Fast Acceleration - LotusTalk

Inspiration · 11-04-2009, 06:30 PM

Hey everyone! I've been lurking around Lotustalk for a while now, and decided to join

Now to the topic:

I'm looking to make my first major car purchase soon. I've been researching a lot of different cars over the past few months, mainly Lotus'.

What I'm looking in a car: I want fast acceleration, and tight corners. I LOVE the feeling of being sucked into your seat zoomin' by other drivers. Taking corners fast gives me such a rush, its unexplainable. Just driving around the block should be an adventure, and should be really fun, not a chore, or prison sentence. I want a car that is slim, slender, and good looking(Just like women

)

Things I do on a daily basis: Drive to work, work, drive home. I go on drives about 4-5 times a week up in the mountain roads. Driving is pretty relaxing for me, and I enjoy it. I love autocrossing too, and I want to autocross my car.

My price range is roughly 30,000-35,000. I can go up to 40,000 if needed. New or used doesn't matter either.

I had a few cars in mind: The Elise, Exige, Lancer Evo, BMW 135i.

If you have any recommendations or suggestions, please don't hesitate to post.

Thank you everyone, can't wait to see what everyone has to say

Cardinal · 11-04-2009, 06:38 PM

The Elise handles great, but acceleration is subjective. I found it to be quick enough for me. My car was not an F/I setup, just do you know. Some may find it fast, others not so much. Two things are for sure: "it handles like it's on rails" but there's not a ton of torque. That being said, the handling abilities of the car far outweigh any lack in torque or acceleration IMO. The only way to tell if the car is for you is to get out and drive one. You'll know pretty quick whether it's the car for you or not.

Inspiration · 11-04-2009, 06:42 PM

Yeah, I know for a fact that the Elise is the best handling car on the road, basically.

A couple reasons I have my eyes on the Elise/Exige are:
Its a rare car, its a gorgeous body style, sounds amazing, handles like no other, great autocrossing car.

The thing I don't like about it: Looking throughout the salvage yard, body damage always looks severe, and may cost a lot to fix.

Cardinal · 11-04-2009, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoooooom

Yeah, I know for a fact that the Elise is the best handling car on the road, basically.

A couple reasons I have my eyes on the Elise/Exige are:
Its a rare car, its a gorgeous body style, sounds amazing, handles like no other, great autocrossing car.

The thing I don't like about it: Looking throughout the salvage yard, body damage always looks severe, and may cost a lot to fix.

That's about the sum of it.

lotusforsale · 11-04-2009, 06:51 PM

I'd recommend the EVO for you.

Inspiration · 11-04-2009, 06:51 PM

Forgot to add, I have another car on my mind. The 370Z. By the time they released it, I've had a little thing about that car. I think it looks amazing, right up there with the Lotus. I've heard some mixed emotions about the car though.

lotusforsale · 11-04-2009, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoooooom

Forgot to add, I have another car on my mind. The 370Z. By the time they released it, I've had a little thing about that car. I think it looks amazing, right up there with the Lotus. I've heard some mixed emotions about the car though.

Yup. All 20 of them sitting out front of the local Nissan dealer look amazing.

Darth G-F · 11-04-2009, 07:01 PM

If you don't have track experience I doubt you'll be able to extract the performance the Elise can achieve. In this regard you'd probably enjoy te EVO better. The slick AWD system allows you to easily drive the car to its limits and more. In the end you might like it more.

The Elise is quite quick, but has no torque. Basically what you "feel" when accelerating is torque. So even if the Elise is quicker to 60mph, it might not "feel" as fast as other cars on your list.

Keep in mind both the EVO or 135i can be tuned to 400hp for cheap. The Elise will cost a lot to get to around 300hp. Above that you're looking at a built engine and probably a transmission conversion.

Based on what you wrote, my guess is you'll be better served with an EVO and a 400hp upgrade.

RacyTracy · 11-04-2009, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoooooom

The thing I don't like about it: Looking throughout the salvage yard, body damage always looks severe, and may cost a lot to fix.

A damaged Elise/Exige can appear to be worse than it actually is.

Inspiration · 11-04-2009, 07:22 PM

Thanks Darth, great post.

I have 0 track experience, and I probably wouldn't drive on a track as much as the Elise/Exige needs to. I was actually looking in tuning up the car to make it better, so another great point you said.

Aedo · 11-04-2009, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RacyTracy

A damaged Elise/Exige can appear to be worse than it actually is.

Absolutely!

Damage to the body of a car is what stops the shock load transferring into the occupants! The passenger cell is very tough and the bodywork is disposable (and non-structural). I don't worry about the cost of body repairs (that's what insurance is for) but I am confident of my own safety in the Elise.

Inspiration · 11-04-2009, 08:10 PM

Researching all the cars, I keep going back to the Elise/Exige. It just looks like so much fun to drive, its a rare car, which I like. I don't want to be another mustang driver, or a corvette driver.

Hypothetically speaking here, if I were to go Lotus, the big question...Elise or Exige.

