Remind again where the VX220 was made again, and by whom?

Great cars once you’ve taken some of the “vauxhall” out of them.

Yes, we all know the VX220 is pretty much an Elise underneath.
They do happen to look better though – in my humble opinion, of course – and you can get a VX220 Turbo for the price of an S1 Elise. Why wouldn’t you want one over an Elise? It’s the same car but with 70% more power.

70% more power, Nah. Look better? Nah.

118bhp * 170% = 200.6bhp
Where’s the nah?

Looks are subjective though, so that’s a moot point. EDIT: And that’s a S2

didn’t know we were only talking S1’s

the one above is 220HP

Agree on Looks, I just happen to prefer the Lotus, the VX220 is an excellent car, especially the turbo, but surely if you are comparing with the Turbo, then a fair comparison would be with and S2 as they are the same era?

They are all good, love mine.

OP was on about older Elises. I just thought that indicated a budget, and for that budget you get more car for your money with the VX220. It’s technically a Lotus anyway, so the driving experience that OP is sold on should be fairly similar.

I drove a VX220 on a Jonathon Palmer race day, really impressive.

For one ‘test’ we had to brake through wet cone-lined ‘S’ bends with (and then without) the ABS switched on. No problems at all.

tbh I’d get one and insure it for normal use, no point buying/running another car as well – if you’re able to borrow now and again.

back to the OP

do it soon, if there”s any chance of you having kids later

I have a Caterham that’s just rotting away in my garage 😥

The VX is a good car and in Turbo form more powerful but as I alluded to earlier power isn’t everything with an Elise. The VX is also carting around an extra 200kg, It is noticeably less agile to drive. if the OP has the Elise has his “dream car” then pointing out something else that is better on one level is pointless.

My Evo was “better” than a VX220 or an Elise using any metric save fuel economy or ability to take the roof off. However I wouldn’t dream of suggesting one. This is why a VXT is the same price as an S1 although you might want to argue its better. More people want what an Elise does as opposed to what a VX does.

To put it in a bike context there would be little merit in me pointing out to someone buying a Cielo frame they could buy my Spesh Camber for a fraction of the cost.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I dont dislike the VX, but it’s an S1 that I’ve wanted. I would need another car too with something of a boot, there are plenty of Focus/Golfs about. I reguarly (1-2 a week) make a short journey were it’s essential and I would want a car I can put bikes in etc.

Thanks Johnny, i will no doubt pick your brain later 🙂

I’m off to test an S1 today. I’m very excited.

Enjoy it, they are just great fun. The boot isn’t as bad as people make out, the entrance is tight, but there is a suprising amount of room under the rear deck. 5 or 6 carrier bags of shopping is no problem (on an s2 anyway) you just have to make sure your luggage is squishy and not in a hard case. Getting in and out is a nack, I’m 6ft and its no problem. Let us know how you get on?

jhonnystorm has it IMO.
get a 111s if you can. lovely and chuckable, with enough useful grunt for doing the lower speed stuff that lotus’ are good at with aplomb. wouldn’t do it these days, as it’s pretty silly, but pirouetting one around a mini r’bout is one of my fondest memories of driving fun cars.
get it done lad, and get it on a track. you’re a long time dead and shrouds don’t have pockets. 😀

Johnnystorm wrote:

“The Pug 106 is better:
With all due respect, do me a favour! No doubt that they can be made to pedal along as quickly but a well set up Elise feels like nothing else. I include Sevens in this. Also, when has a VR6 EVER been considered a good handling car? No mK3 golf has ever had a cult following, certainly not one with a boat anchor in the front. “

With all due respect,you do ME a favour,come out of cloud cuckoo land and watch the clip on the track (not judging cars on figures plucked out of some car forum where elises,on paper,will no doubt come out light years ahead of pug 106`s)

Judge the pug against the lotus before watching the vid and slate away! Afterall,what do those guys know (bar clarkson) Yes,tuning up a pug it could keep up with some of the others.. Just like the Elise could be made to pedal along as quickly with anything else. The vid clip will no doubt show standard cars.They wouldnt be wasting their time with half of them tuned up! The times and the final results are all there to be seen and read.So the OP asked why not an elise.. that was good honest answers that,once you have watched the video,you cannot knock! (and theres no point in coming back for another ear bashing if you arent prepared to go watch the video (or at least own a pug 106 to ask yourself if it really was more fun than an evo or elise ;O))
Yes,the comments on a VR6 with “amazing handling” in the same line crack me up as well.The engine still needs around 40bhp over the pug to get pretty much the same time.

“Without wanting to appear a snob the “feel” of an Elise can’t be replicated buy a hot hatch, even a good one”

Yeah,the basic Elise s2 i had a drive of felt so firm and planted like nothing else,but with that nice lightweight agile feel to it all that you dont feel in other faster “fully loaded” cars,or any standard hot hatch like you said.The noise behind you and the feeling of not being completely safe adds to it all! Still a pain to get in and out of without looking daft though.

Wish mine was a bit more practical!

If i were you i would look at a GTM Libre.

Good looking,faster and lighter than a S1.
And cheaper!Cheap insurance too!

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3395429.htm

Get one, then go back to your college and pretend to be a tutor.

Sorry Martin, I think you are missing the point again!

The OP considers the Elise to be his dream car. That’s down to a combination of factors that aren’t all down to track times and leader boards. I might get around to watching the video, but then again I might not. The 106 might be just as quick, it might to some people feel just as much fun, but it’s not a 2 seater convertible that the OP has had tucked away in the back of his mind. The VX220 suggestions, etc at least are for a car thats like the Elise. An old Uni mate had a 106 GTi, it was nice but….it’s a hot hatch, and he would have been the first to concede that. It’s not going to scratch the itch for someone who “wants” an Elise.

