What of the Elan then??
Discussion
Having mentioned the fabulous Excel very little is mentioned of the 90's Elan.
I had a drive of this when it was new to market, very uninvolving drive. It did what every great car should do, except thrill. Agree or otherwise??
I'm not knocking Lotus, I have been and continue to be a life long fan.
I had a drive of this when it was new to market, very uninvolving drive. It did what every great car should do, except thrill. Agree or otherwise??
I'm not knocking Lotus, I have been and continue to be a life long fan.
IMHO If I was looking for an 'everyday use' sportscar, I'd consider one (I now expect 20 responses saying 'you can't use one everyday'). It looks like a good one to have for 'the commute', but I can think of many others that I prefer as the 'real' sportscar (like an original elan or europa).
As I haven't actually done any research into them, this may be a false view...
>> Edited by Alpineandy on Sunday 5th December 21:52
As I haven't actually done any research into them, this may be a false view...
>> Edited by Alpineandy on Sunday 5th December 21:52
Mines not used everyday, but i know quite a few that do, very reliable and useable even in the worst weather conditions..... supposed to be great in the snow!
Cruises comfortably at 3 diget speeds with the top down, and awesome ground covering abilty cross country.
The Elans biggest downfall IMHO was it was a bit to forward thinking for the market place
Cruises comfortably at 3 diget speeds with the top down, and awesome ground covering abilty cross country.
The Elans biggest downfall IMHO was it was a bit to forward thinking for the market place
I can remember reading all the mags at the time coming up to launch date, still got them. Test drives all said the same really, but the most telling was 'its like playing a video game, with the huge expanse of windscreen in front of you and the road rolling out ahead of you'.
But what of the floating front suspension raft, surely this is a complex bit of kit to keep in good trim.
But what of the floating front suspension raft, surely this is a complex bit of kit to keep in good trim.
Superb car by all accounts - extremely well built and reliable.
The chassis sounds incredible though - FWD, but the engine, steering rack and front suspension is all on a separate subframe attached by aluminium 'rafts' to the middle of the chassis and kept supple by titanium wire brushes.
The effect is of a 4WD car (drive is from the front, but pulling on the mid-rear), but without the weight inherent in 4WD cars, as is Lotus thinking. It also makes handling almost completely neutral, as there's nothing to necessarily pull the car into either understeer or oversteer.
A lot of road testers said it was too sterile. IMO perhaps it was actually too controlable. I'd love to drive one and find out.
The chassis sounds incredible though - FWD, but the engine, steering rack and front suspension is all on a separate subframe attached by aluminium 'rafts' to the middle of the chassis and kept supple by titanium wire brushes.
The effect is of a 4WD car (drive is from the front, but pulling on the mid-rear), but without the weight inherent in 4WD cars, as is Lotus thinking. It also makes handling almost completely neutral, as there's nothing to necessarily pull the car into either understeer or oversteer.
A lot of road testers said it was too sterile. IMO perhaps it was actually too controlable. I'd love to drive one and find out.
Remembering my test drive when the car was launched. An amazingly quick car across country without any drama at all. Simply to good to have what we might regard as sports car fun. I had a very detached feeling whilst driving and yet I was driving like a God, well not quite but you get my meaning.
Drive one as soon as you can, no other car experience like it. Fabulous engineering.
Drive one as soon as you can, no other car experience like it.
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