New Lotus Elises

[Recoil]

Anyone own one? Ever drive one?

 

[GQgeek]

Nope. But if I ever buy a sports car, it will most likely be a Lotus.

 

[Full Canvas]

Originally Posted by LVoer

Anyone own one? Ever drive one?

Yes. I've owned and driven my 1997 Elise from new. Last November, I had the opportunity to drive a new 2008 supercharged six-speed Elise SC for nearly two hundred miles on empty secondary roads. The newer car is clearly more driver friendly with more power and its extra gear in addition to the engine's more usable power band.

I am quite friendly with a certain Lotus dealer because of my long-term ownership of many Lotus cars from new. If you plan to purchase a new car, I would be happy to refer you to the dealer. I don't work there and take no fee. The offer is only because I know they will treat you fairly in the sales transaction. They can arrange shipping if necessary. I believe they have approximately twelve in stock currently. They've sold well more than two hundred fifty Elises since the model was legalized for sale in America. PM if you want further details.

After the Los Angeles Auto Show in October, the new Evora was on display in the showroom. The importer's representative elected me to "drive" it at day's end. Note the little quote marks. They mean I sat in the driver's seat and steered while two lot attendants pushed the car along a ramp.

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[bigbjorn]

I wrote a feature article in the Winter 2008 issue of 0-60 magazine (www.0-60mag.com) on 50 years of Lotus history, and drove an Elan S2, a couple of Esprits, an Elise, and an Exige S. I found the normally-aspirated Elise to be one of the more appealing cars I've ever had a chance to drive.

 

[turboman808]

This is really gonna depend on how you like to drive. They are fantastic cars. It's just not the car for me.

They are very underpowered. Lotus is however all about handling. They didn't want to even put a LSD in the Elise because then you wouldn't be driving it properly to them. They want you to drive the car by carving corners and not powering out.

When I bought my 1973 porsche 914-6 2 years ago I was considering an elise as well. They are very similar cars. I test drove both. The elise is much easier to drive then a 35 year old porsche of course. I have no doubt on a autox or lower speed race track the elise would be faster. The big difference is I can drive the 914-6 how I want to drive it. I can drive it like you would a viper for corvette. Very caveman and brutish or I can drive it like an elise and be very precise and delicate with perfect lines.

I like to drive a car how I feel like driving it and not how the manufacturer tells me to drive it.

I would recommend driving several sports cars before you get an elise. It will never give that kick ********** power. It will never beat a corvette on the highway. It will never drift or leave a huge cloud of rubber. Those things are just as fun to me as tearing up a road course or autox(which is the only thing the elise does).

Oh also whats with all the dam shifitng. You spend more time shifting gears then enjoying it.

Keep in mind I have only driven the elise with 180 hp motor. The exige S with the supercharger could be alot more fun. I can only mention what I have driven.

 

[polyesterisok]

Maybe Lotus could work out a deal with Honda to use the S2000 motor now that the S3000 has been shelved? Seems like it would be a step up from the relatively weak Toyota mill. However, I wouldn't mind having one some day if it was cheap enough. Sticking with Lotus I saw a reasonably clean '89 Esprit sell for 11k at the Barrett Jackson last Tuesday.

 

[Recoil]

The thing about the Lotus is its power-to-weight ratio. 180HP is no slouch when its in a car that weights 2000lbs. The car is already keeping with most entry to mid-level Porsches in terms of speed. I don't think it necessarily needs more power.

 

[epb]

Originally Posted by LVoer

The thing about the Lotus is its power-to-weight ratio. 180HP is no slouch when its in a car that weights 2000lbs. The car is already keeping with most entry to mid-level Porsches in terms of speed. I don't think it necessarily needs more power.

Ditto. Isn't 0-60 under 4.5 seconds? It's quick and nimble, especially for its price point. I wouldn't get one for the type of pleasure driving I do - street driving and road trips - but I like them quite a bit.

 

[turboman808]

HP is only half the story. 120 lbs of torque isn't impressive at all. Even with that toyota motor turbo charged the torque doesn't hit 200 lbs.

My solstice GXP may be 3000 lbs but with 300hp and 400lbs of torque it's gonna beat the heck out of a lotus. I had to spend 3500 on ecu tune, exhaust, Z0k sway bars and tires to do this but still came in under 35 grand so I think it's a good comparison. All done under full factory warranty.

I agree a honda KA series motor in a Lotus would be a fantastic car. That was there first choice but last minute Honda backed out and they went with the toyota motor instead. I feel bad for bashing the toyota motor especialy since my brother built one for his MR2. Keeps telling me how it has 220 rear wheel hp. Still only got 130 lbs of torque. Between you guys and me it's still a slow dog. Fun to drive but slow.

 

[Tarmac]

if you are getting to 60mph in less than 5 seconds, it's not slow. simple logic.

 

[turboman808]

Originally Posted by Tarmac

if you are getting to 60mph in less than 5 seconds, it's not slow. simple logic.

Bear in mind I film street racing and road racing and have driven cars with 1000 hp before. So to me the lotus is a slow car. I guess we all have a different idea of what fast is and what makes a car fun.

I just know if I bought an $60k exige and went to race a honda civic on the highway and it beat me I would be pretty dam pissed.

 

[Full Canvas]

Originally Posted by turboman808

Bear in mind I film street racing and road racing and have driven cars with 1000 hp before. So to me the lotus is a slow car. I guess we all have a different idea of what fast is and what makes a car fun.

I just know if I bought an $60k exige and went to race a honda civic on the highway and it beat me I would be pretty dam pissed.

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Originally Posted by Tarmac

if you are getting to 60mph in less than 5 seconds, it's not slow. simple logic.

We have a budding "Cruiser" a la AAAC. Who needs Brioni or Kiton or Oxxford when J.C. Penny's suits do the same thing?!?!

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[Reggs]

I saw one on the road yesterday and the licence plate was "FLOWER." What a douchebag.

 

[turboman808]

Originally Posted by Full Canvas

We have a budding "Cruiser" a la AAAC. Who needs Brioni or Kiton or Oxxford when J.C. Penny's suits do the same thing?!?!

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Grat analogy considering the lotus is not bespoke and has a toyota celica motor. You see the irony don't you?

Whatever, have your lotus love fest and I will be the guy who clearly doesn't know a thing about cars.

But would you care to comment on why Lotus themselves wanted the KA series motor instead of a celica motor? You don't think they settled do you? Why would they want a car with a more linear power curve instead of a peaky power curve?

 

[crazyquik]

I plan to look into buying one in two years. I'll post up in about 720 days

A new dealership opened here about 6 months ago and they have 10-12 Elises on the lot. Not the best market to be opening a new Lotus dealership