@@seivaDsugnA The stock stereo blows. I have had an Elise for almost 20 years. That was one of the first things I changed out. That, and upgraded to the Sport Exhaust. Great little car. The Toyota engine really transforms the car into something that is bullet proof reliable, but still a hell of a lot of fun. For years the first Gen NSXs were around 30-40k...then boom...they doubled in price and continue to rise. Great car. I wish I had bought one when they were reasonable.
I’m 50+ and still haven’t tired of the Elise. In fact, I started with a series 3, 2015 Elise & now in a Series 1 Elise. Perfection in the days of congestion, surveillance & speed cameras everywhere!
It was my dream car that i could afford and keep running. Had my 111R för 14 years or so now. For me it was the most stupid car i could se myself actually own. And i got one, imported from GB. I haven´t driven it for 3 years i think but it´s there in the garage and i just like looking at it when i´m off for work. Maby i will pull it out this year. (Get one, they make you happy).
The Elise corners so hard it took your band aid off lol. The S2 Elise/Exige is one of my dream cars. Everyone who's driven it says its like an extension of your body. I could only imagine what the 2-eleven is like
You can really feel a difference at braking and cornering. The car also feels faster. But the 2-11 is a true trackday car. WIth the exige or elise you can make road trips.
Loved my Elise when I owned it many years ago. Had to sell her because driving her around and parking in San Francisco gave me more anxiety than it was worth 😂. For me, it was simply the best car in the canyons. Can't say it was really good for anything else though lol.
Zygrene, I really appreciate the multi-camera setup. As you mentioned in other vids with your fellow UA-camrs, it is a lot more work. But it really differentiates your channel from the others. The viewer experience is improved with the multiple angles. It’s also cool to see you!!
@@Zygrene i suspect if u keep ur health good you wont get lazier when old. ive seen some farmers who are even somewhat shredded at 70 and still living young.... think of living more like how humans are more accustom to living through generations of genetic natual selection. using steroids etc which have you maximize your hormone profile for anabolism has holistic effects on the body... things grow which you may not necessarily want to grow, like your internal organs for instance. This effect is fairly minor if you're within normal reference ranges for testosterone, but if you go exogenous, into SARMs, synthetic anabolics, HGH, exogenous IGF1, exogenous thyroid... all the stuff top tier athletes and bodybuilders do... you're going to experience undesirable sideffects and it's going to cost serious money to test for them, monitor them, and treat them as you age. basically if you want to build your body, start with your diet and sleep. Any routine that involves lifting weight in the 5-15 rep range, 3-6 sets, 3-5 times per week will work for years if your diet macros are good, your inflammatory foods are kept low.low inflamatory food (itll also give less of a nonclear, painfully stressed mind) like natrual fats, especially animal stuff,. lower sugars inslcuidng carbohydrates.like if using fiber for hard poop constipation. plants pass on genetics that survive human consumption,so they run away liek animals and dotn need to maintain such complex machinery that animals are, so the genetics to make them toxic to human at various levels, survives and passes on genes more. most plants are not beneficial and are often even harmful. sugars like carbohydrates, fructose etc arnt absorbed well which is why meat has more energy , lasts longer . human shoulder rottates more, made for killing unlike onkeys,, and teeth dont move side to side like monkeys, hose, cow, and oterh plant eaters, our teeth made for grinding harder to break down stuff like meat. pesticides wasnt banned becuz plants are considered more harmful than pesticides. make sleep is regular and uninterrupted... ie get 8 hours of sleep and go to sleep so that you naturally wake up about when the sun comes up. blueish and/or brighter light wakes person up for a while similar to sunlight, like from electronics, room lights, etc . some people use red light on dark background in low light setting when around tmes of sunlight darkening do more work out in the morning, like pbodily excersize, that's when testosterone is highest, for specifically acne, eating less dairy will help for some people. wash off most the natural oily stuff on skin
@@KuostA because he was sayin that he might not tolerate the noise vibraiton harshness of lotus elise when he gets old and fall int bad health, where people are able to tolerate less in general, which makes life less good.
Easily would take the Elise everytime. Wow does that engine sound just fantastic. The reason you don't miss the 3-2 downshift in the NSX is because you are always in 2nd gear (I tease). Would love to see a manual Supra vs a manual Camaro SS 1LE comparison if possible
This made me lol but I have an Exige and the shifter is garbage. Otherwise it’s better than the NSX unless you are taking it on road trips (which is kind of weird)
100% agree. I have an Elise and it is unbelievable even today. Never driven an NSX. Did get a chance to drive a 991.1 Carrera S and surprisingly it didn’t come close to how fun the Elise is. It was actually a letdown in comparison on the fun department but to be fair it was a lot more refined. Never thought I would call a 911 boring. Maybe need to try a GT variant some day soon
@@johnwight6041my friend who owned a elise 111r for 6 years told me that, "the car ruined other car" for him as no other sports car he drove ever come close to the experience in the Elise, he daily drive that car as well
A bit apples to oranges, but that's okay. That the NSX is such a capable drivers car while still being a GT and now over three decades old is really impressive. This takes nothing away from the incredibly pure sports car that is the Elise. Both cars are fantastic testaments to the vision and philosophies of their respective manufacturers. In addition, both of these cars appeal more to me than the current offerings from Acura and Lotus. In stark contrast to most of today's offerings, it is interesting to think about just how far down the "purity rabbit hole" some are willing to go considering options such as the Caterham Seven and the Ariel Atom.
