Faster than an Elise!

[Luke]

I know they're underpowered but I was pleasantly surprised on Saturday to discover that my 325 is faster round Castle Combe than a Lotus Elise! You gotta love E30s - what other car can you buy and get track ready for Ԛ£1500 that is faster than a modern sports car? Not to mention a damn sight more practical! If I was the Elise owner I'd be asking for my money back! Reckon I could have gone faster as well 'cause I was quite out of shape (some people like to call it drifting) in some places...

Cheap to repair as well - It got broken into a while ago and after an initial panic I repaired it for Ԛ£15 worth of scrap heap parts!

Zone Shop looks good by the way - anyone know how long it takes for delivery?

[m-dtech]

ummm....... i think the elise driver was shit

its power to weight ratio, lotus engineering should kick ass your car easy.

[Turbo-Brown]

ummm....... i think the elise driver was shit

its power to weight ratio, lotus engineering should kick ass your car easy.

Think that's a fair comment myself.

[Brian28]

Also some people try a lot harder than others on track days. Some folks prefer to drive at seven tenths, quick enough to be fun without taking a chance on a 20k motor thats also the shopping and get to work car ending up in the tyre wall. With a track day slag thats been stripped out for the purpose its a whole different attitude

[Luke]

I dunno - it was obvious that he was pretty desperate to keep me behind him! I suppose you would be if you'd spent that much on a car!

[M3Imy]

I agree the Lotus driver was either rubiish or not trying very hard. A well driven elise would easily beat a well driven 325i round a track.

[Chaos]

ive run a few track days now.
and weve had an elise and 325i at them.
the elise was most def a fair bit quicker.

personally id say the driver was shit or not trying m8 - sorry
dont forget if u get it wrong in a Ԛ£20k car the repair bill is a whole lot bigger than an old e30.

[E30BeemerLad]

have to agree with the other posts here mate, a properly driven elise will run rings around an E30. Also, as pointed out, the fear of damage, even to a Ԛ£10K shitter of an Elise my have been a factor, if you take into account that even a minor spill causing damage to the front of the car means a new frontal clam shell, at a cost of about Ԛ£4K fitted and painted.

I used to think my car was as quick as a UK spec Scooby, but if I'm honest, a properly driven UK 204BHP Impreza would still see me off

[GavinJ]

I have to agree Elises are very quick round the track if driven properly. I went on a trackday jointly organised by an MG club and Lotus club and there was some new MGZS 180's(v6) on the track that are around 180bhp and quite high spec (uprated suspension as standard etc) and they could not touch the elises.

[koos]

Elise poo !!!!!!!!! They're bloody ugly and overpriced (look like a running shoe), glad you kicked it's ASS, well done dude. 20 year old engineering compared to 4 or so(i think), you decide !!!! Oh I forgot, is this a E30 forum or a I want a elise forum ???

[Toby_Unna]

what makes it an i want an elise forum?

i know how quick elises are but i don't bloody want one!

they're even pretty quick in a straight line due to low weight, i had a couple of friends with an integra-type r (190bhp) and a mk1 elise 111s (mgf 140bhp VVC engine), both standard, and the elise did reliably better times at santa pod even when they swapped cars. the honda felt MUCH faster on the road, but it wasn't.

[Luke]

He wants to learn how to drive it then doesn't he? Although I met a guy at work t'other day who's driven a couple of Elise's and he reckon's they're toss and wasn't impressed at all...! Mind you, he drives a supercharged XK8 so what would he know?

[m-dtech]

id have an elise, its rear wheel drive

[ivqii]

Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious

[low325icab]

the elis is no quicker than a e30 at all imo, a mate who i play football with has one and we are always racing home from football, and his car and mine are totally the same. even on corners there is no differents.

[Chaos]

Oh I forgot, is this a E30 forum or a I want a elise forum ???

its a car enthusiasts forum.
as such we dont rubbish cars just cos we dont own (or even want to own) one.

[Toby_Unna]

the elis is no quicker than a e30 at all imo, a mate who i play football with has one and we are always racing home from football, and his car and mine are totally the same. even on corners there is no differents.

well i guess you're a much better driver than your mate then!

an elise is probably similar in a straight line. but that's it.

[koos]

its a car enthusiasts forum.
as such we dont rubbish cars just cos we dont own (or even want to own) one.

So there is not one car on this planet that you dislike or you think is rubbish, come on, be real.

