Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition review - has the Elise gone too far?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 เม.ย. 2021
- The Lotus Elise is coming to the end of its life later in 2021 - so I've nipped out in the 240hp Final Edition to find out what it stands for as the end draws near. I've done about 400 miles in it, and to be brutally honest, it's not been quite the car I expected it to be. Watch and find out why…
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Interesting review. I went from a 350 Exige to a 220 Cup Elise. I can tell you from first hand experience that the 220 Cup will keep up with almost anything on a B road. It flows, has such brilliant damping and balance and therefore allows you to go faster. Not rewarding at legal speeds? Nothing else with a roof comes close IMO.
I owne one and I fully agree..Almost no car could cope with this speed in the corner..
I really wonder how much time you had in this car. I had to make a decision between this and my 992 c2s recently. I sold the porsche, not for financial reasons, but because the porsche was unuseably quick. Just driven 140 miles across dorset and somerset and theElise was sublime
Had it for a week, from memory. Expected to love it. Totally forgettable.
Having owned a an S1 in various states of tune culminating in it becoming a Honda type-r modified car, then Exige S (1.8) and then base Elise S3 1.6… I can safely say the he’s missing the point. You do need to live with a car for a while to truly unlock its secrets, hence you’ll never get a proper appraisal from a regular TH-cam review. It’s just the opinion of one person.. Your own experience could be quite different.. I have a Sport 220 coming after a 10 year absence and can’t wait to get it!! The Elise in any form is a sheer delight! (My own opinion)
Lotus owners *are* weird though.
I do think this is a bit of a harsh review, many people steer clear of the Elise and Exige because they are to raw. They can create a lot of road noise on chip seal at highway cruising speeds and have no insulation. I think the "grown up" is what most people want.
The only people i know who want something more raw is people who track or partially track. I have the S2 Exige 1.8 ltr SC (i had the elise 220 SC previous) and this is actually pretty good all round car (apart from storage) as the roof makes it a little more quiet.
If you want more roar, a aftermarket exhaust can deafen the cab at not much of an investment. But if wanting it for daily driving i would not recommend. I find these cars a dream to drive. Tell me something else you would rather zip along a b road in that soaks up the road, and is capable of speeds twice the sign posted limit easily?
I bet Lotus are really glad they lent you the car now! There is only one other video on this car it there so this was extremely privileged access. It's the last ever Elise and it just comes across as if you filmed it on an off day. Full of contradictions. The Elise has never been described as aloof before. Anyone would think you were describing a 911 Turbo!
I’d much rather have a 911 Turbo! Thanks for watching anyway
@@TimRodieDrivesStuff But you said the Elise was too fast, too grippy for the road?! I think giving an Elise to someone who prefers 911s is the problem here. Only one other video on the FE 240 out there, this was very privileged access, you seem to be glad the Elise it’s going. Would it be easier to imagine driving the last ever 911?
@@DrPittenstein I’m not glad it’s going - but I imagine its replacement will be fantastic anyway. And I imagine some of the earlier Mk3s were a more involving drive on the road. You seem bitter I got to drive it?!
@@TimRodieDrivesStuff more mystified really. Also very disappointed that Lotus have only gotten 3 videos out of the youtubers to date on the last ever Elise (2 were from Carfection). It deserved so much better.
Agree with your comment about contradictions in this video. I know the Sport 220 well and I can't believe an extra 20bhp has made it aloof and too grown up. Maybe the reviewer is going for controversy for extra views? 🤷🏻♂️
We had an S1 Elise for 7 years, but the roads in Essex got so pot holey we sold it on. Agreed, the 120BHP was far more useable down a country road. But poorly maintained roads were its downfall. I’m sure in years to come, friends will ask why the hell did ya sell it. I say if you’re not enjoying it, let someone else have a go.
For me, i would have the Exige. I live near a piece of road that is Brilliant, and curvy and has been in a top gear road trip. The Exige would be the better car for that.
excellent report. i really got a different perspective here, Thanks
A 4 pot will never compete with a V6 for sonics, but an after market exhaust would deliver a cheap solution to liven up the Elise. For me, comparing a new Elise to a S/hand Exige isn’t really fair (& the Exige you drove recently was a new one), but in performance terms the two cars really aren’t that far apart, at least in real world B road 0-80 level speeds.
Bought myself an Elise. Off course the "sound" sensation is much better in a V6 Exige but you forgot to mention that in Europe a V6 costs a kidney to get that car on the road xD
Fully agree. That supercharged V6 in the Exige is something special. The Exige is what I would want after. Really sad that t the new Emira is going to be a heavier Evora with a lot of tech. Misses the plot
is there an aftermarket seat that can accomodate a 6'4'' person and fit into the Elise? Maybe, Recaro Pole Positions, Tilletts, or what else there is.
Nice video! The Elise is indeed in a weird spot at this price level. An Exige is more suitable for the track, and on the road its V6 sound adds so much to the experience that you don‘t really need to get the thrill from silly speeds. That said, an Exige does not make much sense without the plan to track it, unless you are ready to compromise road safety and driving license, or to just drive at 20% of its potential.
The Elise remains a fantastic car, but probably more justifiable at around £35k, likely a 220 then.
Thanks for the nice content, and to Lotus for these amazing cars!
As usual - the greatest rival for a new Lotus Elise is a second-hand Lotus Elise!
The Exige isn't as nimble as the Elise. The Elise is really good on tight roads and even in town. It has a turning circle like a city car as well.
