Evora vs Elise vs Caterham
Discussion
Help me please - especially if you have owned more than 1 of the above!
Yes I can do test drives... But want to get a sense of longer term ownership. Here is my dilemma:
Thought I had my heart set on a Caterham. After driving one for a weekend round Scotland last year, really felt like there was nothing like it. After the hire I jumped in my friends BMW M3 for the trip home and the M3 felt basically like a bus by comparison. Objectively far faster, but so boring!
However, building up to pull the trigger, and having a wobble for 3 reasons
1. Motorways. If I wanted to repeat the scotland trip, getting there up the motorway in a Caterham would be harrowing and miserable.
2. Rain and the Caterhams primitive roof.
3. Kids: I have 2 boys (pretty young) who love cars, and they couldnt both join me in a Caterham (I'm a single parent so more complicated to leave one behind)
It would suck to get a caterham then not really get the use because, say, my weekend in the lakes didnt really work practicality wise. I want go nice places, park it without excess worry, climb hills and do stuff, have a nice drive around, then a nice drive home..
So...I could maybe solve problems 1 and 2 with an Elise
...and maybe solve all 3 with an Evora.
I personally love the Evora looks (more than either other option). I'm looking for a fun, sensory (driving feel, sound, vibration, smell) drive rather than outright speed (I want a car thats fun at 70 on a real road. Rather than a trackday machine)
So... Questions:
When driving an Evora do you find yourself missing an Elise or Caterham? Or...when driving the others do you find yourself missing the liveableness of the Evora? If you have more than one, which one do you instinctively grab the keys for to put a smile on your face?
Any other options? (Other than the obvious 911)
Thanks!
Yes I can do test drives... But want to get a sense of longer term ownership. Here is my dilemma:
Thought I had my heart set on a Caterham. After driving one for a weekend round Scotland last year, really felt like there was nothing like it. After the hire I jumped in my friends BMW M3 for the trip home and the M3 felt basically like a bus by comparison. Objectively far faster, but so boring!
However, building up to pull the trigger, and having a wobble for 3 reasons
1. Motorways. If I wanted to repeat the scotland trip, getting there up the motorway in a Caterham would be harrowing and miserable.
2. Rain and the Caterhams primitive roof.
3. Kids: I have 2 boys (pretty young) who love cars, and they couldnt both join me in a Caterham (I'm a single parent so more complicated to leave one behind)
It would suck to get a caterham then not really get the use because, say, my weekend in the lakes didnt really work practicality wise. I want go nice places, park it without excess worry, climb hills and do stuff, have a nice drive around, then a nice drive home..
So...I could maybe solve problems 1 and 2 with an Elise
...and maybe solve all 3 with an Evora.
I personally love the Evora looks (more than either other option). I'm looking for a fun, sensory (driving feel, sound, vibration, smell) drive rather than outright speed (I want a car thats fun at 70 on a real road. Rather than a trackday machine)
So... Questions:
When driving an Evora do you find yourself missing an Elise or Caterham? Or...when driving the others do you find yourself missing the liveableness of the Evora? If you have more than one, which one do you instinctively grab the keys for to put a smile on your face?
Any other options? (Other than the obvious 911)
Thanks!
I’ve got an Elise and an Evora and a two year old. Being able to get the kid in the back of the Evora and go out with three in the car is an absolute pleasure. I enjoy driving the Evora at least as much as the Elise, there’s not much in it in terms of steering feel and having the extra weight move around through corners is actually quite pleasing. I don’t see it as an inferior driving experience at all.
I've owned quite a few cars in this category so can let you know my experience
I owned a 111s S1 Elise a fair while ago...Great fun when ringing it out but when pottering about it was dull and a real PITA if trying to use it for mundane trips out. I'd had a couple of TVRs beforehand which were the opposite, ( lovely to potter about in but a bit sketchy when really pushing on.). TBH theres not many 4 pot sports cars that do it for me outside of a 7, ( although I would like an Elan 26R ! ). I just find the engine is such an important part of the experience... A 4 pot screamer I get but a lot of the time you're not at full chat..6 cylinders or more really makes the difference for me personally..