[koos]

its a car enthusiasts forum.
as such we dont rubbish cars just cos we dont own (or even want to own) one.

So there is not one car on this planet that you dislike or you think is rubbish, come on, be real.

[koos]

[quote]its a car enthusiasts forum.
as such we dont rubbish cars just cos we dont own (or even want to own) one.


So there is not one car on this planet that you dislike or you think is rubbish, come on, be real.

[koos]

[/quote]its a car enthusiasts forum.
as such we dont rubbish cars just cos we dont own (or even want to own) one.

So there is not one vehicle on this planet that you dont like or have at one time said "damn thats ugly" come on

[koos]

sorry please delete last three, came up with some error msg, tried it a few times, Thanks

Mitch

[Chaos]

its a car enthusiasts forum.
as such we dont rubbish cars just cos we dont own (or even want to own) one.

So there is not one car on this planet that you dislike or you think is rubbish, come on, be real.

i never said that.
but as a car enthusiast i recognise that some cars are better in some areas than others. And that the e30 love it as much as i do is bettered by many cars

for out n out handling an elise is superb.
silverstone racing school didnt use them cos theyre shit u know.
personally i wudnt want one (i dont find them comfy for starters)
but i do recognise that as a sports car they r superb.

[koos]

personally i wudnt want one (i dont find them comfy for starters)

Thats what I dont understand, why say how good a car is, and that it's better than the one you own and then that you wouldnt want one? If you say a car is great, there must a part of you that goes "ooh. would'nt mind one of those". Thats how you bought your beemer. Anyway, everyone to his own.

[Chaos]

personally i wudnt want one (i dont find them comfy for starters)

Thats what I dont understand, why say how good a car is, and that it's better than the one you own and then that you wouldnt want one? If you say a car is great, there must a part of you that goes "ooh. would'nt mind one of those". Thats how you bought your beemer. Anyway, everyone to his own.

well id rather a vx220 than an elise.
doesnt stop me understanding the elise is still a good car.

[M3Compact]

Elises are fcuking ace at what they're supposed to do, and 5hite at everything else.

They'll murder an equal power to weight E30 around a track, and out accelarate a standard E30 up to 80 MPH because they're so light, but they struggle at higher speeds because of their lack of power.

The fore/aft point of balance on an Elise is right underneath the driver's ar5e, how good is that?

Alloy chassis, glued together.

Great fun cars imo, but I wouldn't want one either, because they're totally impractical.

[koos]

I prefer the VX220 over the elise aswell, pitty about the price tag though.
SL32 AMG would be loooovely

[Toby_Unna]

Thats what I dont understand, why say how good a car is, and that it's better than the one you own and then that you wouldnt want one? If you say a car is great, there must a part of you that goes "ooh. would'nt mind one of those". Thats how you bought your beemer. Anyway, everyone to his own.

ok i'll explain!

elises handle absolutely great, i've driven one

i enjoyed driving it but i do not want one. i don't like the looks, the image, the build quality or the sound of the engine

so it's a great car and perfect for what some people want, and i accept that, but i don't want one myself. there is no part of me that goes ooh wouldn't mind one of those.

[koos]

ok buddy, no prob. You think it's the dogs danglies but you would'nt have one? Anyway, i think they're pretty ugly and like you say the motors dont sound so good, straight 6's sound oh so good, V8's better.

[Cotty]

Thats what I dont understand, why say how good a car is, and that it's better than the one you own and then that you wouldnt want one? If you say a car is great, there must a part of you that goes "ooh. would'nt mind one of those". Thats how you bought your beemer. Anyway, everyone to his own.

Can I add my 2p's worth.

I would love an Elise mk2 I think they are great at what they do. But in the real world they are not practical. I know people who own Catherhams as their only car (nutters (in a nice way)).

I know that I can jump in my touring and do 300 miles and step out cool and relaxed the other end which is one of the reasons I bought it. The touring is paid for, I would need a loan to get an Elise. Try getting a weeks worth of shopping including a crate of beer in an Elise.

I would love to own a Ginnetta (Dare) G4 but I know someone who has one and he says he cant carry a passenger and get a full face helmet in the car at the same time. I recently took two guys to a karting event with all their kit. One owns a Lotus Seven and the other the Ginneta, neither could have done the same.

[koos]

At the end of the day it all boils down to application, what you want it for, and like you say, can you afford it, how much are they?