Main uses: Daily driving, mountain road drives, autocrossing. Is it worth the extra money to go exige or not.

RacyTracy · 11-04-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoooooom

Hypothetically speaking here, if I were to go Lotus, the big question...Elise or Exige.

Main uses: Daily driving, mountain road drives, autocrossing. Is it worth the extra money to go exige or not.

Only you can answer that. To me it would not be, given all else being basically equal.....But I'd take an Exige S260 over a NA Elise.

mjf · 11-04-2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoooooom

Researching all the cars, I keep going back to the Elise/Exige. It just looks like so much fun to drive, its a rare car, which I like. I don't want to be another mustang driver, or a corvette driver.

Hypothetically speaking here, if I were to go Lotus, the big question...Elise or Exige.

Main uses: Daily driving, mountain road drives, autocrossing. Is it worth the extra money to go exige or not.

You might want an Elise with an aftermarket TURBOcharger (not supercharger, you want that low end toque and kick, supercharger is more about smooth delivery of power).

I say might because a lotus isn't for everyone. Have you been go-karting? Did you like it? If so, maybe you will enjoy an Elise. The only real way to tell is to try one.

You should also try the other cars on your list too.

Cardinal · 11-04-2009, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoooooom

Researching all the cars, I keep going back to the Elise/Exige. It just looks like so much fun to drive, its a rare car, which I like. I don't want to be another mustang driver, or a corvette driver.

Hypothetically speaking here, if I were to go Lotus, the big question...Elise or Exige.

Main uses: Daily driving, mountain road drives, autocrossing. Is it worth the extra money to go exige or not.

I'd say unless you have serious track experience, I'm not sure you'd be able to drive the Elise near it's limits. Therefore, the extra $ you'd be shelling out for an Exige (S?) may not quite be worth it. Only you can decide. Having owned an Elise and being painfully aware of my driving abilities

, I couldn't justify buying an Exige. The extra HP/TQ would be wasted with me at the wheel. Besides, I think the Elise looks better. (flame suit on)

Inspiration · 11-04-2009, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjf

You might want an Elise with an aftermarket TURBOcharger (not supercharger, you want that low end toque and kick, supercharger is more about smooth delivery of power).

I say might because a lotus isn't for everyone. Have you been go-karting? Did you like it? If so, maybe you will enjoy an Elise. The only real way to tell is to try one.

You should also try the other cars on your list too.

I've been go-karting many times. Every time I go, it kills me to leave the building. I can't get enough of it. The tight corners, being sucked into your seat, its erotica on 4 wheels.

I have so many cars on my mind, I want to narrow it down to a few before I start test driving, and talking with the dealers.

Edit at above: I may not be the best driver, but practice makes perfect. Maybe going with the exige would be a bad idea, since it is more powerful.

Arnold2006 · 11-04-2009, 08:58 PM

Get the Elise and never look back. Seriously, test drive them all...

fast+forward · 11-04-2009, 09:40 PM

If you went on a test drive you wouldn't have to start this redundant thread...eventually you'd have to test each one and find the one you really like

gotomike · 11-04-2009, 09:51 PM

Hi Zoooooom.
I'm just like you. I know that I'll have a Lotus in 2010. I drove 2 Elise(s) today. I'm here in Vegas killing time for the day and Norm Baker has a good handful on its lot. The first was an 06 Elise (10,000 miles) that had been tracked and was in need of a serious tune-up. It's the first Lotus I drove... So I was pretty disappointed. Plus all the rattles it had were not inspiring. Then I tested a 2007 that had 13,000 miles, and it purred. It's exactly what I had expected from the car. Quieter, but with a good 4-cyl roar; smoother and at around 6500 RPM, it began to really kick 'butt.' I knew that I could get used to it very easily. I think that you don't need an SC or a Exige if you're going to drive the car in town. You're just too tempted to floor it all the time. Tickets would abound, and wear and tear on the car would take its toll. I guess. Start mild. You can always upgrade. And test drive many. It's fun and informative. I'm going again tomorrow...
But.... How do you get in and out of those little cars elegantly or efficiently? I still have no idea!

Aedo · 11-04-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gotomike

But.... How do you get in and out of those little cars elegantly or efficiently? I still have no idea!

With much practice

11-04-2009, 06:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
Inspiration Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Glendale Arizona Posts: 18	Fast Acceleration Hey everyone! I've been lurking around Lotustalk for a while now, and decided to join Now to the topic: I'm looking to make my first major car purchase soon. I've been researching a lot of different cars over the past few months, mainly Lotus'. What I'm looking in a car: I want fast acceleration, and tight corners. I LOVE the feeling of being sucked into your seat zoomin' by other drivers. Taking corners fast gives me such a rush, its unexplainable. Just driving around the block should be an adventure, and should be really fun, not a chore, or prison sentence. I want a car that is slim, slender, and good looking(Just like women ) Things I do on a daily basis: Drive to work, work, drive home. I go on drives about 4-5 times a week up in the mountain roads. Driving is pretty relaxing for me, and I enjoy it. I love autocrossing too, and I want to autocross my car. My price range is roughly 30,000-35,000. I can go up to 40,000 if needed. New or used doesn't matter either. I had a few cars in mind: The Elise, Exige, Lancer Evo, BMW 135i. If you have any recommendations or suggestions, please don't hesitate to post. Thank you everyone, can't wait to see what everyone has to say

