What compares to an Elise? Anything?

[Carjunky]

I've been thinking about the Elise and what can compare to it? With its great performance for a very reasonable price does anything even come close? I'm personally a Lotus lover like most of you but all biased opinions aside what compares?

[Drew09]

Closest car I've driven compared to it in performance and price is the s2000.

[JavierBayArea]

I heard the new porsche boxter S/Spyder and cayman S are as good, not nearly as fun though.

[WOT]

It depends on how you want to compare. I currently have 4 "performance" cars including the Lotus. They are all very different in drive. It is very difficult to compare. My 911, at half what I paid for the Elise, has been very reliable, comfortable and performs adequately but it is no where near the agility of the Elise. My 930, at about the same cost, is a beast. When boost hits it feels like a rocket ship and it squats and holds the road very well around curves much like the Elise. The Boss at almost double the price can't hug the turns but on a straight away, wow, a thing of wonder. These are all very different cars with their own set of attributes.

[WOT]

Originally Posted by JavierBayArea

I heard the new porsche boxter S/Spyder and cayman S are as good, not nearly as fun though.

Way too refined for my taste. I want to feel the drive not have the car feel like it is driving itself. And can we have more sound, please? They are too quiet.

[Subparpunk03]

The S2000 is a blast. Of all the cars I've driven, this one is my second favorite.

The MR2 Spyder is similar as well, but again, just not quite the same... Felt sluggish to me.

The Toyobaru twins are an absolute hoot to drive as well. People say they are down on power, which I suppose is true if you're talking about long straightaways, but I'll take something nimble any day of the week.

As for higher end performance cars... I wouldn't really know.

[TyMurray]

Originally Posted by Carjunky

I've been thinking about the Elise and what can compare to it? With its great performance for a very reasonable price does anything even come close? I'm personally a Lotus lover like most of you but all biased opinions aside what compares?

The Exige!

S2000 are definitely not bad, I'd still take a turbo miata over an s2000 though

[cmrodman]

Anyone have any thoughts on the Cayman R? I know it's usually in the same conversation as the Evora not the Elise. But as a response to the previous post that mentioned the new Boxster / Cayman, I believe the R is supposed to be a bit more raw. Mid-engined and a bit more stripped down (though still pretty plush by comparison to the Elige). Plus, the aluminum doors should provide for a bit more road noise to come through

I know it's not the most beloved car on this forum , but was wondering what people's experience is with it as a comparison.

I've also head the new Boxster is great.

[MIDLIFECRISES]

have a boxster, it has become a garage queen, still love it, but nothing near the raw driving feel and fun of my elise, hands down !!

[aschen]

Originally Posted by cmrodman

Anyone have any thoughts on the Cayman R? I know it's usually in the same conversation as the Evora not the Elise. But as a response to the previous post that mentioned the new Boxster / Cayman, I believe the R is supposed to be a bit more raw. Mid-engined and a bit more stripped down (though still pretty plush by comparison to the Elige). Plus, the aluminum doors should provide for a bit more road noise to come through

I know it's not the most beloved car on this forum , but was wondering what people's experience is with it as a comparison.

I've also head the new Boxster is great.

Its all relative. The cayman R is raw compared to almost any new car available today. Eliges are pretty much least refined actual modern road car available, and comparisons are more appropriate to older cars, component cars, or modded cars.

[aschen]

Originally Posted by WOT

It depends on how you want to compare. I currently have 4 "performance" cars including the Lotus. They are all very different in drive. It is very difficult to compare. My 911, at half what I paid for the Elise, has been very reliable, comfortable and performs adequately but it is no where near the agility of the Elise. My 930, at about the same cost, is a beast. When boost hits it feels like a rocket ship and it squats and holds the road very well around curves much like the Elise. The Boss at almost double the price can't hug the turns but on a straight away, wow, a thing of wonder. These are all very different cars with their own set of attributes.

Im E-crushing on you . The Ironic thing is, around most tracks your 930 is probably your slowest car (except the NA 911) and your boss is probably the fastest.

your description hightlights the fun of old and unrefined cars.

[Notorious]

The Elise is unique in how it combines the various attributes into one package, but then again, so does almost every other car out there because there really aren't two cars that drive exactly the same or deliver the same experience.

So, the better question is, is the Elise what you are looking for in terms of what you want out of a car, not what does it compare to.

