Lotus Elise vs. Ford Mustang Cobra

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by Joseph1082

I agree that dragging/acclereration isn't the only statistic, but it is indeed the MOST important. When you are out in your car, and someone revs at you at a redlight, you don't tell him to meet you at a road course. How often to car owners race/autoX thier cars... having a sports car is mostly about burning everyone else on the road... even when we street race (I know it's illegeal) it's usually a quarter mile... the WRX, DSMs whatever don't ever challenge people to a road course, come on now, this is real life.

Yes this is real life and please don't label all of us as stop light to stop light drag racers. To some of us autox and road courses are more important.

[Kurtdg19]

Honestly whether sombody like's to go straight or run on coarses is really their personal preference and nobody's opinion will outweight anybody else's on that matter. If you don't like cars that go straight or vis versa, then I guess you just gotta deal with it. Cars from both extreme's are tunned very extensively to achieve the highest numbers possible. I find it quite humerous when people go off trying to explain why one is pointless and useless compared to the other. Both tracking and dragging are held in controlled environments and thats where your going to extract the maximum potential out of your car, not at some street light or windy road (considering its also illegal and highly dangerous not only to you but everyone around you). The Lotus and Cobra are completely different cars to begin with. Different cars = different backing.

[3000ways]

I agree that maybe we do over emphasize acceleration on these forums, but to say it doesn't matter is ridiculous. I chose the Elise in this comparison because it offered the better combination of handling, braking, and acceleration, but acceleration had to have played a role in the decision, just as much as handling and braking and styling did. 16 people voted for the Elise, but if I were to have compared a Cobra to another light weight (great handling and great braking, but lacking the acceleration of the Elise) MazdaSpeed Miata, the 16 or more votes probably would have went to the Cobra.

[Demon_Mustang]

Let me ask you. My city has streets that either go north and south, or east and west, every intersection is a 90 degree angle in which after you make the turn, you're going straight again.

So tell me, where am I going to even have a chance to show off my ability to perform around the twisties in a normal city with normal roads? Why should I buy a car that lacks where it matters in the majority of my driving, but excels in something I will do less than once a month?

So you tell me, you stop at a stop-light in your Elise, and some muscle head listening to heavy metal pulls up next to you in an old suped up Camaro, and starts revving his engine. Everyone's focus is now on you, and so is your friend in the car and his girlfriend next to him. The light turns green, you both open up your throttle, and he completely pwns you. So tell me, does it really matter that you're able to mutter under your breath that you know you would win if you were on a track somewhere in Europe? Does it matter to the guy that's now laughing at your fancy smancy exotic car or everyone else who's probably laughing too? Probably not. You would think that the people around you would simply think nothing of it and just say "hm, the Lotus is still a better car, that guy in the Camaro is a fool." When in fact they are thinking "man, this fool spent all that money on that fancy Ferrari/Lamborghini/[insert stereotypical exotic car name here] and still got his ass pwned by that cheap old Camaro, what a loser!"

Of course you don't buy your car based solely on what other people think, so we're all entitled to our opinions, you can say you like the Elise because it performs better on the track, and we can say we like the Mustang better because it could probably pwn you at the stoplight. We ARE entitled to our opinions right? Thought so.

This is a thread that asks what we would prefer, not which is the ultimate champion that can only be judged by some supreme god somewhere. So think about that before you come here criticizing us for picking the Mustang, we have our reasons, and you have yours, so take your sophistication and shove it. That's my 2 cents.

[Polygon]

Originally Posted by Demon_Mustang

Of course you don't buy your car based solely on what other people think, so we're all entitled to our opinions, you can say you like the Elise because it performs better on the track, and we can say we like the Mustang better because it could probably pwn you at the stoplight. We ARE entitled to our opinions right? Thought so.

Yes, you are, but to say that straight line acceleration is the most important performance aspect of a car is absurd.

[Jimster]

Originally Posted by Demon_Mustang

Let me ask you. My city has streets that either go north and south, or east and west, every intersection is a 90 degree angle in which after you make the turn, you're going straight again.

So tell me, where am I going to even have a chance to show off my ability to perform around the twisties in a normal city with normal roads? Why should I buy a car that lacks where it matters in the majority of my driving, but excels in something I will do less than once a month?

So you tell me, you stop at a stop-light in your Elise, and some muscle head listening to heavy metal pulls up next to you in an old suped up Camaro, and starts revving his engine. Everyone's focus is now on you, and so is your friend in the car and his girlfriend next to him. The light turns green, you both open up your throttle, and he completely pwns you. So tell me, does it really matter that you're able to mutter under your breath that you know you would win if you were on a track somewhere in Europe? Does it matter to the guy that's now laughing at your fancy smancy exotic car or everyone else who's probably laughing too? Probably not. You would think that the people around you would simply think nothing of it and just say "hm, the Lotus is still a better car, that guy in the Camaro is a fool." When in fact they are thinking "man, this fool spent all that money on that fancy Ferrari/Lamborghini/[insert stereotypical exotic car name here] and still got his ass pwned by that cheap old Camaro, what a loser!"

Of course you don't buy your car based solely on what other people think, so we're all entitled to our opinions, you can say you like the Elise because it performs better on the track, and we can say we like the Mustang better because it could probably pwn you at the stoplight. We ARE entitled to our opinions right? Thought so.

This is a thread that asks what we would prefer, not which is the ultimate champion that can only be judged by some supreme god somewhere. So think about that before you come here criticizing us for picking the Mustang, we have our reasons, and you have yours, so take your sophistication and shove it. That's my 2 cents.

Where I come from, most people on the street would be thinking both drivers are overcompensating for a lack of something down below.

The beauty part of the Lotus is that it'll get you from A to B with lots of fun and then you can increase the fun factor in the weekend when you take it for a blast around the local auto-course.

