I climbed out after my test drive in 2005 and said to my wife, "It's like it was shrink-wrapped around me!" She said "Let's buy one." I still have it...and her :) Great review, Peter!
Hi Tom! That's exactly how it feels, isn't it? My wife talked me out of one (so I bought a used E60 M5 V10 instead) but when we had this she said I should have bought the Elise instead. It's always good when your wife is on board with a car choice - like yours, mine is a keeper! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Make sure you subscribe for more!
Great review. Almost total radio silence on the Sprint, this is a great reminder of how relevant these cars are today. If fast cars were more about having fun than showing off, this is what everyone would drive.
Hey there - thanks so much for your very kind comment. This one really, truly was very special and you're dead right - this car is fundamentally about fun and I absolutely love it. It's hilarious just getting it out of the driveway. Thanks so much for watching and make sure you subscribe for more!
Subbed. Credit where its due it's a great review, one of the few that really 'gets' what the car is all about. I'm sharing it on thelotusforums.com, you'd be welcome over there, quite a few members from Down Under there also. Cheers!
Oh, that would be fantastic if you could share it. Like I say, I've loved the idea of this car from day one. We're all about the experience at The Redline, we don't give a toss about whether there are exposed bolts or whatever. Make sure you check out our Evora review too!
Sportscars have become so similar these days. The Mustang, M4, F type all similar recipes with slightly different flavors. The two sportscars that really stand out as exclusive experiences were the Porsche 911 and Supercharged Lotus Elise.
Hi Mark - thanks so much for watching and taking the time to leave a comment. It is amazing how much of the original car is left - the GM power window switches always make me laugh, they're straight out of my mate's sister's Vauxhall Corsa/Holden Barina. Make sure you subscribe, we've got more Lotus stuff coming. And keep enjoying that S1!
Hey Ricksta - thanks once again for stopping by and leaving a comment. It's even better that it's a compliment :-) Make sure you tell all your friends and get them to subscribe!
Nice review about a fascinating car! Never even tried one of these, but it must be so.....honest and direct, and a pleasure to drive..... Thanks Peter! Thumbs up! PS did you say you tried the Evora? Like to see that one! Kind regards from europe!
Hi Martijn, that's a an excellent description - honest and direct! It's a great car and as always, thanks so much for watching and leaving a comment. Here's a link to the Evora review: theredline.com.au/2017-lotus-evora-400-v6/ Thanks again!
Love this review. I’m thinking about moving from a Yaris GRMN (same engine) to an Elise 220 Sport. I was lucky enough to drive the Elise 220 Sport on track and I completely agree with your comment about the quality of the controls, I.e. clutch/steering/brake feel. My family were surprised when I said I felt it was easier to drive than my Yaris in many respects. Don’t suppose you know what options came with the car you tested? Did it have the standard exhaust? Thanks 😊
Hey there! Thanks so much for watching and for your kind comments. I'm pretty sure the car was basically standard. I think it had the standard exhaust. I recently drove an Elise Cup 250 (theredline.com.au/lotus-elise-sport-cup-250-review-road-and-track/) and the Sprint 220 isn't that much slower in the real world, but the Cup has the same torque across a broader range (that's to with charge cooling). Either way, it's a terrific car and you'll be very happy with a Sprint 220 I'm sure. I would be! I think it would be much more drivable than the Yaris because the engine mapping would be a lot more consistent. Let me know what you end up doing!
Hey Shiv - yep, you won't ever get bored of what this car can do. I absolutely loved it. As you can tell. Hoping to spend more time in Lotuses in 2020.
Always loved these little cars. I've got a mate with one, maybe I'll get him to let me take her out for a spin some time. I'm more focused on getting into his Bimmers though including his M4 GTS 🤗
Ha! Thanks for coming back to have a watch. The Elise is great but I, like you, have a BMW fetish - owned five of them. E60 M5, E87 130i Sport, E90 330d M Sport. And a couple of other 1ers. But get on that Elise. Have you seen our Evora review?
I haven't watched the Evora review yet, I'll do that now. I Have a 135i myself. Lots of mods and lots more to come. Just ordered new rims and tires this past Friday. It's my 1st BMW and I dove head first into the culture. Learning everything I can and loving every minute!
Great review of an awesome car mate, ive got an Elise as well and it’s magic. So much fun even at low speeds. It’s a turbo 2zz though so it’s allot of fun at high speeds as well ;) just tuned it to 380rwhp
Wow, that thing would be off the chain! It is an amazing car and to still be amazing after all these years - from a car company with almost no money - shows what a brilliant job Lotus did in the 90s. I was so blown away by home responsive and fun but also how comfortable it was - there's more body roll than I thought (wait till you see the stills on the website) but it was so controllable and fun. Glad you love your car and even gladder you watch the review. If you're a Lotus fan we've also done the Evora if you're interested. Don't forget to subscribe and check out the website, we've got plenty more coming!