The ‘tell’ is clear by your immediate emotional reactions; the Elise made you laugh out loud & cry out - wow. The Elise is simply a better drivers car. Supercharge it for a whole other level of visceral bliss & get the top off for the ultimate connection with the environment. Try a quick Caterham - it’ll blow your mind! Thanks for posting a great vid.
The Elise is more “pure” but the NSX is more “iconic” plus the longer wheelbase makes the NSX feel more stable but less pointy - Former Lotus owner with a K20 swap :)
Your NSX technical comments and content in general is some, if not the best on UA-cam. Really liked this comparison with the Lotus. Does anybody remember the old video of that Lotus Elise with a Honda K20 engine swap spitting fire? Man, that thing was amazing. Thank you for another great video btw.
Both icon cars these days, and both appreciating assets. That is as long as we are allowed to drive petrol powered cars! Take the Lotus now and drive it hard and don’t worry about comfort and cruising for when you get old.
For me, the ultimate Elise would be an S2 with a Supercharged K20a swapped in. Honda and Lotus, what a magnificent combination. My favourite NSX, would probably be the Type S zero. 3.2 engine, 6 speed manual, light and with the pop up lights.
Met a few people in a group of Lotus owners who had K20a swaps, even one with a supercharged K20 Exige ;) Impressive beast. And much faster than my NA2 NSX (which has a stock engine) but I still love it :)
@@justaddafan there must only be a few early ones then. The electronic system is considered better on these, it's a very responsive one. People actually retrofit them to the cable throttles.
Lotus Elise. It's a drivers car. Lightweight. It's not trying to be a family car, it's not trying to be a luxury car, it's a pure breed drivers race car. Super lightweight and that 2zz GE engine from the Toyota Celica GTS just makes this car an awesome car.
I can not believe this video was done. Ofc it would be better with the v6 exige but thats UK only. Till then this guy did what I wanted so many people to do for the past 5 years. Thank you so much
What a fun afternoon of driving. You've got this down to a fine science Fenton, and as always it's consistantly informative. Thanks for your commitment to your channel. Let me know the next time your going to SoCal and we'll sync up to do a review of Ken's R32 GTR.
2zz is such an amazing motor. Shame that the corolla and matrix XRS never got suspension the motor deserved. I threw a lot of money at my matrix XRS trying to get that thing to handle nearly as well as my previous SI's. No dice, sold it and got a fiesta ST. Still miss that sound though. I'd say the 2zz has a more pronounced changeover sound than the k20 motor too
I was going to say 100% the Elise is better but wow that Acura NSX looks like a blast to drive as well and an epic vehicle! Really impressed by the sound, mechanicalness, the suspension, fun etc
You really hit the nail on the head that the Elise is far less compromising. If your mission was to drive winding roads all the time, the Elise wins handily. However, if you want a more well rounded experience and a car that can do nearly everything well, the NSX is absolutely sublime. The Elise is the better 'track' car but the NSX is by far the better overall car. Thanks for a nice video!
Great content thanks. I had a 911 and Cayman, drove an Elise and sold them. They were just cars the Lotus is excitement. Im over 6ft and daily 220 Elise and Ninja 1000, keep fit and happy. Once old and fat, buy a Porker and ride a BMW, at 54 im not there yet. Thanks again and I know we are all different, which is great. Drive and ride safe no matter what it is you love.
That lotus is so emotional and I love that color. I learned something new I thought they had LSDs. Im in my 40s and I still dont get bothered by nvh and a firmer ride, I guess I am an outlier.
I'am 57 and last year i bought my first Lotus 😂 A Elise S2 with oem supercharger. I also own a Honda S2000 for 14 years now. Buy a Lotus if you like them and can afford, life is passing fast so you better enjoy it and don't think about what other people will think of you. Life your dream.
Reccomendation for you as an auto media creator - dont be afraid to take unsual or unexpected positions on things. Get into specifics of how things feel and how it compares to other cars. Have strong opinions and don't be afraid to support them when others disagree.
both of those cars are absolute legends. I'm definitely more of a Lotus fan with regards to pure fun-to-drive cars. Not snubbing my nose to an NSX in the least bit, but the lighter car wins almost every time, in my books. But man can Honda do engines... I drive an NB2 Miata and it's a real blast to drive. Keep these classics alive and well!
IDK, I would rather road trip in an SUV and buy a drivers car for driving. The driver clearly enjoyed the Elise more until the very last second when he said he would rather have the NSX… for road trips? Why would you rack up miles on that thing like that?
