Review Elise SC

[E.D.]

Review's of the Elise SC are now coming in.
Maybe Lotus will even update their own website for it! Nothing on http://www.grouplotus.com/car !!!

Anyway, the review is in Dutch and to be found at
http://www.autoweek.nl/nieuws.php?id=8115.
The review is basically just an announcement of the full review in the paper magazine, so no information in there...
but it does contain a nice 4-minute film of the Lotus SC in Barcelona! Just click on that picture with the film borders to the left. It starts after a short commercial.
Go ahead and take a look. I will post a translation later...

[E.D.]

Basically what the guy says in the film is:

'Elise has been around since 1995 and has become the most important model for Lotus.
It's a basic car, a kart for on the road and track.
After using Rover engines, all Elises now have now Toyota engines:
the S 136HP
the R 192HP
and the new SC with 220BHP
In some way you can say the SC is somewhere in the middle of the S and the R because it’s easier to drive than the R because there’s power all over the range. Somewhat comparable to the used engine in the Lotus Europa S.

220HP doesn’t sound like much nowadays, but thanks to the low weight it’s very fast: 4.4sec for 0-100kmh.

Also the weight distribution is very good: make handling fantastic.

When compared to the other Elises, it has a new wing, new exhaust with one big oval tailpipe and new wheels specifically designed for the SC.

This Elise has the same excellent Lotus specific chairs with the ProBax system.

The handling has been talked out extensively in former testa: nothing new to be added. It's driving in its purest sense. And in combination with the new powerful engine the car is totally awesome. I want to have one.'

So it's a positive review!

[Bavarian Motorist]

I bet that a good launch with the sport-pack tires could get you faster than a 4.4 0-60 launch. Car and Driver tested a sport pack Elise and managed 4.4 seconds.

[StallionX]

yeah with a RED LINE 7krpm clutch drop..

come on man that shouldn't even count as a launch.. destroying your clutch shouldn't be the method to achieve best acceleration figures

[E.D.]

Originally Posted by StallionX

yeah with a RED LINE 7krpm clutch drop..

come on man that shouldn't even count as a launch.. destroying your clutch shouldn't be the method to achieve best acceleration figures

they quote 4.9sec for the sport pack if I'm correct, I would be more than happy to actually get to that number! I've never seen a 4.4 sec for a sport pack.

[andrewgotanelise]

did anyone notice the oval exhaust like in the exige s... the one some people are calling "stage 3" haha. I wonder why they chose this exhaust as standard it makes me intrested cuz I have an katana elise but with stock exhaust

[Bavarian Motorist]

So what sports car doesn't need to be launched to achieve the claimed 0-60 times?

[R'elise Me]

Originally Posted by StallionX

yeah with a RED LINE 7krpm clutch drop..

come on man that shouldn't even count as a launch.. destroying your clutch shouldn't be the method to achieve best acceleration figures

That wont necessarily destroy the clutch. Just the tranny

I don't understand everyones preoccupation with 0-60 times. It's the most boring criteria for judging any car IMO - save perhaps an uber-sedan that can't really accomplish much else in the real world for the trickery they offer. I'd like to see a shootout between the Exige S, the Elise and the Elise SC on a longish track. The car is so much about weight and balance that it's hard to see any other reasoning besides marketing to have all these versions. Hey - anything to keep Lotus alive, I say.