11-04-2009, 06:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
Cardinal Ex and future Lotus owner Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Metro North Boston Posts: 4,031 Images: 8	The Elise handles great, but acceleration is subjective. I found it to be quick enough for me. My car was not an F/I setup, just do you know. Some may find it fast, others not so much. Two things are for sure: "it handles like it's on rails" but there's not a ton of torque. That being said, the handling abilities of the car far outweigh any lack in torque or acceleration IMO. The only way to tell if the car is for you is to get out and drive one. You'll know pretty quick whether it's the car for you or not. __________________ the1sen: why move forward with design when you can recreate a monstrosity from the past?

11-04-2009, 07:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
Darth G-F Liberté! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Quebec City Posts: 1,442	If you don't have track experience I doubt you'll be able to extract the performance the Elise can achieve. In this regard you'd probably enjoy te EVO better. The slick AWD system allows you to easily drive the car to its limits and more. In the end you might like it more. The Elise is quite quick, but has no torque. Basically what you "feel" when accelerating is torque. So even if the Elise is quicker to 60mph, it might not "feel" as fast as other cars on your list. Keep in mind both the EVO or 135i can be tuned to 400hp for cheap. The Elise will cost a lot to get to around 300hp. Above that you're looking at a built engine and probably a transmission conversion. Based on what you wrote, my guess is you'll be better served with an EVO and a 400hp upgrade. __________________ 2006 Ronin Supercharged Lotus Elise 2008 BMW 328Xi

11-04-2009, 08:58 PM	#17 (permalink)
Arnold2006 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 44	Get the Elise and never look back. Seriously, test drive them all... __________________ '07 Storm Titanium Elise, Hard Top, Touring Pack '09 Black Ford Taurus (company car) - YUCK (but free)

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11-04-2009, 06:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
Inspiration Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Glendale Arizona Posts: 18	Yeah, I know for a fact that the Elise is the best handling car on the road, basically. A couple reasons I have my eyes on the Elise/Exige are: Its a rare car, its a gorgeous body style, sounds amazing, handles like no other, great autocrossing car. The thing I don't like about it: Looking throughout the salvage yard, body damage always looks severe, and may cost a lot to fix.

11-04-2009, 06:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
lotusforsale Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,217 Images: 8	I'd recommend the EVO for you.

11-04-2009, 06:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
Inspiration Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Glendale Arizona Posts: 18	Forgot to add, I have another car on my mind. The 370Z. By the time they released it, I've had a little thing about that car. I think it looks amazing, right up there with the Lotus. I've heard some mixed emotions about the car though.

11-04-2009, 07:22 PM	#10 (permalink)
Inspiration Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Glendale Arizona Posts: 18	Thanks Darth, great post. I have 0 track experience, and I probably wouldn't drive on a track as much as the Elise/Exige needs to. I was actually looking in tuning up the car to make it better, so another great point you said.

11-04-2009, 08:10 PM	#12 (permalink)
Inspiration Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Glendale Arizona Posts: 18	Researching all the cars, I keep going back to the Elise/Exige. It just looks like so much fun to drive, its a rare car, which I like. I don't want to be another mustang driver, or a corvette driver. Hypothetically speaking here, if I were to go Lotus, the big question...Elise or Exige. Main uses: Daily driving, mountain road drives, autocrossing. Is it worth the extra money to go exige or not.

11-04-2009, 09:40 PM	#18 (permalink)
fast+forward Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 215	If you went on a test drive you wouldn't have to start this redundant thread...eventually you'd have to test each one and find the one you really like

11-04-2009, 09:51 PM	#19 (permalink)
gotomike Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA & Livingston, MT Posts: 14	Hi Zoooooom. I'm just like you. I know that I'll have a Lotus in 2010. I drove 2 Elise(s) today. I'm here in Vegas killing time for the day and Norm Baker has a good handful on its lot. The first was an 06 Elise (10,000 miles) that had been tracked and was in need of a serious tune-up. It's the first Lotus I drove... So I was pretty disappointed. Plus all the rattles it had were not inspiring. Then I tested a 2007 that had 13,000 miles, and it purred. It's exactly what I had expected from the car. Quieter, but with a good 4-cyl roar; smoother and at around 6500 RPM, it began to really kick 'butt.' I knew that I could get used to it very easily. I think that you don't need an SC or a Exige if you're going to drive the car in town. You're just too tempted to floor it all the time. Tickets would abound, and wear and tear on the car would take its toll. I guess. Start mild. You can always upgrade. And test drive many. It's fun and informative. I'm going again tomorrow... But.... How do you get in and out of those little cars elegantly or efficiently? I still have no idea!

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