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It only has 200 miles on it but here are my thoughts:
1. Precision.
One word that I think sums up the Elise is "precise." The space between the seat and roll bar are precise. No more, no less. Space in the seat is exactly what's needed. No more, no less.
Most of all, the handling in precise. There were times I had to correct my steering because my inputs were not in the direction I wanted to go in. In other cars, (the Boxster) you have some leeway. It's a bit more forgetting. The Elise will go exactly were you tell it to go, whether you mean it or not. It does what you say, not what you mean. In that regards, I'd say it does what it's suppose to do very well. The driver's input needs to be precise.
2. Sensory Feedback.
I had trouble keeping up a conversation with Dan (my salesperson) because of all the sensory feedback I was getting. The sound of the engine, the feel of the car, the feel of the road, the close interior, the slightly lower point of view. A bit hard to concentrate.
3. Attention-getter.
I'm not an person who likes attention, but geesh! I think enough has been said about that. I think I'd be keeping the top on most of the time.
4. The clutch.
Modulating the clutch was the hardest part of the test drive for me. Not bad, but I just need to get use to it. The brakes are good, but like others said, there's a bit of initial travel before the bite.
5. The power.
Power was good. I was limited to 5,500 but it always seemed adequate. Like other have said, the Elise rev's very Elise. In my Boxster, I feel a sense of protest and engine noise between (3,000 and 4,000 rpm before the cam shift). I didn't get that with the Elise. It doesn't mind rev'ing.
I THINK my '99 Boxster has a bit more torque between 2,000 to 3,000 rpm -which is almost idling for the Elise. After that, I think they're about the same. I have no idea what 5,500+ is like.
Road and Track said the Elise is like an RX8 under 6,000. I've test driven a couple and I'd agree. They're about the same.
6. The size.
Seeing the Elise again reassured me that it's not as small has I had thought. It's about the same height as the Espirit but about 3/4th as long.
Driving on the road, I never felt as if I was laying on the floor -even when an Escalade pull up along us on the freeway. I did start to feel a bit of lightness at 80 mph. Incidentally, 80 mph in 6th gear is around 3,000 rpm.
7. The sales man.
Dan is the sale person I've been dealing with at Scottsdale Lotus, and I feel sorry for him. Since the demo's arrived, I think he's been giving test drives one right after the other almost non-stop. There was a person before me and a person after me and a person after him! Scottsdale was closing within 30 minutes!
Needless to say, getting in and out of the Elise isn't even an issue for him anymore.
8. Test drives.
I would recommend that if you're wanting a test drive, to wait. Problem is, the Elise is on constant demo rides. I didn't really have time to look at the interior, check out the radio, instrument panel, or really appreciate the car. Not to mention, if you wait till the car's broken in, you'll get to redline the Elise.
Conclusion.
The Elise is everything Lotus has intended it to be. It's a precise and finely tuned instrument. The Elise driver needs to understand that because the Elise will do exactly what you tell it to do. It does not read minds, it reads steering inputs. It had the sport suspension, which was not bad at all.
Because of that, I can see some people not liking the Elise because it's too precise -but then that means there's more for those who will really appreciate it. If you're looking for a precise sports car, this is it. If you want the lastest and greatest toy, you'll be disappointed in about two months after the newness wears off.
PS: The steering wheel is wonderful and perfectly designed. It's obviously small and easy to handle, but what struck me most is that there were little indentations on where your thumbs are supposed to be. Very precise! :clap:
1. Precision.
One word that I think sums up the Elise is "precise." The space between the seat and roll bar are precise. No more, no less. Space in the seat is exactly what's needed. No more, no less.
Most of all, the handling in precise. There were times I had to correct my steering because my inputs were not in the direction I wanted to go in. In other cars, (the Boxster) you have some leeway. It's a bit more forgetting. The Elise will go exactly were you tell it to go, whether you mean it or not. It does what you say, not what you mean. In that regards, I'd say it does what it's suppose to do very well. The driver's input needs to be precise.
2. Sensory Feedback.
I had trouble keeping up a conversation with Dan (my salesperson) because of all the sensory feedback I was getting. The sound of the engine, the feel of the car, the feel of the road, the close interior, the slightly lower point of view. A bit hard to concentrate.
3. Attention-getter.
I'm not an person who likes attention, but geesh! I think enough has been said about that. I think I'd be keeping the top on most of the time.
4. The clutch.
Modulating the clutch was the hardest part of the test drive for me. Not bad, but I just need to get use to it. The brakes are good, but like others said, there's a bit of initial travel before the bite.
5. The power.
Power was good. I was limited to 5,500 but it always seemed adequate. Like other have said, the Elise rev's very Elise. In my Boxster, I feel a sense of protest and engine noise between (3,000 and 4,000 rpm before the cam shift). I didn't get that with the Elise. It doesn't mind rev'ing.
I THINK my '99 Boxster has a bit more torque between 2,000 to 3,000 rpm -which is almost idling for the Elise. After that, I think they're about the same. I have no idea what 5,500+ is like.
Road and Track said the Elise is like an RX8 under 6,000. I've test driven a couple and I'd agree. They're about the same.
6. The size.
Seeing the Elise again reassured me that it's not as small has I had thought. It's about the same height as the Espirit but about 3/4th as long.
Driving on the road, I never felt as if I was laying on the floor -even when an Escalade pull up along us on the freeway. I did start to feel a bit of lightness at 80 mph. Incidentally, 80 mph in 6th gear is around 3,000 rpm.
7. The sales man.
Dan is the sale person I've been dealing with at Scottsdale Lotus, and I feel sorry for him. Since the demo's arrived, I think he's been giving test drives one right after the other almost non-stop. There was a person before me and a person after me and a person after him! Scottsdale was closing within 30 minutes!
Needless to say, getting in and out of the Elise isn't even an issue for him anymore.
8. Test drives.
I would recommend that if you're wanting a test drive, to wait. Problem is, the Elise is on constant demo rides. I didn't really have time to look at the interior, check out the radio, instrument panel, or really appreciate the car. Not to mention, if you wait till the car's broken in, you'll get to redline the Elise.
Conclusion.
The Elise is everything Lotus has intended it to be. It's a precise and finely tuned instrument. The Elise driver needs to understand that because the Elise will do exactly what you tell it to do. It does not read minds, it reads steering inputs. It had the sport suspension, which was not bad at all.
Because of that, I can see some people not liking the Elise because it's too precise -but then that means there's more for those who will really appreciate it. If you're looking for a precise sports car, this is it. If you want the lastest and greatest toy, you'll be disappointed in about two months after the newness wears off.
PS: The steering wheel is wonderful and perfectly designed. It's obviously small and easy to handle, but what struck me most is that there were little indentations on where your thumbs are supposed to be. Very precise! :clap:
