, but family and work commitments now mean that my garage is devoid of anything lightweight. That doesn't change my opinion though, unlike you I'm not going to defend what I own and criticise what I don't - an Elise is the pinnacle of driving pleasure for what most people relish and enjoy about driving cars.
He will have still been on his way home from school at 4pm.
But he will be pleased to have got some attention when his Mum lets him go online after finishing his Geography homework.
rockin said:
Mr E said:
The Elise has basically ruined most other sports cars for me.
Yes, but there's not many prizes for having an Elise at home in garage while you're clumping about in something else.Plenty of prizes in my book for having a fleet of differing vehicles. Proper driver’s cars don’t keep the wife happy on a weekend away.
Repent said:
I’m currently steering a tidy low mileage 130i with Birds B1 suspension and shortly ARBs and LSD. It’s intended to be a fun all rounder whilst paying off the wedding and house purchase next year. Then I’ll be hunting an Evora.
Or that’s what I’ve been obsessing over. But maybe I’m off the mark. I’ve read numerous posts from Elise/VX owners who’ve moved to Evora’s and found them a less interesting steer, which makes sense given the brief. I’ll be keeping the 130i for future family needs and this will be for driving, I don’t need something with GT DNA. If the Evora is simply a larger, faster slightly better fitted Elise with the same feel that’s something I’d love to try.
If anyone has experience of the two and can give insight I’d be hugely appreciative. Very tempted to go for a 250 Cup.
Elise and Evora are different beasts. Many an Elise owner has upgraded only to miss the real fun of lightweight. Or that’s what I’ve been obsessing over. But maybe I’m off the mark. I’ve read numerous posts from Elise/VX owners who’ve moved to Evora’s and found them a less interesting steer, which makes sense given the brief. I’ll be keeping the 130i for future family needs and this will be for driving, I don’t need something with GT DNA. If the Evora is simply a larger, faster slightly better fitted Elise with the same feel that’s something I’d love to try.
If anyone has experience of the two and can give insight I’d be hugely appreciative. Very tempted to go for a 250 Cup.
Edited by Repent on Wednesday 7th August 22:38
I haven’t driven one, but a Birds 1 series looks a seriously interesting proposition. The aftermarket offerings are very important to those seeking real driver’s cars and many cars are beautifully transformed with appropriate and verified mods.
delta0 said:
Love the Elise. The 4 cylinder engine is the only thing that stops me. I need a better sound. The Exige could be a good alternative that is tempting.
Go out in one with a 2Bular exhaust system and it’ll change your mind. One of the disappointing things about my S3 when I bought it was the noise-granted it took almost two grand on a exquisitely bent and welded bit of stainless steel but bloody hell it totally changes the character of the car. The standard system is so quiet and restrictive in comparison.It still doesn’t compare to the gutteral snorts and howls of my VVC K-Series S1 though-that thing with an induction kit & Janspeed sounded incredible.
I will confess the supercharged V6 in the Evora sounds better than all of them, though...
Great article - 2 months into my new Elise 250cup ownership. Bought for pure enjoyable driving. It makes my 911 seem huge and unconnected. I plan to do lots of track days (first one was brilliant a couple of weeks ago) and some interesting trips round UK/Europe. The Elise has evolved very nicely over the years (better gearshift, very reliable now, plenty of power, very predictable handling, low running costs). Great little cars
CABC said:
rockin said:
Mr E said:
The Elise has basically ruined most other sports cars for me.
Yes, but there's not many prizes for having an Elise at home in garage while you're clumping about in something else.Plenty of prizes in my book for having a fleet of differing vehicles. Proper driver’s cars don’t keep the wife happy on a weekend away.
My commuter is quite literally the dullest thing I own. Because it does the job.
I blat to work in the lotus ~3 months of the year and get the occasional trip out with the boy where appropriate. I’m likely not to track it this year, which is a shame, but not the end of the world.
rockin said:
Have any of you Elise fans ever driven an Exige V6? Dear God those things are fast! ...although quite what you do with it after the first twenty minutes is a bit of a question.
