RE: Why the Lotus Elise still matters | PH Footnote

[RobM77]

bcr5784 said:

BillyB said:

If only they made one that fit me

I think that Lotus enthusiasts need to recognise that if the brand is to survive they need to appeal to a broader audience. I personally have no access problem with an Elise or a Caterham and I have dailied both (and motorbikes) - but I realise that not everyone will..And, as I approach my dotage, I'm less prepared to put up with the privations of an Elise on a daily basis - and my OH (SWMBO) wouldn't put up with the privations at all.which is a significant consideration.

I can fit in a Lotus with the seat one notch from fully back with a dirty great spacer to bring the steering wheel a few inches closer to me. The ergonomics are woeful. Shame, because as I've said already, I rate them as the best driver's cars money can buy.

[Maldini35]

SidewaysSi said:

My Elise slaughtered my Cayman GT4 as a driver's car. Forget all that is said about the Porsche, the Lotus killed it at pretty much everything that matters.

Agreed.

Elise is the best driving sports car I’ve owned.

Not sure they’ll make a direct replacement so it it might be the right time to snap one up.
I’m certainly scanning the classifieds on a regular basis.

[RobM77]

Maldini35 said:

SidewaysSi said:

My Elise slaughtered my Cayman GT4 as a driver's car. Forget all that is said about the Porsche, the Lotus killed it at pretty much everything that matters.

Agreed.

Elise is the best driving sports car I’ve owned.

Not sure they’ll make a direct replacement so it it might be the right time to snap one up.
I’m certainly scanning the classifieds on a regular basis.

I once test drove a Cayman and had a chance drive in an Exige S the next day whilst my 2-Eleven was in for a service. As I said to the salesman at the time, from a driving point of view they are on a completely different page - the Exige was just so much better to drive in every way.

Interesting how unanimous this is when chatting to people in real life who love driving, but it doesn't come across in magazine reviews. I do wonder how much pandering to manufacturers goes on in magazine and TV road tests...

[SFO]

Hellers said:

stunning colour and wheels

[Tim124]

RobM77 said:

the Exige was just so much better to drive in every way

Is this the S3?

They are seriously tempting although the grief I'd get from the OH. She already hates being collected from the airport and having her suitcase on her lap!

Edited by Tim124 on Wednesday 7th August 18:54

[otolith]

RobM77 said:

I can fit in a Lotus with the seat one notch from fully back with a dirty great spacer to bring the steering wheel a few inches closer to me. The ergonomics are woeful. Shame, because as I've said already, I rate them as the best driver's cars money can buy.

Whereas I have short legs and a long torso, and it fits me perfectly!

[itcaptainslow]

otolith said:

RobM77 said:

I can fit in a Lotus with the seat one notch from fully back with a dirty great spacer to bring the steering wheel a few inches closer to me. The ergonomics are woeful. Shame, because as I've said already, I rate them as the best driver's cars money can buy.

Whereas I have short legs and a long torso, and it fits me perfectly!

I have longish legs, shortish arms, am 5ft 11 (but reasonably fit!) and it’s a perfect driving position for me.

Unfortunately there’s not a lot of adjustment save for the seat backwards/forwards!

[kambites]

Like Rob, I've modified mine with a wheel spacer. In a standard Elise if I put the seat in the correct place for my legs, I can only just touch the top of the steering wheel with the ends of my fingers. I've got a two inch spacer in mine but the driving position is still very much a compromise. To get the wheel in the ideal position relative to the pedals I'd have it spaced out about six inches from standard, but then I wouldn't be able to indicate or operate the wipers.

If there were two basic things I was going to change about my Elise, they'd both relate to limitations of the crappy Astra steering column - telescopic adjustment and the indicators moved to the correct side.

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 7th August 20:10

[anonymous-user]

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.

[Mr E]

The Elise has basically ruined most other sports cars for me.

[anonymous-user]

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.

[SidewaysSi]

Is there another car that can really "do it all" as a year round focused driver's car for sensible money? Be heavily tracked, be a challenge to drive, thrill on road then go shopping? I can't think of one to be honest...

Here's mine - currently in the garage about to embark on a Euro hoon. It's a bit raw though -
loud, mega sharp and really intense as it is far from standard . Going to need some ear plugs but God I love the thing:

[Sion111R]

Had my S1 for 12 years. Just a great drive. Never let me down and is at its happiest on track all day.

[otolith]

Mr E said:

The Elise has basically ruined most other sports cars for me.

Same here. Just makes everything feel too numb.

[Sion111R]

SidewaysSi. Suggest you buy a pair of earplugs!
Been as far south as Spain in my S1 then West to East across the Pyrenees. Looping back through mid France to the Atlantic coast. Also done the Nurburgring. Fantastic car as you well know and one I find very comfortable to be in. The only thing missing was air conditioning. Bought the Supercharged 111R in the photo which was in a different league quick - and had air conditioning.
But having two cars so similar was never going to work out long term (with the Boss). So the S2 was sold. My S1 is a keeper.
|https://thumbsnap.com/tLvu2KSs[/url]

[Tickle]

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.

There is the prize of having an Elise in the garage for when the conditions / free time suit.

Right tool for your needs.

[anonymous-user]

Entirely subjective I realise, however the S1 looks just right, in a way the later cars don't quite match.

[sng45]

I've had five Elise's - my present one is a chrome orange ( same colour as the one in this article ) SC 220 - I've had it for three years and absolutely love it. I'm fortunate enough to have quite a few cars including a Caterham, a couple of Alfa's, 911,718, Integrale etc and of all my cars I presently own ( and have ever owned ) the Elise is the last one I would sell. I was also fortunate to buy the reg number E1ESE from the dvla for three hundred quid which finishes the car off perfectly.

I've been round Europe in previous Elises a number of times including trips to Italy for the Mille Miglia and then back over the Alps to St Moritz ( roof off in the snow) and down the Julier pass into France, about 2,500 miles in total and when I got home I felt I could have turned round and done it all again. It's equally as enjoyable for a Sunday afternoon drive over the Yorkshire Wolds for an hour or so. Every time I drive it I enjoy it more than the last time I drove it. My friend has a 458 and my Elise is the car that stops me getting another Ferrari. I view it to be the most useable "junior supercar" you can buy, handling is pretty much perfect and it puts out an enjoyable noise from the standard exhaust - I was out in it for thirty miles this morning and always take the long way home.

An earlier poster was debating an Elise or an MX 5 - there's only one answer to that !

[SidewaysSi]

Sion111R said:

SidewaysSi. Suggest you buy a pair of earplugs!
Been as far south as Spain in my S1 then West to East across the Pyrenees. Looping back through mid France to the Atlantic coast. Also done the Nurburgring. Fantastic car as you well know and one I find very comfortable to be in. The only thing missing was air conditioning. Bought the Supercharged 111R in the photo which was in a different league quick - and had air conditioning.
But having two cars so similar was never going to work out long term (with the Boss). So the S2 was sold. My S1 is a keeper.
|https://thumbsnap.com/tLvu2KSs[/url]

Yep ear plugs ready and car packed. Can't wait to stretch its legs abroad.

Mine has a straight cut ultra close ratio gearbox. So it's a bit mad. And bloody loud

[Simon Owen]

The depressing bit for us enthusiasts is the way the industry has evolved since the Elise was introduced ... the whole faster bigger heavier thing.

Harris said recently “we need another Elise” moment, how true !!

I’m actually in the camp where it could bridge the gap between the superlights and the more mainstream stuff similarly to the Alpine.