Ian
Ooops Sorry
I get’s a bit mucking fuddled - old age creeping in
Tony
I get’s a bit mucking fuddled - old age creeping in
Oi, I’ve patented that excuse already
4: The S1 is seriously over-geared.
Erm, doesnt the recent Autocar review complain about the S2 gearing (100mph+ in 3rd, & 3 more to go)?
Yes, I didn’t understand that comment. I worked out the top speed in each gear for the new car, and the gearing seemed pretty much perfect. Certainly loads better than the S1.
They made the same complaint about the S2000, which will also do over 90mph in 3rd.
I believe the thinking is if the car will top out at 150mph, then 4th would be a better fit for 90/100mph. But by my thinking you want to be able to cruise to the track/Sunday drive at sane revs (not to mention the emission regs to get past), as well as not lose all your rubber spinning away in crazy ratioed low gears.
But what do we know? We’re not car journos!
Ian
Guys,
I’ve been an avid reader of this site for some time, in the hope that one day I’ll get round to buying one of the machines. As a “neutral” to the debate, I have wondered where the “S2 is not raw enough” statements have come from. Performance figures look fantastic, and if EVO is to be believed, the handling matches. Does raw mean noisy? or difficult at low revs?
The only downside as far as I can tell with the S2 is the looks, where the S2 is not a patch on the S1.
The prospect of buying new is an attraction as well.
Any thoughts?
ps at Palmer Autosport day, I drove a VX220T in third gear at 105 before limiter came into play, but the same gear would pull from low speed as well. I reckon yu could live with two gears [plus reverse] in tha case!
Dennis,
Unlike the Elise/Exige, the VX220T has torque at low revs.
A good way to hide a lack of low down torque is to have short gearing. the new loti has neither(IMHO).
Why Lotus dont do 5 gears for the track + another for the ride home/sunday, I dont know.
With short gearing, you can always use ‘the next one up’ when touring, or whatever.
Tim.
Denis, I think ‘raw’ means focused with no added extras. Okay the new S2 is as quick around a lap but I very much suspect it achieves this by being quicker out of the bends (more torque than the S1) and with a higher top speed (less drag than the S1). In many areas it’s softer than the S1, the benchmark for its rawness. For me it’s about the thrill of braking late and carrying as much speed in to a bend as possible, and I know the low weight is a massive benefit as you really feel the difference when you have a passenger. The S2 weighs more than a passenger more than the S1.
If you don’t already have a S1 than I think it places you in a difficult position. The S2 is undoubtly going to be a great drive, will be better built than the S1 and is almost certainly the better road car. But the S1 just looks so special, is raw (but you can still drive it to the track and some even do everyday!) and truely is a racecar for the road.
Either way you’ll be grinning.
Ian
ps. The S1 won’t depreciate as quickly.
Just done a circuit of the Woodhead and Snake Passes this evening, light traffic, superb weather am in euphoric mood, life don’t get much better than this - I love this car…
ps even got the thumbs up (I think?) from a hiker…
Just done a circuit of the Woodhead and Snake Passes this evening
Looks like you were spotted, old boy HERE
Hope Mrs E doesn’t read that, told her was just nipping to matey’s around the corner