24th Feb 2003, 04:55
You guys have some issues.
A Lotus is a car for going around corners.. fast.. No matter HOW had a Ferrari tries, on a very twisty course a Lotus would beat it easily. A Ferrari handles well, yes, but its weight and handling is no match for a Lotus's. Of course a Ferrari could beat it in a straight line, what a stupid question, it's a 1.8L 4 FFS! I have a '98 3000GT VR-4 twin turbo, with enough horsies to own a Ferrari back to Italy. I run low 11's, with 4WD and 4WS, and suspension upgrades to own a Ferrari on almost any track. Even still, on a windy course a Lotus would take my car to school.
Basically if you think a Ferrari is faster, you would probably be right, but if you think a Ferrari can out-handle a Lotus, you need to go back to physics 1-1.
Elliott.
24th Apr 2003, 16:42
It's funny that the designer of the car, Julian Thompson, owns and drives everyday a 246gt Ferrari; and it's funny how the engineer of the Elise project, Richard Rakham, owns a Ducati 916.
The Italians can give us "amore" with our machines, but it is only the British that can pull together those two ideals into one fantastic car.
Fast and light. "Bravo" Lotus Elise.
4th Jun 2010, 01:23
Brilliant comment Elliot.
He's right, Lotus are made to handle, and handle they do. Jumped in an old mates 2000 Elise and I gotta say, I have not grinned that much in a car in my entire life, it's like being in a rollercoaster.
Too bad he didn't let me have a drive, but still I'm willing to bet its on par with a go kart for the way it simply goes around corners.
Cannot wait to get mine. Peace.
18th Dec 2002, 06:22
Ease up on the caffeine. Equating the performance of a standard '99 Elise with a Ferrari isn't a credible thing to say and that's really all the guy was getting at. The F355 and 360 Modena for example have a power-to-weight ratio of 0.29 bhp/kg, whereas the Elise has a little over half that at 0.16 bhp/kg. Added to that any Ferrari since about '94 will exceed 170mph, hit 60mph in four seconds, and cover a quarter mile eight seconds later. The little Lotus couldn't keep up in a month of Sundays and you're totally, utterly, kidding yourself if you think it would.