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Meant to post this earlier but haven't had time...i would love to hear everybody else's personal experience on these cars.
I was in vegas in Feb for work and i decided to spring for a car i always had my eyes on - the lotus elise. I rented it for three days from "rent-a-vette" cause of a special but they called the day before and we had to substitute another car for the third day because of a mistake. I picked a vette because it was in the same price range compared to some of the exotics they had although i was tempted to spring for the 911 which has always been a favorite of mine. The guys at rent-a-vette are cool - it is a smaller operation than i thought for some reason. As you read the contract you realize you are signing your life away - or i should say, potentially a great deal of money. There is no - buy this insurance and don't worry option - if you scratch the car you are paying for the repair plus the rental (at the highest rate) until it is back in service. That being said - if you want a vette i would look to hertz if you could get it because you won't take on as much liability.
2005 lotus elise, 18K miles on the clock, No supercharger of course
First Impression:
Well in my opinion, the elise looks good. I love the s2000 shape still but the lotus captures that more exotic look. Our first challenge is to get our luggage for a week into the car. I planned this and compared the luggage capacity for the s2 (one cubic foot more) but it is deceiving because the lotus "boot" is broken into small compartments. The end result is Melissa (my gf) is clutching our duffle bag in the passenger seat. Then you have to get into it and the reports are true - it is a pain in the ass. I cannot see how you would get into this car with the targa roof on and i did not try. The interior is what you expect - spartan - but at least there is some cool metal knobs to attempt to make it a special experience. The seats once you are in are comfortable and i am well....fat.
PUSH THE START BUTTON
The engine starts and rattles are heard everywhere. Engine at idle is nothing special. I reach down and grab first gear and i am shocked at the gearbox - long throws and slushy. I am spoiled with the s2. But as you move you definately feel like your in something special. Over the next two days i drove 240 miles in the elise with melissa. I had a hard time finding good driving roads even consulting the s2000 vegas chapter. The parks have fun roads but the traffic and enforcement prevent too much fun. We did much scooting around the hoover dam canyon which was decent.
ENGINE
The power delivery i found to be much more linear than the s2. Acceleration dosen't feel as dramatic but the speed comes fast and i was going alot faster than i thought when i looked down. The stock engine sound is not as sweet as there is a plethora of it with the engine right behind your head.
HANDLING
Feels great - i didn't get to push it and felt as such. Unboosted steering feels great. Everybody has read all the superlatives and you can insert them here because they are true. High speed corners felt less stable to me than the s2 but i would probably get used to that just like i did in the s2. The car just moves around alot on the concrete highways of vegas.
ETC
I am not exaggerating when i say this car draws a crowd everywhere. People ask questions and tell you its cool. This car did not have xenon lights. The halogen lights are the worst headlights i have ever seen. Dangerous in fact in a car of this potential. The heater is no where near adequate. In the s2 i am comfortable at 45 degrees with the top down and heater on - at 50 degrees in the lotus i couldnt feel the heat. Various smells enter in the cabin that become annoying. The rattles of the car take away from the good sounds of the car.
CONCLUSION
As a person with a serious car addiction i have spent time looking at elises wondering if that would be the "next car" for me possibly. Renting one was the best thing i could have done because i will never lust for one again. Why? Because i like driving the s2000 as much as i can and i wouldnt drive the elise half as much because of the sacrifices that come with the increased purity. Make no mistake the elise is awesome and i give props to anybody who has one because you are a hard core car guy/gal. It reinforces to me how amazing the s2000 really is.
2006 Base Corvette Automatic Convertible
I step out of the elise and into the corvette. Night and frickin' day, huh? it feels like a lincoln. Seats are honestly like lazy boys. No problem with trunk space - more than a typical sedan i think. Interior (before the latest redesign) is pretty bad but i know it has been worse for vettes. It has the keyless thing - key in pocket and you can open the doors and start the car. I actually think that is cool. We pull out of the parking space and drag the front end on the rain gutter of the parking lot. "What the hell?" Reference signing your life away in the rental contract as stated above. I really wish they warned me about that at the agency. I'm telling you that you drag the front end on everything!
