Lotus Elise s1 & s2's

[clarkmagpie]

After a fair bit of deliberation, we have decided that we would like a little Elise to join the stable.

Just a quick question really...

What MPG do you realistically get from both a s1 and s2?

Was hoping for around the 40 mark, is that pie in the sky stuff or actually possible?

Thanks.

[jgoodwood]

Possible in both on a motorway cruise but what's the point? Just by a smart car..

[clarkmagpie]

Its for the missus, she wants something economical for work and and I want something fun on the odd days I am allowed to take it

She doesn't see the point in having 2 2 seater convertibles and a totally impractical GTV though!
I think she just sees it as sporty and will have daft MPG.

Have to prove this will be economical!

[Loafing Wafu]

The MPG will be the least of her worries. Will she be happy with non-survo brakes, no airbags, no power steering a roof that takes minutes to put on and requires alan keys to do so (S1 and early S2, later S2s easier and quicker), a car that leaks, a windscreen that doesn't demist in the winter, general rattles and squeaks etc etc etc.

I love them though, on my third

To answer your question though and at a rough guess:

111s around 35-40mpg, poss a little more with sedate driving
Standard K around 30-35 mpg
111 R 30 mpg
111 R SC 25-30mpg

Edited by Loafing Wafu on Sunday 10th April 17:07

[clarkmagpie]

Sod what she wants/needs!
This is about MPG,thats her main concern!!

On the cold, wet, wintry days I will take it!

[limpsfield]

I get around early 30s in my 111R and I drive like a tt most of the time

[Esprit]

My father has a boggo S1, and on a recent journey logged about 45MPG, although that was mostly open road driving, it wasn't exclusively and involved a fair bit of uphill/downhill/twisty "enthusiastic" driving.... so it's possible. Don't expect to get that around town though.

[Sumshi]

S1 111s - 33 mpg ,very little variation

[otolith]

111R here. Low 30's, generally. Doesn't improve much if driven gently, doesn't get much worse if driven hard.

[icepop]

Always mid 40's from my std Elise, with CN exhaust and Pipercross filter, ands that's mixed driving. Never seen 30's in my life, what sort of revs do you use !!!!!

[otolith]

I'm guessing your Type-72 is the 120bhp K-series engined version, and not the 189bhp Toyota engined 72-D? The Rover engined Elises are much more fuel efficient than the more powerful Toyota engined ones.

The Lotus CO2 figure (which scales exactly with fuel consumption) for a 111R is 17.5% higher than for the Type-72. The official CO2 emissions test that the figure comes from will only use relatively low revs.

[kambites]

As long as the trip is long enough to get the car up to temperature, I get about 37mpg out of my S2 111S and I don't drive it gently. Averaging over 40mpg would be perfectly possible if you kept the engine below about 5000rpm, but would rather defeat the point of the car.

MPG on the motorway is surprisingly poor, thanks to the rubbish aerodynamics. 50mpg is just about possible if you slipstream lorries but 40mpg (ie the same as on other roads) is more realistic.

[otolith]

kambites said:

MPG on the motorway is surprisingly poor, thanks to the rubbish aerodynamics. 50mpg is just about possible if you slipstream lorries but 40mpg (ie the same as on other roads) is more realistic.

Exactly the same with the 111R in my experience - just with lower numbers!

[AllNines]

Early S2 with subtle breathing mods returns 38mpg average over 7000 miles. That includes 250-mile motorway journeys (uses just under a tank-full) as well as the twisty stuff.

Oh, and to the helpful chap who reckons that early S2s need allen keys for the roof - sorry pal, but that's wrong. The long-tail roof is just like the short-tail but with two extra clips that take seconds to undo (with your fingers!).

[kambites]

AllNines said:

Oh, and to the helpful chap who reckons that early S2s need allen keys for the roof - sorry pal, but that's wrong. The long-tail roof is just like the short-tail but with two extra clips that take seconds to undo (with your fingers!).

The hardtop needs allen keys, no S2 soft-top needs anything more than your fingers.

[Chris Y]

My 120bhp S2 always did 38mpg regardless of how I drove it. The 111R seems to be determined to always do 31mpg. Either is pretty good considering how much fun is available at the same time.

[clarkmagpie]

Some great info guys, thanks very much.
Now it's just a case of getting out there and driving a few.

Anybody selling a black or light blue one fairly cheaply then get in touch

[pthelazyjourno]

Loafing Wafu said:

The MPG will be the least of her worries. Will she be happy with non-survo brakes, no airbags, no power steering a roof that takes minutes to put on and requires alan keys to do so (S1 and early S2, later S2s easier and quicker), a car that leaks, a windscreen that doesn't demist in the winter, general rattles and squeaks etc etc etc.

I love them though, on my third

To answer your question though and at a rough guess:

111s around 35-40mpg, poss a little more with sedate driving
Standard K around 30-35 mpg
111 R 30 mpg
111 R SC 25-30mpg

Edited by Loafing Wafu on Sunday 10th April 17:07

How come the claimed differences for 111s and 118bhp cars? 111s has a lower ratio box doesn't it - I thought 5th gear was also lower as standard, should lead to higher revs/poorer fuel consumption, non?

Mine (standard K) gets anywhere between 30-45mpg, usually high 30s/low 40s during mixed driving.

[kambites]

pthelazyjourno said:

How come the claimed differences for 111s and 118bhp cars? 111s has a lower ratio box doesn't it - I thought 5th gear was also lower as standard, should lead to higher revs/poorer fuel consumption, non?

The S1 111S has a close ratio box, the S2 111S actually has a longer box than the standard car. The VVC engine presumably has a more efficient map when "off cam", too. There's not a massive difference, though. Maybe a couple of mpg.