On this experience I think a Caterham is only a bit less practical than an Elise but offers a more involving experience..
I've just sold a quick Caterham, ( 265bhp ). Great fun and really visceral as you have described but as you also say they are hugely impractical. Whilst it was quick it wasn't anywhere near as sure footed as my old modded Cayman on a knackered British B road..Add to that they're not the safest of things..Not something I let bother me but now and again something would remind me of the fact..
Since selling the 7 I've been looking for the right replacement. My Cayman, ( modded 987s with KW's, Wavetrac, Seats, exhaust etc ), was almost perfect but not quite..Ideally I wanted V6 or more, great chassis, great handling, great noise, great looks.
Needed to be no heavier than the Cayman/1350kg ish but needed more grunt so 350bhp +.
I started looking at Exige V6 but whilst I love the looks and rawness I found it a bit too basic and stripped back for my latest mood..The 7 was really raw so I'm not completely averse to it but I found the Exige a bit one dimensional - quick but lacking any interior trim or level of comfort and therefore character somehow? Hard to describe but I just found the single binnacle,lack of carpets, awkward access, lack of space etc a bit too similar to the 7 in its focus/purpose and this time around I wanted something that was a bit easier to use and could be enjoyed when pottering and going quickly...Whilst the Exige could easily do this it would only ever really make sense when out for a proper drive I think..
On this basis it was Evora that seemed to tick all the boxes. A drive out in an NA confirmed I enjoyed the nature of the car but I then started looking at other models. An S sports racer I test drove seemed really nice and reinforced that an Evora struck the right balance..However upon searching further I came to the conclusion that an Evora 400 could be the perfect solution in terms of power, noise, handling, practicality. I've had to really push my budget and have been searching for a while and I'm on the verge of buying a car..
I've come to the conclusion that it's very hard for a petrol head to ever be satisfied with one toy because you often get your head turned by other things and often want cars for different occasions..I'm hoping the Evora is the nearest I'll have owned by way of the perfect all-rounder...( wonder if I could chop the roof off ..? )
Good luck with whichever route you go..
I owned a 111s S1 Elise a fair while ago...Great fun when ringing it out but when pottering about it was dull and a real PITA if trying to use it for mundane trips out. I'd had a couple of TVRs beforehand which were the opposite, ( lovely to potter about in but a bit sketchy when really pushing on.). TBH theres not many 4 pot sports cars that do it for me outside of a 7, ( although I would like an Elan 26R ! ). I just find the engine is such an important part of the experience... A 4 pot screamer I get but a lot of the time you're not at full chat..6 cylinders or more really makes the difference for me personally..
On this experience I think a Caterham is only a bit less practical than an Elise but offers a more involving experience..
I've just sold a quick Caterham, ( 265bhp ). Great fun and really visceral as you have described but as you also say they are hugely impractical. Whilst it was quick it wasn't anywhere near as sure footed as my old modded Cayman on a knackered British B road..Add to that they're not the safest of things..Not something I let bother me but now and again something would remind me of the fact..
Since selling the 7 I've been looking for the right replacement. My Cayman, ( modded 987s with KW's, Wavetrac, Seats, exhaust etc ), was almost perfect but not quite..Ideally I wanted V6 or more, great chassis, great handling, great noise, great looks.
Needed to be no heavier than the Cayman/1350kg ish but needed more grunt so 350bhp +.
I started looking at Exige V6 but whilst I love the looks and rawness I found it a bit too basic and stripped back for my latest mood..The 7 was really raw so I'm not completely averse to it but I found the Exige a bit one dimensional - quick but lacking any interior trim or level of comfort and therefore character somehow? Hard to describe but I just found the single binnacle,lack of carpets, awkward access, lack of space etc a bit too similar to the 7 in its focus/purpose and this time around I wanted something that was a bit easier to use and could be enjoyed when pottering and going quickly...Whilst the Exige could easily do this it would only ever really make sense when out for a proper drive I think..