Thank you for this video my life is currently in turmoil because I can't decide which one of these to buy. My heart says NSX but after test driving an Elise the lotus would make much more sense for me
Currently own an S3 Elise cup 250 and the NSX is my dream car. Really I just want the driving thrills of an Elise but with a more comfortable everyday ride and a more interesting engine. Sadly I don’t have 2 million to drop on a GMA car so the NSX seems a more attainable compromise haha. Great comparison and quality content as usual
Noticed that your brake light is on. Assuming that your brake lights are still working, this may be an indication of leaking capacitors behind the cluster. Possible electrical fire if it gets too bad. I believe Brian K still fixes this issue. Search on nsx prime or on the fb page for his info to get some preventative maintenance done before its too late.
Nice comparison, I am jealous of being able to do both on that road back to back. I also have a 91 NSX in silver. I do have the shortened gear ratio though, but the rest is stock. I believe that power steering was added in '93. VTEC typically engages around 5800rpm, thought there isn't really any abrupt change in the sound on mine. It was supposedly a purposefully decision from Honda to make it a smooth transition into VTEC. I have a friend with an Elise, I may have the opportunity to try his one day (fingers crossed)
Having driven my Exige on track, the steering does get decently weighted in that environment. I feel sore like I’ve been lifting weights after a track weekend. You don’t get as much weighting on street as it takes quite a bit to load up those front tires. There’s not much weight at all on the front axel!
That Elise sounds fantastic! Toyota power 😍🤩🥰 It seems like the Elise offered a more fun, seat of the pants driving experience than the NSX albeit it's not as special. I'd be happy with both but if I had to choose just one then of course, it's the mighty NSX. That being said my next project might just feature a 2ZZ-GE swap into an AW11 or ZZ MR2 🤫😏
Agreed, that is a much more likely comparison. These two cars are both awesome and get fun but I would literally never cross shop them. The Evora on the other hand I absolutely would. I really enjoyed driving the Evora and I think I'd probably go that way......but it depends on the day I'm asked haha.
Great video as always! Did you ever notice the open diff holding you back in the Elise? If not, why do you think it's not a big deal? Low torque? Mid-engine?
I have an Elise w lsd as factory option. I never feel it except in 1st gear tight corner, probably because of light weight, short wheelbase and grippy tires
elise's low torque will never expose the short coming of the open diff, but rather with proper throttle control, the open diff along with the proper chassis and tire grip can help you during mid corner/corner exits.
I've owned couple of s2ks and couple of elise. Elise is more fun to drive and has superior steering, road feel, and overall dynamics. The s2k has a better shifter, engine and is more practical but that's about it.
@@victoryang9115 because the Elise is a lot more hardcore. Like I said, s2k is more practical and makes sense for more people. You get an Elise if driving pleasure is all that matters.
Very interesting to hear owners say the nsx has good steering feel. I have heard some people say they didn’t like the steering. One thing I can say for certain: the modern gen 2 NSX has some of the most feedback-free steering I have ever experienced in any car at any price. Honda really blew it and I think that’s why the car failed in the marketplace
@@BrianWEnglish every modern bmw is like that. I’m not sure what is up with bmw. Every manufacturer has figured out electric power steering except them. The weird thing is bmw used to set the standard for steering feel
I think there is a huge difference between the unassisted and assisted NSX racks. The assisted cars were also very early EPAS I think which is why people complain about the feel.
Whhat! You're in Northern Cali, I'm from Oakland but I currently reside in Las Vegas. I wet my pants the other day because some lucky guy or gal had a 1991 BNR32 Skyline GTR! My favorite Japanese car of All time!
Have to go with the 1st gen NSX given it's history - Senna and Honda's golden era in F1. Even if you don't drive it that part of history is encapsulated in the car.
@@Zygrene is there a aftermarket for reprogramming electric steering to reduce power steering? would be nice to feel grip limit for preserving momentum, which lowers use of fuel, fluids, brakes, battery etc, even with electric drive regenerative braking, roughly same tire wear as braking and accelerating again. if im not mistaken, japan gets trd prius which is tightened chassis, anti roll bar, multilink rear suspension (i think multilink became a standard in all prius at soem point) , . ive heard simialr for new prius. i wonder why not just have a small combustion thats smaller lighter higher and optimal combustions per second ,because it only has to charge electric drive and battery size optimal for longveity for lower noise levels and lowering emissions for human health reasons (which wont be much) or legal bs reasons. possibly plugin hybrid. maybe they dont do it because battery recycling isnt happening and dendrite battery degradation makes it low longevity and expensive to buy and replace, although i think they recently stoped being so anti ev recently because i guess the decided peopel dont care, they still want ev. heavy weight is bad for having easier communciative steering, but also less safe to others ina crash (see aptera owners club video on saftey) and causes mroe road wear which costs raw resources(sustainability) .
Having owned an Exige S I have to add that the lotus felt very frail and Kit car like. I drove it and always thought the fiberglass clam would break if Icame in contact w and road debris. Always wish it had a metal body. It was very raw but I craved something more real like an nsx or gt3.
How’s the 360 visibility in the Elise? How does the Elise visibility compare to a cayman? Think weight reduction in a nsx may bring it closer to an Elise in terms of excitement?
I wanted an NSX, but as their values continue to climb out pacing my ability to afford one…my fallback mid engine car is a Lotus Emira. Deposit and order in place for one.
I had a Exige for 6 years. I sold it a few years ago but there is really no good aftermarket support for the brand. As someone who likes to tinker, that's a huge negative.
I know this is about driving, and the Elise looks like a barrel of monkeys, but I recently picked up a '91 NSX because it's iconic and beautiful. It parts traffic, literally, and garners A TON of attention at cars and coffee. I like to look at it. I like to look out of it. I cannot say any of those things about the Elise.
The Elise is very quick, efficient and fun at legal speeds. Not much of a car, though. More like a large go-cart. It scares the crap out of me at over 100 mph at 6k plus rpm when the downforce and second cam profile kicks in. It's a freaking race car! I hope this is how I die.
I own a 2002 S2000 since 2010 and i still ❤ it so much after driving it 100000KM. In 2011 or 2012 at my Honda dealer was a NSX for sales for 25000euros. I couldn't afford to buy it without trading in the S2000 so i didn't buy the NSX. When i see the prices now..... Since last year i also own a Lotus Elise S2 R Y2006. In 2009 it got the oem supercharger kit of the Elise SC. So it has about 220HP now. Didn't drive the Lotus much yet because of the winter weather with salt on the roads but it feels very special and it is great on b roads. To choose is difficult, depends how you use it. Daily or only for fun miles. The S2000 is easier to get in and out and is wider inside. AC in S2000 is better. The Lotus you don't have to rev high to be fast, because it has the supercharger. My S2000 has KW V3 coilovers, the Lotus has the oem Bilsteins and both are comfortable enough for me.
![JDM Legend - 1991 Acura NSX [norarinsx]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZyPEYKMrtS8/mqdefault.jpg)
the in-cabin sound of the elise is absolutely incredible!
Yes. That's why it has a crap sterio.
@@seivaDsugnA The stock stereo blows. I have had an Elise for almost 20 years. That was one of the first things I changed out. That, and upgraded to the Sport Exhaust. Great little car. The Toyota engine really transforms the car into something that is bullet proof reliable, but still a hell of a lot of fun. For years the first Gen NSXs were around 30-40k...then boom...they doubled in price and continue to rise. Great car. I wish I had bought one when they were reasonable.
I’m 50+ and still haven’t tired of the Elise. In fact, I started with a series 3, 2015 Elise & now in a Series 1 Elise. Perfection in the days of congestion, surveillance & speed cameras everywhere!
I'll never get tired of NSX content!
Lotus Elise is my dream car. Thanks for the amazing review!
Dream higher.
Was my dream car but I am living the dream now
Me too, and i Hope come to reality soon 🤞
@@Asiansxsymbol Is there higher for a pure driver's car? Lotus Seven maybe? Lotus Elan? What else?
It was my dream car that i could afford and keep running. Had my 111R för 14 years or so now. For me it was the most stupid car i could se myself actually own. And i got one, imported from GB. I haven´t driven it for 3 years i think but it´s there in the garage and i just like looking at it when i´m off for work. Maby i will pull it out this year. (Get one, they make you happy).
Elise/exige on a tight track is an absolute joy unlike other road cars. I miss mine but got too old to live with it.
That Elise sounds incredible, that would never get old.
The Elise corners so hard it took your band aid off lol. The S2 Elise/Exige is one of my dream cars. Everyone who's driven it says its like an extension of your body. I could only imagine what the 2-eleven is like
You can really feel a difference at braking and cornering. The car also feels faster. But the 2-11 is a true trackday car. WIth the exige or elise you can make road trips.
Loved my Elise when I owned it many years ago. Had to sell her because driving her around and parking in San Francisco gave me more anxiety than it was worth 😂. For me, it was simply the best car in the canyons. Can't say it was really good for anything else though lol.
Zygrene, I really appreciate the multi-camera setup. As you mentioned in other vids with your fellow UA-camrs, it is a lot more work. But it really differentiates your channel from the others. The viewer experience is improved with the multiple angles. It’s also cool to see you!!
Thanks for the feedback. Planning to continue with the 3 camera set up for all in depth driving reviews but will switch to POV for normal press cars.
@@Zygrene i suspect if u keep ur health good you wont get lazier when old. ive seen some farmers who are even somewhat shredded at 70 and still living young.... think of living more like how humans are more accustom to living through generations of genetic natual selection.
using steroids etc which have you maximize your hormone profile for anabolism has holistic effects on the body... things grow which you may not necessarily want to grow, like your internal organs for instance. This effect is fairly minor if you're within normal reference ranges for testosterone, but if you go exogenous, into SARMs, synthetic anabolics, HGH, exogenous IGF1, exogenous thyroid... all the stuff top tier athletes and bodybuilders do... you're going to experience undesirable sideffects and it's going to cost serious money to test for them, monitor them, and treat them as you age.
basically if you want to build your body, start with your diet and sleep. Any routine that involves lifting weight in the 5-15 rep range, 3-6 sets, 3-5 times per week will work for years if your diet macros are good, your inflammatory foods are kept low.low inflamatory food (itll also give less of a nonclear, painfully stressed mind) like natrual fats, especially animal stuff,. lower sugars inslcuidng carbohydrates.like if using fiber for hard poop constipation.
