Drove an Elise for the first time the other day...
Discussion
It feels like Chapman is still alive!That was the best steering I've ever encountered and while thinking "it doesn't feel that fast" I casually glanced down to see I was doing about one and a half times the speed my TVR would negotiate the same bit of road!
Now I can see why they have such a following. What an awesome little car.
well of course you will get lots of people agree with that here 
...you do get a few people dismissing them sometimes, usually people with big german saloons, expensive supercars they only drive for 2K miles a year etc...but usually none of them have actually *driven* an Elise ...as like you say, once you drive one, you understand
and the thing is, this feeling never goes away, and people actually upgrade and modify Elises to go even faster, feel even better etc !! ...so theres plenty of fun to come !
...you do get a few people dismissing them sometimes, usually people with big german saloons, expensive supercars they only drive for 2K miles a year etc...but usually none of them have actually *driven* an Elise ...as like you say, once you drive one, you understand and the thing is, this feeling never goes away, and people actually upgrade and modify Elises to go even faster, feel even better etc !!
...so theres plenty of fun to come !
I was fortunate enough to drive it back to back with the S2000 and the cross country pace of the Lotus (atleast with me at the wheel!) didn't seem to be significantly greater, but it's just the way it gets there.
I've driven things with that sort of steering clarity on a track before, but to produce that level of feedback while being bombarded by bumps, potholes and camber changes on a b-road is staggering. As you can tell, I'm rather in awe.
I expected a mid-engined design to be a little twitchy, but it's probably the most sure-footed, progressive car I've driven. The Honda, in contrast, seemed a little fidgety and generally rather highly-strung.
I've driven things with that sort of steering clarity on a track before, but to produce that level of feedback while being bombarded by bumps, potholes and camber changes on a b-road is staggering. As you can tell, I'm rather in awe.
I expected a mid-engined design to be a little twitchy, but it's probably the most sure-footed, progressive car I've driven. The Honda, in contrast, seemed a little fidgety and generally rather highly-strung.
Sounds like a reasonable assessment to me.
I've driven my father in laws 350z and whilst, in my hands, it's definatly the quicker car down an unfamiliar road, I know where I'd rather be.
I love my car. It's the most fun thing to drive this side of a fast 7 style car even if you aren't any quicker than the car in front.
I took mine on track last week for the first time and was just blown away by the handling. I now understand the true meaning of throttle adjustability and steering feedback. It was a Tiger Club sprint day at Barkston Heath and my little road car got the 4th best time of the day and then drove me to work for the rest of the week against some much more powerful machines.
This is a completely standard S1 with 60K miles.
I'm still learning how to drive the car 2 years down the line!
Do it (S1)
I've driven my father in laws 350z and whilst, in my hands, it's definatly the quicker car down an unfamiliar road, I know where I'd rather be.
I love my car. It's the most fun thing to drive this side of a fast 7 style car even if you aren't any quicker than the car in front.
I took mine on track last week for the first time and was just blown away by the handling. I now understand the true meaning of throttle adjustability and steering feedback. It was a Tiger Club sprint day at Barkston Heath and my little road car got the 4th best time of the day and then drove me to work for the rest of the week against some much more powerful machines.
This is a completely standard S1 with 60K miles.
I'm still learning how to drive the car 2 years down the line!
Do it (S1)
Fantastic day today, took the hardtop off (Enough already - I've been out of the country!) and went out through the village, warmed the engine up, it was really bright sunshine and crisp air, opened up on the straight, very little traffic, a few slow cars ambling taken and dispatched. Up the short stretch of motorway then off down a wide, well sighted country road. Slowly through the odd village so you can start to push on again at the NSL. wider A-roads with sweeping curves with running limit points. Getting darker and heading into cloud along a lochside with nice straights where you can take the odd coach or van that crops up. Then onto a twistier lochside road with a fine drizzle just coming on. Spotting the nose of the car coming out of the junction and feeling the contact of the the tyres on the road as it grips to a stop. No drama. Bimble home, enjoy the sun.
Nothing better.
Nothing better.
GravelBen said:
S Works said:
S1 Elise. The best value car that you can have fun within the speed limit. Fact.