On this basis it was Evora that seemed to tick all the boxes. A drive out in an NA confirmed I enjoyed the nature of the car but I then started looking at other models. An S sports racer I test drove seemed really nice and reinforced that an Evora struck the right balance..However upon searching further I came to the conclusion that an Evora 400 could be the perfect solution in terms of power, noise, handling, practicality. I've had to really push my budget and have been searching for a while and I'm on the verge of buying a car..
I've come to the conclusion that it's very hard for a petrol head to ever be satisfied with one toy because you often get your head turned by other things and often want cars for different occasions..I'm hoping the Evora is the nearest I'll have owned by way of the perfect all-rounder...( wonder if I could chop the roof off ..? )
Good luck with whichever route you go..
Edited by Edmundo2 on Tuesday 28th March 23:03
I think you're right about no one car doing everything
My ideal garage would be
1. Battered daily drive with a big boot, lots of space and low running costs (my current Skoda Octavia, only 1350kg fits the bill, I'll be keeping it as its just extremely good for transporting grubby kids and daily junk around)
2. A K-Series Caterham, 200 ish bhp (Any faster is bowel slackeningly scary for me)
3. A GT car - likely gonna be an Evora in the short term, since I'm only getting 1 new car which also needs to do the Caterhams job.
4. A land rover defender
My ideal garage would be
1. Battered daily drive with a big boot, lots of space and low running costs (my current Skoda Octavia, only 1350kg fits the bill, I'll be keeping it as its just extremely good for transporting grubby kids and daily junk around)
2. A K-Series Caterham, 200 ish bhp (Any faster is bowel slackeningly scary for me)
3. A GT car - likely gonna be an Evora in the short term, since I'm only getting 1 new car which also needs to do the Caterhams job.
4. A land rover defender
The Evora will never feel light, nimble or raw like an Elise or Caterham but it is a cracking car and probably the solution to your current dilema.
I went from a V6 Exige to an Evora and driving back to back it felt like a bus but I've really gelled with it and think it's the best sports car I've ever had as it's really good at everything. It rides fantastically, is quick enough, sounds great and handles like a Lotus.
People knock the interior quality but the later cars are leagues ahead of the early ones.
I went from a V6 Exige to an Evora and driving back to back it felt like a bus but I've really gelled with it and think it's the best sports car I've ever had as it's really good at everything. It rides fantastically, is quick enough, sounds great and handles like a Lotus.
People knock the interior quality but the later cars are leagues ahead of the early ones.
For being able to take the kids out, which will be a massive part of the fun you get from it, get an Evora. My eldest now loves the Cerbera as he can go in it and I’d sooner be enjoying it with him and shortly the other one, than driving something else on my own.
Edited by popegregory on Wednesday 29th March 08:37
Not easy trying to make these decisions.
I've had a couple of Elise's at separate times, an early S1 and an S1 Sport 160, and replaced both after couple of years with fast Clios because just felt wanted bit more practicality.
I ended up keeping the Williams for 13 years and still have my V6 after 18yrs, so think that tells me a little bit of practicality adds a lot to the ownership.
I've had my Evora 410 for 2 years and while it is not as raw an experience as an elise, it has all the Lotus elements to make it a wonderful experience, steering, handling, looks, noise ...but, those extra +2 seats in the back really give it an extra useful dimension if you have kids. Simple errands with pals or bags are so much more fun for them too.
I have no doubt an Evora would suit your requirements perfectly. Go test drive one.
I've had a couple of Elise's at separate times, an early S1 and an S1 Sport 160, and replaced both after couple of years with fast Clios because just felt wanted bit more practicality.
I ended up keeping the Williams for 13 years and still have my V6 after 18yrs, so think that tells me a little bit of practicality adds a lot to the ownership.