plants pass on genetics that survive human consumption,so they run away liek animals and dotn need to maintain such complex machinery that animals are, so the genetics to make them toxic to human at various levels, survives and passes on genes more. most plants are not beneficial and are often even harmful. sugars like carbohydrates, fructose etc arnt absorbed well which is why meat has more energy , lasts longer . human shoulder rottates more, made for killing unlike onkeys,, and teeth dont move side to side like monkeys, hose, cow, and oterh plant eaters, our teeth made for grinding harder to break down stuff like meat. pesticides wasnt banned becuz plants are considered more harmful than pesticides.
make sleep is regular and uninterrupted... ie get 8 hours of sleep and go to sleep so that you naturally wake up about when the sun comes up. blueish and/or brighter light wakes person up for a while similar to sunlight, like from electronics, room lights, etc . some people use red light on dark background in low light setting when around tmes of sunlight darkening
do more work out in the morning, like pbodily excersize, that's when testosterone is highest,
for specifically acne, eating less dairy will help for some people. wash off most the natural oily stuff on skin
@@kalmmonke5037 wf are u talking about. Where did this comment come from? How is it relevant to anything here?
@@KuostA because he was sayin that he might not tolerate the noise vibraiton harshness of lotus elise when he gets old and fall int bad health, where people are able to tolerate less in general, which makes life less good.
Easily would take the Elise everytime. Wow does that engine sound just fantastic. The reason you don't miss the 3-2 downshift in the NSX is because you are always in 2nd gear (I tease). Would love to see a manual Supra vs a manual Camaro SS 1LE comparison if possible
This made me lol but I have an Exige and the shifter is garbage. Otherwise it’s better than the NSX unless you are taking it on road trips (which is kind of weird)
100% agree. I have an Elise and it is unbelievable even today. Never driven an NSX. Did get a chance to drive a 991.1 Carrera S and surprisingly it didn’t come close to how fun the Elise is. It was actually a letdown in comparison on the fun department but to be fair it was a lot more refined. Never thought I would call a 911 boring. Maybe need to try a GT variant some day soon
@@johnwight6041my friend who owned a elise 111r for 6 years told me that, "the car ruined other car" for him as no other sports car he drove ever come close to the experience in the Elise, he daily drive that car as well
The gearshift in the Elise should be good. It's a long throw but if it feels bad there is something wrong.
A bit apples to oranges, but that's okay. That the NSX is such a capable drivers car while still being a GT and now over three decades old is really impressive. This takes nothing away from the incredibly pure sports car that is the Elise. Both cars are fantastic testaments to the vision and philosophies of their respective manufacturers. In addition, both of these cars appeal more to me than the current offerings from Acura and Lotus. In stark contrast to most of today's offerings, it is interesting to think about just how far down the "purity rabbit hole" some are willing to go considering options such as the Caterham Seven and the Ariel Atom.
The ‘tell’ is clear by your immediate emotional reactions; the Elise made you laugh out loud & cry out - wow. The Elise is simply a better drivers car. Supercharge it for a whole other level of visceral bliss & get the top off for the ultimate connection with the environment. Try a quick Caterham - it’ll blow your mind! Thanks for posting a great vid.
I’ve looked for years to find a video comparing these two cars on UA-cam…FINALLY! 👏🏼
The Elise is more “pure” but the NSX is more “iconic” plus the longer wheelbase makes the NSX feel more stable but less pointy - Former Lotus owner with a K20 swap :)
Your NSX technical comments and content in general is some, if not the best on UA-cam. Really liked this comparison with the Lotus. Does anybody remember the old video of that Lotus Elise with a Honda K20 engine swap spitting fire? Man, that thing was amazing. Thank you for another great video btw.
Both icon cars these days, and both appreciating assets. That is as long as we are allowed to drive petrol powered cars! Take the Lotus now and drive it hard and don’t worry about comfort and cruising for when you get old.
For me, the ultimate Elise would be an S2 with a Supercharged K20a swapped in. Honda and Lotus, what a magnificent combination.
My favourite NSX, would probably be the Type S zero. 3.2 engine, 6 speed manual, light and with the pop up lights.
Met a few people in a group of Lotus owners who had K20a swaps, even one with a supercharged K20 Exige ;) Impressive beast. And much faster than my NA2 NSX (which has a stock engine) but I still love it :)
Great video. 2006 Elise is drive by wire. 2005 was the last year for the cabled throttle.
Correct my Exige 06 had drive by wire. But it's still feels really good and natural.
None of the US spec cars had a cable throttle. They also all had the airbag steering wheel which wasn't as good imo.
@tlyFakeName No, 2005 has a throttle cable. I've even adjusted mine to change the neutral throttle position.
@@justaddafan there must only be a few early ones then. The electronic system is considered better on these, it's a very responsive one. People actually retrofit them to the cable throttles.
