Wow, that was fun (Lotus)...

[musgravecycles]

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 stuffed 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 amazed at 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...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2106/2253330947_edc256cfbc.jpg?v=0

[stevep]

how much $ is one of those?

[3chordwonder]

If you thought the Elise you drove could use more power, maybe take an Exige for a drive. You'll probably find your happy place.

[musgravecycles]

How the heck did I post 2 threads?

SteveP, Elise runs about $50K new, sticker in da'window said $39,950, and it had some nice 'upgrades.'

Dave Kirk is right, best handling car I've ever been in. Was doing the Top Gear thing on youtube this afternoon, they also said as much "Lotus=best handling car bar none"

I still can't wipe the silly grin off my face...



Edit: I heart flickr.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2021/2258705274_9d329e0bde.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2038/2205598585_d49991c706.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2214/2205596787_b031c51584.jpg?v=0
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2355/2259732818_78a46a8f9e.jpg?v=0

[bostondrunk]

Niiice.

Lotus Esprit has always been my favorite 'dream' car after seeing it in the James Bond movies something like 27 years ago..

[swoop]

if i coulda fit a bike in one of those.... i would live in the thing.

[musgravecycles]

Swoop,

I was driving through Chicago several years ago when one blew by us wearing a C-50. It had a Thule tray on the rear quarter panel right here:

[swoop]

isn't that a sin?

i keep seeing a lamborghini with a thule rack on back on pch.

[Too Tall]

You said blah blah blah blah Goat....dewd! Skrew that noise show us the real car. You have depth's I had no idea :)

[Kurt]

drive one all the time as a friend has an S, this is also quite the rocket

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52rrpuvawTs

[musgravecycles]

Yeah the Atom is a sweet track machine but at least the Lotus kinda-sorta works as a road car :rolleyes:

BTW, thank goodness for youtube and Top Gear...

TT, the goat is my fathers, I'd 'borrowed' it ;). I could post pics bro, but it's just a "plain" gto on the outside, it's under the skin that's counts. He's been restoring an old Vette for a guy the last couple of years (and working over the guys C6) and sinking the $$ from that project into the goat. But like I said, looking at the outside you'd only see different tires and if yer real good, a different suspension system. It's a heckofa car, but in a different kinda way than the Lotus if ya know what I mean...

[Blue Jays]

musgravecycles, so when do you take delivery of that sweet Lotus?
Will you bring it to the next Serotta Forums gathering so we can all give it a whirl around the parking lot, will, ya, huh, huh, will ya, please?!?!

http://www.sportbikeworld.com/forums/images/smilies/burnout.gif

[Tobias]

I've always admired Lotus' 'minimalist' philosphy.+1
Yeah, single wiper shows they take it seriously.
Probably saves at least 454 grams.
And it's semi-rotating mass to boot. ;)

[Sandy]

Cars like the Lotus have handling limits that are simply well beyond the abilities of most of us. Perhaps Dave Kirk is able to drive such a car close to its limits, but surely few of us here are capable of such. Ken Robb? Ti Designs?

musgravcycles- Here is the deal: I think that you may live in NC. If you come to the DC area or if I go to NC this coming cycling season, which I certainly plan to do, and if I drive my Cayman S, I will swap for a day my Cayman S, for whatever you are driving. After driving the Cayman S for a day and comparing it to the Lotus (awesome handling car that I have never driven) relative to handling and overall fun to drive, decide which car you would rather own and then let those on the forum know. I need to take driving lessons as the Cayman S has capabilities remarkably beyond my meager ones.

swoop- A Lotus for you- 2008 Lotus Exige S 240- It has 240 hp (up from 220) and a minor increase in torque. 0-60 in 4.0 seconds and 0-100 mph in just under 10 seconds. The new interior is a big improvement form previous Lotus cars- an optional package ($1600) that has full leather, full carpeting, an iPod connection, and yes even a cupholder! Base price is $65,815.

Kevan- An automobile for you- Yugo, any year, any condition. :)


Sandy

[Sandy]

PS- I take my bike (59 cm virtual) to ride starts in my Cayman S. Have to be careful- Take the seat post out and put bike in smallest gear so that the rear derailleur clears the rear trunk lid. Iput the wheels in the front trunk (Two trunks as the car is mid-engined).


Sandy

[Sandy]

if i coulda fit a bike in one of those.... i would live in the thing.

Please read my post #15.


Sandy

[lavi]

The Elise is a beautiful thing. I drove one a few years ago and still think about it. I also still have the picture of my on the fridge with a big crap eatin' grin.

I honestly thought for about $40K it was about as perfect of a true performance car (handling, suspension, weight, power, power delivery, looks, bla bla bla) as a person can get. It would work fine as a daily driver. It would be ridiculous as a track car.

Lovely! :beer:

[swoop]

PS- I take my bike (59 cm virtual) to ride starts in my Cayman S. Have to be careful- Take the seat post out and put bike in smallest gear so that the rear derailleur clears the rear trunk lid. Iput the wheels in the front trunk (Two trunks as the car is mid-engined).


Sandy


sandy.. i did three or four years of full schedules of bike racin/rollin around in circles with an audi tt. i got skilz.

[jerk]

hat lotus is awesome but Im now leasing a 2008 r32 for $300 a month. less than five hundred miles and I double flat on a stupid pothole.....the oem all seasons cost more than four of the best damn tires ever made, so the r32 got an early upgrade to fallen azenis rt-615s. which are even better than the rt-215s.

this car kicks the crap out of anything I've ever driven. I was convinced the new independent suspension of the mkv veedubs was a massive step backwards, and it is for front wheel drive applications vs. the old torsion beam; but for awd the thing is almost perfect out of the box. plus I'm saving a ton of money vs. the bimmer and I really feel this is "my" car. wow, its the sixth vw I've had. weird.

it already has beaten most of the cars on top gear in terms of lap time....wait untill I force myself into owning it forever by supercharging it!

jerk

[stevep]

this car kicks the crap out of anything I've ever driven.

jerk

its better than the 84 dodge colt even?

sweet.