I've had my Evora 410 for 2 years and while it is not as raw an experience as an elise, it has all the Lotus elements to make it a wonderful experience, steering, handling, looks, noise ...but, those extra +2 seats in the back really give it an extra useful dimension if you have kids. Simple errands with pals or bags are so much more fun for them too.
I have no doubt an Evora would suit your requirements perfectly. Go test drive one.
I had a similar thought process when I moved from the Ginetta via Tuscan to an Evora.
The Evora ticks all your boxes really, its great to drive (and best in n/a form), quick enough especially an S, and the rear seats are great for kids, I even got my 16 year old daughters friend in the back of mine to take them to their prom.
In terms fo feel and handling there are very few cars that match the Evora, obviously the Caterham and Elise a a bit better but there is nothing with 4 seats that comes close (nearest I have found is the Alfa Giulia Veloce or Quadrifoglio)
The Evora ticks all your boxes really, its great to drive (and best in n/a form), quick enough especially an S, and the rear seats are great for kids, I even got my 16 year old daughters friend in the back of mine to take them to their prom.
In terms fo feel and handling there are very few cars that match the Evora, obviously the Caterham and Elise a a bit better but there is nothing with 4 seats that comes close (nearest I have found is the Alfa Giulia Veloce or Quadrifoglio)
I`ve owned most variants of Evora aswell as several Elise`s and Exige`s (V6), and driven a couple of Caterham`s.
For me the most exciting and engaging drive is the Caterham but I have yet to own one? Elise`s/Exige`s are different as you know but also brilliant and a more useable then a Caterham.
The early Evora`s had a fantastic ride and handling experience on the road (S/SR) but were a bit soft on track although wonderfully balanced... as they all are but yes relatively heavy compared with an Elise or Caterham... no surprises there. I felt myself wishing for a stiffer more focused Evora and the 400 and even more so GT410 Sports have answered this call. The 410 Sport feels almost V6 Exige like but due to different gearing and extra weight a bit less punchy, but still deceptively very fast. The interior build quality improved a lot with the later 400/410 cars although the SR was pretty good... not a Porsche though and always seen as the cars weakness. The cars if properly maintained do tend to be pretty bomb proof with again the later cars being the best. Also the gearchange improved a lot with later cars.
I don`t feel short changed when driving an Evora when compared to an Elise/Exige, but it is a slightly different more grown up experience, but still brilliant and way more useable.
Have fun looking for one as there don`t seem to be many in the classifieds at present!
For me the most exciting and engaging drive is the Caterham but I have yet to own one? Elise`s/Exige`s are different as you know but also brilliant and a more useable then a Caterham.
The early Evora`s had a fantastic ride and handling experience on the road (S/SR) but were a bit soft on track although wonderfully balanced... as they all are but yes relatively heavy compared with an Elise or Caterham... no surprises there. I felt myself wishing for a stiffer more focused Evora and the 400 and even more so GT410 Sports have answered this call. The 410 Sport feels almost V6 Exige like but due to different gearing and extra weight a bit less punchy, but still deceptively very fast. The interior build quality improved a lot with the later 400/410 cars although the SR was pretty good... not a Porsche though and always seen as the cars weakness. The cars if properly maintained do tend to be pretty bomb proof with again the later cars being the best. Also the gearchange improved a lot with later cars.
I don`t feel short changed when driving an Evora when compared to an Elise/Exige, but it is a slightly different more grown up experience, but still brilliant and way more useable.
Have fun looking for one as there don`t seem to be many in the classifieds at present!
absolutely no single car can do it all. not even 3 really!
I had all 3 of these until last year, when I swapped the Evora out for a Chimeara.
The Elise is my all time favourite and go to car for a B road drive. Had it 11 years and still love it. The Caterham is a little too exposed for my liking and is rarely driven on public roads. it's stored close to a great track. Elise actually has better steering, and is a very communicative car. On track the Caterham excels as it's lighter and FE, so more playful. with a full roll cage entry is over the top of the cage, so the Elise is so much more usable!