I have a mate who works on Lotus cars every day. They are a money pit, join some forums and research very thoroughly.
You will need money to keep it on the road

Genuine question (and sorry if it’s a hijack) to any owners/potential owners of such cars:

What do you use them for?

Would you drive to work in them every day or just keep them for special?

(Not looking to mock/denigrate anyone who chooses to own such a car, just genuinely curious)

Older Elise? 111s for example with the Rover V-Tech engine?

Don’t do it. What a pile of garbage. Like some kids 6th form project kit car. Mrs Strato’ had one for a while. I just hated it. Hated it I tell you. It’s so shoddily glued together with zip ties!!! Hated it.

The she had a Renault Clio V6. Now that’s a proper sporty car.

SB

a Renault Clio V6. Now that’s a proper sporty car.

that’s as may be, but it ain’t a sports car, and neither’s a 106. anyway, neither are relevant to the OP.

Stevious: i did around 50kmiles in my chimera. it was my daily driver for ~ 4 years. an elsie would work similarly, but it’d have to be more A/B road than dual carriageway for me to do that. the lotus doesn’t have the f***-off grunt the tvr had for dual carriageway work everyday. IMO.

My first Elise I kept “special” until it dawned on me I enjoyed most when driving not polishing! With my second I share duties with an Aygo when I need to cart the bike, weather looks atrocious etc. It does 40mpg and insurance is £280 fully comp with track day cover. I suggest the OP looks at a specialist Insurer like Henderson Taylor as his usage pattern sounds similar to mine.

Yes, it “could” be a money pit but so can any car bought badly. Buy an enthusiast owned car with a good service history, and it’ll be fine. Unlike some “performance cars” the oily bits are from normal cars.

The zip tie claim is a rediculous exaggeration, particularly when the next suggestion is a Clio V6. On the S1 Clios the under bonnet boot wasn’t even properly sealed. Under the wider arches lies a hacked about fed Clio. Pinnacles of build quality they aren’t. But I digress….the shoddy chassis technology has been licenced to Ford for the GT and Aston Martin.

@johnnystorm – I loved that Clio! It sounded great, it drove great, it was a monster car.

But coming back to the OP’s older Elises. Mrs Strato has an extensive buyers check list if you want it.

SB

….I test drove one. It was better than I ever possibly thought.

One thing however it really showed my lack of skill as a driver, part mixed with my unfamiliarity of the car we had a few wiry moments. I have decided my licence and pass plus are no were near sufficient and I’m looking at various driving courses. The throttle response was instant, I have heard it is cable and is quicker than in other cars, I was on a sweeping left, I slowed for the corner and turned, as I was exiting the corner I gently applied the accelorator and the back just started swinging out to the right. In the MX5 i found it swung out but not like this. It was like the mx5 would get out if shape if you allowed it and the Elise would get out of shape and it was my job to bring it back online. The owner said they are like that till you learn how to drive them. The steering was as good as everyone has told me, it’s so ‘fingertippy’ like it would be a shame to try and wrestle the wheel. After a top up on fuel we went down some country lanes, I was more comfortable with the car at this point and lighter the throttle. Driving down country lane on a sunny autumn afternoon I was completely sold on an Elise. Any doubts I had before are now gone. My girlfriend had a drive and loved it too.

This particular Elise was not for me, it had a hard life to this point and there were quite a few things that needed sorting.

A friend of a friend has one, an S2 he had an S1 before. We’ve been chatting on Facebook He said to drive as many as you can, to see what it should feel like. I’m arranging a few more tests ASAP. I’ve been grinning ever since.

Glad to hear your test drive went well. Sometimes people say meeting your idols only ends in disappointment but sounds like it was everything you hoped for.

People will pick fault with the Elise just like people do with my Westfield. I reckon just do your research and know what you are getting yourself into. If you’re still happy then live your dream!

Just get one, you won’t regret it. Had mine 3 years now and still love it.

Definitely join seloc.org (as a paid member), then get insurance from Henderson Taylor. Seloc memberhsip gets you 10% off with them for insurance (and Matt is a top guy).

Get some training asap (especially with winter coming). http://www.carlimits.com are excellent. Their activity days are also good for safely pushing it. Doing a full Walshy day also gets you an insurance discount with some specialist insurers (like HT above).

The base 118hp S1 has plenty of power, especially considering your relative lack of driving experience. Don’t muck around with the higher power (more expensive options). Once you have more experience if you really, really need more power then its very easy and not very expensive to get a standard S1 over 160bhp (sabreheads or Dave Andrews do tuning, options of their websites). I’ve found that I can’t yet get the most out of the stock power on track so have not yet found any reason to need more power.

Don’t worry about HGF, its not as bad as it sounds and not as expensive as you might expect. If a car you looking at has had it though make sure its been fixed properly.

Lol, carlimits hits Singletrack! 🙂

Also have a look at CAT Driver training. Have a look at http://www.hangar111.com for goodies. 🙂

Am not going to read the whole thread, but I too wanted an Elise back in 04. Took some test drives and found them not nearly as inspiring as expected. A mate said I should check on the VX220s so I did. Bought an 03 Turbo and loved it. More torque and better responsiveness at speed. Great forum (vx220.org), plenty of mods and cracking track days etc.

All IMO of course 🙂