We pull out onto the street and i punch it - holy shit! I let out a laugh. Now mind you i have never driven a v-8 sports car but man it feels good in this vetter. The sound is addictive. Of course compared to the lotus or s2 - you push the accelerator at any speed and you leap ahead like crazy. I kept doing it again and again. We drove an hour to meet some family of Melissa's and you get the feeling that you could cross the country in this car.....quickly. A true gt. Oh by the way....the automatic is awful. I know there is a new one in the redesign. Also, the steering is awful. And - as we made our way to valley of fire - you realize the base suspension is laughable. Push the power of this car with the base suspension and your grip and confidence run out quick. It rolls like a caddy.
CONCLUSION
So basically i am won over because of simply the engine? I guess. I know, buy a mustang or a camaro (if that happens).... I can't imagine what that new M3 V-8 feels like. I do really like the look of the vette especially in black. I would love to drive one with the new steering and with at least the z51 performance package or better yet a z06. Has anybody drivin a 2007 plus vette? Let me know if you have and if the steering is any better or how the z51 suspension package was.
Great write-up. I was thourouly enjoying the read. Steel you are one entertaining mofo! You really ned to come around more often. Your review on the Elise was spot-on. I didnt drive one nearly as long as you did, but the same impressions stuck with me. Sometimes you have to forsake the one you love (S) to realize how much she does for you.
After seeing that picture of you almost squeezed in the Elise, I know for sure I wouldn't be comfortable in one. I guess I can cross that car off the list of potential S2K replacements.
I must admit, I have been tempted by the new Corvette...Black, Z71 suspension, 6-speed, coupe with removable targa top. I use to own a Z28 back in the day and I understand what you mean by scraping the front end on everything. Even though the S2K is low, it doesn't have the long nose of the Corvette. That long snoot takes some getting use to.
Yeah Aldo i have been scarce - that is a bummer. We just closed on a new building last friday for a new location for my sister and mom's dance studio that we have been working on for an entire year. I should write a book "financing and renovating a commercial building during an economic downturn" but all is well now.
Getting in and out of the elise gets old quick. Here is the step by step. The side sill is so high. There has been much said about getting in and out of elise but it is still hilarious when you do it in person.
Aldo as car guys we are always looking for something else to experience but the s2000 is so damn good - now or ten years ago. Nothing against something different but as a pure "sports car" it is epic. The thing with the lotus is that as your throwing it through the corners it shakes and rattles - the s2000 is so solid and makes things more enjoyable. On my list is 01-06 m3, 85-95 911, 07+ vette and then the other day i was looking at the bmw 135i convert - do you know that car weighs 3700 lbs! the baby bimmer weighs 3700 frickin pounds!
Dennis - you hit the nail on the head. Black targa vette is damn good looking. Like a bat mobile. And the thing is - gm makes so many of them you can get a 2007 with aforementioned options for less than 40 grand. I just don't know if after awhile it would be as enjoyable as the s2 day to day because of the size and power of it. I enjoy an s2 at legal speeds - 500 hp may tempt me to flirt with danger.
OMG...Those pictures are the best! I can't stop laughing. I had no idea that car had an even tighter cockpit than the S.
You remind me of a friend I had back in high school. He was 6'5" 300+ lbs. and drove an MG Midget (He loved ragtops). People use to line up just to see him get out of the car. Often he was asked..."How do you get into that thing?" He would smile and say..."you don't get in it...you put it on!"
Well one of the guys at "rent a vette" was probably 6'5'' and 300. And he came out and stepped into the lotus elise. He was sitting ON the lumbar supports rather than in them.
You know alot of guys that buy Elise's go with a kit to make the steering wheel removable. It helps entry and exit significantly if there is no steering wheel to push into you. Also, the anti-theft properties are a bonus.
04-02-2009, 11:50 PM
Lotus Elise and Corvette Review from S2000 owner
