Lotus (10 Posts)
It's a good time to be a Lotus fan. Just last week in Paris, the company unveiled five new models. Well, it was actually six models if you count the City Car Concept, but let's forget that ever happened, shall we? As the resident Lotus fanboy, I'm trying to decide which model I should lust after for the next couple of years.
The Lotus Seven pre-dates the Elise by almost four decades, but the basic principles laid down my Colin Chapman are firmly entrenched with both vehicles. "Add lightness," he famously said. Despite its meager engine output, the featherweight Seven is still one of the most entertaining cars to drive. And much like the present-day Elise, it offered little else.
Yet another track day at Willow Springs. It's the first run group, early in the morning. The air is still crisp and cold, as are the tires. My first thought as I circle out of the pits is, "Easy, warm it up first". My head is on a swivel, making sure that nobody is lurking in a blind spot. I get cleared to enter the track, stay to the inside of turn one, accelerate out past the apex and brush the brakes into turn two. Then, wait, what? Is that my turn signal?
Track days are a natural part of my Elise's life. Lately, I've been running every six weeks or so at Willow Springs Raceway with an outfit called OpenTrackRacing.com. As far as track days go, it's pretty cheap -- at about $160 for at least 2.5 cumulative hours behind the wheel.
As I mentioned in my Elise's introduction, ownership hasn't exactly been a bed of roses, but considering how this car makes me feel, the hiccups along the way have been well worth the effort. The inconveniences started early, though.
Editor's Personal Car Blog? What the heck is this, you ask? Well, it's our experiences with the cars we actually own -- the cars that we coughed up cash for (some more than others, as you'll see). We're hoping to give you a glimpse into the joys and pitfalls of ownership, as well as share why we bought and love them. First up, one of our editors with multiple vehicles in our personal long-term fleet: Associate Editor Mark Takahashi and his 2005 Lotus Elise.
This is what I call a "committed car." You might think it's because the 2008 Lotus Elise Supercharged is committed to being a serious performance car with an excellent power-to-weight ratio and valid track-day yearnings. Well, that's part of it.
But it's also because, as an Elise driver and owner, you have to be committed. Putting up with the wind and road noise above 40 mph? That's a commitment. Hitting only the pedal(s) you want in that tight footwell? That's a commitment. Hell, just getting into this car with the targa top in place -- that's a major commitment. Makes my GT's entry/exit procedure feel like a minivan.
It takes a special kind of car to make my Ford GT feel pedestrian, and the Lotus Exige S is just such a car. For all those track-day fanatics who find the standard Exige too watered down, with its paltry 11-to-1 power-to-weight ratio, the new-for-2007 car offers 30 more horsepower via a supercharger (for a total of 220 hp), giving the Exige S a 9.5-to-1 ratio. Lotus claims a 4.1-second zero-to-60 time, and my internal accelerometer would agree.
But you have to be a dedicated sports car freak to put up with this car's entry/exit process and rear visibiliy (both of which make my GT seem like a Camry in terms of practicality)...
I just got back from driving the 2006 Lotus Exige. I didn't get a lot of seat time in it, but it doesn't take long to realize a few basic elements:
1. I had to remove my shoes to drive it safely
2. Getting into it makes my Ford GT's entry/egress look geriatric friendly
3...
As an automotive journalist, some days are better than others. Today is a good day (and talk about experiencing the full spectrum of British automobiles!). Earlier I was able to sneak out of the office long enough to experience a Lotus Elise test car before it went back. Despite only having 40 minutes in the car, I found a canyon road off PCH and got lucky with traffic (meaning none). Wooo-heee!!!
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Recent Posts
Dream Car Corner: That's a Lotsa Lotus
October 7, 2010 6:00 AM
August 5, 2010 10:00 AM
Takahashi's Lotus Elise: Turn Signal Eject Button
June 23, 2010 10:00 AM
Takahashi's Lotus Elise: In its Natural Environment (with video)
March 24, 2010 10:00 AM
Takahashi's Lotus Elise: Simplicity can be Complicated
February 17, 2010 10:00 AM
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