Yes, I commented on this earlier: wonderful cars. The suspension’s so supple in a straight line, but the cornering’s so flat. Magic. I’d come out of a 2-11 and have raced much faster cars, so the performance didn’t impress, but the way the whole car was engineered was just fantastic. As I said earlier, the mind boggles as to why anyone would buy a Porsche instead of driving pleasure was the main aim.Almost all of the driving I do in the UK is in my Elise. Pretty much the only time I travel in another other car is when we're going somewhere as a family at the weekend, and my wife almost always drives then.
I suppose I'm lucky in that I pretty much never drive in heavy traffic and very rarely drive on motorways. When you have a cross-country commute and don't need to take anything more than a laptop to work, there's really not much of a downside to using an Elise as a commuter car.
I suppose I'm lucky in that I pretty much never drive in heavy traffic and very rarely drive on motorways. When you have a cross-country commute and don't need to take anything more than a laptop to work, there's really not much of a downside to using an Elise as a commuter car.
Edited by kambites on Thursday 8th August 07:50
delta0 said:
Love the Elise. The 4 cylinder engine is the only thing that stops me. I need a better sound. The Exige could be a good alternative that is tempting.
I've always thought similar and 4 cylinder engines just aren't all that exciting in terms of noise and actual feel. But I can turn a blind eye in something like the Elise though...because bigger/more cylinder engines are heavy, so a small engine suits the Elise I reckon. Great write-up and being a Lotus fan I really hope the basic Elise ethos will not get buried over elusive hypercars!
I ve had my 111R for almost 10 years now, replacing my S1. Both cars have had too many things go wrong to mention. Currently the dash isn't working so I stuck on the gps over it to know my speed and the Larini exhaust is plenty loud to inform me of my revs.
Many times I was ready to throw the towel and go for an S2000, Boxter or Z4 but one drive is enough to rekindle the flame.
Last week I was chasing down my mate in an m3 and my brother in a Golf R down a deserted winding forest road in the German Mosel. On a tight series of hairpins I had left them behind but between these smoother corners they were hitting serious straight speed which I then had to haul back in the corners. It didnt help that the road surface was pockmarked with ruts and holes, the Elise was jumping from one to the other so violently I had to really aim for grabbing the gearstick. I was cursing, I was sweating and holding on for dear life. Meanwhile in the airconditioned cars, paddles were being flicked and hundreds more horsepower being put to maximum use. We got to the bottom of the hill and I was happy about keeping up when my brother pointed out a massive bruise on my leg from constantly slamming into the steering wheel.
Dear God let there always be Elises.
I ve had my 111R for almost 10 years now, replacing my S1. Both cars have had too many things go wrong to mention. Currently the dash isn't working so I stuck on the gps over it to know my speed and the Larini exhaust is plenty loud to inform me of my revs.
Many times I was ready to throw the towel and go for an S2000, Boxter or Z4 but one drive is enough to rekindle the flame.
Last week I was chasing down my mate in an m3 and my brother in a Golf R down a deserted winding forest road in the German Mosel. On a tight series of hairpins I had left them behind but between these smoother corners they were hitting serious straight speed which I then had to haul back in the corners. It didnt help that the road surface was pockmarked with ruts and holes, the Elise was jumping from one to the other so violently I had to really aim for grabbing the gearstick. I was cursing, I was sweating and holding on for dear life. Meanwhile in the airconditioned cars, paddles were being flicked and hundreds more horsepower being put to maximum use. We got to the bottom of the hill and I was happy about keeping up when my brother pointed out a massive bruise on my leg from constantly slamming into the steering wheel.
Dear God let there always be Elises.
rockin said:
Mr E said:
The Elise has basically ruined most other sports cars for me.
Yes, but there's not many prizes for having an Elise at home in garage while you're clumping about in something else.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff