musgravecycles
02-12-2008, 02:59 PM
This goes along with the 'most beautiful cars' thread because I've always admired Lotus' 'minimalist' philosphy.
On sunday afternoon I got in a quick 3.5hr ride out on the Parkway (as opposed to a slow 3.5hr ride :rolleyes: ). On the way back in I happened to look over my shoulder as I was riding by a used car dealer just in time to see a Lotus Elise sitting out front. I did a quick U-turn and pulled into the parking lot to check it out ('06 with 7,300 miles). I HAD to drive it, so yesterday afternoon I swung by and managed to wriggle my way into spending an hour and a half behind the wheel. Some impressions:
First: As I stuff my 6'3" frame in "man this thing is T-I-N-Y."
Second: It was instantly obvious (before I was even out of the parking lot) how 'dialed' the steering/suspension was, "Holy cow this thing is tight." Driving on the twisty mountain roads around here I was continually wowed by how dialed the car was, the way it handled itself in corners was most impressive.
Third: Finally away from town/cars and getting a chance to really roast on it "this thing is fast...but it's not THAT fast (mind you I'd driven over in a fairly heavily worked over goat)."
Fourth: continuation of first roast, as the tach climbs north of 6-grand it finally woke up and really kicked HARD, "Man this thing is fast!"
Anyway I had to share with somebody, my wife's not much into cars. It was one helluva toy. Raw and unrefined, but pure-sweet bliss to drive, a 'drivers car' in the purest sense of the word...
On sunday afternoon I got in a quick 3.5hr ride out on the Parkway (as opposed to a slow 3.5hr ride :rolleyes: ). On the way back in I happened to look over my shoulder as I was riding by a used car dealer just in time to see a Lotus Elise sitting out front. I did a quick U-turn and pulled into the parking lot to check it out ('06 with 7,300 miles). I HAD to drive it, so yesterday afternoon I swung by and managed to wriggle my way into spending an hour and a half behind the wheel. Some impressions:
First: As I stuff my 6'3" frame in "man this thing is T-I-N-Y."
Second: It was instantly obvious (before I was even out of the parking lot) how 'dialed' the steering/suspension was, "Holy cow this thing is tight." Driving on the twisty mountain roads around here I was continually wowed by how dialed the car was, the way it handled itself in corners was most impressive.
Third: Finally away from town/cars and getting a chance to really roast on it "this thing is fast...but it's not THAT fast (mind you I'd driven over in a fairly heavily worked over goat)."
Fourth: continuation of first roast, as the tach climbs north of 6-grand it finally woke up and really kicked HARD, "Man this thing is fast!"
Anyway I had to share with somebody, my wife's not much into cars. It was one helluva toy. Raw and unrefined, but pure-sweet bliss to drive, a 'drivers car' in the purest sense of the word...