What we all knew.

[campbell]

Yup, time is ripe Rossy boy. Get moving!

[Mikie711]

If it's Cat b then the body shell should be crushed and only spares sold from the car. Shame there are no numbers with the car else it would be worth it.

It's not clear in the pictures, but if I recall correctly, the OSF chassis wishbone mount was torn - Add in a smashed crash box / bullseyed windscreen, and front / rear clam damage, and it wasn't a viable repair back then (car was worth £7-8k at the time).

Anyway, getting back on topic - I've owned an S1 & S2, and been lucky enough to drive cars belonging to several SE'er's, both on road & track, from boggo standard S1 to a s/c charge cooled K20. My personal sweet spot is an S1, sporting a K series with 150-160bhp-ish from a lightly breathed-on head / cams / induction / exhaust, Nitrons, plus the C/R box with the long 5th kept for cruising.

(Alas, my old car above pretty much fitted the bill...)

After 9 years of being Lotus-less, I suppose I should really pull my finger out and get another

I have always thought the same, nicely sorted S1 with 160bhp is ideal. I too had that with my first Elise and made the mistake of going after more which changed the character of the car and not for the better. Best Lotus I've had is the 2-11, just a pity they never put a heater in it

[tut]

Decided it was time to say goodbye to the S1 era, never likely to use these again.
Had an advertising splurge and sold the following:-
Sale of Spares
S/C pulley ...............£50
MMC x 2................£180
MMC x 2................£200
MMC x 2................£200
MMC x 2 rough......£100
Brake callipers x 2..£155
Brake callipers x 2..£130
Front wheel..............£90
Cylinder head.........£700
AW1 wheels x 4......£305
AW1 wheels x 4......£320

Total.........................£2430

That will pay for some track days and a holiday or two for Verian.

tut

ps:- Kept the full set of new MMC discs for old times sake, and they look good. Can not be many sets left.

[Mike Scib]

Best Lotus I've had is the 2-11, just a pity they never put a heater in it

You told me it was the Elise 260!

[Mikie711]

I told you it was the best Elise I ever had, and to be fair it is a close run thing between the two. AU55 is one hell of a car.

[c8rkh]

Pretyy similar to your original quote TUT is this from Top Gear re the new Elise Cup 250: Full article here, they loved it. http://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/elise/first-drive

Blimey, hardcore track day obsession then.

Well perhaps, but remember this a road car too. So let’s start there, on a spring morning with the roof folded in the boot. Sunshine caresses the landscape. All around the blossom and buds are on the trees. Aromas of the countryside percolate into the cockpit. The Elise isn’t punishing or crazy-intimidating, yet it’s as alive as nature is, and it’s on your side. It supercharges your senses and nervous system. Even two decades into its life, on its day an Elise – especially this Elise – can still be peerless

[Victor Meldrew]

"So, What conclusions can we 
draw from this journey through the evolution of the Elise? Well there’s no such thing as a bad one, for starters! Each car here is special in its own right. Different too, with distinct flavours created from a broadly common selection of ingredients.

For sheer brilliance, innovation and a driving experience that remains truly remarkable, the S1 simply can’t be beaten. Part sports car, part science experiment, there’s nothing to touch it for undiluted genius. And while it’s increasingly hard to preach the gospel according to Colin Chapman when most manufacturers are obsessed with feeding you more and more horsepower, what this old Elise achieves with 118bhp is little short of miraculous.

It’s telling that even Lotus found it impossible to resist adding power and grip to the equation. But as long as weight is kept in check and no one element dominates, that’s no bad thing, as the sublime S1 Sport 135 proves so irresistibly. And even when that rare equilibrium is skewed – step forward the bonkers Sport 190 and super-sharp Sports Racer – it merely adds seasoning to cater for more extreme tastes."

Well that pretty much sums up why I have given up on the idea of "trading up" to an Evora. If I could afford to do a Campbell and have one of each, that would be nirvana. But give up "Vicky" to get a shiny one, not going to happen.

[campbell]

Keep the dream in sight, John. It can be done. One way or another. One day.

Good thing is Evoras look like being around a fair while yet. Well built (for a Lotus) and perhaps a little less crash-tastic than their S1 forbears!

[mxvx]

Quite, campbell.

I had sport mode on (as always), making reasonable progress (18-20mpg) and fortunately had traction on when a 52 seater belgian bus came around the corner on the wrong side of the road and I had to stop unexpectedly whilst going over crests / corners. I am quite sure one of the 'features' of the DPM saved me:

http://wiki.seloc.org/a/Lotus_DPM

In something else with no aids I may not have got away with it. Brakes / stabiiity on the evora is really brilliant.

[tenkfeet]

Quite, campbell.

I had sport mode on (as always), making reasonable progress (18-20mpg) and fortunately had traction on when a 52 seater belgian bus came around the corner on the wrong side of the road and I had to stop unexpectedly whilst going over crests / corners. I am quite sure one of the 'features' of the DPM saved me:

http://wiki.seloc.org/a/Lotus_DPM

In something else with no aids I may not have got away with it. Brakes / stabiiity on the evora is really brilliant.

It does make you feel like a driving god especially when its a bit wet and a heavy right foot is used. Its saved my bacon a couple of times.

[robin]

Understeers like the Titanic, though

[Victor Meldrew]

Understeers like the Titanic, though

Just watched a video with Roger Becker with Motorman. Have a search on YouTube, should be easy to find. I had a fantastic evening driving "Vicky" in the dark on some amazing roads that I could only see the corners when i arrived at them. I know for a fact that the " when you lift off the throttle mid corner, she just tucks in" concept is very much alive and well with Vicky.

Very interesting video. If I can I will post a link later... Under steer.. Your doing it wrong.

[robin]

The Evora, not the Elise ...

[Victor Meldrew]

The Evora, not the Elise ...

Ah... I really must try and scrounge a drive of an Evora at some point to see what they are like.

[Dominic]

The Evora, not the Elise ...

Ah... I really must try and scrounge a drive of an Evora at some point to see what they are like.

Very competent - grown up elise. It's a very attractive prospect,... for when I grow up