Taking VFM into account I think I'd give that title to the MX5 myself. But owning an MX5 doesn't stop me wanting an Elise.
I've never driven an Elise S1, so I don't know how it compares. One of the other guys said they're rather trickier on the limit due to "vicious lift off oversteer", but the current one seems pretty idiot-proof. The back end would squirm around a little if you braked during a corner, but less so than something like a 205 GTi.
The only thing that was a tiny bit dissapointing was the noise. It just kind of fizzed! That and having the smallest boot known to man, but I guess that's kind of missing the point of the Elise!
GhostDriver said:
Chris71 said:
The only thing that was a tiny bit dissapointing was the noise. It just kind of fizzed! That and having the smallest boot known to man, but I guess that's kind of missing the point of the Elise!
Thats why God invented 2Bular, Larini, Stage 2 etcLOL...yep, lets be honest, the best you can hope to do with the 4 pot engine is make it sound similar to the chav mobiles we all take the piss out of !
..seriously, the only mad sounding K series IMO were the VHPD's ..especially with no cat, spitting flames and sounding nearly like a race engine...which it nearly was
I forgot to add - after 6 years of trying different exhausts, I finally settled for a nice big box, custom for the SC Honda from MSC, to keep it nice n quiet for track, no point in have a noisy exhaust if you actually want to use the car as intended ........
..seriously, the only mad sounding K series IMO were the VHPD's ..especially with no cat, spitting flames and sounding nearly like a race engine...which it nearly was
I forgot to add - after 6 years of trying different exhausts, I finally settled for a nice big box, custom for the SC Honda from MSC, to keep it nice n quiet for track, no point in have a noisy exhaust if you actually want to use the car as intended ........
Edited by bogie on Tuesday 10th June 13:42
kambites said:
GhostDriver said:
Chris71 said:
The only thing that was a tiny bit dissapointing was the noise. It just kind of fizzed! That and having the smallest boot known to man, but I guess that's kind of missing the point of the Elise!
Thats why God invented 2Bular, Larini, Stage 2 etcGravelBen said:
S Works said:
S1 Elise. The best value car that you can have fun within the speed limit. Fact.
Taking VFM into account I think I'd give that title to the MX5 myself. But owning an MX5 doesn't stop me wanting an Elise.Choosing between a standard Elise S1 and a standard MX5 of the same era though, for me the Elise is the more resolved drivers car. No doubt the MX5 is good, but just not quite enough power to be fun enough. And besides, the Elise would have it in the corners
LivinLaVidaLotus said:
Actually, you can get a lot in the boot, just the opening is a crap size, you just have to know how to pack it right
Even the S2? You'd my OH's packing skills to get anything in there. My camera bag wouldn't fit!Besides - luggage adds weight - it's very un-Chapman.
Re: noise. I think the K-series was the more characterful engine, the Toyota/Yamaha unit is horrid unless you get an ehaust which gives a more rounded sound.
I like my S1, with the VHPD head, open pipercross cone filter down in the air intake, 4-2-1 and Magnex it's reminicent of a fast Caterham. I used to like the grumbly Sport 160 with 4-2-1, Janspeed Roadsport and ITG, too.
The Honda was the best 4-pot though - the howl as the iVTEC kicked in at 4200rpm, and then hearing it go positively mental at 7000rpm never failed to amuse.
Having said that, I did have a little run out with a Cobra today on my way into London from Kent on some fast A roads. Boy do those V8's sound good
I like my S1, with the VHPD head, open pipercross cone filter down in the air intake, 4-2-1 and Magnex it's reminicent of a fast Caterham. I used to like the grumbly Sport 160 with 4-2-1, Janspeed Roadsport and ITG, too.
The Honda was the best 4-pot though - the howl as the iVTEC kicked in at 4200rpm, and then hearing it go positively mental at 7000rpm never failed to amuse.
Having said that, I did have a little run out with a Cobra today on my way into London from Kent on some fast A roads. Boy do those V8's sound good
GravelBen said:
S Works said:
S1 Elise. The best value car that you can have fun within the speed limit. Fact.
Taking VFM into account I think I'd give that title to the MX5 myself. But owning an MX5 doesn't stop me wanting an Elise.Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff