GTP Cool Wall: Series 1 Lotus Elise. Voting Closed

  • Thread starter Joey D
  • 82 comments
  • 5,455 views

Series 1 Elise


  • Total voters
    90
  • Poll closed .

Joey D

Premium
47,473
United States
Lakes of the North, MI
GTP_Joey
GTP Joey
.: 1996-2001 Lotus Elise suggested by AUSnicko9 :.

front-driver-6.jpg


Specs:
Wheelbase: 2300mm
Length: 3726mm
Width: 1701mm
Height: 1148mm
Displacement: 1.8L 1796cc
Power: 118bhp​
 
Y'know what...when first I heard of this car (GT2, like most cars) I didn't much like it...primarily because of the tendency of the game car to swap ends.

However, I believe that's changed. It's cool in the realm of the Original Miata, AE86, Lotus 7, etc, a pure little sports car whose output in horsepower matters not.

The current Elise is a better car. The old one, a better Elise. Cool.
 
Sub-Zero. It's a car that doesn't need explaining, you know it's a sports car by just looking at it. I also doesn't need a big, powerful engine to go fast. Being built on the simplify and add lightness philosophy is so cool that it makes northern Michigan in February feel like the Bahamas. I'm still not much on the styling with the Series 1 though as I think the Series 2 is better, but whatever, it's a Lotus and all Lotus are cool.
 
Sub Zero. One of the best sports cars ever, and the original is still the best IMO.

Why is it cool? The styling (designed Julian Thompson was apparently inspired by the 246GT Dino), the concept (true to Colin Chapman's ethos - less weight, not more power) and the simplicity (bonded aluminium chassis, fiberglass bodywork, engine in the right place, the right suspension, nothing it doesn't need). And it turns heads without screaming "flash git" like a more expensive sports car would.
 
Almost perfect and absolutely Sub-zero.

Though personally, I'd rather have a S1 Exige with the 190bhp upgrade.
 
Scaff (and I might just ban anyone that argues)

Uh oh for me then :lol:

A great car no doubt, but I've never really seen anyone look cool in one, let alone SZ. It's one of those cars that alot of people driving them appear to be in a mid life crisis, people who have had trouble getting into the thing in the first place. It just isn't a car everyone can pull off, and when you're as on show as you often would be in a car like the Elise (you want to have the roof off sooner or later). It's also not a particularly masculine car, so even the youngest of folk will have trouble pulling the look off anywhere except on a track. It's certainly not seriously uncool, but I don't think I've seen anyone look cool in one bar on track, and for that reason, I put on my flame suit and vote uncool. Also worth noting, before I get burnt to death, I simply add 3 words to the end of this post as many people seem to think when someone states an opinion, they think it's facts I'm trying to state (which are then seen as wrong).

In my opinion.
 
Not only Sub Zero, but belongs into the special fridge. It's automotive David that keeps Goliaths at bay as long as the driver knows what he's doing.
 
I'd urge anyone that's never had the chance to do whatever it takes to get a drive in an Elise (sell your grandmother if needed). Along with a 911, it's one of the most unique and rewarding road cars you'll ever get behind the wheel of.
 
Sub Zero. One of the best sports cars ever, and the original is still the best IMO.

Why is it cool? The styling (designed Julian Thompson was apparently inspired by the 246GT Dino), the concept (true to Colin Chapman's ethos - less weight, not more power) and the simplicity (bonded aluminium chassis, fiberglass bodywork, engine in the right place, the right suspension, nothing it doesn't need). And it turns heads without screaming "flash git" like a more expensive sports car would.

This.

Sub-zero

The end


Scaff (and I might just ban anyone that argues)

And this. :D

I remember an argument I had with you when I first entered GTPlanet, Scaff, with another username of mine (which I asked to be banned). I remember saying that good cars were the ones that are fast and easy to drive. Yet you used the Elise example to prove me wrong. Good times indeed. 👍
 
Cool because it's a great sports car.

Not Sub-Zero because it looks like a personal makeup applicator kept in someone's purse. It might just fit in there, too. Also, it has no A/C right? Good grief.
 
Fantastic car to drive, very quick, the lotus badge has great history and a lot of respect in car circles.....

So why have I voted uncool?

Fails the girlfriend test, it has to be explained to anyone whos not a car person, finally it looses most of its awesomeness as soon as you get it off the track (as as ive mentioned before I dont find track cars cool)
Looks are a bit so so, and inertia build is awful.