[Joseph1082]

Demon Mustang hit the nail on the head as to what I was trying to get at... and for any of you that have ever street raced tell me where and when you guys did some Fast and Furious type racing... all the street racing around here is in a straight line.

[Jimster]

Originally Posted by Joseph1082

Demon Mustang hit the nail on the head as to what I was trying to get at... and for any of you that have ever street raced tell me where and when you guys did some Fast and Furious type racing... all the street racing around here is in a straight line.

Fast and the Furious is a dirty word in this forum, go wash your mouth out.

btw I've raced some Porsche's and M3's down some rather widing roads before, way better than the traffic light Grand Prix.

[Demon_Mustang]

Polygon, don't go crying now as if we were the ones bashing you for your opinions. I can't speak for everyone, but I know for sure I've said that it's what makes the difference FOR ME. I said it's more practical FOR ME. YOU Elise people were the ones coming here acting all high and mighty saying how straight line performance means nothing, and track performance is everything.

So before you go around accusing people of what's 'absurd' about our line of reasoning, look at your own comments first.

I'm not a religious man, but the bible does teach a good lesson, what was it, something like don't judge others unless you're ready to be judged? Not in those words I know.

[Kurtdg19]

Originally Posted by Demon_Mustang

Polygon, don't go crying now as if we were the ones bashing you for your opinions. I can't speak for everyone, but I know for sure I've said that it's what makes the difference FOR ME. I said it's more practical FOR ME. YOU Elise people were the ones coming here acting all high and mighty saying how straight line performance means nothing, and track performance is everything.

So before you go around accusing people of what's 'absurd' about our line of reasoning, look at your own comments first.

I'm not a religious man, but the bible does teach a good lesson, what was it, something like don't judge others unless you're ready to be judged? Not in those words I know.

I don't think their Elise people, they simply prefer cars with more handling abilities. Most of the people are also simply wording their opinions on the matter. So when your comparing a Cobra to an Elise, there really isn't any match as far as the overall handling between the two. If you were to compare a pontiac GTP to a Cobra I'm sure they wouldn't have any objections in deciding which car will handle better. Oddly enough this comparo involves a Cobra vs an Elise

[crayzayjay]

Originally Posted by Joseph1082

I agree that dragging/acclereration isn't the only statistic, but it is indeed the MOST important. When you are out in your car, and someone revs at you at a redlight, you don't tell him to meet you at a road course. How often to car owners race/autoX thier cars... having a sports car is mostly about burning everyone else on the road... even when we street race (I know it's illegeal) it's usually a quarter mile... the WRX, DSMs whatever don't ever challenge people to a road course, come on now, this is real life.

Go on a track day, then you'll see what makes a sports car

[911S_TARGA_RSR]

Hey Demon_Mustang,

Your 0.02 can't buy shit, so have a nice day. Oh and by the way have you ever rode is a Elise or any car for that matter that was not a beat up old camero? I don't think so, If you had you would understand that there is a small thing called class; people with out mullets have it. You might want to shave it off and then come talk to us.

Oh and thats just my 0.02 cents, man.

[crayzayjay]

Let's keep it civil please, 'less you want the ban stick to come out.

[Polygon]

Originally Posted by Demon_Mustang

Polygon, don't go crying now as if we were the ones bashing you for your opinions. I can't speak for everyone, but I know for sure I've said that it's what makes the difference FOR ME. I said it's more practical FOR ME. YOU Elise people were the ones coming here acting all high and mighty saying how straight line performance means nothing, and track performance is everything.

So before you go around accusing people of what's 'absurd' about our line of reasoning, look at your own comments first.

I'm not a religious man, but the bible does teach a good lesson, what was it, something like don't judge others unless you're ready to be judged? Not in those words I know.

I never said that straight line performance meant nothing. My point was that it is simply part of the equation of what makes a good performance car. What I was getting at is that some people in here are stating that acceleration is the single most important factor in performance and it's not. That really isn't my opinion, and even if you feel it is I don't give a crap if you don't agree with it. I am simply trying to get my point across. The Cobra is great in straight line acceleration and the Elise is great in the corners. You can always put a bigger engine in the Elise with a turbo-charger, but making a Mustang handle like a Lotus, now that would take a lot of work. At least a lot more that adding a turbo or doing an engine swap.

[Demon_Mustang]

All I know polygon, is that I never said straight line performance meant everything. I made sure I said that it was what I personally preferred everytime I said it. Then all I see is all these people bashing anyone who preferred the Cobra to say that track performance is the only thing that mattered. Then I see people coming here saying that they don't like how WE'RE saying straight line performance is everything. The posts I have made sure didn't say that, and the posts that I've read through didn't say that, they merely countered that straight line performance does COUNT.

Perhaps someone did say it and I didn't read it all the way through, so if that's the case, and that's who you were referring to, then sorry for accusing, but my points still stand.


BTW 911, in case you haven't figured out from my name, avatar, and everything I have ever said, I don't drive a "Camero," and I don't think anyone else ever has, especially since it doesn't exist. Come on, you're a sophisticated sissy boy with a beret and dark framed glasses, you should at least know how to spell. Also, I'm not white, I don't have a mullet, and none of my friends to either. And sure I have no idea about art, I can't sit and have a "high class" discussion about James Joyce, but at least when I get a flat tire, I won't sit out there for an hour waiting for the tow truck to help me since I'm too worried about getting my $400 dress pants dirty and end up getting to the art convention late.

Also, no, I have not rode in an Elise, but I've ridden in a Ferrari and a few Aston Martins. I think that's a "tad" higher "class" than the Elise and your 911. But don't worry, I'm sure your 911 is still cool, even though my low class mullet friends have you pwned in their Aston Martins and Ferrari.