Fun with an Elise
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From: Coventry
Originally Posted by MarkB,Jul 28 2006, 12:09 AM
That's because you drove it like a front engined car.
The technique is totally different, and once you learn to make the most of the engine position, you realise the potential of the Elise/VX.
The technique is totally different, and once you learn to make the most of the engine position, you realise the potential of the Elise/VX.
Weight transfer is great, if you can get the hang of it WITHOUT leaving it too late and getting the back-end all loose.
VX WAS set-up, IIRC, to be 'softer' than the Elise - wider front tyres would, other things being equal, give it a slightly more understeery character than an Elise.
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Originally Posted by MarkB,Jul 28 2006, 12:09 AM
That's because you drove it like a front engined car.
The technique is totally different, and once you learn to make the most of the engine position, you realise the potential of the Elise/VX.
The technique is totally different, and once you learn to make the most of the engine position, you realise the potential of the Elise/VX.
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From: Reading
My brother in law has an Elise Sports Tourer. Every day use is a no no really in that car. I was really tempted to buy one but opted for an S2000 instead as I need to do more driving than he does.
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From: Banbury, Oxfordshire
Originally Posted by havoc UK,Jul 28 2006, 08:34 AM
VX WAS set-up, IIRC, to be 'softer' than the Elise - wider front tyres would, other things being equal, give it a slightly more understeery character than an Elise.
How is the technique different for mid engined? When I drove an Elise I thought it was really simple, did what you told it, without the kind of handling wierdness the S and most cars have. Of course I didn't push that hard in the Elise as I was too scared to go fast in something with such pathetic brakes*.
* Pre 111r Elise which didn't have servos.
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From: Leigh-On-Sea
Originally Posted by Dembo,Jul 28 2006, 01:28 PM
The Elise S2 was infamous for being made to deliberately understeer - i.e. tamed from the original S1. I remember Clarkson saying how much better the VX handled on Top Gear.
How is the technique different for mid engined? When I drove an Elise I thought it was really simple, did what you told it, without the kind of handling wierdness the S and most cars have. Of course I didn't push that hard in the Elise as I was too scared to go fast in something with such pathetic brakes*.
* Pre 111r Elise which didn't have servos.
How is the technique different for mid engined? When I drove an Elise I thought it was really simple, did what you told it, without the kind of handling wierdness the S and most cars have. Of course I didn't push that hard in the Elise as I was too scared to go fast in something with such pathetic brakes*.
* Pre 111r Elise which didn't have servos.
What's weird about the S's handling? It's just classic front engineed, RWD.
EDIT - did you just edit that whilst I was deleting and reposting this, or am I going mental
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From: West Coast
I've never understood Dembo's Elise brakes complaint. If I dab the 111R's brakes I get a softer response which is good for simply shifting the weight of the car forward, nothing more.
If I push further I appear to have thrown an invisible anchor out the back, the pedal gives a shitload more feel and the car very quickly stops. Even before I bought mine and realised how good the brakes were, I had always read about how impressive the Elise's brakes were.
Methiks Dembo must not be pushing the pedal hard enough.
If I push further I appear to have thrown an invisible anchor out the back, the pedal gives a shitload more feel and the car very quickly stops. Even before I bought mine and realised how good the brakes were, I had always read about how impressive the Elise's brakes were.
Methiks Dembo must not be pushing the pedal hard enough.