Saw a Lotus Elise up close and personal today
- Thread starter Ty
- Start date
Sonic said:
I never quite got why Lamborghini insists on having AWD really. You obviously get a hell of a lot of traction, but combined with the immense torque of the engines they use they apparently EAT clutches. From what I've heard you have to be really careful and can't just dump the clutch from a standing start(where you'd think the AWD would be useful) or else the clutch would go up in smoke!
that's nonsense. Only people who have no clue how to drive an AWD would think that. A nice 5k rev and then launch works really well. LOL.
AWD is a nice feature to have at times. I do feel that Lamborghini's approach is wrong, on so many levels. Porsche has a much better system put in place and those cars have a much nicer finish to them. A lot quieter also.
The Skyline's AWD system is probably the best one I've seen to date. When it comes stateside I am sure to purchase on despite its hig cost.
I think the next project car will be another Supra. I love those cars, beautiful and sturdy. Plus 30 MPG.
AWD is a nice feature to have at times. I do feel that Lamborghini's approach is wrong, on so many levels. Porsche has a much better system put in place and those cars have a much nicer finish to them. A lot quieter also.
The Skyline's AWD system is probably the best one I've seen to date. When it comes stateside I am sure to purchase on despite its hig cost.
I think the next project car will be another Supra. I love those cars, beautiful and sturdy. Plus 30 MPG.
MPI said:
It's really simple: with AWD you have no wheel spin at all when accelerating. Or if you have such a brute of an engine that you do, it is on all the wheels at the same time. So it will still help you accelerate really fast.
Think about it. Front wheel drive is the very worst in that respect, as the whole car tilts such, that you almost lift the front wheels off the ground. Rear wheel is much better, but the inertia of the car and the unpowered front wheels will still give you lots of spin when you press the throttle down.
Burning rubber doesn't help you accelerate.
Edit: I think you agree, but were only talking about destroying the clutch really fast. Sorry about that.
Err... no shit sherlock. :? Is it obvious day already? 
But the Lamborghini's have so much power and so much traction that the weak link becomes the clutch and the driveline. In for instance Top Gear when they tested the Murcielago they had to ease the car off the line rolling a bit and then jam full power. It didn't do wonders for acceleration after all... Then you wonder what the point is really? Especially since AWD adds a lot of weight to the vehicle.
Then when you're up to speed there's the problem of the three differentials. AWD's when you're pushing it on tarmac can be pushy bastards, quite frankly. Limited slip differentials tends to work against turning the car, plus that you have power transmitted to the front wheels which adds extra push FWD-style. I don't want understeer in a sportscar!
Porsche Carrera 4's I think have 10/90 front-rear power distribution or something to lessen this understeering behaviour as much as possible. The Evo's and the Skyline have some seriously advanced computer controlled active differentials to make the cars pleasant to drive.
But the Lamborghini's have so much power and so much traction that the weak link becomes the clutch and the driveline. In for instance Top Gear when they tested the Murcielago they had to ease the car off the line rolling a bit and then jam full power. It didn't do wonders for acceleration after all... Then you wonder what the point is really? Especially since AWD adds a lot of weight to the vehicle.
Then when you're up to speed there's the problem of the three differentials. AWD's when you're pushing it on tarmac can be pushy bastards, quite frankly. Limited slip differentials tends to work against turning the car, plus that you have power transmitted to the front wheels which adds extra push FWD-style. I don't want understeer in a sportscar!
Porsche Carrera 4's I think have 10/90 front-rear power distribution or something to lessen this understeering behaviour as much as possible. The Evo's and the Skyline have some seriously advanced computer controlled active differentials to make the cars pleasant to drive.
AWD is most helpful around corners. The BTCC Audis needed to be handicapped with weights because they were so fast around the track compared to the other cars. Anyway racing clutches can handle lots of hp but then the weak link moves to the driveshaft which can be remedied with a carbon shaft.
Oh btw Lotus also built the limited edition Sport Exige 240R using the same Yamaha/Toyota engine but supercharged to 240hp.
