EPIC ELISE DRIVE-WHATS YOURS?
Discussion
HI FOLKS,JUST THOUGHT I MIGHT SHARE MY LITTLE XMAS JOURNEY WITH YOU ALL.AS I LIVE IN ALICANTE SPAIN ITS A BIT OF A TREK TO REACH A LOTUS SPECIALIST!GIRLFRIEND SAID SHE DIDNT MIND FLYING,STRANGE THAT, SO OFF I GO AT 2 IN THE MORNING IN MY S1 111S TT FROM HOME TO MAKE THE BILBAO FERRY FOR 10 THAT MORNING.ALL GOING DANDY UNTIL I GET NORTH OF MADRID TOWARDS BURGOS AND SEE THE OVERHEAD SIGNS SAYING -7 DEGREES- NO VEHICLES WITHOUT SNOW CHAINS!!!RIGHT OUT OF OPTIONS ON NEARBY LOTUS DEALERS AT 5.30 AM STOCKING SNOW CHAIN KITS FOR A LITTLE OL ELISE I HAMMER ON PASSING A VERY BEMUSED GUARDIA CIVIL OFFICER SITTING SMUGLY IN HIS NISSAN TERRANO-DID HE KNOW SOMTHING? OOOOH YES SIREE.STAYED BEHIND SOME NASTY SPAINISH GRITTING LORRIES AS THEY THREW ROCK SALT,JUST ROCKS REALLY SO DECIDE TO HOOF IT UP AN OFF/ON SLIP ROAD TO GET IN FRONT(HAVING DROPPED BACK TO 30MPH FOR 40 KLICKS AND A ONE CHANCE FERRY TO CATCH)BIG MISTAKE.SHEET ICE GOING UP/STRAIGHT ACROSS THE JUNCTION ON TOP AND DOWN AND BACK ON AT NO TIME BEEN ABLE TO INFLUENCE DIRECTION OR SPEED,45 DEGREES EACH WAY AND ALMOST 90 DEGREES AS I NEATLY FELL IN BEHIND THE GRIT WAGON. WASHERS PACK UP AND THEN I THINK I MAY NEED ALTERNATOR NO.3 THIS YEAR AS MY LIGHTS DWINDLE TO ZIPPO STRENGTH.PULL IN TO FIND MY BLACK CAR IS ACTUALLY WHITE. NEVER SEEN SALT CACK LIKE IT,NIGH ON A CM THICK ON FRONT AND MIRRORS.BEGAN TALKING TO MYSELF LIKE OH THAT SNOW LOOKS NICE,WOW ITS BEGINNING TO LAY A BIT,AW S*#T IM PUSHING IT NOW WITH THE FRONT SPLITTER,FOOK THE BACKS WONT STOP SPINNING,BO**##* I CANT SEE WHICH WAY IM POINTING,OOOOPS IS THAT BERLINGO GOING TAKE ME OUT,LUCKLILY HE LANDED SOFTLY IN THE CENTRAL RESERVATION,I AM I ADMIT BRICKING IT TIGHT GRIP ON THE WHEEL AS I PASS 3 BROKEN OR STUCK GRITTING LORRIES(HEY HEY)AT NEARLY 10MPH. MY LOTI CAME THROUGH WHERE OTHERS FAILED! AFTER A LIFETIME(8KMS) I DROPPED DOWN A FEW HUNDRED METRES AND ALL WAS WELL-ISH.I MADE THE FERRY WITH JUST ENOUGH TIME TO FIND A CAR WASH- SEE TOTAL DEDICATION. HIT PORTSMOUTH 1.5 HRS LATE TO PITCH BLACK, RAIN AND THEN MY WINDOW FELL OUT AS I HANDED MY PASSPORT OVER! NO BOTHER ONLY GOT TO GET TO NEWCASTLE TO SEE JUDE PERFORANCE FOR MY ANNUAL SERVICE,MOT,JOB LIST.NITRONS AWAY HAVING SERVICE AND DOWN TO NORFOLK FOR EMERALD SESSION XMAS EVE,BACK THROUGH FRANCE TO BARCELONA FOR NEW YEAR AND HOME TO ALICANTE ON THE 2ND-ABOUT 3K MILES IN ALL JUST FOR A BIT OF FETTLING!-NO I LOVE IT REALLY. SO RESPECT TO ALL OF YOU DAILY DRIVERS OUT THERE ESPIECIALLY THOSE WITHOUT TC,HASTA LUEGO.
For the benefit of others 
cabbron said:
Hello there! I thought I'd my rather small Christmas related journey with all of you fine people.
As I reside in Alicante, it's a tad difficult to find a Lotus Specialist. My girlfriend insisted on flying, which was percular, but nonetheless I head off at 2am in my S1 111S TT towards the seabound vessel at Bilbao in preparation for the 10am departure. All is well until I am North of Madrid, heading towards Burgos. I notice the overhead signs stating '-7 - No vechicles without snow chains'. I'm in a spot of bother with the distinct lack of Lotus Dealers open at 5:30am stocking snow chain kits for a little old Elise.
I swiftly pass a bemused Guardia Civil Officer perched smugly in his Nissan Terrano. Did he know something I didn't? Oh indeed, old chap. I held my distance behind a horrible local gritting lorry as they dispensed rock salt, although they might as well have been rock. I decided to accelerate onto a slip road to overtake said vehicle, having deaccelerated down to 30mph for 40 miles, bearing in mind there one scheduled ferry! Epic fail.
