Lotus Elise test drive testimonial
05-17-2007, 05:36 AM
#23
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I don't DD my S so I guess that rules me out on the Elise! The Lotus has the 'I want it!' factor for me, but I have really grown to appreciate the useability the S2000 has, being able to fit golf clubs, or enough stuff for a weekend getaway, these are times the Elise would be sitting home instead of giving me driving pleasure. But... it is sexy and whenever I see one I want it. Big brain vs little brain... we all know what that's like.
05-17-2007, 02:05 PM
#26
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Originally Posted by Brennon,May 16 2007, 08:35 PM
I DD an elise just fine. The powerband is more compliant to a DD lifestyle than an AP1 S2k (which I also owned.)
Sure you pack light...but the trunk is bigger than 3 shoeboxes. Pretty comparable to the S2k in that regard, except for a smaller opening.
If cold it will not allow you to rev past 6k (very similar to the S2k). The harsh ride...either love it or hate it. Sport suspension is much harsher than standard, but I DD with sport suspension. The S2k simply feels soft and mushy in comparison--except for the brake pedal feel, albeit the elise stops much better.
All in all, I love both cars, but I'd never trade in the elise to go back to an S2k. The elise has proven to stand up remarkably well in accidents. The huge aluminum tub that you don't like climbing over is there to protect you.
Sure you pack light...but the trunk is bigger than 3 shoeboxes. Pretty comparable to the S2k in that regard, except for a smaller opening.
If cold it will not allow you to rev past 6k (very similar to the S2k). The harsh ride...either love it or hate it. Sport suspension is much harsher than standard, but I DD with sport suspension. The S2k simply feels soft and mushy in comparison--except for the brake pedal feel, albeit the elise stops much better.
All in all, I love both cars, but I'd never trade in the elise to go back to an S2k. The elise has proven to stand up remarkably well in accidents. The huge aluminum tub that you don't like climbing over is there to protect you.
I've DDed some harsh cars, but I don't think I'd be man enough to handle a lotus.
05-17-2007, 05:45 PM
#28
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Originally Posted by jlstyle82,May 17 2007, 05:52 PM
Haha i just started to lurk over in elise forum and it seems like
a lot of people DD elise
a lot of people DD elise
it's a great toy as many have said but it's harsh and makes the s2000 seem like a great compromise of sport and comfort.
i disagree even with that and want a little more comfort than the s2000 offers...maybe i'm just getting old though
so in an ideal world i'd have the s2000 as the weekend toy, lotus as the track toy and the cayman S as the DD.
05-18-2007, 03:40 AM
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I've driven both, and they're really completely different, IMO.
Acceleration is a lot closer than you'd expect given the weight difference. Elise wins everywhere else.
Comfort wouldn't be the biggest issue for me, it'd be driving the car on the terrible NY Metro roads. From what I observed, it was very upset by bumps, and everytime you hit even a slight bump/pothole, it felt like you were damaging the car (Even though you weren't).
On a well paved road, the Elise is more fun to drive. On a road with some minor/major irregularities, the S2000 is more fun to drive. You can actually corner at 6-8/10ths while hitting a bump, and not feel like the car is going to pick up off the road.
The S2K is a much "softer" car in terms of suspension and chassis stiffness, but still offers just as much feedback. Both cars are equally engaging to drive, I think, the Elise is just frighteningly capable.
Acceleration is a lot closer than you'd expect given the weight difference. Elise wins everywhere else.
Comfort wouldn't be the biggest issue for me, it'd be driving the car on the terrible NY Metro roads. From what I observed, it was very upset by bumps, and everytime you hit even a slight bump/pothole, it felt like you were damaging the car (Even though you weren't).
On a well paved road, the Elise is more fun to drive. On a road with some minor/major irregularities, the S2000 is more fun to drive. You can actually corner at 6-8/10ths while hitting a bump, and not feel like the car is going to pick up off the road.
The S2K is a much "softer" car in terms of suspension and chassis stiffness, but still offers just as much feedback. Both cars are equally engaging to drive, I think, the Elise is just frighteningly capable.