New Elise

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:51 am

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/lotus/defa ... ryId=14089

Post by **Shug** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:56 am

Grand more than it was rumoured to be, but nice to see that they're not completely ignoring the market that made the Elise in the first place.

GregR · Post by **GregR** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 11:06 am

I'm guessing the 'yota is a heavier lump - because that's a helluva lot heavier than similarly specced K-series cars ar rumoured to be!

Post by **Shug** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 11:08 am

Yup - that and it'll probably still have a good chunk of the extra sound deadening in the R - also a brake servo isn't exactly light!

CSK_423 · Post by **CSK_423** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 11:08 am

Is it just me or does the picture on Pisonheads make the front of the elise look very very high ?

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 11:11 am

CSK_423 wrote:Is it just me or does the picture on Pisonheads make the front of the elise look very very high ?

Could be right.

Is it a photoshopped picture??

The_Rossatron · Post by **The_Rossatron** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 11:23 am

Tom wrote:
CSK_423 wrote:Is it just me or does the picture on Pisonheads make the front of the elise look very very high ?
Could be right. Is it a photoshopped picture??

Looks normal to me, just a low camera angle.

Nice to see a return of the old wheels

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 11:24 am

Slower and no better than my current car.
Still think I will getting the Exige next year although would really like a change from Lotus. Maybe a TVR....

Post by **Shug** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 11:28 am

TVR - you sure about that? Not sure I'd want a car that couldn't stay running for more than 3 months at a time..... NOTHING is cheap on them either....

Think the point with the new Elise is to appeal to new owners, not existing owners. For that, it should do okay (remember, new owners won't have a clue about the relative weights, etc - they will just be led by the "it's a featherweight car" mantra)

At the end of the day, if it makes Lotus money and keeps them in business, all the better.

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 12:05 pm

Yeah, that's what puts me off about TVR.
Lotus have done so well with their products there is nothing to compete with them

Post by **Shug** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 12:23 pm

/sarcasm

Nah, seriously, I know what you mean. They may not be the best made cars sometimes, but there's nothing remotely close in the price bracket.

GilesM · Post by **GilesM** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 12:39 pm

Sounds pretty good, the performace is quite similar to the standard 120bhp S1 and S2, which considering the weight is fairly good, I'm sure it will be alright around the corners as well.
It's obviously a bit fatter than many existing Lotus drivers would want, but if you've just step out of virtually any normal car, it will still feel very light and nimble.

Giles

buster · Post by **buster** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 1:26 pm

The new Elise seems to use the same Toyota 1.8, just with the power reduced. Do you think it would be an easy Mod to get back to full power? If so seems an easy way to save £4K!

robin · Post by **robin** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 1:33 pm

How long before someone fits an emerald and turns on the VVti mechanism thus creating a 192bhp variant? Or is it not actually running the VVTi engine (they say it is though?).

Ah - I think this is the VVTi vs VVTLi thing ... ignore that then ...

Robin

Lazydonkey · Post by **Lazydonkey** » Wed Jun 07, 2006 2:44 pm

It will be interesting to see how many they actually sell.

You can imagine someone going in to spend £24k and then thinking hmmmmm leather and touring pack is "free" on the R so its not really much more.

About time they had a cheaper model in the range. Sticking to my vauxhall though, doesn't seem much point in shelling out another £10k on a car thats very similar!