Elise SC - The best bits
Discussion
Right.
Ignoring the usual Lotus virtues, the obvious difference (to N/A) is the engine.
With 1900 miles on mine now, I can report the following -
The map is absolutely magnificent, a real piece of work, well done Lotus.
In short, it fills in all the gaps in the 'R' s performance.
You can still drive it as if it has a 6,200 cam change, but there is no need to.
Instead of trailing along behind people at 6,000 revs for miles and miles waiting for an overtaking opportunity - (which can be fun, but probably makes me/you look /sound like a right prat, expecially with stage 2 zorst on), you can do the same at 4,200.
30 - 70 is about 4 or 4.1 as opposed to 4.9ish in a N/A
From 10mph rolling start it will hit 100 (GPS)in about 9.5 - 9.8 ; and I am a big heavy ba
rd. I wonder how much difference hot weather will make to these figures (which are quite impressive- it is a full second faster than my exige S ) it will happily pull away from an 05plate M3 on a dual carriageway
right through 3rd and 4th and (shock!)even 5th!
The biggest 2 differences in driving with this engine are firstly coming out of slow corners, and motorways. Really slow corner, following a hot hatch or a 325 or something that has been holding you up for ages- he struggles out at 30 mph, there is a 200 metre straight- it's clear... In an 'R' you're in that awful twilight zone at the bottom of 2nd. 1st would be ridiculous, and in 2nd you are so far off the cam, oh my god! - Floor it, pull out, crawl level with him,( he is of course by this time bouncing his valves off the underside of his bonnet in 2nd) oh my god where is the cam, come on cam, come on come on - oh god BANG Goodnight Irene... you're gone, he is gone in the rear view.
In the SC , you're past him and back in before he's even on his rev limiter.
it doesn't give you such a good Cardio workout, but it is much safer and more efficient...
On the motorway, even 6th is adequate to blow diesel repmobiles off your back bumper. 4th is seriously quick right to the limiter.
Dare I say that I think the SC is probably faster A to B than an Exige S (220)
. I have owned both. I think that the map on this car means it is significantly quicker lower in the rev range than an exige. You can even get it off the line pretty quickly without either dumping or glazing the clutch.
It is certainly noticeably faster in a straight line above about 80.
I appreciate that the raw figures as released from lotus would disprove this, but then, they would, wouldn't they ...
Oh - and for some reason I am getting 40+ miles more out of a tank than the N/A car - probably driving in 30 and 40 zones at least a gear higher than before.
Shame the wheels are so gash...
Ignoring the usual Lotus virtues, the obvious difference (to N/A) is the engine.
With 1900 miles on mine now, I can report the following -
The map is absolutely magnificent, a real piece of work, well done Lotus.
In short, it fills in all the gaps in the 'R' s performance.
You can still drive it as if it has a 6,200 cam change, but there is no need to.
Instead of trailing along behind people at 6,000 revs for miles and miles waiting for an overtaking opportunity - (which can be fun, but probably makes me/you look /sound like a right prat, expecially with stage 2 zorst on), you can do the same at 4,200.
30 - 70 is about 4 or 4.1 as opposed to 4.9ish in a N/A
From 10mph rolling start it will hit 100 (GPS)in about 9.5 - 9.8 ; and I am a big heavy ba
rd. I wonder how much difference hot weather will make to these figures (which are quite impressive- it is a full second faster than my exige S ) it will happily pull away from an 05plate M3 on a dual carriagewayright through 3rd and 4th and (shock!)even 5th!
The biggest 2 differences in driving with this engine are firstly coming out of slow corners, and motorways. Really slow corner, following a hot hatch or a 325 or something that has been holding you up for ages- he struggles out at 30 mph, there is a 200 metre straight- it's clear... In an 'R' you're in that awful twilight zone at the bottom of 2nd. 1st would be ridiculous, and in 2nd you are so far off the cam, oh my god! - Floor it, pull out, crawl level with him,( he is of course by this time bouncing his valves off the underside of his bonnet in 2nd) oh my god where is the cam, come on cam, come on come on - oh god BANG Goodnight Irene... you're gone, he is gone in the rear view.
In the SC , you're past him and back in before he's even on his rev limiter.
it doesn't give you such a good Cardio workout, but it is much safer and more efficient...