[Sandy]

hat lotus is awesome but Im now leasing a 2008 r32 for $300 a month. less than five hundred miles and I double flat on a stupid pothole.....the oem all seasons cost more than four of the best damn tires ever made, so the r32 got an early upgrade to fallen azenis rt-615s. which are even better than the rt-215s.

this car kicks the crap out of anything I've ever driven. I was convinced the new independent suspension of the mkv veedubs was a massive step backwards, and it is for front wheel drive applications vs. the old torsion beam; but for awd the thing is almost perfect out of the box. plus I'm saving a ton of money vs. the bimmer and I really feel this is "my" car. wow, its the sixth vw I've had. weird.

it already has beaten most of the cars on top gear in terms of lap time....wait untill I force myself into owning it forever by supercharging it!

jerk

Did you ever drive the GTI with the 4 cyclinder turbo and 200 hp? If so, how did the R32 compare to that? I had thought that I would drive and probably buy the GTI until I drove the Cayman S. Yes, I know, 2 radically different cars. In 1985, I test drove a bunch of cars and liked only a couple of them- Porsche 944 and the GTI. I really loved the GTI and definitely would have bought it, but the seats were simply too small for me. Not wide enough. Have always really liked them.


Sandy

[Flat Out]

hat lotus is awesome but Im now leasing a 2008 r32 for $300 a month. less than five hundred miles and I double flat on a stupid pothole.....the oem all seasons cost more than four of the best damn tires ever made, so the r32 got an early upgrade to fallen azenis rt-615s. which are even better than the rt-215s.

this car kicks the crap out of anything I've ever driven. I was convinced the new independent suspension of the mkv veedubs was a massive step backwards, and it is for front wheel drive applications vs. the old torsion beam; but for awd the thing is almost perfect out of the box. plus I'm saving a ton of money vs. the bimmer and I really feel this is "my" car. wow, its the sixth vw I've had. weird.

it already has beaten most of the cars on top gear in terms of lap time....wait untill I force myself into owning it forever by supercharging it!

jerk

Make sure you throw some sticky tires on that for the summer! Oh, and some nice light wheels... and a cold air intake... and a catback exhaust...

I like those cars a lot I just wish it came in a manual.(with a clutch pedal) Congrats!

[musgravecycles]

Jerk, I've not driven an R32 but an old friend, who's a huge veedub guy, has one and says it's a real nice ride.

Doesn't SpeedyChix have one too?

[Too Tall]

Yeah the Atom is a sweet track machine but at least the Lotus kinda-sorta works as a road car :rolleyes:

BTW, thank goodness for youtube and Top Gear...

TT, the goat is my fathers, I'd 'borrowed' it ;). I could post pics bro, but it's just a "plain" gto on the outside, it's under the skin that's counts. He's been restoring an old Vette for a guy the last couple of years (and working over the guys C6) and sinking the $$ from that project into the goat. But like I said, looking at the outside you'd only see different tires and if yer real good, a different suspension system. It's a heckofa car, but in a different kinda way than the Lotus if ya know what I mean...
I'm all about rat rods and sleepers. My Nova is too orig. to mess with. If I had a play car it most certainly would be something like what your dad is working on for himself.

[jerk]

Make sure you throw some sticky tires on that for the summer! Oh, and some nice light wheels... and a cold air intake... and a catback exhaust...

I like those cars a lot I just wish it came in a manual.(with a clutch pedal) Congrats!

the falken azenis are about as sticky as you can get; plus they have super, super stiff sidewalls.

honestly if there's one thin vw does really well it is factory airboxes. almost all of the cold air intakes rob vws of hp and torque.....likewise for most of the aftermarket exhaust systems. thank god for catalytic converters bein mandated in f1 and other races. its done wonders for their development.

regarding sandy's question; i don;t find the choice between a cayman and a gti all that odd if you take the price out of the equation. both are essentially sports coupes. anyway; i have driven the new gti and while the engine is great; i do think the rear suspension design is a big step backwards. it looks like it came out of an e36 bimmer...fine for rwd or awd, but a mk4 gti with a gigantic rear swabar and better shocks and springs is a much better car. there's not much you can do to make the fwd gti handle better; not that it is bad stock but you can't get it to the level of a properly tuned mk4 or mk3.

i also really like the five valve per cyclinder design of the 1.8t in the older gti.

re: the r32 it is so damn good out of the box; there's really not much in the way of complaints. even the dsg transmission is great; shifts much faster than you could imagine and i was sure i'd hate it....plus it made the r32 so unpopular that they're practically giving them away up here.

jerk

[Kevan]

Kevan- An automobile for you- Yugo, any year, any condition. :) Sandy

The uglier the better, sorta like....umm, never mind. Anyway...that way I can leave the keys in it and not worry about it being stolen.

[staggerwing]

re: the r32 it is so damn good out of the box; there's really not much in the way of complaints. even the dsg transmission is great; shifts much faster than you could imagine and i was sure i'd hate it....plus it made the r32 so unpopular that they're practically giving them away up here.

jerk

A friend has a GLI with the DSG tranny. Truly, a wonderful transmission.

For grins, while he was trying to decide between purchase and lease, I told him to ask the repair department what they could fix in there. The answer was nothing, nada, zip! If something goes amiss, the whole thing gets pulled, and replaced. Maybe it has gotten better in the past 18 months, but knowing VWofAmerica, I doubt it. He leased.