@@BlatentlyFakeName No, all US federal 2005s have a cable throttle. As to "better" that's debatable.
Always coming back to this channel for some genuine reviews!
Lotus Elise. It's a drivers car. Lightweight. It's not trying to be a family car, it's not trying to be a luxury car, it's a pure breed drivers race car. Super lightweight and that 2zz GE engine from the Toyota Celica GTS just makes this car an awesome car.
I can not believe this video was done. Ofc it would be better with the v6 exige but thats UK only. Till then this guy did what I wanted so many people to do for the past 5 years. Thank you so much
Thank you for another excellent video! I greatly appreciate your in-car video, audio, and description of the driving dynamics and feel.
What a fun afternoon of driving. You've got this down to a fine science Fenton, and as always it's consistantly informative. Thanks for your commitment to your channel. Let me know the next time your going to SoCal and we'll sync up to do a review of Ken's R32 GTR.
We need to make this happen! Only 8 years in the making haha. Could you shoot me a quick email? zygrene@gmail.com
I like the tastefull mods on the NSX
Have a 2ZZGE in my Celica and it’s quite an amazing engine
I really appreciate the angle from the back where we can see your feet while you shift. Really helps me understand how it should be done. Thank you!
2zz is such an amazing motor.
Shame that the corolla and matrix XRS never got suspension the motor deserved.
I threw a lot of money at my matrix XRS trying to get that thing to handle nearly as well as my previous SI's. No dice, sold it and got a fiesta ST. Still miss that sound though.
I'd say the 2zz has a more pronounced changeover sound than the k20 motor too
Yeah cuz the 2zz change over happens at higher rpm but the k20 sounds just as good with ITB, my dream Elise would be Supercharged 2zz
K crossover is not as aggressive as the B or the 2ZZ. The latter two have the best crossovers in my opinion
two of my dream MR vehicles
I was going to say 100% the Elise is better but wow that Acura NSX looks like a blast to drive as well and an epic vehicle! Really impressed by the sound, mechanicalness, the suspension, fun etc
You really hit the nail on the head that the Elise is far less compromising. If your mission was to drive winding roads all the time, the Elise wins handily. However, if you want a more well rounded experience and a car that can do nearly everything well, the NSX is absolutely sublime. The Elise is the better 'track' car but the NSX is by far the better overall car. Thanks for a nice video!
Great content thanks. I had a 911 and Cayman, drove an Elise and sold them. They were just cars the Lotus is excitement. Im over 6ft and daily 220 Elise and Ninja 1000, keep fit and happy. Once old and fat, buy a Porker and ride a BMW, at 54 im not there yet. Thanks again and I know we are all different, which is great. Drive and ride safe no matter what it is you love.
I drove an ITR way back when and it was definitely one quarter the VTECs now, the other three quarters of the VTECs later.
Both are important. Forgotten in the UK, it’s all massive hp, auto, fat and German. Great you still value driving in the USA. Thanks
That lotus is so emotional and I love that color. I learned something new I thought they had LSDs. Im in my 40s and I still dont get bothered by nvh and a firmer ride, I guess I am an outlier.
I'm in my mid 50s and love driving my Elise. Guess I'm an even farther outlier. 😂
@@darrendonovan6679 I missed the elise train unfortunately they are like 50k now or more but I got my 85 Ae86 and love it.
I'am 57 and last year i bought my first Lotus 😂
A Elise S2 with oem supercharger. I also own a Honda S2000 for 14 years now.
Buy a Lotus if you like them and can afford, life is passing fast so you better enjoy it and don't think about what other people will think of you. Life your dream.
Reccomendation for you as an auto media creator - dont be afraid to take unsual or unexpected positions on things. Get into specifics of how things feel and how it compares to other cars. Have strong opinions and don't be afraid to support them when others disagree.
As for canyon/tough driving fun Elise>s2k>nsx. For high speed/boulevard cruising, in reverse order.
Another great comparison, can feel the drive 👏🏁
I would take the Acura in a heartbeat.
both of those cars are absolute legends. I'm definitely more of a Lotus fan with regards to pure fun-to-drive cars. Not snubbing my nose to an NSX in the least bit, but the lighter car wins almost every time, in my books. But man can Honda do engines...
I drive an NB2 Miata and it's a real blast to drive. Keep these classics alive and well!
IDK, I would rather road trip in an SUV and buy a drivers car for driving. The driver clearly enjoyed the Elise more until the very last second when he said he would rather have the NSX… for road trips? Why would you rack up miles on that thing like that?
Mid engine fetishist appreciate this kind of review!
Elise 111R owner here: Love both. Love the NSX power. Love the Lotus Lightness and sharpness. I love both. But they are different, right.
FYI Elise was only cable throttle in 2005. From 06 onward is DBW.
i think he swapped it
@@mfdoom4358 interesting
Thank you for this video my life is currently in turmoil because I can't decide which one of these to buy. My heart says NSX but after test driving an Elise the lotus would make much more sense for me
Currently own an S3 Elise cup 250 and the NSX is my dream car. Really I just want the driving thrills of an Elise but with a more comfortable everyday ride and a more interesting engine. Sadly I don’t have 2 million to drop on a GMA car so the NSX seems a more attainable compromise haha.
