Happy happy happy happy. Happy.

[graeme]

There is nothing interesting in this post... just the ramblings of an excited kid with a new toy...

Finished w**k last night aound 6:30 and fell into the car, exhausted. I've been a bit under the weather lately and I'm waaay behind on sleep. I'd been planning all day to just get home and go to bed. Didn't quite happen that way...

As I pulled out the carpark from work I had the sun in my eyes, low in the sky. I reached for the Oakleys and suddenly got that "I'm looking good" feeling, which improved my frame of mind despite the man-flu. I set about burbling, popping and kangarooing my way through the traffic towards home, only there didn't seem to be much traffic around for some reason, and progress was surprisingly pleasant. I ummed and ahhed about maybe finding a long way home, just to de-glaze the pads a bit you understand, not for any pleasure or anything...

I decided at the last minute that, as I haven't eaten much recently, I'd grab a sandwich from Tesco, and have a short drive to a hilltop in the Peaks to scoff it in the evening sun, then straight home to bed. After grabbing said snack, I continued out the road towards the Peaks, sleeveless and warm.

Just before the NSL signs that mark the start of the fun roads of the Peak District National Park, there's a dual-carriageway stretch which is still a built-up 30, but I was passed by a new TT (driver on phone) and a chavved-up Corsa (tailgating the TT) both ignoring the 30 limit by a good 15-20 mph. I let them get on with it, as they'd be miles ahead of me by the time I got out of town, so shouldn't ruin my run through the twisties.

I left town, passing through the NSL signs in 3rd, ready ot rock, but a glance at the revs reminded me the 160 would prefer 2nd. I blipped down a cog and floored it, taking off at a snappy rate that made me instantly forget the headache, sore throat and sniffles, and marvel at the style of power delivery. It gets quicker the higher it revs. There's no plateau and it just climbs and climbs feeling stronger all the time. Awesome! It's obviously not Honda-quick, but I've only paxed in Honda cars so it's the quickest car I've personally ever driven by a long way!

Two corners and a straight later I was hard on the brakes behind the Corsa and the TT. The TT decided that, while he hadn't been provoked by the Corsa's talegating, he didn't like the look of the green thing behind it, and took off (rather well I must admit) but the Corsa was a mere 1.2, and despite the alloys and zorst, which you'd think were good for, oh, 2500bhp, wasn't covering much ground. I dropped back to a following position as there were two oncoming on the straight, and sat there into the start of a very long chevroned uphill left-hander and sat lazily in third, admiring how effortless the corner was, how grippy the R888s are and how the beautiful setup of the car inspired confidence I've never felt in an Elise before.

As the corner opens out, it splits into crawler+passing lanes up a steep hill. Knowing this, half way round the bend I moved to a slightly agressive overtaking position, towards the crown of the road I dropped to second (mid bend, I know, but it was effortless) and the revs jumped to around 4.5k, well on cam with plenty to go. Sensing the inevitable, the Corsa tucked into the nearside and as the corner opened out, I fed the power in and reduced lock, amazed at how hard and how early the power was going down without so much as a twitch. I grinned like an idiot as the I went past the Corsa like it was parked, up past 7000rpm and 70mph. In 2nd! Awesome!

Into 3rd and foot to the floor again, and at the top of the crawler-lane I was behind the TT. As we approached the T-juntion at the top of the hill, the TT only had to ease off slightly to time the launch straight across the junction after the only approaching car had passed. He set off on mission through a series of very tight chevron bends, possibly wondering he coughed up for the quattro badge when the little plastic car behind wasn't even breaking a sweat... I did a few cheeky ease offs then blast up behind him mid bend, just to show how much more grip-and-go I had. Cheeky, but fun. We caught some traffic and the TT pulled a nut-job blind overtake. At that point, I let him go. I sat back for a while, waiting for a passing opportunity. I flashed a passing S2, who was clearly enjoying the evening as much as I, was and was reminded again of the friendly, knowing nod of fellow Elisers. Great stuff!

The rest of the run was a mixture of balistic 2nd-gear overtaking, 3-figure straights, tight bends, all of which sent shivvers down my spine. Compared with my last S1, this car is so sorted it's like night and day. No sweaty palms, no twitchy moments, no body roll, no fear. It just grips and goes. Confidence all the way. On a bend over a crest, I felt the back end go light. I was all ready to catch it (and kinda looking forward to it) but as the car 'landed', grip was returned and no driver input was required at all. No idea where the limits are on this car in the dry, but on public roads they are waaay beyond mine!

Anyway, back home, grinning like a loon, and as I wound the pax window up, I heard the all too familiar 'crack' of the glass leaving the rail. I tried to gently ease it down again, but the glass fell down into the door, and I said a naughty word. So 3 days into Elise re-ownership I found myself on my knees, up to my wrists in pax door, trying to get the glass back into the clips. I must admit I couldn't help but recall how the problems and costs eventally outweighed the driving pleasure last time around...

But not this time! Never! As I collapsed indoors, absolutely knackered, I couldn't help but stand at the window for a while, Lemsip in hand, and marvel at what cracking little cars they are!

Back to work!

[Rich H]

[MacK]

[Shug]

Good to have you back mate

[renmure]

Its almost like reading Evo in here these days

[Dominic]

Its almost like reading Evo in here these days

Agreed .... which great as I have misplaced my most recent copy

[r055]

... He set off on mission through a series of very tight chevron bends, possibly wondering he coughed up for the quattro badge when the little plastic car behind wasn't even breaking a sweat... I did a few cheeky ease offs then blast up behind him mid bend, just to show how much more grip-and-go I had. Cheeky, but fun.

loving your work!

[GregR]

Great stuff mate, and a jolly fine read too

[ed]

[Dominic]

Left me missing my elise even more

Must work harder, and get saving

[GregR]

Left me missing my elise even more

Must work harder, and get saving

Sell the lardy golf, buy an elise & MkI Golf GTI with the change.

Job's a parsnip

[Andy G]

i think all of us can relate to your sentiments on that blast!

Great wee cars

[CSK_423]

i think all of us can relate to your sentiments on that blast!

Great wee cars

Yes i can vouch for that, I popped out to drop a message off 2 mins down the road, 50miles and a hour later I returned

[Brigita]

I was with you through every bend ... makes you want to chuck your work on your desk, turn off your computer and go for a spin!!
I have to admit.. every time in drive home - i end up looking for an alternate (longer) route home - it's great!!!

Looking forward to the next chapter!

B

[graeme]

Looking forward to the next chapter!

Well, that's all the excuse I need to take the long way home tonight!