Elise S/R/SC...which is best?
Discussion
I am a committed TVR fan (some say I should have been committed ages ago), and love big brawny sports cars....however, I had a Lotus Scare yourself sensible experience at the weekend, and have come away extremely inpressed with the handling of the Elise, so much so, that provided I still have a job in a few months time, I am going to get rid of my boring but excellent chipped TDI Golf, and get an Elise.
The question is, which is best? The basic S car is adequate in performace terms, but could be a bit quicker, but is sensibly economical. The R looks like it has reasonable economy, but with descent performance, and a bit more expensive, while the SC looks plenty quick enough, but looses economy and costs a fair bit more than the basic car.
To balance this, I intend to keep my TVR for trackdays, and no Lotus can match the matcho-ness of a TVR. Also my car is particularly well sorted (for a TVR), and certainly quicker than the basic S on a trackday, when driven by an average driver, but then, I am only average.
So given that the car will mostly be used on the road for normal motoring, touring on holidays, and occasional track days, aswell as trips to the Nurburgring....which is best? I have to admit, without any input from you good people, my head says the S, whilst my heart says the R, whilst I would really like the SC, but then the TVR may never come out of the garage again, plus its a bit expensive?
The question is, which is best? The basic S car is adequate in performace terms, but could be a bit quicker, but is sensibly economical. The R looks like it has reasonable economy, but with descent performance, and a bit more expensive, while the SC looks plenty quick enough, but looses economy and costs a fair bit more than the basic car.
To balance this, I intend to keep my TVR for trackdays, and no Lotus can match the matcho-ness of a TVR. Also my car is particularly well sorted (for a TVR), and certainly quicker than the basic S on a trackday, when driven by an average driver, but then, I am only average.
So given that the car will mostly be used on the road for normal motoring, touring on holidays, and occasional track days, aswell as trips to the Nurburgring....which is best? I have to admit, without any input from you good people, my head says the S, whilst my heart says the R, whilst I would really like the SC, but then the TVR may never come out of the garage again, plus its a bit expensive?
Yes, good question.....best combination of performance per pound I suppose. The basic S provided hugely enjoyable fun on a track, and has plenty of performance for everyday motoring, so is the R or the SC really any better, but sometimes you do need a bit of power to a) respect a car and b) not get bored with it?
Are the more powerful cars really worth the extra (?), but maybe the question is a bit daft, because everyone has different adjenda`s,....I guess I am really interested in peoples experiences, from which I can make some basic judgements.
Are the more powerful cars really worth the extra (?), but maybe the question is a bit daft, because everyone has different adjenda`s,....I guess I am really interested in peoples experiences, from which I can make some basic judgements.
I've had an S for 18 months now - I bought from new, and it was an economic decision.
Yes, the car is plenty quick enough for road use, and as peak torque comes in earlier than it does in the R, it can be a more relaxing car to drive.
Having said that, were I to replace it with another Elise, it would be with an R, because ultimately, we all crave more power, no?
Yes, the car is plenty quick enough for road use, and as peak torque comes in earlier than it does in the R, it can be a more relaxing car to drive.
Having said that, were I to replace it with another Elise, it would be with an R, because ultimately, we all crave more power, no?
Hi there, well I am a little biased but have driven the line up above except TVR. I ended up buying an R after going to a dealer and being taken out on a 30 min "wow" trip. I have since driven the line up you mention and an Exige S 240/& S1 160.
The S/C is very quick but hated the new steering wheel (Airbag version) as your thumbs hit the horn causing you to look like an idiot, new dashboard (i.e. All plastic with airbags) and above all lack of sound. As a motorway cruiser etc it is probably the best Elise, but I was missing my R (With Larini). The lower down torque is much better, but at the sametime I love the second cam experience of the R, and in most situations the torque lower down in the R is good for my driving ability (Not very good). The S/C is very fast, but in an Elise its the handling that puts the smile on your face.
I think the S is very good, but I would miss that second cam and six speed box. If you prefer leaving it in one gear and not reving a car, then the S/C or S maybe more up your street. Its defently a good option and not to be overlooked.
On a daily driver note, my 06 R has been from London to Milan and back in 3 days so it is very comfortable and easily good enough to use everyday. I love the sound with Larini and it makes the car. Plus the seats (Probax) are simply amazing.
I would find a good example of a few, and then place your cash on the table and enjoy.
Hope that helps...
The S/C is very quick but hated the new steering wheel (Airbag version) as your thumbs hit the horn causing you to look like an idiot, new dashboard (i.e. All plastic with airbags) and above all lack of sound. As a motorway cruiser etc it is probably the best Elise, but I was missing my R (With Larini). The lower down torque is much better, but at the sametime I love the second cam experience of the R, and in most situations the torque lower down in the R is good for my driving ability (Not very good). The S/C is very fast, but in an Elise its the handling that puts the smile on your face.
I think the S is very good, but I would miss that second cam and six speed box. If you prefer leaving it in one gear and not reving a car, then the S/C or S maybe more up your street. Its defently a good option and not to be overlooked.