The best Elises are probably the earlier Toyota engined S2s, before they added airbags and driver aids etc (the old pre-airbag steering wheel is amazing, especially when trimmed in nice leather and alcantara like mine was). Much louder than the current ones though, too loud to drive long distance really.
Thanks for the informative video. I had a 220bhp VX220 on ITBs for 4.5 years and 18,000 miles and have recently sold it for a new MX5 2.0 100th year anniversary and have to say I understand what you mean. The VX220 was more capable than the MX5 but I'm actually enjoying the MX5 more, both on road and track. It's more playful. But if I needed to go round a circuit more quickly then the VX220/Elise is a better bet. Comparing the cost of a used car with the cost of a new car is a bit below the belt for the new car and a moot point.
Below the belt, but also how real people think. A VX220 on ITBs must have sounded bloody amazing!
I tend to agree on the comparison side..Indeed an Exige is more aloud, but it won t be under the legal speed limit.. Again, the cost is bit high, but it is a full aluminium chassis handcrafted..
You would've enjoyed the 111R with its 2zz and less weight much more 😉
I think people are giving the review here a hard time. My personal situation: I looked at these, but they didn’t feel special enough to me to justify what is still a lot of money for a toy. Therefore spent a lot more on an Exige 420. Man maths for you. Just the speed, sound and presence of the Exige appealed more to me. Each to their own and that’s why it’s good having the choice. IF I never tracked the Exige however, an Elise would have been appealing for the rawness, perhaps…
Top review. I'm driving an S3 in a few weeks but less hopeful about it following your video! Recently sold my S1 Elise and tried an S2 Exige - let me tell you, the S2 was not a patch on the S1. The S2 was far less delicate and did not provide anywhere near the feedback I was used to. Might be looking for another S1 shortly...
I drove an S1 as my everyday, any weather car for 2 years. I now have an S2. Both ran/run on standard Lotus suspension, and feel the same. Basically it is the same car.
@@stephengamble9388 Early servo brakes were dreadful in the car I drove. Throttle response not as sharp as well. Perhaps if you have a pre-servo K Series S2 there is not much difference, but of course that's not what I was discussing
@@feelsgoodman245 2002 S2. 96 S1. Chassis, steering, brakes, suspension, engine, gearbox all basically the same parts see Belle and Colville. Later S2 became more middle of the road. S3 built for the masses. Good luck buying a good S1, getting very expensive, but good investment.
Interesting to hear! Haha yes they're becoming harder to find and more expensive by the day!
Disappointing video.
It’s certainly brought all the Lotus fanboys out! I’m happy to just tell it how I see it - there’s so much bollocks and nonsense from Internet forums and the general history of cars. Lots of presuppositions that aren’t all exactly true...
Nice one Tim, I've driven quite a few aloof cars - they tend to be fast but dull. Exige every day, but I'm 6'4" so no chance of fitting in that either.
The Elise is the antidote to aloof cars. One of the very few that entertains below the legal limit.
Exige for me, cause V6, although maybe an Elise with more road bias tyres would make it more enjoyable at slower speeds
I own a 220 Elise and been on a 380 Exige for a short run. I think that the V6 makes the thrill instead of the 4C of the Elise, cause in twisty B roads the Elise seems to be far more agile than a V6 Exige. In a medium/fast track no way, Exige is on another level.
So few corners are genuinely well sighted around Surrey!
This little scamp is all about those moments, which are all too fleeting around here.
Having the V6 aural drama and shove, adds to the mix and makes the rest of the roads more entertaining between corners. Exige it is then.
LESS
IS
MORE
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double the price it should be?
What if you compare it to the Alpine A110? In some countries 3.5 V6's are not affordable cause of taxes...
LOL...How does one win the confidence of Lotus to borrow a car and then put so little effort and care into creating such a half ars*d review.
Ok, I'll bite. What's half-arsed about it?
@@TimRodieDrivesStuff Haha, thanks for replying. I owned two Elise's and kinda hoped you would provide a worthy send off video given the cars iconic status. Maybe couldn't be arsed sounds better. ; ) Genuinely enjoy your other vids. I ride a 1250 rs so hopin to see one if it's deemed good enough to review.
How tall are you man?
I’m 6’3”
You need to have a pedal in a S1 Sport 160; not as fast, but a lot more raw and a lot more sporty
Yup - I’d love to drive an early one
They are hilariously fun (I have one) not that fast, but you really enjoy throwing it around without being at silly speeds! If you can put up with the rubbish tune they have (runs on Kangaroo juice below 2500rpm) then they are just a big go-cart.
Horses for courses, surely? If you want drama every drive, then buy an Exige, but the 220 is a lovely car and, I would say, better on normal roads. It's also three fat blokes lighter.
"Light-ish"??? What car is anywhere NEAR as light as this Elise??? Even a Mazda MX-5 is a porker by comparison.
Good point…
Caterham is the only alternative or an old VX220.
very negative review -come on a run with me in an Elise and discover the Drama the fun the ability the Exige makes a lot of noise has more Torque but is dull in comparison, drive the Elise as it's meant to be driven and there is no better b road car, get an MX5 if you want to feel like your driving a family salon with the top cut off, it's a good price very comfy but OH MY GOD its Boring
If my wallet was as fat as my ass I might fit in it and it in my garage...
Sounds like it's not the right car for your liking. The likes of a Ford Mustang would be better suited to you I bet.
I love all lotus elise ngl, but the interiors are trash honestly
The indicator switch is off a corsa.
Oh boo hoo ,my 111R is by far the best car I have ever owned, the last thing I give a shit about is its indicator.