Anyone owned a Lotus Elise?
Discussion
Any good for what? They are quite quick with an Audi conversion and they are a pretty good steer even as a standard k series.
Have you driven one? Best way to tell if you like it. I were you I'd also be having a drive of a supercharged K20a conversion too. One of the most impressive cars I've ever driven. The power is more usable to a ham fisted idiot like me. I needed to be more circumspect with the Audi.
Have you driven one? Best way to tell if you like it. I were you I'd also be having a drive of a supercharged K20a conversion too. One of the most impressive cars I've ever driven. The power is more usable to a ham fisted idiot like me. I needed to be more circumspect with the Audi.
I owned by S2 111S for 8 years and absolutely loved it. I think they're amongst the very best road cars that I've ever driven, if not the best, next to the new Exige V6 which has taken that slot for me now.
Firstly, I'd definitely drive a standard car before you look at a modified one. Lots of the conversions around are very high quality, but given the peerless reputation of Lotus' own ride and handling department, I'd be very surprised if any of them matched the drive of a good enough condition standard car, for everthing other than straight line punch of course. I also wonder if the more common Honda conversion carries less of a weight penalty but more than enough performance, and potentially a nicer drive too with the high revving responsive n/a or s/c engine.
HTH
Firstly, I'd definitely drive a standard car before you look at a modified one. Lots of the conversions around are very high quality, but given the peerless reputation of Lotus' own ride and handling department, I'd be very surprised if any of them matched the drive of a good enough condition standard car, for everthing other than straight line punch of course. I also wonder if the more common Honda conversion carries less of a weight penalty but more than enough performance, and potentially a nicer drive too with the high revving responsive n/a or s/c engine.
HTH
mboon said:
Never driven one but feel it would be a great drivers car.
I have had a good amount of high powered rear wheel drive cars so should be able to handle it.
I have had a good amount of high powered rear wheel drive cars so should be able to handle it.
They're about as good as you'll get these days, combining the chassis stiffness and independent suspension of a heavier modern car like a Boxster with the feel and driving qualities of a more traditional lightweight like a Caterham without PAS etc. To top that, Lotus really are amazingly good at making a car drive well, and I would strongly urge a test drive in a standard Elise before you look further to direct a car down one particular route by modifying it.Regarding your second point, the Elise is a very benign car to drive fast, so there's nothing to worry about there. The rear engined layout gives plenty of traction, the chassis is reasonably forgiving and there's a huge amount of feel. Whilst it is of course possible to lose control of an Elise, to achieve that you'd have to either be in a modified car and caught out by an aspect of the suspension travel and geometry change etc, or be driving a standard car like an utter loon to achieve it (or of course get extremely unlucky with ice or diesel on the road, but that goes for any car really).
Colmd said:
Any good for what? They are quite quick with an Audi conversion and they are a pretty good steer even as a standard k series.
Quite quick?! What the bloody hell do you drive that makes an Audi Elise feel "quite" quick?
Up to 100 they're Ferrari-beating quick, there's not a lot can live with them. As said, they're a good laugh with a standard K too, or with a tweaked K. An additional 30bhp goes a long way in a car weighing 720kg.
RobM77 said:
Regarding your second point, the Elise is a very benign car to drive fast, so there's nothing to worry about there. The rear engined layout gives plenty of traction, the chassis is reasonably forgiving and there's a huge amount of feel. Whilst it is of course possible to lose control of an Elise, to achieve that you'd have to either be in a modified car and caught out by an aspect of the suspension travel and geometry change etc, or be driving a standard car like an utter loon to achieve it (or of course get extremely unlucky with ice or diesel on the road, but that goes for any car really).
They're not so benign when it comes to lift-off oversteer, they're pretty snappy when they do let go, especially on stickier tyres. Short wheelbase, rearward weight distribution etc (latter being worse in an Audi). Check out just how many people *don't* repeatedly spin on a wet handling day for an example - it surprised me. Mine repeatedly caught me out, when I first bought it, on a Car Limits day, lifting off the brakes into the left-hander. Wheels lock up, momentary reactionary lift, weight transfers to the front and backwards through the imaginary wall before you know it.