On a daily driver note, my 06 R has been from London to Milan and back in 3 days so it is very comfortable and easily good enough to use everyday. I love the sound with Larini and it makes the car. Plus the seats (Probax) are simply amazing.
I would find a good example of a few, and then place your cash on the table and enjoy.
Hope that helps...
Edited by Stu_00 on Tuesday 20th January 17:57
Exactly both very good, but depends on what you prefer. I agree I missed the split personality when driving the S/C, as it has the same cam system but is variable rather than fixed at 6,000 rpm I believe.
LivinLaVidaLotus said:
If I were buying now, I'd have the SC, the downturn has brought them to some very nice prices. Having said that, I do like the split personality of my 111R - Nice and sedate if you want it, but if you feel like having a blast you can.
S driver here,love my car to death and not interested in changing it.
If i were a better driver and had some spare cash however,i would have to go for the SC.
Its a great car,then again i dont base my descisions on what the steering wheel looks like
The other alternative would be to buy an earlier R for £16-£17k and buy a Katana s/c kit(or even the Lotus s/c upgrade when it comes out)for £5k and get it fitted at a later date.Plenty of Exige drivers have already converted their 190's to 240+bhp(apparently).Speak to Sinclaires for more info http://www.sinclairebodyshop.co.uk/upgrades/upgrad...
The obvious advice is to drive the R and SC and see which one you like/suits you the best(and even try a Katana'd car if you fancy something a bit different)
If i were a better driver and had some spare cash however,i would have to go for the SC.
Its a great car,then again i dont base my descisions on what the steering wheel looks like
The other alternative would be to buy an earlier R for £16-£17k and buy a Katana s/c kit(or even the Lotus s/c upgrade when it comes out)for £5k and get it fitted at a later date.Plenty of Exige drivers have already converted their 190's to 240+bhp(apparently).Speak to Sinclaires for more info http://www.sinclairebodyshop.co.uk/upgrades/upgrad...
The obvious advice is to drive the R and SC and see which one you like/suits you the best(and even try a Katana'd car if you fancy something a bit different)
Personally Id say R. You will get a newer S for your money but you dont want to have any regrets in 6 months time by wanting that little bit extra'Power'. The SC is brilliant but lacks that bit of rawness of the R,I also think the dash looks a tad MX5'ish,with all that plastic!
Lotus dont have a dud car in their line up at the moment. Your choice...
Lotus dont have a dud car in their line up at the moment. Your choice...
Agreed, either way your be happy. Might even come down to finding a good example etc.
LivinLaVidaLotus said:
R-Racer said:
Lotus dont have a dud car in their line up at the moment. Your choice...
Says it all really, don't think you'll end up disappointed whatever you choose. Best thing to do is get out there and have a good drive of each.No: road tests from Evo and Autocar show that the 111R/R beats both the k-series 120 and new Toyota engined S (by a fair bit actually) in all the in-gear increments: 30-50,40-60,50-70 in 3rd/4th/5th.
All cracking cars.
All cracking cars.
Salgar said:
Do the S and R have equal torque at lower revs and the R just has a much better high end or does the R perform worse than the S at lower revs because of the shape of the curve?
Edited by dom180 on Wednesday 21st January 20:40
The real answers to this question will be "I have a S/R/SC, and it is best"
In this vein, The R is the best.
The S is too slow and very frustrating. Too slow out of the bends and after the second Focus RS has burned you off you will be so pissed off with the S you will give it back. I had one as a loan car for about 6 weeks. I was pleased to see the back of it.
The SC is superb, powerful, fast and agile BUT, because of the low down torque you can be lazy and not change gear, you dont have to "drive" an SC if you dont want to.
The R is superb. The peaky engine makes you work to keep it in the power band, you work the gearbox and concentrate on the drive. It is fast enough to keep up or even destroy far more exotic cars. It is involving and so capable of putting a smile across your face that it is hard to get out of and not just because the doors are small. I have made a couple of mods, all suspension based and there is very little that out handle the car so even if a GT3 (for example ) takes you on the straight, you will wonder if he gave up when you have gone through a series of bends. The R is involving, fun and most importantly takes a level of skill to get the best from it, that means you will have to develop your skills and it will keep you interested for a very long time. If you do get to the point that your skill is better than the car (and pigs may fly) you can stick on an aftermarket supercharger and easily get 280bhp (more than the Lotus package)
In this vein, The R is the best.
The S is too slow and very frustrating. Too slow out of the bends and after the second Focus RS has burned you off you will be so pissed off with the S you will give it back. I had one as a loan car for about 6 weeks. I was pleased to see the back of it.
The SC is superb, powerful, fast and agile BUT, because of the low down torque you can be lazy and not change gear, you dont have to "drive" an SC if you dont want to.
