[dwei42]

I just put down my deposit today at Newport Beach CA...I'm #5 on the waitlist...The salesman told me the lotus rep said the US version will have about 190 hp and about 2000 lbs, and should do 0-60 in an estimated 4.3 seconds. What do you guys think about this? Is 0-60 in 4.3 seconds possible? The toyota celica is 2500 lbs and 180 hp...but the celicas 0-60 is 6.6. will shedding 500 lbs and adding 10 hp take 2 seconds off the 0-60 for the elise? I hope my salesman isn't shitting me.

 

[Randy Chase]

I can't see how he can say any speed/time claims with a degree of certainty at this point.

However, if he is right. That is pretty quick.

 

[zvezdah1]

I Think realistically, it'll be mid 5 second range.
Chris

 

[mikester]

Agreed. AFAIK, it really comes down to basic physics (i.e., power to weight). The current Elise (base S2) claims a 0-60 of 5.6 seconds. The US version will have a healthy dose of extra HP and torque (hopefully) but will also be a bit heavier, so I think a realistic 0-60 time would be low-to mid 5's.

Of course in the real world it will come down to what the performance of the chosen engine is like (where the peak HP and torque are), the transmission and how the car is "launched" etc. so it's a bit academic. 4.3 seconds sounds awfully optimistic to me, though.

 

[Thomasio]

4.4

"CAR" magazine (UK) reports that the current sport Elise (is that the "190" ?) does 0-60 in 4.4, with less than 180 horsepower.

The U.S. car will be a bit heavier, I am sure, but I think the 4.6 or 4.7 0t60 times would not be unreasonable.

Thomas

 

[Craigy]

IMHO 190bhp won't get you to 60 in an elise in 4.4 seconds.
I've been in a 220bhp elise and it doesn't get close to that accelleration despite weighing under 700Kg and running motorsport rims and sticky rubber.

The weight of the US elise will be the critical factor, along with the tranny they ship it with (current trend is towards close-ratio boxes which aren't so hot at 0-60).

Here's hoping (with crossed fingers) for something light!

<Sarcasm>I think there was a chap who once said "just add lightness"... he had something to do with Lotus</Sarcasm>

RIP Mr Chapman

Craigy

 

[BR1]

Your right Craigy 190bhp won't get you to 60 in an elise in 4.4 seconds. It could be a bit faster like 4.3 secs as the Elise Sport 190 was; see this link:
http://www.lotuscars.co.uk/template.cfm?name=lotcarsmodels_sport_190

 

[jrgibb]

You were about to put down a deposit, he'd tell you it flew as well if he thought he'd get the sale !

 

[Craigy]

BR1,
I don't want to start a flame war over this but I do want to make the point that I disagree. You're referring to marketing/sales material there while I'm talking about what's happening in the real world.

If you could get an elise to do that, you'd only do it once because , you'd likely not want to do it again because of the loads on the transmission and especially the clutch.

Even getting a 0-60 time in the high 5's requires dumping the clutch at 6000rpm because otherwise the comparative lack of torque at the bottom eng lets the engine bog down.

Just IMHO.

Craigy

 

[Allan Gibbs]

I was also thinking the Elise would need high rpm drops to get those type of 0 to 60s.

However, do you think the Elise's light weight could make it achieve those times without high rpms drops?

Or, could the lighter weight make those high rpms drops less of a strain on the transmission? Probably not.

 

[Craigy]

I drive an S1 with MMC brake disks, cloth seats and nothing optional; in other words I'm driving one of the lightest ones around (I'm ignoring the 340R here).

It's got so much grip in the dry it's usually pretty hard to make the tyres break traction at all!

I've only tried a standing start 0-60 once and all I got for my trouble was a burning smell from the clutch.

20mph to 80 is a much more real-world test IMHO.

Craigy

 

[mikester]

I've gotta agree with Craigy here, in the sense that all this talk about 0-60 times is all very interesting and valid (I guess) for comparing various makes and models, but in terms of "real world" street driving, probably not very realistic. The manufacturers' 0-60 times are no doubt conducted on a drag strip or straight test track with professional drivers, probably with little thought given to clutch or transmission longevity. In other words, "your results may vary".

Also, we should keep in mind that the Elise is not a muscle car, hot rod, etc. It was designed to put a huge, silly grin on the drivers' face, esp. when going around the CURVES. It's about being a really light, really quick, agile little car, not necessarily a fast one at the top-end, etc. This is a hard concept for many american car drivers to grasp (present company excepted, of course)

 

[Allan Gibbs]

Also, we should keep in mind that the Elise is not a muscle car, hot rod, etc.

I agree too. I'm also more concerned with how well the Elise can get out of the way of hazardous conditions, because if its small size. I think 40 to 60mph and 60 to 80 mph figures may be a good indication of this.

I'm hoping the light weight will overcome the low torque and qive the engine a lot of flexibility. I need the Elise to be able to dart out of danger when need be and I may not have time to downshift. With the amount of pickup truck, SUV, and happy-go-lucky drivers here in Phoenix, I'll have to drive with the same diligence as I do with sport bikes.

 

[Imp]

20-40 or 30-50 is more important to me. (for auto-x). I could care less about top of 4th-5th numbers.

Just make it quick and nimble and i'll be a very happpppppy person.

--kC
It'll be much different than my 3K lb wallowing wagon.

 

[jml1952]

Good points about the 0-60 time. When I first saw a projected time of 4.5 seconds, I assumed that it was a marketing ploy to indicate that the car would be faster than most of its competitors.

When I drove the Euro-version test car, I was quite impressed with the acceleration, and I'm assuming that the US version will have even more oomph, with the higher hp offsetting the minor (hopefully) weight gain. I wasn't able to get out of 3rd on my test drive, as we were tooling around residential streets in Beverly Hills. So, how does the car accelerate in the higher gears? That is one problem with my Miata; in third and fourth, the acceleration is ok, but if you use fifth to cruise at high speed, you have no acceleration after being forced to slowdown without downshifting (maybe this is called driving, but I prefer to have some guts in top gear).

Of course, the US Elise is supposed to have a six-speed transmission vs the five-speed in the European version. Is that better?

 

[Thomasio]

The six-speed allows you to use a higher final gear ratio and still retain a decent top speed. The only down side is that shifting gears takes time and dips into the 0-60 or quarter mile times at some point. I'm sure that Lotus will optimize the final gear ratio, the transmission gearing and the number of shifts to yield the best acceleration.

Thomas

 

[Craigy]

My friend with the 220bhp S1 elise has bought a quaife 6-speed gearbox with LSD (a custom box) for his car. He's also rebuilding the engine right now (it lasted 19000 miles which isn't all that bad given it's crazy tune level/revlimit and shopping car roots).

Once it's done I'm going to ask to go see it and try out the box..

I'll tell you how I get on.

Craigy