As you say though, you have to be hugely careless to spin on the road.
As long as you don't lift off (either the brakes or throttle) you can drive it like a knob and still end up facing the right way - my ham-fisted attempts a year or two ago in the wet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAHxk0iu6oc
You'll love it though, I'm sure. I've had mine longer than any other car, and can't imagine selling (modified K, not an Audi).
pthelazyjourno said:
Quite quick?!
What the bloody hell do you drive that makes an Audi Elise feel "quite" quick? Up to 100 they're Ferrari-beating quick, there's not a lot can live with them.
As said, they're a good laugh with a standard K too, or with a tweaked K. An additional 30bhp goes a long way in a car weighing 720kg.
It was a little tongue in cheek! What the bloody hell do you drive that makes an Audi Elise feel "quite" quick?
Up to 100 they're Ferrari-beating quick, there's not a lot can live with them. As said, they're a good laugh with a standard K too, or with a tweaked K. An additional 30bhp goes a long way in a car weighing 720kg.
pthelazyjourno said:
Quite quick?!
What the bloody hell do you drive that makes an Audi Elise feel "quite" quick? Up to 100 they're Ferrari-beating quick, there's not a lot can live with them.
As said, they're a good laugh with a standard K too, or with a tweaked K. An additional 30bhp goes a long way in a car weighing 720kg.
Oh, and a supercharged & chargecooled K20a Series 1 is most definitely faster than pretty much any Ferrari until rather silly speeds are reached. I speak from experience here . . . What the bloody hell do you drive that makes an Audi Elise feel "quite" quick?
Up to 100 they're Ferrari-beating quick, there's not a lot can live with them. As said, they're a good laugh with a standard K too, or with a tweaked K. An additional 30bhp goes a long way in a car weighing 720kg.
pthelazyjourno said:
Quite quick?!
What the bloody hell do you drive that makes an Audi Elise feel "quite" quick? Up to 100 they're Ferrari-beating quick, there's not a lot can live with them.
As said, they're a good laugh with a standard K too, or with a tweaked K. An additional 30bhp goes a long way in a car weighing 720kg.
Speed Triple 955i is the quickest thing I currently own and I would not fancy my chances on that against either NA or SC Honda or an Audi Elise. What the bloody hell do you drive that makes an Audi Elise feel "quite" quick?
Up to 100 they're Ferrari-beating quick, there's not a lot can live with them. As said, they're a good laugh with a standard K too, or with a tweaked K. An additional 30bhp goes a long way in a car weighing 720kg.
pthelazyjourno said:
RobM77 said:
Regarding your second point, the Elise is a very benign car to drive fast, so there's nothing to worry about there. The rear engined layout gives plenty of traction, the chassis is reasonably forgiving and there's a huge amount of feel. Whilst it is of course possible to lose control of an Elise, to achieve that you'd have to either be in a modified car and caught out by an aspect of the suspension travel and geometry change etc, or be driving a standard car like an utter loon to achieve it (or of course get extremely unlucky with ice or diesel on the road, but that goes for any car really).
They're not so benign when it comes to lift-off oversteer, they're pretty snappy when they do let go, especially on stickier tyres. Short wheelbase, rearward weight distribution etc (latter being worse in an Audi). Check out just how many people *don't* repeatedly spin on a wet handling day for an example - it surprised me. Mine repeatedly caught me out, when I first bought it, on a Car Limits day, lifting off the brakes into the left-hander. Wheels lock up, momentary reactionary lift, weight transfers to the front and backwards through the imaginary wall before you know it.
As you say though, you have to be hugely careless to spin on the road.
As long as you don't lift off (either the brakes or throttle) you can drive it like a knob and still end up facing the right way - my ham-fisted attempts a year or two ago in the wet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAHxk0iu6oc
You'll love it though, I'm sure. I've had mine longer than any other car, and can't imagine selling (modified K, not an Audi).
Edited by RobM77 on Thursday 1st August 17:51
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