My Evora was an S1 SR, so more of a GT. great car and I have fond memories, but the performance was almost too much for public roads. It is a greatly underrated car, but is still a bus compared to the Elise. The Chimeara is a V8 event on every drive and open top of course. it was the right choice, as the vastly more competent Evora was egging me on all the time. The 400 series is more sporty in feel. The Exige is an absolute beast, but really needs a track to work.
I had all 3 of these until last year, when I swapped the Evora out for a Chimeara.
The Elise is my all time favourite and go to car for a B road drive. Had it 11 years and still love it. The Caterham is a little too exposed for my liking and is rarely driven on public roads. it's stored close to a great track. Elise actually has better steering, and is a very communicative car. On track the Caterham excels as it's lighter and FE, so more playful. with a full roll cage entry is over the top of the cage, so the Elise is so much more usable!
My Evora was an S1 SR, so more of a GT. great car and I have fond memories, but the performance was almost too much for public roads. It is a greatly underrated car, but is still a bus compared to the Elise. The Chimeara is a V8 event on every drive and open top of course. it was the right choice, as the vastly more competent Evora was egging me on all the time. The 400 series is more sporty in feel. The Exige is an absolute beast, but really needs a track to work.
Had Caterham now got Elise
Every petrolhead needs at one time to own / drive a seven-esque car because there's nothing short of a bike that's anything like it as it is just so much fun. That the the Elise is so much more civilised tells you what to expect with a 7 although it may come as a surprise but my 7 was more practical than the Elise in terms of luggage capacity once you get tailored luggage sets for the roll bar etc.
In comparison to the 7, the Elise has a greater breadth of usability which is the main attraction for me. It may not be quite as raw as the 7 but can be driven like a daily if you want.
Every petrolhead needs at one time to own / drive a seven-esque car because there's nothing short of a bike that's anything like it as it is just so much fun. That the the Elise is so much more civilised tells you what to expect with a 7 although it may come as a surprise but my 7 was more practical than the Elise in terms of luggage capacity once you get tailored luggage sets for the roll bar etc.
In comparison to the 7, the Elise has a greater breadth of usability which is the main attraction for me. It may not be quite as raw as the 7 but can be driven like a daily if you want.
The Evora is a great choice for your specific needs and I think you already knew that!
For me the NA is the best of the bunch on the public road. It has enough poke but not so much that you can't stretch it's legs (you'll still be going plenty fast enough if you do!). I have a theory that the best way to get as close as possible to what you want is to:
Get an S1 NA on the smaller wheels (you'll appreciate the lower grip)
Strip out some of the sound deadening, a lot of it is basically just taped/velcroed in so you can add and remove as you wish
Change the front seats for some lighter items as they are quite heavy
Get rid of the third cat
You can later tweak the suspension, bump the power a bit with new headers and an intake and even do a bit of bodywork to replace the heavy glass over the engine.
That will bag you an Evora that's reasonably light, pretty quick, handles beautifully is still more than capable of doing the cruising thing but gives a bit more visceral experience as well and most of it is very easy to return to original.
That being said. Any of the Evoras are lovely just the way they are go test drive a few and see what you like.
For me the NA is the best of the bunch on the public road. It has enough poke but not so much that you can't stretch it's legs (you'll still be going plenty fast enough if you do!). I have a theory that the best way to get as close as possible to what you want is to:
Get an S1 NA on the smaller wheels (you'll appreciate the lower grip)
Strip out some of the sound deadening, a lot of it is basically just taped/velcroed in so you can add and remove as you wish
Change the front seats for some lighter items as they are quite heavy
Get rid of the third cat
You can later tweak the suspension, bump the power a bit with new headers and an intake and even do a bit of bodywork to replace the heavy glass over the engine.
