MX5 vs Elise - Debate
Discussion
Morning All,
I am currently in a heated debate with friends and require some external opinion most urgently!
A few weeks back, a good friend of mine quoted the MX5 as 'the best handling car'
I instantly jumped on this, whislt laughing my ass off...what ever happened to the lotus elise I asked him!?
I let this slide as everyone has diffenent opinions and all, but I brang it up again down the pub last night - and I got gunned down... again!
I realise the MX5 is a superb handler - but surely it is not quite as razor sharp as the elise? Not to mention its lacking performance in comparison!? How can it be better!?
Somebody talk to me, give me sanity!
I am currently in a heated debate with friends and require some external opinion most urgently!
A few weeks back, a good friend of mine quoted the MX5 as 'the best handling car'
I instantly jumped on this, whislt laughing my ass off...what ever happened to the lotus elise I asked him!?
I let this slide as everyone has diffenent opinions and all, but I brang it up again down the pub last night - and I got gunned down... again!
I realise the MX5 is a superb handler - but surely it is not quite as razor sharp as the elise? Not to mention its lacking performance in comparison!? How can it be better!?
Somebody talk to me, give me sanity!
Depends on what you're looking for I suppose.
The Elise has vastly superior control feel, more grip, better damping, faster reactions, etc. and would be faster round a track than an MX5 with the same straight line performance; however the MX5 is better balanced and more forgiving on the limit.
Basically you're comparing an exceptional mid (well, almost rear) engined car with a good front engined one. I'd say the Elise is better overall but it's certainly not better in every respect.
The Elise has vastly superior control feel, more grip, better damping, faster reactions, etc. and would be faster round a track than an MX5 with the same straight line performance; however the MX5 is better balanced and more forgiving on the limit.
Basically you're comparing an exceptional mid (well, almost rear) engined car with a good front engined one. I'd say the Elise is better overall but it's certainly not better in every respect.
Edited by kambites on Monday 12th January 10:23
I think it depends on who's driving it.
An Elise in experienced hands will beat any MX5 around any track, due to grip handling. (assuming standard cars)
However in the in-experienced hands the MX5 may handle better, i.e. easier to catch when the back-end goes out (and more warning), whereas the Elise will just let go on the limit.
Then there is obviously the whole weight issue. And Elise will break later acclerate earlier due to being much lighter.
The MX5 is essencially a road car, compromised on the track
The Elise is a track car, compromised on the Road
An Elise in experienced hands will beat any MX5 around any track, due to grip handling. (assuming standard cars)
However in the in-experienced hands the MX5 may handle better, i.e. easier to catch when the back-end goes out (and more warning), whereas the Elise will just let go on the limit.
Then there is obviously the whole weight issue. And Elise will break later acclerate earlier due to being much lighter.
The MX5 is essencially a road car, compromised on the track
The Elise is a track car, compromised on the Road
Don Palmer drove my MX5 which was slightly more track-focused than the normal ones (imported one with LSD, different gear ratios, stiffer springs, etc) at Bedford on a SELOC day years ago. He also drove several Elises that day and said my MX5 was the "most fun"
Don Palmer said:
I drove lots of cars, they were nearly all great cars to drive and they were nearly all very different.
There is no doubt in my mind that this was the car of the day to have fun in. Fabulous chassis with a slippery diff. This car did majestic - properly.
More fun than you could throw a stick at; it is the car to learn how to do car control in, especcially i the wet.
No grip and total adjustibility, steering and throttle combined to make it the ultimate handling package. Any one could put super slick tyres on it and be bored silly. This was a balanced package that begged to be driven and loved to be played with. To me that's what driving is all about - a proper piece of handling on the limit.
If ever I wanted to have a car before the CT3 this was it.
There is no doubt in my mind that this was the car of the day to have fun in. Fabulous chassis with a slippery diff. This car did majestic - properly.
More fun than you could throw a stick at; it is the car to learn how to do car control in, especcially i the wet.
No grip and total adjustibility, steering and throttle combined to make it the ultimate handling package. Any one could put super slick tyres on it and be bored silly. This was a balanced package that begged to be driven and loved to be played with. To me that's what driving is all about - a proper piece of handling on the limit.
If ever I wanted to have a car before the CT3 this was it.
kambites said:
Depends on what you're looking for I suppose.
The Elise has vastly superior control feel, more grip, better damping, faster reactions, etc. and would be faster round a track than an MX5 with the same straight line performance; however the MX5 is better balanced and more forgiving on the limit.
Basically you're comparing an exceptional mid (well, almost rear) engined car with a good front engined one. I'd say the Elise is better overall but it's certainly not better in every respect.
That's about right. They're both fine handling cars, but in different ways. I don't think it's possible to claim that anything is "the" best handling car as it's quite subjetive an cannot really be quantified. I know that Autocar run a Best Handling Car competition periodically (annually?) and that the MX-5 has won this twice, so maybe that was the basis for the statement? As for "what happened to the Elise" on those 2 occassions, I guess you'd have to ask Autocar. The Elise has vastly superior control feel, more grip, better damping, faster reactions, etc. and would be faster round a track than an MX5 with the same straight line performance; however the MX5 is better balanced and more forgiving on the limit.
Basically you're comparing an exceptional mid (well, almost rear) engined car with a good front engined one. I'd say the Elise is better overall but it's certainly not better in every respect.
Edited by kambites on Monday 12th January 10:23
TheGreatSoprendo said:
That's about right. They're both fine handling cars, but in different ways. I don't think it's possible to claim that anything is "the" best handling car as it's quite subjetive an cannot really be quantified. I know that Autocar run a Best Handling Car competition periodically (annually?) and that the MX-5 has won this twice, so maybe that was the basis for the statement? As for "what happened to the Elise" on those 2 occassions, I guess you'd have to ask Autocar.
Would that be when they had an MX5 to give away as a prize?furtive said:
Don Palmer drove my MX5 which was slightly more track-focused than the normal ones (imported one with LSD, different gear ratios, stiffer springs, etc) at Bedford on a SELOC day years ago. He also drove several Elises that day and said my MX5 was the "most fun"
Funnily enough, I was also talking to Don Palmer at a SELOC day at Bedford! He was showing a lot of interest in my '5, particularly the supercharger. We had a good old chinwag, and I asked him what he was doing there that day. He said he was "working", which turned out to be testing a new Noble model which was due to launch shortly. I was suitably impressed and said that was the kind of "work" I'd like to do and that I'd love to take the Noble for a spin. He just laughed and said "to be honest, I'd much rather be driving one of those", pointing at the '5. 
'razor sharp' does not equal handling
both handle well but as already said, very different
depends what you want a car to do doesn't it, 'handling' is many things to many people
personally, i'd have the elises exactly as it is but with the mx5's weight distribution and on-limit character
both handle well but as already said, very different
depends what you want a car to do doesn't it, 'handling' is many things to many people
personally, i'd have the elises exactly as it is but with the mx5's weight distribution and on-limit character
kambites said:
Depends on what you're looking for I suppose.
The Elise has vastly superior control feel, more grip, better damping, faster reactions, etc. and would be faster round a track than an MX5 with the same straight line performance; however the MX5 is better balanced and more forgiving on the limit.
Basically you're comparing an exceptional mid (well, almost rear) engined car with a good front engined one. I'd say the Elise is better overall but it's certainly not better in every respect.
I would agree with much of this. The OP asked a simple 'vs' question, so I would add a bit beyond the handling.The Elise has vastly superior control feel, more grip, better damping, faster reactions, etc. and would be faster round a track than an MX5 with the same straight line performance; however the MX5 is better balanced and more forgiving on the limit.
Basically you're comparing an exceptional mid (well, almost rear) engined car with a good front engined one. I'd say the Elise is better overall but it's certainly not better in every respect.
Edited by kambites on Monday 12th January 10:23
the k-series engine is know for gasket issues. When I was considering which to get, I was disappointed by the lack of torque in the Elise Mk1 and the lack of noise. The sill was very wide which made entry and exit difficult and the roof looked quite fiddly. Now most of these things could be changed with a few mods, but thats the same with the MX5, and you can do a whole lot more, with a lot less money. Given that purchase costs for the MX5 are half that of the Elise for an equivalent model, you can start having fun earlier. If you really want raw thrills, 'why not go the next step and get a Caterham?' is the question I was asking myself when driving the Elise.
No idea?
JCW_Matt said:
Morning All,
I am currently in a heated debate with friends and require some external opinion most urgently!
A few weeks back, a good friend of mine quoted the MX5 as 'the best handling car'
I instantly jumped on this, whislt laughing my ass off...what ever happened to the lotus elise I asked him!?
I let this slide as everyone has diffenent opinions and all, but I brang it up again down the pub last night - and I got gunned down... again!
I realise the MX5 is a superb handler - but surely it is not quite as razor sharp as the elise? Not to mention its lacking performance in comparison!? How can it be better!?
Somebody talk to me, give me sanity!
Wait, he reckons the MX5 is the best handling car full stop? He should try a well sorted lotus 7 copy, it'll blow his fragile little mind. Or a 944 but that might be my personal preference showing through...I am currently in a heated debate with friends and require some external opinion most urgently!
A few weeks back, a good friend of mine quoted the MX5 as 'the best handling car'
I instantly jumped on this, whislt laughing my ass off...what ever happened to the lotus elise I asked him!?
I let this slide as everyone has diffenent opinions and all, but I brang it up again down the pub last night - and I got gunned down... again!
I realise the MX5 is a superb handler - but surely it is not quite as razor sharp as the elise? Not to mention its lacking performance in comparison!? How can it be better!?
Somebody talk to me, give me sanity!
VS the Elise I dont know as I've not actually driven one. But VS the MK1 MR2 I'd say the MK1 MR2 just pips it.
The thing with the MX5 is not that it's always the best in one area. But that it offers the best value for money.
If you offered me the choise between an Elise and an MX5 to drive on track I'd plump for the Elise as probably being the better handling. To live with as an only car and take the slightest of compromises in handling. Thats where the MX5 wins.
The thing with the MX5 is not that it's always the best in one area. But that it offers the best value for money.
If you offered me the choise between an Elise and an MX5 to drive on track I'd plump for the Elise as probably being the better handling. To live with as an only car and take the slightest of compromises in handling. Thats where the MX5 wins.
Having been lucky enough to own both cars (I'm now in an Elise), I'd say that the MX5 is more forgiving to drive every day and you have to provoke it more to make it bite you. The Elise is more fun to drive IMHO and feels more like a sports car rather than a fun convertible that most people can drive without much effort.
In terms of handling I would say the Elise is the better handling car. Feels stiffer, steering more precise, better feedback from the front wheels. And obviously the engine is not in the front. A more inexperienced driver might get more out of the MX5 however.
Obvioulsy it depends on personal tastes and the best way to find out is to drive them both. I prefer the Elise but I would certainly not beat up the MX5 as it does what it is designed for very well indeed.
In terms of handling I would say the Elise is the better handling car. Feels stiffer, steering more precise, better feedback from the front wheels. And obviously the engine is not in the front. A more inexperienced driver might get more out of the MX5 however.
Obvioulsy it depends on personal tastes and the best way to find out is to drive them both. I prefer the Elise but I would certainly not beat up the MX5 as it does what it is designed for very well indeed.
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