Great comparison and quality content as usual
That elise steering wheel must be great. The owner gave the car all kinds of goodies but keeps the worn steering wheel.
Love both of these cars!!
How this channel has only 35k subs I don’t get it
Matter of opinion and either one has positives or negatives..but I love the nsx more.
Noticed that your brake light is on. Assuming that your brake lights are still working, this may be an indication of leaking capacitors behind the cluster. Possible electrical fire if it gets too bad. I believe Brian K still fixes this issue. Search on nsx prime or on the fb page for his info to get some preventative maintenance done before its too late.
Would love to see a comparison between the NSX and the new Lotus Emira. 😆
Once @jubbalandcars takes delivery of his V6 manual, we'll make it happen
Nice comparison, I am jealous of being able to do both on that road back to back. I also have a 91 NSX in silver. I do have the shortened gear ratio though, but the rest is stock. I believe that power steering was added in '93. VTEC typically engages around 5800rpm, thought there isn't really any abrupt change in the sound on mine. It was supposedly a purposefully decision from Honda to make it a smooth transition into VTEC. I have a friend with an Elise, I may have the opportunity to try his one day (fingers crossed)
Having driven my Exige on track, the steering does get decently weighted in that environment. I feel sore like I’ve been lifting weights after a track weekend. You don’t get as much weighting on street as it takes quite a bit to load up those front tires. There’s not much weight at all on the front axel!
really enjoyed your review - thanks
Good video! Both cars are Incredible!
That Elise sounds fantastic! Toyota power 😍🤩🥰 It seems like the Elise offered a more fun, seat of the pants driving experience than the NSX albeit it's not as special. I'd be happy with both but if I had to choose just one then of course, it's the mighty NSX. That being said my next project might just feature a 2ZZ-GE swap into an AW11 or ZZ MR2 🤫😏
What about the evora with the v6? Send more 1:1 comparison? Would love to see your thoughts on that 😁
Agreed, that is a much more likely comparison. These two cars are both awesome and get fun but I would literally never cross shop them. The Evora on the other hand I absolutely would. I really enjoyed driving the Evora and I think I'd probably go that way......but it depends on the day I'm asked haha.
Great video as always! Did you ever notice the open diff holding you back in the Elise? If not, why do you think it's not a big deal? Low torque? Mid-engine?
I have an Elise w lsd as factory option. I never feel it except in 1st gear tight corner, probably because of light weight, short wheelbase and grippy tires
elise's low torque will never expose the short coming of the open diff, but rather with proper throttle control, the open diff along with the proper chassis and tire grip can help you during mid corner/corner exits.
How does the Elise compare to the s2000? Really hope you can do a comparison between the two
he did one already...there was a 350z also in the video..he preferred the Lotus
I've owned couple of s2ks and couple of elise. Elise is more fun to drive and has superior steering, road feel, and overall dynamics. The s2k has a better shifter, engine and is more practical but that's about it.
@@superjervis yeah but he’s owned countless s2000’s and never planned on owning a lotus, there’s got to be reasons for that
@@victoryang9115 because the Elise is a lot more hardcore. Like I said, s2k is more practical and makes sense for more people. You get an Elise if driving pleasure is all that matters.
@@victoryang9115 he addresses this many times...too much of a compromise for him,i would personally own an elise over an s2000
Excellent comparison video!
before watching ur opinion i wanna say
elise all day everyday bc i can see by ur hands that ur having to work harder to turn the nsx
Very interesting to hear owners say the nsx has good steering feel. I have heard some people say they didn’t like the steering. One thing I can say for certain: the modern gen 2 NSX has some of the most feedback-free steering I have ever experienced in any car at any price. Honda really blew it and I think that’s why the car failed in the marketplace
Have you ever driven an M235I? Totally dead wheel, complete disappointment.
@@BrianWEnglish every modern bmw is like that. I’m not sure what is up with bmw. Every manufacturer has figured out electric power steering except them. The weird thing is bmw used to set the standard for steering feel
I think there is a huge difference between the unassisted and assisted NSX racks. The assisted cars were also very early EPAS I think which is why people complain about the feel.
Whhat! You're in Northern Cali, I'm from Oakland but I currently reside in Las Vegas. I wet my pants the other day because some lucky guy or gal had a 1991 BNR32 Skyline GTR! My favorite Japanese car of All time!
Two of my favorite cars!
love all these videos with any Lotus...how is the acceleration between the two cars
The Elise feels faster than my 981 cayman s, a lot more visceral
Elise feels like a full second quicker to 60 mph
@@Zygrene thanks
No Honda motor can beat the sound of the 2zz. Super aggressive high strung it's music to the ear!
Have to go with the 1st gen NSX given it's history - Senna and Honda's golden era in F1. Even if you don't drive it that part of history is encapsulated in the car.
mind telling where your car reviews take place? looks like a pretty fun backroad for some spirited driving.
That's some mighty fine driving....
Nice discussion of driving dynamics. Btw, 2006 Elises don’t have a cable throttle. It’s DBW.