Large amounts of sheet ice covering the junction, resulting in the loss of direction and velocity, as I nailed a 45 degree and an almost 90 degree drift! I neatly kept control and tucked behind another grit lorry. My washers failed to operate and I may need to replace my third alternator of this year, as my lights dwindle to non-existant ... or more non-existant than usual
I pull over to discover my black car is now white! I have never seen so much salt residue before - Almost a cm thick on the front clam and mirrors. I began muttering to myself, "Oh that snow looks lovely.
"Gosh, it's beginning to settle a fair amount."
"By jove, I'm pushing my luck with my front splitter."
"Damn, the rear tyres will not cease spinning!"
"Crikey!"
I cannot determine which way I am directing my fine motor vehicle.
"Golly, that Berlingo is going to crash into me!"
Luckily he came to a hault in the central reservation. At this moment I am touching cloth, as I grip the steering wheel tightly. I pass several unfortunate grit lorries who have become stuck in the snow at nearly 10mph. The Lotus prevailed!
I made the ferry with plenty of time to find a car wash. I reached Portsmouth late evening, where it was raining. My window dropped into the door suddenly as I handed over my password. Worry not a jot, only Newcastle to go where I would drop by Jude Performance for an annual service, MOT, suspension service and later down to Norfolk for an Emerald session on Xmas Eve.
I will then head back to Barcelona through France for New Year and home to Alicante on the 2nd Janurary. Overall approximately 3,000 miles for a service! I adore it, honestly. So hats off to you daily drivers, especially those who do not use traction control. Good day!
No charge!As I reside in Alicante, it's a tad difficult to find a Lotus Specialist. My girlfriend insisted on flying, which was percular, but nonetheless I head off at 2am in my S1 111S TT towards the seabound vessel at Bilbao in preparation for the 10am departure. All is well until I am North of Madrid, heading towards Burgos. I notice the overhead signs stating '-7 - No vechicles without snow chains'. I'm in a spot of bother with the distinct lack of Lotus Dealers open at 5:30am stocking snow chain kits for a little old Elise.
I swiftly pass a bemused Guardia Civil Officer perched smugly in his Nissan Terrano. Did he know something I didn't? Oh indeed, old chap. I held my distance behind a horrible local gritting lorry as they dispensed rock salt, although they might as well have been rock. I decided to accelerate onto a slip road to overtake said vehicle, having deaccelerated down to 30mph for 40 miles, bearing in mind there one scheduled ferry! Epic fail.
Large amounts of sheet ice covering the junction, resulting in the loss of direction and velocity, as I nailed a 45 degree and an almost 90 degree drift! I neatly kept control and tucked behind another grit lorry. My washers failed to operate and I may need to replace my third alternator of this year, as my lights dwindle to non-existant ... or more non-existant than usual
I pull over to discover my black car is now white! I have never seen so much salt residue before - Almost a cm thick on the front clam and mirrors. I began muttering to myself, "Oh that snow looks lovely.
"Gosh, it's beginning to settle a fair amount."
"By jove, I'm pushing my luck with my front splitter."
"Damn, the rear tyres will not cease spinning!"
"Crikey!"
I cannot determine which way I am directing my fine motor vehicle.
"Golly, that Berlingo is going to crash into me!"
Luckily he came to a hault in the central reservation. At this moment I am touching cloth, as I grip the steering wheel tightly. I pass several unfortunate grit lorries who have become stuck in the snow at nearly 10mph. The Lotus prevailed!
I made the ferry with plenty of time to find a car wash. I reached Portsmouth late evening, where it was raining. My window dropped into the door suddenly as I handed over my password. Worry not a jot, only Newcastle to go where I would drop by Jude Performance for an annual service, MOT, suspension service and later down to Norfolk for an Emerald session on Xmas Eve.
I will then head back to Barcelona through France for New Year and home to Alicante on the 2nd Janurary. Overall approximately 3,000 miles for a service! I adore it, honestly. So hats off to you daily drivers, especially those who do not use traction control. Good day!
Cabbron, have you had your Elise supercharged? Do you have an S1 or S2 Elise? If you don't mind me asking, how much was it to have the supercharger and all other parts fitted? hi,yes it is s/c- a 111s s1,it did put out 222bhp at the fly on emeralds rolling road and cost around the 6k mark nearly 5 years ago and 25000 miles ago. had a new s/c last year and 2 alternators this year apart from that all good.just completed a track day in spain the week before this trip back and it upheld brit honour pretty well.cheers
Heh. I'm sure 'cabron' means something in Spanish 
What I'd like to know is WTF tyres have you got on your Lotus because snow and ice *really* don't work with Elises... either you have the car control skills of Seb Loeb or you've got winter tyres on, shureley??
Actually I think the Elise would be a bit of a weapon with proper winter tyres (reduced width all round) - it's a bit light but the balance is incredible, I've been banging on about the benefits of winter tyres (even in a non-snowy UK winter) for ages but haven't got round to it with the Lotus (or the VXT) since the VXT's 888s and the Exige's A048Rs seem to work in rain OK... just wait till a snowy / icy day though, I'll be calling a cab (none of my cars being appropriate for slippery conditions...)
What I'd like to know is WTF tyres have you got on your Lotus because snow and ice *really* don't work with Elises... either you have the car control skills of Seb Loeb or you've got winter tyres on, shureley??
Actually I think the Elise would be a bit of a weapon with proper winter tyres (reduced width all round) - it's a bit light but the balance is incredible, I've been banging on about the benefits of winter tyres (even in a non-snowy UK winter) for ages but haven't got round to it with the Lotus (or the VXT) since the VXT's 888s and the Exige's A048Rs seem to work in rain OK... just wait till a snowy / icy day though, I'll be calling a cab (none of my cars being appropriate for slippery conditions...)
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