Car inspiration req - 2+2 Elise replacement for around £20K

[AllyBee]

Hi all

I currently have an S1 Elise (not as a daily BTW), which I love, but I also have a wife and 5 y/o daughter. I would like to upgrade my Elise to a 2 + 2 which we can all go out in together but still delivers the driving thrills of the Elise, with - fairly - low running costs (so therefore the 996/997 is off the table, not that I'm a fan of the 996 anyway). However I'm struggling to think of something that might fit the bill.

So far my thoughts have been:

GT86 - a bit worried about the lack of pace, but £20k buys a nearly new model with low costs.
Focus RS - ok so not a 2+2 but seems to be a competent car, but I'm not 100% on the looks and worried it might not feel 'special' enough.
New shape XK8, love the shape and everyone needs to own a V8 right? but a bit bill would be a constant worry.

Any ideas would be great, so please fire away

[roystinho]

Integrale?

964? (Can one be had for £20k actually?)

M3 of many varieties?

[Gorbyrev]

AllyBee said:

Hi all

I currently have an S1 Elise (not as a daily BTW), which I love, but I also have a wife and 5 y/o daughter. I would like to upgrade my Elise to a 2 + 2 which we can all go out in together but still delivers the driving thrills of the Elise, with - fairly - low running costs (so therefore the 996/997 is off the table, not that I'm a fan of the 996 anyway). However I'm struggling to think of something that might fit the bill.

So far my thoughts have been:

GT86 - a bit worried about the lack of pace, but £20k buys a nearly new model with low costs.
Focus RS - ok so not a 2+2 but seems to be a competent car, but I'm not 100% on the looks and worried it might not feel 'special' enough.
New shape XK8, love the shape and everyone needs to own a V8 right? but a bit bill would be a constant worry.

Any ideas would be great, so please fire away

Your GT86/BRZ idea seems like an obvious one. The cheapest second handers are now down around £15-16k which gives you just about enough budget for Cosworth's stage one (up to 40hp more) and stage two which adds a supercharger (80hp more) giving a properly developed and reliable boost for the FA20 engine. ~300hp in a GT86 should make up for the power deficit.

[Al U]

Mx5?

[Wadeski]

Drive a well-sorted 996 C2 and see if you still dont like them...

[AllyBee]

Al U said:

Mx5?

Been there done that (only a two seater mind).

Edited by AllyBee on Wednesday 19th November 22:08

[kambites]

RX8 and a lot of spare money for petrol and engine repairs?

Aeon GT3 if you can find one?

I'd probably go for a 996 and a warranty, though.

If you could find another £5k, you might be able to get an early Evora.

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 19th November 22:12

[AllyBee]

Wadeski said:

Drive a well-sorted 996 C2 and see if you still dont like them...

Its the fear of big bills that puts me off. Seems like a huge lottery, bore scoring seems to be much more of an issue than RMS/IMS now these cars are reaching higher mileage.

[Al U]

AllyBee said:

Been there done that.

Only joking, does it need to be similar in character to the elise? when I think of a 2+2 I think of something like an M6?

[AllyBee]

Al U said:

Only joking, does it need to be similar in character to the elise? when I think of a 2+2 I think of something like an M6?

I really like the shape of the 6 series, but again its the similar thing to the XK, potential big bills and its a big car, more of a GT than a sports car.

[Al U]

Audi TTS or TTRS if you can stretch the budget a bit?

[TTwiggy]

A really good 996 with an engine rebuild by Hartech would be my choice at your budget.

[AllyBee]

TTwiggy said:

A really good 996 with an engine rebuild by Hartech would be my choice at your budget.

There's still the potential for big bills though isn't there even with a sorted engine?

[zebra]

AllyBee said:

Al U said:

Mx5?

Been there done that (only a two seater mind).

Edited by AllyBee on Wednesday 19th November 22:08

Whoosh parrot for AllyBee.

Look at the photo.

[Europa1]

Remortgage or sell a minor organ and get a secondhand Evora? The rear seats are OK for small children and it is an epic steer.

[TTwiggy]

AllyBee said:

TTwiggy said:

A really good 996 with an engine rebuild by Hartech would be my choice at your budget.

There's still the potential for big bills though isn't there even with a sorted engine?

Should be no worse than any other sports car - so yes, brakes/tyres/bushes etc are going to cost more, but I can't imagine any more than a 6 series BMW or anything else 'interesting'. The big worry on the water-cooled porkers is the engine going bang. This can be eliminated by the likes of Hartech (plus they can bore it out to a 3.7!). Your budget would get a really good 996 with money to spend on the engine. I really would advise you drive one - the only car I've ever owned that could match the feel of my Elise was a Boxster S.

[tivver500]

TVR Cerbera..... That'll tick all the boxes and keep the grin factor every time you drive

[AllyBee]

TTwiggy said:

Should be no worse than any other sports car - so yes, brakes/tyres/bushes etc are going to cost more, but I can't imagine any more than a 6 series BMW or anything else 'interesting'. The big worry on the water-cooled porkers is the engine going bang. This can be eliminated by the likes of Hartech (plus they can bore it out to a 3.7!). Your budget would get a really good 996 with money to spend on the engine. I really would advise you drive one - the only car I've ever owned that could match the feel of my Elise was a Boxster S.

Thanks for that. Maybe I'll do a bit more research.

[MKnight702]

How about a Zetec engined Lotus Elan +2?

Reasonable performance and running costs, engine will rack up many miles with little bother, body won't rust, won't depreciate anything like as much as a modern (if at all).

Downsides, additional maintenance required when bits fall off, randomly stop working or otherwise fail.

[007 VXR]

VXR Monaro is a 2+2 V8 Even better if you can find a Supercharged one for around 16 K