I'd love to see Zygrene drive a facelift NA2.
The newest NSX I've driven was a 99 coupe. Very curious about the 02+
@@Zygrene is there a aftermarket for reprogramming electric steering to reduce power steering? would be nice to feel grip limit for preserving momentum, which lowers use of fuel, fluids, brakes, battery etc, even with electric drive regenerative braking, roughly same tire wear as braking and accelerating again. if im not mistaken, japan gets trd prius which is tightened chassis, anti roll bar, multilink rear suspension (i think multilink became a standard in all prius at soem point) , . ive heard simialr for new prius. i wonder why not just have a small combustion thats smaller lighter higher and optimal combustions per second ,because it only has to charge electric drive and battery size optimal for longveity for lower noise levels and lowering emissions for human health reasons (which wont be much) or legal bs reasons. possibly plugin hybrid. maybe they dont do it because battery recycling isnt happening and dendrite battery degradation makes it low longevity and expensive to buy and replace, although i think they recently stoped being so anti ev recently because i guess the decided peopel dont care, they still want ev. heavy weight is bad for having easier communciative steering, but also less safe to others ina crash (see aptera owners club video on saftey) and causes mroe road wear which costs raw resources(sustainability) .
Oh, that comparison has been done on youtube numerous times.
I drove Honda NSX and my Exige V6 back to back, and while I really liked the NSX I would not switch to it. I would have it as a 3th car though :)
I’m 72 and your right…love the Japanese gearing…
Great content video.
I would like to see comparison of this cars with your brz, especialy on track
Having owned an Exige S I have to add that the lotus felt very frail and Kit car like. I drove it and always thought the fiberglass clam would break if Icame in contact w and road debris. Always wish it had a metal body. It was very raw but I craved something more real like an nsx or gt3.
Yup and the Lotus chasis is glued aluminum, not very durable or repairable and sketchy electronics throughout the years
@@BRAINFxck10 the glue is stronger than any weld, rivet or bolt and the aluminium is what keeps it lightweight
Consider the MITA short shifter lever with type S knob and type R leather boot then thank me later. Your shifter is way taller
How’s the 360 visibility in the Elise? How does the Elise visibility compare to a cayman? Think weight reduction in a nsx may bring it closer to an Elise in terms of excitement?
I wanted an NSX, but as their values continue to climb out pacing my ability to afford one…my fallback mid engine car is a Lotus Emira. Deposit and order in place for one.
I’m pretty sure I’d prefer any Lotus to any Honda, no matter which two you pick.
The Elise needs a short throw shifter
Very good analysis...
I love both of these cars... But the Honda fanboy in me would take the NS-X.
Bulba-boi 10/10 happily along for the ride
Where'd he get that larger gas pedal in the Elise... I crave it. lol
I wonder how much an LSD + install runs on an older Elise like this one.
Elise is the most pure driving experience.
NSX is more of a cheap supercar.
NSX one if my dream cars
I had a Exige for 6 years. I sold it a few years ago but there is really no good aftermarket support for the brand. As someone who likes to tinker, that's a huge negative.
I know this is about driving, and the Elise looks like a barrel of monkeys, but I recently picked up a '91 NSX because it's iconic and beautiful. It parts traffic, literally, and garners A TON of attention at cars and coffee. I like to look at it. I like to look out of it. I cannot say any of those things about the Elise.
😂
The NSX is just the better looking car.
I'd like to see a Fiata vs Miata segment.
12:49 what that sticker called?
as always, great video
I do stick with my Cayman 😉
id love to see your thoughts on an evora 400 or even the new emira!
I think he has tested the Evora GT or 400 before, try to look it up.
Bravo !!! Lucky man !!!
Two demerit of NSX. 1:Minimum turning radius 5,4m
2:poor ex sound.
(Ferrari 328 Minimum turning radius 4,9m.)
The Elise is very quick, efficient and fun at legal speeds. Not much of a car, though. More like a large go-cart. It scares the crap out of me at over 100 mph at 6k plus rpm when the downforce and second cam profile kicks in. It's a freaking race car! I hope this is how I die.
Musk launched an S1 into space. What an idiot.
The NSX Is my dream car
Would you rather have S2k or Elise?
I own a 2002 S2000 since 2010 and i still ❤ it so much after driving it 100000KM.
In 2011 or 2012 at my Honda dealer was a NSX for sales for 25000euros. I couldn't afford to buy it without trading in the S2000 so i didn't buy the NSX.
When i see the prices now.....
Since last year i also own a Lotus Elise S2 R Y2006. In 2009 it got the oem supercharger kit of the Elise SC. So it has about 220HP now.
Didn't drive the Lotus much yet because of the winter weather with salt on the roads but it feels very special and it is great on b roads.
To choose is difficult, depends how you use it. Daily or only for fun miles.
The S2000 is easier to get in and out and is wider inside. AC in S2000 is better.
The Lotus you don't have to rev high to be fast, because it has the supercharger.
My S2000 has KW V3 coilovers, the Lotus has the oem Bilsteins and both are comfortable enough for me.