S3 Elise 220 vs S2 Exige SC
Discussion
To me the Mk.3 is a much more usable car, the Mk.2 is more fun.
The Mk.2 will have the 2ZZ which has not much low down torque (my one would struggle below about 4000 rpm in top gear), but always was worth revving the hell out of it for the wonderful noise at 8400 rpm with the blower about a foot behind your ear.However the gearbox is slow (don't know if it's the box or the linkage),especially between 2nd and 3rd.
The Mk.3 has the 2ZR which has much more low down torque (the way it can gain revs in low gears is scary until you get used to it), but max rpm is 7000. The gearbox/linkage is much faster.Both of which make it more usable.
Handling was much the same on both.
The only reason I sold my Mk.3 (it was a Cup 220) was the seat mounting was driving me nuts (you can't get in/out with the seat in place for most people). It would not latch properly and while it would not move, if it was not in the correct place, it would creak continuously and it drove me crazy.
They are all the same apparently (in MK.2 and 3), but my Mk.2 was not nearly as bad as my Mk.3.
The dealer sent it back to the factory, who tightened it up, but after a few weeks it had loosened off and made even more noise then normal, so it had to go.
Pity, because it was a great car otherwise.
Another word of warning (in case you haven't had one before). You cannot put anything on the passenger side floor, it will come over the small rail in the middle of the floor and end up under your feet which can lead to a tense moment when it happens for the first time.
The Mk.2 will have the 2ZZ which has not much low down torque (my one would struggle below about 4000 rpm in top gear), but always was worth revving the hell out of it for the wonderful noise at 8400 rpm with the blower about a foot behind your ear.However the gearbox is slow (don't know if it's the box or the linkage),especially between 2nd and 3rd.
The Mk.3 has the 2ZR which has much more low down torque (the way it can gain revs in low gears is scary until you get used to it), but max rpm is 7000. The gearbox/linkage is much faster.Both of which make it more usable.
Handling was much the same on both.
The only reason I sold my Mk.3 (it was a Cup 220) was the seat mounting was driving me nuts (you can't get in/out with the seat in place for most people). It would not latch properly and while it would not move, if it was not in the correct place, it would creak continuously and it drove me crazy.
They are all the same apparently (in MK.2 and 3), but my Mk.2 was not nearly as bad as my Mk.3.
The dealer sent it back to the factory, who tightened it up, but after a few weeks it had loosened off and made even more noise then normal, so it had to go.
Pity, because it was a great car otherwise.
Another word of warning (in case you haven't had one before). You cannot put anything on the passenger side floor, it will come over the small rail in the middle of the floor and end up under your feet which can lead to a tense moment when it happens for the first time.
I've got an S2 111R, to which I have recently had the Lotus supercharger kit fitted, bringing the engine up to Elise SC spec. So that's a 2ZZ-GE with an Eaton MP45 blower and no intercooler.
This setup was also used on early supercharged Exiges, but from the Exige S onwards they used the MP62 supercharger with an intercooler - this can make a lot more power and doesn't suffer from heat soak on track.
The Exiges with the MP62 supercharger have more headroom, with up to 260bhp/175lbft from the factory.
The S3 220 has similar power to supercharged S2s, more torque, fewer revs. The supercharged 2ZZ-GE never feels like it lacks torque to me, but it's all relative.
The Exige is generally a bit heavier than the Elise, and newer Elises are generally a bit heavier than older ones.
Newer Elises/Exiges tend to be a bit more civilised.
The gearchange can be improved on the S2 cars with a bit of fiddling and firmer engine mounts (the latter at the expense of some refinement)
This setup was also used on early supercharged Exiges, but from the Exige S onwards they used the MP62 supercharger with an intercooler - this can make a lot more power and doesn't suffer from heat soak on track.
The Exiges with the MP62 supercharger have more headroom, with up to 260bhp/175lbft from the factory.
The S3 220 has similar power to supercharged S2s, more torque, fewer revs. The supercharged 2ZZ-GE never feels like it lacks torque to me, but it's all relative.
The Exige is generally a bit heavier than the Elise, and newer Elises are generally a bit heavier than older ones.
Newer Elises/Exiges tend to be a bit more civilised.
The gearchange can be improved on the S2 cars with a bit of fiddling and firmer engine mounts (the latter at the expense of some refinement)
Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff