Change to an Elise v3 2018 version update?

[gt3driver73]

Hi,

I've got a 2014 Elise 220 Sport and thinking about upgrading to the revised version in 2018. The things I'd like to see are:

- That the gearbox has a limiter which means you can't go too far left in the gate and stops you getting into 2nd gear easily

- A slightly softer suspension.

- The exhaust doesn't resonate or boom at 2000rpm which is uncomfortable as that's the rpm that I generally drive at

Do you have any other thoughts on the 2018 upgrade?

Just some of my background info in case it's useful. I've had many 911's over the years and also a McLaren 540, looking for the best balance of speed along with driver appeal. It started to become clear that these cars are great but on the roads, particularly Norfolk B roads where I live, the cars are just frustrating in that you cant stretch their legs at all. I changed my GT3 to a manual car to get back to a more interesting drive and a fantastic noise, but it's still too refined. So I bought an Elise a year ago and have thoroughly enjoyed it, particularly with the top down in the sun.

[SELON]

What exhaust have you on your 2014? Must be after market? Standard exhausts are pretty quiet I think. I had a tubular - nice when modulating the throttle but horrid on motorway stints.

Gearshift on the later cars has exposed linkage and is probably a tighter setup that 2014.

Suspension not really changed as far as I know.

Have a chat with Jamie at Bell & Colvill or Aimee at Silverstone and I’m sure they’ll give you the run down in differences (I’m sure there are other great Lotus dealers out there)

[mike150]

I have a 2019 Elise and a 2008 997 C2S.

I get exactly what you're saying about the excessive speed the Porsche needs to be doing to actually enjoy it. I've had the Elise from new and it's the longest I've ever kept a second car, I love it, it's pretty much perfect as a second fun car.

To answer your questions -

The exhaust has just the right amount of noise and it's not boomy

The gear change is fantastic in mine, couldn't be better.

The suspension didn't change in the S3, only the Cup cars have harder shocks and springs which make them too firm for road use.

The best road version of the S3 is a Sprint but they're very rare, drive just the same and are just lighter buy 20kg which I doubt you'd notice.

I've additional door seal stops to stop wind noise, better speakers, better stereo, removed the big air intake so the supercharger can be heard, big front mud flaps to stop it pebble dashing itself, tinted the back window, rust proofed everything and the only expensive mod.......an AIM digital dash.

Edited by mike150 on Saturday 2nd July 09:25

[gt3driver73]

Thanks for your replies. Well, i finally tried one yesterday and the differences are very noticeable. The new car was better in lots of ways, the suspension was much softer, no crashing, the gearbox much tighter and doesn't do like mine and go too far over to the left, and also the whole car feels much better put together and I didn't hear any rattles and squeaks. 

However, the exhaust is MUCH louder, maybe twice as loud as mine which is the opposite of what I want. (Mine is standard) So I'm looking at buying a facelift car and then seeing if I can getting a custom exhaust to calm it all down, the standard exahust from the older cars 1.8 non turbo version may be the one.

[kambites]

gt3driver73 said:

... the suspension was much softer, no crashing,...

That's probably because your old suspension is worn out. As far as I know Lotus didn't change the suspension on the "standard" Elise (I think the 220 Sport had standard suspension?) between the introduction of the first Toyota power unit and the end of production.

[gt3driver73]

Well you may be right. Apart from mine being older and 23,000 miles, the chap at Lotus in Nottingham said that each year Lotus improved the build quality slightly so it could be that too.

The other thing I noticed was I think the seats were a bit more comfortable, a touch softer and a slightly better shape around the upper back.

[DamnKraut]

mike150 said:

I've additional door seal stops to stop wind noise, better speakers, better stereo, removed the big air intake so the supercharger can be heard, big front mud flaps to stop it pebble dashing itself, tinted the back window, rust proofed everything and the only expensive mod.......an AIM digital dash.

Edited by mike150 on Saturday 2nd July 09:25

Bigger front mudflaps?

Official Lotus parts or aftermarket? Got any link to those?
TiA

[GTRene]

how can you recognize such 2018+ model from the outside? or did they came out with special 'pronounces' ;-)
serious, were there special series that only those with the updated stuf had?
and how is that gearbox, as tight as the latest Exige's? or how must I think that, is it Porsche gt4 like or just good?

[mike150]

DamnKraut said:

Bigger front mudflaps?

Official Lotus parts or aftermarket? Got any link to those?
TiA

I made them from 2mm rally mud flap material and stuck them to the standard ones with 3M tape, they've been on it 3 years now. I fitted them as I was sick of the car getting covered in road dirt on dry days and it stops it throwing stones at itself.