Oh today I saw a black Gallardo on Sepulveda and Olympic with a Symbolic dealership plates. Last week I saw a Ford GT on Beverly Glen.
Oh btw Lotus also built the limited edition Sport Exige 240R using the same Yamaha/Toyota engine but supercharged to 240hp.
Oh today I saw a black Gallardo on Sepulveda and Olympic with a Symbolic dealership plates. Last week I saw a Ford GT on Beverly Glen.
they dont make a sedan version do they?
epic
epic
the elise is gorgeous, AWD is the BOMB and worth every pound, and vysez... that's just inane. do you really think saying such reactionary things is outrageous or something? but, if i need a car again, i think i'd settle for a 4-dr altima. 260+ hp, relatively low-weight for a sedan, and useful. i'll be jealous of you guys, tho
PC-Engine said:
yeah i see these things constantly around where I live- my favorite is the green one. For some strange reason every single Maserati around here is silver and every Ferrari is red. When I get one I'm going to have it either blue or the same purple as my C320, even if i have to have it custom-painted.
edit:
oh yeah i saw an elise parked out in front of a house down the street from me the other day, it was white. also saw an exige in the parking garage at perot systems natl hq in plano a coupple of weeks ago. even saw a green elan at a little mechanics shop some months ago. There was even a DeLorean for sale 1 block away from me! I was so excited, i went to look at it but the poor thing had been abused and neglected inside and out.
edit2:
oh yeah, it was an esprit, not an exige I saw at ps.
You want an exige
whatch an exige vs ah64d apache then tell me you dont want one
http://www.w2knews.com/rd/rd.cfm?id=040607FA-Lotus
whatch an exige vs ah64d apache then tell me you dont want one
http://www.w2knews.com/rd/rd.cfm?id=040607FA-Lotus
OpenGL guy
Veteran
I recently read that someone paid Lotus a couple of million dollars to build a special Exige with 400 hp that would conform to several different racing specs... Needless to say the car is very fast.PC-Engine said:AWD is most helpful around corners. The BTCC Audis needed to be handicapped with weights because they were so fast around the track compared to the other cars. Anyway racing clutches can handle lots of hp but then the weak link moves to the driveshaft which can be remedied with a carbon shaft.
Oh btw Lotus also built the limited edition Sport Exige 240R using the same Yamaha/Toyota engine but supercharged to 240hp.
OpenGL guy said:I recently read that someone paid Lotus a couple of million dollars to build a special Exige with 400 hp that would conform to several different racing specs... Needless to say the car is very fast.PC-Engine said:AWD is most helpful around corners. The BTCC Audis needed to be handicapped with weights because they were so fast around the track compared to the other cars. Anyway racing clutches can handle lots of hp but then the weak link moves to the driveshaft which can be remedied with a carbon shaft.
Oh btw Lotus also built the limited edition Sport Exige 240R using the same Yamaha/Toyota engine but supercharged to 240hp.
This is the one you're talking about. I've read that they suffered three blown engines so far racing. It uses a modified GM 3L V6.
http://www.rsportscars.com/eng/cars/lotus_sport_exige.asp
One of my friends has just bought himself an Elise and he seems to quite like it. I've not ridden in it myself but another friend who went for a drive as a passenger said he's never been so scared in his life! That's more about the driver than the car, however...
On road, the car goes like shit off a shovel, to use a colourful term. It practically sticks to the road (or so I'm told). Certainly one of the fastest cars you can get for the price.
For those who are interested, the BBC motoring programme Top Gear has a track on which they (and their 'tame racing driver') test all sorts of cars. The Exige got around pretty darn quickly - check out the link to see some of the supercars which it beat or at least got close to!
On road, the car goes like shit off a shovel, to use a colourful term. It practically sticks to the road (or so I'm told). Certainly one of the fastest cars you can get for the price.
For those who are interested, the BBC motoring programme Top Gear has a track on which they (and their 'tame racing driver') test all sorts of cars. The Exige got around pretty darn quickly - check out the link to see some of the supercars which it beat or at least got close to!
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