On the motorway, even 6th is adequate to blow diesel repmobiles off your back bumper. 4th is seriously quick right to the limiter.
Dare I say that I think the SC is probably faster A to B than an Exige S (220)
. I have owned both. I think that the map on this car means it is significantly quicker lower in the rev range than an exige. You can even get it off the line pretty quickly without either dumping or glazing the clutch.
It is certainly noticeably faster in a straight line above about 80.
I appreciate that the raw figures as released from lotus would disprove this, but then, they would, wouldn't they ...
Oh - and for some reason I am getting 40+ miles more out of a tank than the N/A car - probably driving in 30 and 40 zones at least a gear higher than before.
Shame the wheels are so gash...
Very interesting writeup.
On empty public roads, my Elise R has all the straightline performance i'd ever wish for.
However, its those overtaking situations on single carriageway, NSL roads that can occasionally have me wishing for more torque. By the time you've checked the oncoming lane is clear, have downchanged and got into the powerband the moment can be gone.
Out of interest, how does the throttle response compare to the NA engine? Is the mapping so good on the SC that its almost on a par with the 189bhp unit?
On empty public roads, my Elise R has all the straightline performance i'd ever wish for.
However, its those overtaking situations on single carriageway, NSL roads that can occasionally have me wishing for more torque. By the time you've checked the oncoming lane is clear, have downchanged and got into the powerband the moment can be gone.
Out of interest, how does the throttle response compare to the NA engine? Is the mapping so good on the SC that its almost on a par with the 189bhp unit?
Saied said:
Very interesting writeup.
On empty public roads, my Elise R has all the straightline performance i'd ever wish for.
However, its those overtaking situations on single carriageway, NSL roads that can occasionally have me wishing for more torque. By the time you've checked the oncoming lane is clear, have downchanged and got into the powerband the moment can be gone.
Out of interest, how does the throttle response compare to the NA engine? Is the mapping so good on the SC that its almost on a par with the 189bhp unit?
the straight answer is No! Does anything have a throttle response as good as the R ? it's the best of any fuel injected roadcar I have ever driven. the SC there is just the tiniest delay. All supercharged cars I have owned have had this to a greater or lesser degree. (Lotus, Jaguars)On empty public roads, my Elise R has all the straightline performance i'd ever wish for.
However, its those overtaking situations on single carriageway, NSL roads that can occasionally have me wishing for more torque. By the time you've checked the oncoming lane is clear, have downchanged and got into the powerband the moment can be gone.
Out of interest, how does the throttle response compare to the NA engine? Is the mapping so good on the SC that its almost on a par with the 189bhp unit?
Blown said:
With 1900 miles on mine now, I can report the following -
so it seems you do like it a lot, don't you ? autocar vs 5th gear - which is more on the spot?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW2ODOwtiPU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDf9YEnIUFQ
edoardo said:
Blown said:
With 1900 miles on mine now, I can report the following -
so it seems you do like it a lot, don't you ? autocar vs 5th gear - which is more on the spot?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW2ODOwtiPU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDf9YEnIUFQ
Autocar have summed it up more accurately, as ever.
Blown said:
Oh yes, i do like it - it's just the usual poorly thought out changes that irritate me. things like the start button reflecting in the side window at night- that's just rubbish.
The start button is permanently illuminated? Why do you need to see it once the engine is running? 
Plus, why is it necessary? Good in a race car where you have a cut off key and no ignition barrel on the steering column, but in a road car I always thought it was a silly marketing ploy, which is not something I associate Lotus with; certainly not the Elise.RobM77 said:
The start button is permanently illuminated?
it is so bright you can warm your hands over it on a cold morning...RobM77 said:
Why do you need to see it once the engine is running? Plus, why is it necessary?
Perhaps Lotus Engineering had just finished £37 worth of research for some garden-shed kit car company and thought they would utilise the technology... Plus, why is it necessary? Blown said:
RobM77 said:
andy_s said:
I can see the after-market specialists selling a small self adhesive circular lightweight poly extruded 'Starter Illumination Requirement Negation' sticky-backed patch for £1.99 + p&p
Or just take the bulb out RobM77 said:
Blown said:
RobM77 said:
andy_s said:
I can see the after-market specialists selling a small self adhesive circular lightweight poly extruded 'Starter Illumination Requirement Negation' sticky-backed patch for £1.99 + p&p
Or just take the bulb out Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff