girlracer - you might want to check this out

£ 20,499 from SGT - Taplow (between J7 & J8/9 on the M4)

http://www.sgt.co.uk/lotus/index.shtml#

 

It should be mine from around Thursday/Friday next week:

http://homepage.mac.com/crewe/PhotoAlbum23.html

 

Looks mean in that Black / Grey combo

Enjoy

 

I moved my Elise pics here:
http://homepage.mac.com/crewe/PhotoAlbum26.html

 

Girlracer,

If you want a great second car then look at Caterhams - the R300 or R400 are seriously great cars especially since you said your not worred about bad weather etc. I am currently going through the conversation with my wife that she should sell her TT (okay its 6 months old !) and take my 350Z whilst I get a Vauxhall Corsa and a Caterham R400. Caterhams dont lose money so its a much better long term bet than an Elise - plus it will murder an Elise or an Exige on a track. Dont get me wrong I love the Elise - even put a deposit down on a new MK1 whilst at the motorshow (never got it - long story - best told when drunk) but having driven an R300 a few months back for a couple of days its seriously quick and serious fun - highlight - the look on the drivers face of an Evo 6 as he got left for dead by a 1960's car !!

Bit pricey new - but you can shave a few grand off by finishing it yourself which is much more fun than it sounds !!!

RickB

 

I had a good look at the Caterham's at MotorDrive Live this weekend, and I just could not own one. No matter how amazing they are to drive, a big part of car ownership for me is being around this amazingly sexy piece of machinery, and the Caterham's just don't do it for me. The S2 Elise is something that will bring me joy even when I'm not driving it, just by looking at the thing.



(edited to add smiley)

 

Girlracer....have you sold the Tuscan then?

I was hoping to have a look around it while visiting Goodwood on the Sunday. I should be there in the Chimmy

How often do you change your cars then?

 

Yep, it sold rather quickly. I don't intened to change cars this frequently! I usually go into a car purchase intending to keep the car for years and years, but sometimes you change your mind about what you want. The Tuscan was beautiful but it didn't handle like I expected and I then realised that sublime handling was something that was important to me, more important than sheer speed. I guess there was also the fact that it was the most expensive car I've ever owned. it took all my savings, and because of that I expected it to be perfect in every way. The Elise will be my 4th car in as many years, but I kept the first two for 2 years each. 3 months with the Tuscan is a bit of a record, even for me!

 

Girlracer,

Agreed on the looks part of it - only if you where blind would you say the Caterham was a looker - but it was a good drive. The Elise are lovely looking cars - as I said I ordered a MK1 a few years ago but was so offended by the dealership that I ended up telling him where to stick it and a lot more practical to live with daily than the Caterham (yeah you dont get drowned by water coming in sideways with the roof on like you do in the caterham).

Enjoy it - after driving it for a while you might find your 350Z feeling like a tank.

RickB

 

Oh, I'm quite certain of that! But it will be a very comfortable tank.

 

Yum

 

The VX Lightning concept is Vauxhall's attempt at boosting the brand's image, and based on these first official pictures, designer Simon *** and his team in Coventry have fulfilled their brief. But will the Lightning be just a flash in the pan? GM's chief says production will depend largely on the public's rating of it.

I love the look of this car... very tempted if it remains something like this.

Although it's curvier than the VX220, the Lightning's evolution from that low-selling roadster is obvious. Notice too the embossed Union Jack on the flap next to the door

 

This flap inside front air extractor moves with an opening door to provide easier access, and swivels snugly back in place when the door is closed (see next picture)

nb. I love the Flag detail on there... nice touch.

 

From this angle, the Lightning's clean rear end looks starker, its near flat rear deck split by a raised ridge that extends between both roll hoops. Twin teardrop shaped mouldings taper aft of the hoops

 

The Lightning's nose is much more thrusting than the VX220's, with sharper angles, lean, austere headlamps and a bonnet that tapers to a vee.

 

There's a pleasing blend of retro and contemporary styling in the cockpit, with two-tone leather, large chromed instruments, and a minimalist facia. The speedo's dial face moves like a compass to plot the car's speed against a stationary needle

 

Aerodynamic, slim-line mirrors take their place on the doors, but don't protrude wider than the wheelarches

 

Short rear end houses a boot whose lid lifts over the chunky roll hoops. The triangular exhaust housing makes clear that this is definitely a Vauxhall design

 

Yep, quite sure. That's a tasty looking car, but my criteria was a lightweight, raw handling machine. The next versions of both the Elise and the VX will no doubt have bigger engines than the current ones, with bigger bodies to compensate, and interiors full of toys to ensure they can go up against the Porsche Boxsters that they are now the same price as (not to mention that the next Elise will be on sale in the US so will have airbags, traction control, central locking, AC and loads of other toys I expect). These will be amazing cars no doubt, but price wise and weight wise will be getting way beyond £19k and 750kg.

 

Is the deal done? Have you taken delivery?

I guess you must have! The sun's come out! Time to play

Enjoy the blast, Sally