The perfect enthusiast car?

[carrrnuttt]

2004 Lotus Elise

The Elise runs to 60 mph in a claimed 4.8 seconds, with the quarter-mile mark coming at about 12.0 sec.

It's fast in a straight-line, and Lotus guarantees that US-version will out-perform the older version...and that previous Elise already outhandles most exotics around turns.

It has a curb-weight of 1975lbs or so, with a 1.8-liter, 190HP 4-banger...which means that gas consumption will be frugal.

The best of a lot things an enthusiast can want...while not being TOO unreachable, at 39,000 US-dollars...which is not bad, since it IS a Lotus...which is basically an exotic brand.

I did say enthusiast, so the amenities and comforts are not a priority.

I'm just infatuated right now. I love nimble, quick cars, and this one is that, and then some.

[-The Stig-]

Meh... its OK... it'd be better if it didn't suck balls.







Kidding, pretty sweet little machine.

[Ace$nyper]

thats my baby great car. I want one and x-mas is soon hint hint.

[tha_new_guy]

thats an awesome lil car! I can see it now: Wind rushing through the cockpit, Supportive seats keepin you firmly in place while you corner "like a train on tracks", Just you ...And the Road...Together...*sniff sniff*



lol j/p, i hope to see one soon.

[youngvr4]

0-60 in 4.8 but runs the 1/4 mile in 12.0, i'm not saying your lying at all, but that seems really odd to me

[carrrnuttt]

Originally Posted by youngvr4

0-60 in 4.8 but runs the 1/4 mile in 12.0, i'm not saying your lying at all, but that seems really odd to me

Click the link for the article. That's not my word. That's Lotus' word.

I would attribute that to the fact the engine is peaky, and peak-pull is not till later in the RPMs.

[GTStang]

I love some of the Lotus's but most of them like this one just look like fancy go-karts(when seen in-person). I know they pull great times and handle awesome but just not for me.

[youngvr4]

yeah, what you said makes since, its just thats an awful slow start for such a fast 1/4mile.

and if you think the elise is go-kartish, have you ever seen the lotus 340R, thats a damn go kart. but i like it, i actually got to stand next to one and touch it. it just seems dope to me cause theres only 7 in america

[Steel]

fuck that. For 40 grand i'd want at least a highly tuned 2.x-3.x V6. ~250 hp would much better suit that car. And torque.

[KrNxRaCer00]

didn't they do a b18c5 swap into a lotus?

i may be thinking of a different car, but im about...95% positive (sorta contradicting), that they did it...

anywho, back on topic...very sweet car.

39,000 isn't too bad, considering the s2k is around 35k...looks nice.

[Layla's Keeper]

You're thinking of Sunstar International Motors. They federalized the previous generation of Elises (which used a frightfully smoggy old Rover K-series engine) by swapping in Integra drivelines.

Which is a bummer, because I like my old Rover engines. They have character.

[NSX-R-SSJ20K]

i like the 340R that thing is cool but the engine power output sucks balls.

[90gs]

Originally Posted by youngvr4

0-60 in 4.8 but runs the 1/4 mile in 12.0, i'm not saying your lying at all, but that seems really odd to me

yea you could take a crx which weighs even less and put an Integra Type R engine (b18c5) in it that has even more horsepower (195) and it wouldnt run a 12.0...

[SpyderEclipseGst]

Originally Posted by carrrnuttt

Click the link for the article. That's not my word. That's Lotus' word.

I would attribute that to the fact the engine is peaky, and peak-pull is not till later in the RPMs.

You forgot to mention its the best handling car in the WORLD. Check the websites. It hawks down the best corvette ever produced on the track. Only loosing to a ferrari. Only for the plane fact in the straights the ferrari is just too damn fast..

[RACER D12]

I drove one of those...In NFS Hot Pursuit and thats probably as close as I will get but who knows for 49k maybe in a few years I can get one used