Thats not to say that I wouldnt love to own one though, and thrash it around a track at the weekend!
 
Fails the girlfriend test, it has to be explained to anyone whos not a car person, finally it looses most of its awesomeness as soon as you get it off the track (as as ive mentioned before I dont find track cars cool)
Looks are a bit so so, and inertia build is awful.

Disagree with every fiber of my being.

I've driving an S1 (and for that matter an S2) on both the track and the road, and it most certainly doesn't lose a bit of its awesomeness off the track at all.

As for needing to be explained to non car people, the occasions I have driven them on the road its actually got to the point of annoying the number of people who stop you to talk about the car (many, many of them non-petrolheads). Stop to fill one up in the summer and you normally get at least one 'cool car' comment and quite frankly that comes as much from the fairer sex as it does anyone else.

Looks are subjective, but most agree that the softer looks of the S1 (which is what we are talking about) appeal more widely and are defiantly more female friendly.

The only bit I would agree with is in regard to the interior build of the S1's, that however has bugger all to do with being cool (and most sportscars built pre NSX suffer from the exact same problem).


Also, it has no A/C right? Good grief.
No AC and to add to that sun-visors were an extra (no-cost IIRC) and the windows has manual winders, the sole reason for all of those can be summed up in one word.......weight.


I remember an argument I had with you when I first entered GTPlanet, Scaff, with another username of mine (which I asked to be banned). I remember saying that good cars were the ones that are fast and easy to drive. Yet you used the Elise example to prove me wrong. Good times indeed. 👍
I must make a lasting impression

:)



Scaff
 
Last edited:
I voted it only cool because I'd be in chronic fear of the thing imploding. Or shattering randomly.
 
The current Elise is a better car. The old one, a better Elise. Cool.

How very eloquent. I've never heard anyone state it like that.

I could see having to explain how it's got a little more prestige to it than a Miata or a Civic hatch to the layperson.

Speaking from plenty of owners' stories, the layperson thinks it is worth 250,000$. Car people appreciate it. The only people who need explaining is the muscle car crowd who don't see it as anything more than a 30,000$ go-kart.

Oh yeah, sub-zero.
 
The look of it will remove panties and the driving experience will remove boxer briefs.

Sub-Zero.
 
The original to the car that best bridges between track car, go-kart and street supercar at the same time.

Sub-zero.
 
The only car this side of an Ariel Atom that will really, REALLY get my heart going. This is a car that I lust after. I don't care if I look a bit girly in it; most people won't see me long enough to realize.

Sub-effing-Zero.
(Yes, I know the poll says I said Cool. *facepalm*)
 
Even though Im a muscle car lover and I usually care about V8 or bigger, I got to admit that this is fast around a circuit.
Cool on the track but uncool on the road. But still I voted cool, nice little car. 👍
I am very curious to see what would happen if you put a bigger engine in it. :D
 
Out of my 20 rules: 12 dont apply here, 7 Pros and only 1 Con (Which means, in turn, 87,5%). = Sub-Zero 👍.
 
Last edited:
Cool on the track but uncool on the road. But still I voted cool, nice little car. 👍

Why uncool on the road? Just interested. If anything, it's equally as good on the road as it is on the track - low weight means they haven't had to give it ridiculously stiff suspension and feel-robbing power steering so it both rides and steers beautifully, so it definitely has driving licked - and it'll get you more glances on the street than anything else this side of a Ferrari. That makes it a pretty cool road car in my books 👍
 
I think he may be getting at the fact that it's kinda cramped for larger frames. Not really a motorway cruiser...but if that's all you do with it, you're missing the point.
 
Perhaps. Though I suppose that's the other common misconception, that it's a car only fit for tiny people. It's not easy to get in and out of whatever size you are, but once you're in there's reasonable space. One of my best mates used to own one (unfortunately doesn't any more, he's had to grow up and buy a house...) and he's probably 6'2"ish... fit into his Elise S1 with no problems at all.

But yeah, motorways would be missing the point. An Elise on a twisty A- or B-road is almost the definition of road-going cool.
 
It's not easy to get in and out of whatever size you are, but once you're in there's reasonable space.

I disagree here. It's a suit once you're in, as in it has 2 or 3 pockets. I'm 6'2" and I can get in and out "fine", and once I'm in it's the greatest driving view available, but saying "there's reasonable space" is a bit of a stretch.

That shelf below the glovebox is key though.
 
Back