The R is superb. The peaky engine makes you work to keep it in the power band, you work the gearbox and concentrate on the drive. It is fast enough to keep up or even destroy far more exotic cars. It is involving and so capable of putting a smile across your face that it is hard to get out of and not just because the doors are small. I have made a couple of mods, all suspension based and there is very little that out handle the car so even if a GT3 (for example ) takes you on the straight, you will wonder if he gave up when you have gone through a series of bends. The R is involving, fun and most importantly takes a level of skill to get the best from it, that means you will have to develop your skills and it will keep you interested for a very long time. If you do get to the point that your skill is better than the car (and pigs may fly) you can stick on an aftermarket supercharger and easily get 280bhp (more than the Lotus package)
Gooby said:
The real answers to this question will be "I have a S/R/SC, and it is best"
In this vein, The R is the best.
The S is too slow and very frustrating. Too slow out of the bends and after the second Focus RS has burned you off you will be so pissed off with the S you will give it back. I had one as a loan car for about 6 weeks. I was pleased to see the back of it.
The SC is superb, powerful, fast and agile BUT, because of the low down torque you can be lazy and not change gear, you dont have to "drive" an SC if you dont want to.
The R is superb. The peaky engine makes you work to keep it in the power band, you work the gearbox and concentrate on the drive. It is fast enough to keep up or even destroy far more exotic cars. It is involving and so capable of putting a smile across your face that it is hard to get out of and not just because the doors are small. I have made a couple of mods, all suspension based and there is very little that out handle the car so even if a GT3 (for example ) takes you on the straight, you will wonder if he gave up when you have gone through a series of bends. The R is involving, fun and most importantly takes a level of skill to get the best from it, that means you will have to develop your skills and it will keep you interested for a very long time. If you do get to the point that your skill is better than the car (and pigs may fly) you can stick on an aftermarket supercharger and easily get 280bhp (more than the Lotus package)
In this vein, The R is the best.
The S is too slow and very frustrating. Too slow out of the bends and after the second Focus RS has burned you off you will be so pissed off with the S you will give it back. I had one as a loan car for about 6 weeks. I was pleased to see the back of it.
The SC is superb, powerful, fast and agile BUT, because of the low down torque you can be lazy and not change gear, you dont have to "drive" an SC if you dont want to.
The R is superb. The peaky engine makes you work to keep it in the power band, you work the gearbox and concentrate on the drive. It is fast enough to keep up or even destroy far more exotic cars. It is involving and so capable of putting a smile across your face that it is hard to get out of and not just because the doors are small. I have made a couple of mods, all suspension based and there is very little that out handle the car so even if a GT3 (for example ) takes you on the straight, you will wonder if he gave up when you have gone through a series of bends. The R is involving, fun and most importantly takes a level of skill to get the best from it, that means you will have to develop your skills and it will keep you interested for a very long time. If you do get to the point that your skill is better than the car (and pigs may fly) you can stick on an aftermarket supercharger and easily get 280bhp (more than the Lotus package)
As ever Goobys attempt at levity, sums it up pretty much.
S drivers will says theirs is best
R drivers theirs
SC drivers theirs
It really is down to personal preference and economics. I am not a skilled driver and yet my R is more than capable of keeping up with just about every car it has ever met (The one exception was a Nova, god knows what it had under the bonnet, but by the time I realised it wanted to have a play, play time was over)
Economics say the S, however my R consistanly returns high 30s mpg for me and most of my weekly driving is around town.
The R has one benefit over all the option in my opinion and that is, its intial purchase price 2nd hand can be £16-17K for a good early model and should the power become to sedate for you, then the Katana mod can be added for £5-6K which still results in less overall cost than an SC
In reality, whichever model you buy you will be happpy with, you will however want to mod the car in the end, whether that be lights, suspension, brakes, or engine. The R allows the most modding
S drivers will says theirs is best
R drivers theirs
SC drivers theirs
It really is down to personal preference and economics. I am not a skilled driver and yet my R is more than capable of keeping up with just about every car it has ever met (The one exception was a Nova, god knows what it had under the bonnet, but by the time I realised it wanted to have a play, play time was over)
Economics say the S, however my R consistanly returns high 30s mpg for me and most of my weekly driving is around town.
The R has one benefit over all the option in my opinion and that is, its intial purchase price 2nd hand can be £16-17K for a good early model and should the power become to sedate for you, then the Katana mod can be added for £5-6K which still results in less overall cost than an SC
In reality, whichever model you buy you will be happpy with, you will however want to mod the car in the end, whether that be lights, suspension, brakes, or engine. The R allows the most modding
Yep, all depends on what you want to do. Im sure all will handle very well and which is best on the road in that department will depend on how big your b*lls are, I personally did not drive my exige that fast round corners (call me a wimp) as I did not want the risk of comming off the road...However I did want to be able to overtake cars quickly so that you are not in danger....and can burn off the chav clio's etc So depends on your driving style, hence one of the reasons I went for a 240cup as this had the best power at that time. Also leaves most cars way behind when accelerating!
So depends on your driving style, hence one of the reasons I went for a 240cup as this had the best power at that time. Also leaves most cars way behind when accelerating!
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