okay, i'm trying to decide on a fun little track car. my choices are very different but the same if that makes any sense. Lotus Elise/Exige Cobra MKII the lotus would be loads of fun and smooth, where as the cobra would be brutal and scary. i have the running gear for a cobra build so thats why it's on the list. i can't get a bead on the exige and if its available state side or not. for the track they probably would turn simaliar times once you got used to them. the power to weight ratio is in favor of the cobra, so driving with the rear would be a problem. anyone have any insight to this? any first hand experiance with either car? thanks
No experience, but the Cobra is much cooler. Excessive power + small car = great American car. Remember, too much power is almost enough.
Cobra, definitly. Its an awsome car, looks awsome, hauls serious ass. And you will be the envy of some people at the track.
i say for a track-car the elise would be more fulfilling because you would be able to carry more speed through the turns. It's a fully modern, super-refined, naturally balanced sports car. I think the cobra would get old on the track after a while honestly. Save that one for cruising main street.
that is nice but just outside the cost limit for a toy. with 2 kids the college fund is slighty more important. I have two gaps to fill i want to get a track toy since i no longer have the time to campaign full season so it'll be drive to the track drive home. and a new daily driver that isn't a 2 seater vert, i already have one. otherwise i'd get both, but my boys would complain that someone has to stay home with mom. the hunt continues. for the "to much power is almost enough", the engine sitting in the garage spits out 650hp and 700ft/tq. now if the internals could handle it i'd strap a blower on it and go for 1200hp but a grenade sitting only inch's from you isn't fun.
It's kinda weird you'r comparing the two because just last night I got out one of my older Car and Drivers(July 2004) and decided to read through some of it and there front page article is a comparision between the MKII, Elise, Miaita, S2000 and Catarham seven to see which is the best track car. The Cobra actually get's dead last in it because of the Awfull handling "on all but glass smooth pavement" and it's "a strictly dry weather car." Also they make a comment about it's "spooky steering" one of the testers even called it frightening, they say that you turn the wheel an inch the Cobra would dart to the ditch in a way that was outof proportion to the input. And also they commented on how when you brake on anyhting but a smooth surface things can get a little dicey because the suspension is just so stiff it would start skipping. But they liked the exhaust note and of course the power surge from punching it down to the floor. As for the Lotus it got first place. The bad things they have to say about it are you'll feel any small bump on the surface you drive on, and the interior noise is a bit much (but who cares about that on a track car.) They also say that since it's a short wheel based, mid-engined, and rear weight biased car it can have a little oversteer problem if you drive it wrong. The good things they say about it are of course it's handling (1.06g skidpad as opposed to the cobras 1g even.) It's insane handling, and it's ability to get up and go. If it was me I'd probally choose the Lotus. But it would be a hard choice between the two since I just love that throaty sound an American car produces. Numbers-- MKII 0-60--3.6 seconds Lotus 0-60--4.4 seconds. MKII 1/4 mile--12.3@113 Lotus 1/4 mile--13.2@104 MKII Weight--2062 pounds Lotus Weight--1930 pounds I wish they did 60 feet times on these tests. Also the engine on the Cobra they had was modified. It had new Headers, heads, intake manifold, and a new cam. And yes the Lotus is available in the States. It just weigs 150 pounds more then the Euro version.
