Rossion or SPF gt40

Been tracking my faithful elise for the past year. At the point of another suspension upgrade and serious HP upgrade. Alternatively considering a different car for the track.

Tried a SPF GT 40 on the road, but apart from the power it felt a little soft and mushy compared to and elise, the steering had this very dead on center feel. Perhaps it was just the street setup? The appeal apart from the looks, power and history is that a GT 40 is durable and economical to run at the track while relatively easily maintained at home.

Then I saw a rossion, alsways discounted them because the noble I had seen previously seemed crudely built. But the rossion appeared almost germanic in build and I know they are light and lotus like. But is it too much of a street car for hardcore tracking, and are they durable.

Anybody have any experience with either of these they care to share, and or any comparative notes?

Other choices seem to be a z06 vette, they go but seem a little big for shorter tracks and they are somehow lacking in feel, a little too streetcar. Porche GT3 appeals, but you have to buy used and they are major $$$ to run, plus there is limited self servicing to be done.

So its back to SPF GT40 or rossion or maybe I should just bite the bullet and get a dedicated track car, but most of these seem to require a lot of fettling and are not really plug and play.

So any experience or opinion appreciated, especialy any track experience with a rossion or SPF Gt40.

 

Actualy compared to the stripped spec miata I drove at the Glenn the elise does feel a little mushy, and I am running the sports suspension.

Yes I know on the elise I can go with ohlins shock/springs and supercharge to 300rwhp.
But then i am putting another 10-15k into the car and I feel it will lose some of its lightweight balance and streetability.

Yes the GTR is great, its the one consistently fast car at the track everywhere corners straights etc, but they do seem to wilt from really hard laps, its the weight. A z06 is also fast.

Dedicated track car is probably the way to go, but most track cars (open single seaters) I have experienced are punishing to drive and very unforgiving at the limit.

Idealy whatever it is should steer like a spec Miata/elsie, be buttoned down like a spec maiata be charismatic like a GT40 and have a sweet motor like a GT3, all while being turnkey developed like a factory car. Not sure such a beast exists except maybe a 458 challenge car, which is going to cost 3 small fortunes to run at thet track, not to metntion to purchase, and is not exactly home serviceable.

The z06 puts down the numbers but plastic fantastic just does not appeal, and trutfully they seem to be point and squirt cars, maybe a new viper, or a LS3 miata conversion?

No problem with dedicated track car, but what assuming below 100K. i will try a GTr though, they are intriguing. A litle turned off on the big streetcar for the track thing after experiencing how lame my M3 was on the track, it being a car that would need new brakes shocks and springs to be driven with any kind of serious vigor on track and realistcaly still too heavy, while then being too hard for the street.

 

Yes but radical is so extreme that there is no one to play with on a track day, and there is a lot of maintanance. Lotus 211 more balanced approach. Neither has really charismatic motor though.

Rossion forums seem to speak of lots of little bugs.

 

Not needing new tires every 5 min, awesome, Ok so where to find a really good 1300 radical.

 

I visited Dennis and drove a SPF on the street. Maybe it was the setup of that particular car but the steering felt numb on the straight ahead and inital turn in(almost like an old power steering system), then it loaded up nicely. maybe I am spoiled by the directness of a lotus or maybe it was the street setup, but the whole car just seemed soft, besides the power not really alive. Maybe a track version is different?

The SPF has great appeal, easily maintainable, and very robust, plus it can be raced, and its a keeper, if you like it its not like something newer will steal your heart.

. But then the rossion seemed to have the same good benefits with more lotus like steering, not that i have driven one.

Would love a SPF that was direct in steering and alive in suspension, do they come that way.

 

Track days more than racing, not least because of time constraints, but an occasional competition is always fun. Car can be dedicated for track use though as have a trailer. Hence appeal of GT40. I agree street cars
ultimately too compromised, and they become too hard for street and too soft for track.

But as I have been tracking a lotus, I really enjoy the momentum and skill aspect of the being quic on the track, and so want something that still retains that finesse as power is added to the equation. I constantly see people in really powerful cars blasting down the straight but really missing the finer points in the corners because they have too much car and have never been forced and or learned to get the other parts right to get a decent lap time.

There is a lot of fun in holding the big metal at bay through the bends, or even pushing them on corners, and putting distance on them so that all the power they have in the straights is not enough to make up the difference. But it is also increadibly frustraing to have a power wall where you get stuck behind someone who pulls distance on the straights and is stuck in your windsheild throght the twisties. I know there should be pointbys but its still a frustration and on a bigger track like the Glenn the power is nice to have anyway. Its just that I dont want a car with power but also weight and bluntness so that I loose whatever little finesse and skill I have learned throught he bends by being corrupted. Plus really having the car talk to you and wearing it is all part of the skill building and fun.

One choice is supercharging the lotus, and going with adjustable shocks and a bit of aero, but then why not strip the car put in a cage etc and pretty soon it can't be a street car. I know this would be a natural progression.



A Radical would probably corrupt eveywhere because the car would easily outdrive me. Seen it a lot of time with people in things like GT2's where they drive like crap but car so good compared to the others it does not matter.

Thought about something like a 355 Cahllenge, but hard to find a really good one, and these cars need a degree of love and attention and time I am not sure I can give.

In the end its not about ultimate times(radical) but fun skill and freindship, plus of maybe some walter mitty in a containable budget. From week to week the little bits like Tires/wheels brakes oil etc I should be able to do myself, as it saves $$$ and also important time and hasslein getting the car to someone, plus its fun to do.

So ideal the car should drive like a lotus, be as strong as a vette have charisma and be a little comfortable. I do see people with stripped 3 series BMW's going like the clappers, but these cars are also a little too science project for me.

 

I did with spec Maiata, best learning curve ever. You follow other where they are fatser than you and learn how to do it better.

 

Hi Brian

The steering seemed to have something feeling similar to play when on center, but it wasn't play, then in a bend it loaded up nice. Hard to describe exactly more like a lack of on center directness or connectoin, almost feeling too light like freeplay,and then loading up nice. a point in the middle without direct contact, sort of like slop but it was not freeplay.

The shift was alse really really notchy and I drive a BBI. But I understand that the RHD has a more direct linkage using rods not cable.

Was thinking of a RHD GR40R with an injected small block, but then everything has a value would be interested to hear about the MK2.

LHD better for all around use but as purpose for track, RHD for shifting and weight balance seems better. If the LHD shift were great it would be LHD though.

Very interested to hear your experience and opinions, I know a SPF is a keeper, if you like it there is no newer version comming along and it should last longer than me.

 

Yeah I figured 130k for a good build, interesting that thye retain value.
Is your Mk1 a GT40r or a regular with canards.
My priority is track, but, a GT40 R has no ac is harder to get in and out of and all the other variables you mention.. It is the eternal debate whther to go LHD and Ac but setup for track retaing good possible street use for future. Or just go the R route including side impact bars and forget about ever running on street.

It is really a question, how much of a compromise is LHD on track.