Lotus Elise

I don't have many sports car experiences to compare it to other than my 328 and my friend's Ford GT, but DAYUM this thing is fun. I just got back from Florida where I met up with an old friend of mine that bought one a couple of years ago. I know it has a Toyota engine, but it still sounds good and it drives like a freakin' go-cart. It's a real effort to get in and out of, but once you are in, it fits like a glove. The best part...he only paid $25K for a pristine car with 30K miles.

I'll take one in red please.

Ric is now on my wife's sh*t list.
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Your old friend wouldn't happen to be George Lucas?

Cool story anyway!

 

I have similarly fond memories of my FIAT X1/9.

 

That was going to be my question given the license plate....





PDG

 

Nice pic... an Elise is on my short list right now... very nice toy.

 

This isn't my friend's car. His is yellow. I just found a picture of one in red that I liked. The plate was funny though.

 

It's not a toy. It's a practical daily driver. It's a practical daily driver. It's a practical daily driver.

I keep telling myself that to justify my purchase later this year

 

Funny you should say that. My friend was an X1/9 fanatic. I think he went through 4 or 5 of them. It was the first Italian car I drove and was the beginning of my love affair with Italian automobiles.

 

Practical is in the eye of the beholder.

You won't regret buying one. I'm smiling right now thinking about the drive.

 

Love the Elise/Exige.

It's the only new car you can buy today in the US that can claim the "pure sports car" label. The Porsche Boxster Spyder is probably the runner up, but it trades some "sport" for more "practical".

 

honestly, it really is a very practical car. it's pretty comfortable (soft suspension in stock form), 20 mph around town (vs. 16 in my 911), and so sharp and maneuverable that you just carve up traffic. if you can get by with a two-seater with effectively no trunk, go for it.

the car is a blast. I've never driven anything on the street that carves into corners like an Elise. by comparison, my 911 is a big, heavy tank. brilliant car.

 

I owned had one for nearly 3 years and it was my only car at the time. Perfectly usable from day to day, great on fuel too and great on the track. I really miss it, will definitely own another at some point.