All the cars named don't deliver the same experience, but if you are in the market for those cars, you wouldn't be looking at an Elise either to deliver what you would want if you wanted the S2k or Cayman experience, for example.

Having had an Elise, I can say it is a fun car which is simple and makes you want to drive it for no reason at all just because it is a simple car which has no complications whatsoever. You get in, buckle up, and drive. Nothing fancy about the whole experience. Just a car and a motor, unlike all these other cars with all the gadgets and electronic readouts and gizmos and whatnot. It's also not so powerful or overwhelming that you can't enjoy the car without worrying about killing yourself. I can floor that thing and it won't get away from me for the most part as long as I am not going crazy.

Sometimes you want a simple driving experience, just you and car. In a way, the original Miata delivered on that pretty well, before the eventual model year bloat creeped up on it.

I've had my share of sports cars and now I have a Noble M400 which delivers everything the Lotus does and more in terms of responsiveness and handling, but is more comfortable, roomy, and powerful in every way, but I don't feel like jumping in it just to take a drive, because it is way too powerful and cruising in it is not as pleasurable as taking a simple cruise in the Elise. Sometimes there is too much of a good thing.

[orangeflash]

^^^ well said.

Right now I have a pontiac solstice and look to upgrade to an elise in the future. But for the money (10K) I picked up the solstice which has decent handling (2900 pounds), power, and is nice inside and out. With a supercharger and aftermarket suspension, im sure it could be better compared to the Elise.

[lotusforsale]

Originally Posted by orangeflash

^^^ well said.

Right now I have a pontiac solstice and look to upgrade to an elise in the future. But for the money (10K) I picked up the solstice which has decent handling (2900 pounds), power, and is nice inside and out. With a supercharger and aftermarket suspension, im sure it could be better compared to the Elise.

I've owned a Solstice Coupe, 3 Elises and 2 Exige (one NA and one supercharged).

There is no comparison at all between the driving experience of the Sol and the Elige. You can easily make the Sol faster in a straight line than an Elise with forced induction, but then again you can add forced induction to an NA Elise too.

The Sol is a decent handling car, but it feels like a floaty boat after driving an Elige.

[orangeflash]

Originally Posted by lotusforsale

I've owned a Solstice Coupe, 3 Elises and 2 Exige (one NA and one supercharged).

There is no comparison at all between the driving experience of the Sol and the Elige. You can easily make the Sol faster in a straight line than an Elise with forced induction, but then again you can add forced induction to an NA Elise too.

The Sol is a decent handling car, but it feels like a floaty boat after driving an Elige.

Well, like someone has pointed out, every car is going to have a different drive. These are all roadsters that we are talking about. Yes they are different because one is more nimble and lighter in weight (which is why I suggest major suspension upgrades to make it sharp). But to say they don't compare at all is ignorant. Also, I was also suggesting bang for buck because you can pick up a Solstice for less than half the price of the elise.

[ADLGTNS]

The Tesla Roadster feels pretty close. Much quieter though.

[lotusforsale]

Originally Posted by orangeflash

Well, like someone has pointed out, every car is going to have a different drive. These are all roadsters that we are talking about. Yes they are different because one is more nimble and lighter in weight (which is why I suggest major suspension upgrades to make it sharp). But to say they don't compare at all is ignorant. Also, I was also suggesting bang for buck because you can pick up a Solstice for less than half the price of the elise.

You are correct, they DO compare. Both have 4 wheels, both have a steering wheel.

But in terms of DRIVING experience, there is no comparison at all. I have owned both and logged tens of thousands of miles in them. The suspension upgrades you would to to your Sol still would not make it as nimble or agile as a stock Elise or Exige.

If you could afford either, if you want the most bang for the buck in terms of driving enjoyment, you wouldn't consider the Sol just because it's half the price of the Elige.

[rskdsk]

There is nothing like a lotus boosted to 300whp ... not much can keep up with it at any price

[mlo2]

A 2ZZ MRS with good suspension mods will be comparable to a stock Elise IMO. MRS is a great handling car and really fun to drive as well. They both are midship and I find them kinda similar on many ways since I have owned and tracked both MRS and Exige before.

[Notorious]

Originally Posted by rskdsk

There is nothing like a lotus boosted to 300whp ... not much can keep up with it at any price

Stock Noble... or one mildly boosted to 550whp.

Just sayin'