That will bag you an Evora that's reasonably light, pretty quick, handles beautifully is still more than capable of doing the cruising thing but gives a bit more visceral experience as well and most of it is very easy to return to original.
That being said. Any of the Evoras are lovely just the way they are go test drive a few and see what you like.
I’ve had all the cars mentioned (S3 Elise, 2xS3 Exige, Evora 400 and 3x 7s)
We did a couple of Euro roadtrips in the 410 Exige which were great fun, but would have been much easier in the Evora (and I’ve been tempted a couple of times to buy another) it has a much better chassis than the Elise / Exige and is way more composed on a bumpy road (sort of more Porsche like really).
It’s a cliche, but a Caterham is a 4 wheel motorbike and needs to be driven accordingly, assume that no one has seen you and drive defensively, for the most part they are a selfish pleasure.
The car most suited to your situation at the moment is an Evora (and you can use it at night unlike the Exige / Elise which have candles for headlights)
We did a couple of Euro roadtrips in the 410 Exige which were great fun, but would have been much easier in the Evora (and I’ve been tempted a couple of times to buy another) it has a much better chassis than the Elise / Exige and is way more composed on a bumpy road (sort of more Porsche like really).
It’s a cliche, but a Caterham is a 4 wheel motorbike and needs to be driven accordingly, assume that no one has seen you and drive defensively, for the most part they are a selfish pleasure.
The car most suited to your situation at the moment is an Evora (and you can use it at night unlike the Exige / Elise which have candles for headlights)
Caterham, Elan Plus 2, Evora, Elise then (also) another Elan Plus 2.
The Evora was a fantastic car but I only kept it for 2 years - it was never a jump in and go for a 1-2 hour blast car at the weekend and so, for me, didn't tick the box. If I wanted a car for continental tours Evora all day long but for blasts out it didn't hit the mark. It's also quite a big car and so for me where I live, with lots of narrow B roads, it was often difficult to thread along.
The Elise fits the bill perfectly - it often gets left for a few weeks and then delivers a brilliant few hours enjoyment before it goes back. Very similar to the Caterham in that respect but more usable
Out of all four the Plus 2 has the greater sense of occasion but has very obvious dynamic limitations on account of it's age. Brilliant though - you somewhere sense a direct link to Chapman and his philosophy, almost an emotional thing.
The Evora was a fantastic car but I only kept it for 2 years - it was never a jump in and go for a 1-2 hour blast car at the weekend and so, for me, didn't tick the box. If I wanted a car for continental tours Evora all day long but for blasts out it didn't hit the mark. It's also quite a big car and so for me where I live, with lots of narrow B roads, it was often difficult to thread along.
The Elise fits the bill perfectly - it often gets left for a few weeks and then delivers a brilliant few hours enjoyment before it goes back. Very similar to the Caterham in that respect but more usable
Out of all four the Plus 2 has the greater sense of occasion but has very obvious dynamic limitations on account of it's age. Brilliant though - you somewhere sense a direct link to Chapman and his philosophy, almost an emotional thing.
Edited by Lotobear on Monday 10th April 17:04
Lotobear said:
Out of all four the Plus 2 has the greater sense of occasion but has very obvious dynamic limitations on account of it's age.
what do you mean - is your car 'tired' or just that it's older tech? not sure I'd have phrased it as 'dynamic limitations' if the latter that's all. agree on the Evora, such a great car but not so much when compared with other Loti. it would be the same with Porsche/Aston/Jag etc
CABC said:
Lotobear said:
Out of all four the Plus 2 has the greater sense of occasion but has very obvious dynamic limitations on account of it's age.
what do you mean - is your car 'tired' or just that it's older tech? not sure I'd have phrased it as 'dynamic limitations' if the latter that's all. agree on the Evora, such a great car but not so much when compared with other Loti. it would be the same with Porsche/Aston/Jag etc
Still a great car IMO and nice to drive something from the Chapman era - the TC engine in particular has real character
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