Differences between 111R Elise and standard Exige?

-Neil-

-Neil-

-Neil-

Soldato
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Just thinking ahead to my next car in about ten months or so, I miss something raw and unrefined. I'll be selling the Mundano and buying a cheap hack for lugging my work toolbox around if I move contracts and something fun for the days off.

I'm looking at either a 111R Elise or a Exige, all I think I know is that they both have the same engine (190Bhp Toyota unit) and one has a fixed roof and the other doesn't.

Is there much difference in feel of the two, chassis wise/suspension/etc..?
Anything else to be aware of running costs between the two?

Neil.
 
Running costs are identical except that the Exige has semi-slick tyres which cost about £600 for a full set (can only buy the special Yokohama tyres from Lotus dealers). And these tyres only last about 5000 road miles tops. A single track day will toast them. Whereas the tyres on the 111R are either Bridgestone RE040 or Yokohama AD07's both of which will last about 10000 road miles quite easily and are much cheaper to replace.

Exige has a harder suspension (around 30%) and a stiffer ARB (though you can get a 111R with the same, it's called the Sports Pack).

111R has skinny 175 front tyres which ensure the car will always understeer when you're being a plonker. Though the sport pack puts 195 on the front just like the Exige.

An Exige for primarily road use is madness. The suspension is really meant for the track. Pot holes in the 111R are just about bearable (it's more the worrying noises than any actual discomfort to you the driver) but in an Exige you will get both the worrying noises but the discomfort too :p

The roof on the Exige does come off as its just like a hard top on the Elise. But you'll look a plonker.
 
Cheers Nathan, will have to try both at some point and see how bad it is. I've had hard riding cars before and they didn't bother me before in the slightest.
As long as the Exige isn't too hard to the detriment of useability on rough surfaces it might be fine for me :)

I will taking a trip down to the local Lotus garage in Stansted village tomorrow to have a look around and see what's what.

Neil.
 
I got mine from Castle in stansted too... speak to either Ben or Ian :) I think they've got a few good ones in stock at the moment too.

By the way these cars aren't as hard as you'd think. Most hot hatches are far far harder I have found! The issue is noise deadening... you hear the suspension working and stuff so a pot hole sounds "painful". The "man and machine" thing works both ways you see...
 
Make sure you test a 111s before deciding on the 111r. The difference in engine character and lesser weight make for quite a different ride. I prefer the 111s to the 111r. You could get a low-ish mileage 111s with Nitrons and many useful minor upgrades for the price of a second hand 111r.
 
I'm looking at a 111R as a next car, purely because of the Toyota engine and peace of mind. Saying that, I have been looking at the Boxter S considering the budget and even various Bimmers if I don't move out of the Kent/London fringes (I can't believe I said that!). I hate difficult choices :)
 
The Elise 111S is a great car, but for me the 111R just has that added fun factor. It's the same as the 111S till you hit 6200rpm then it just gets even better, right up to 8600rpm when the shift light screams at you. (and 6 speed box is much nicer too)

They're pretty noisy cars though, stereo is pointless on motorways (especially as I have a loud exhaust and induction kit too) but you don't buy them for acoustic qualities, you buy them for the fun factor. No other car for the money comes even close to putting the same grin on your face as an Elise.
 
Solari said:
I'm looking at a 111R as a next car, purely because of the Toyota engine and peace of mind. Saying that, I have been looking at the Boxter S considering the budget and even various Bimmers if I don't move out of the Kent/London fringes (I can't believe I said that!). I hate difficult choices :)
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When it comes to 'driving', the Boxster will 80-90% of the fun of the Elise. If you buy the Boxster however, you'll spend 100% of the time wishing you'd gone for the Elise. If you're using the car around London as an everyday drive though, an Elise will do your head in within the first 6 months of ownership. Do not be fooled by the Toyota 111r engine being bullit-proof either - there's plenty of evidence on SELOC and PH to show that it's not. That said, it won't have you checking the temp guage every few minutes like a trusty k will.

Regarding the 111r/111s difference - well, each to their own but the 111r without the ecu tweak can be somewhat 'asthmatic' whereas the lower weight of the 111s and seemingly 'torquier' nature (even though it's not) of the vvc k makes it a more pleasant drive and just as quick. When I tested a 111r I got annoyed by the on/off nature of the engine as I knew I'd rarely find myself in cam territory day-to-day.

Have a look at the thousands of similar threads on SELOC for more info.
 
Trick said:
Do not be fooled by the Toyota 111r engine being bullit-proof either - there's plenty of evidence on SELOC and PH to show that it's not. That said, it won't have you checking the temp guage every few minutes like a trusty k will.
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There have been about a dozen stories of blown Yota engines, all being caused by people doing 8600rpm in 3rd, then going for 4th and getting 2nd and buzzing the engine. The only other issue is from people on track, cornering too hard on long sweeping bends and causing oil starvation, hardly likely for the vast majority of us. I just think that there's a few vocal owners who were disappointed that their japanese engine didn't withstand their stupidity.

Whereas the reality is that the K series *will* need at least one head gasket before about 50k. This in itself isn't a good enough reason to not get the S as it's not a hugely expensive fix but you can't deny that it's a much more fragile engine
 
olv said:
probably worth while having a go in a VX220 aswell to compare.
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They're great cars, and the turbo can easily be made to be pretty damn quick but what were Vauxhall thinking by sticking a heavy engine in the rear of the turbo, and fitting it with 17's all round???? :confused:

I didn't like the gearbox on the VX personally, and the standard handling didn't impress me (I remember thinking it wasn't really any better than my, albeit modded MR2) I've been in one with lightweight alloys with 16s at front and 17s at rear and that was *much* better so if you get the VX I'd definitely recommend changing the alloys to proper sized ones.
 
Fair enough and I totally agree that the Boxster is a superb car - I'd love to own one and probably will at some stage. However, Solari mentioned both the Elise and the Boxster in his post so he clearly is considering them against one another. Once he's tested both it'll be clear that the Elise is the better and more involving drive - the reason why the Boxster does so well though is because it's 90% as good as an Elise in the corners and has all the benefits of the interior, comfort, etc etc.
 
Not necessarily Trick. It just depends on what he wants from the car.

The Elise is better at cornering, and is definitely the more involving drive however that does come at a compromise (namely comfort, practicality and noise). I don't mind any of these however the Elise isn't for everyone, I couldn't imagine Fox in one for example (just like I couldn't imagine Drexel in a 530)

Each to their own I guess.
 
Skiddley said:
Something that I could drive ever day, that had a nice interior, that didn't make my ears bleed on the m\way, that was still an exciting sports car and that looked and sounded beautiful.
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Good choice :)

It's certainly a car I'm considering at some point myself.
 
Yea totally agree. Everything is a compromise in some respect, and I'm by no way saying the Elise\Exige is a bad car. Far from it. I did my ARDS training in an Exige and absolutely loved it...on a track :)
 
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