Turn the music down or off. Watching a car video with music is like playing the stereo in that Lotus at full volume so it drowns out the engine. Sacrilege!
Hey there - is it still too loud? I *absolutely* took your advice about the sound to heart and we turned it down a fair bit in the final edit. We might think about ditching music altogether in-car. Thanks again. And yes. Sacrilege! Thanks for watching.
I'd have to say the music was definitely un-needed in a bunch of parts. Towards the beginning of the video when you're leaned under the hood with it open. The music is super low and just kind of annoying. The audio on your voice isn't the best in that section as it is, it's a bit low and there is some hiss so the music just makes it even more distracting to make out what you are saying. In contrast, at the very beginning when different clips are being shown and you're talking about the model, you're vocals are clean (in studio I assume) and the music is also clean, it all works well together here. During the in car I would rather just hear the audio from the car as well, you're already talking on top of it so that's like two soundtracks as is without adding in the music. During the outro it could be a tad quieter so we can better hear what you're saying and then it comes up way loud at the end, too much I'd say. I do have a lot of experience working with audio so just trying to give some friendly and helpful feedback. Overall your videos are really well produced.
Thanks for the feedback BimmerTV. We do try our best to give you the best content on this channel. But we do occasionally miss those little details that makes or breaks it. Will definitely try out the idea of just using the raw audio of the engine with the in car talk. That's all it really needs I think. I'll pay a bit more attention to the levels at the end as well. Do make sure to keep the feedback coming in as it only helps us to understand what our audience is wanting to gain from our videos. Hope to see you coming back for more as I'm sure there is going to be plenty of more beemers coming in the future.
My first time on this channel and came to the comments for the same reason. Music way way too loud, especially if wearing headphones. Being more positive, no music was really needed. Great video and really captured what I hoped it would. 😛
@@TheRedlinedotcom well, not many, only the ones from 2003 are available, im looking for an elise thats p plate approved like the club or the 2017 elise sprint(not the 220)
Aw, MegaRockstar, thanks so much for watching and paying close attention. I did make a mistake, but as you can see under the video, I corrected myself. All it takes is a moment of research!
@@TheRedlinedotcom I know this is a 2 year old comment and you may realise by now but everything that looks like carbon on a lotus is real and high quality carbon at that. Definitely not plastic!
In all the excitement, I got the engine size wrong - it's a 1.8-litre, not a 1.6. Sorry folks!
And what about the 1.6? It has "only" 136ph, but its lighter, and some people says that is even more fun to drive...
I climbed out after my test drive in 2005 and said to my wife, "It's like it was shrink-wrapped around me!" She said "Let's buy one."
I still have it...and her :)
Great review, Peter!
Hi Tom! That's exactly how it feels, isn't it? My wife talked me out of one (so I bought a used E60 M5 V10 instead) but when we had this she said I should have bought the Elise instead. It's always good when your wife is on board with a car choice - like yours, mine is a keeper! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Make sure you subscribe for more!
Great review. Almost total radio silence on the Sprint, this is a great reminder of how relevant these cars are today. If fast cars were more about having fun than showing off, this is what everyone would drive.
Hey there - thanks so much for your very kind comment. This one really, truly was very special and you're dead right - this car is fundamentally about fun and I absolutely love it. It's hilarious just getting it out of the driveway. Thanks so much for watching and make sure you subscribe for more!
Subbed. Credit where its due it's a great review, one of the few that really 'gets' what the car is all about. I'm sharing it on thelotusforums.com, you'd be welcome over there, quite a few members from Down Under there also. Cheers!
Oh, that would be fantastic if you could share it. Like I say, I've loved the idea of this car from day one. We're all about the experience at The Redline, we don't give a toss about whether there are exposed bolts or whatever. Make sure you check out our Evora review too!
Sorry I took so long to reply, youtube hid me from you!
Exactly 👍🇬🇧
Sportscars have become so similar these days. The Mustang, M4, F type all similar recipes with slightly different flavors. The two sportscars that really stand out as exclusive experiences were the Porsche 911 and Supercharged Lotus Elise.
Amused to see the door mirrors still haven’t changed from my old 1999 S1. That weighed 750kgs and changed direction like a house fly. Wonderful cars
Hi Mark - thanks so much for watching and taking the time to leave a comment. It is amazing how much of the original car is left - the GM power window switches always make me laugh, they're straight out of my mate's sister's Vauxhall Corsa/Holden Barina. Make sure you subscribe, we've got more Lotus stuff coming. And keep enjoying that S1!
Another awesome review with your own style.
Keep them coming!
Hey Ricksta - thanks once again for stopping by and leaving a comment. It's even better that it's a compliment :-) Make sure you tell all your friends and get them to subscribe!
Nice review about a fascinating car! Never even tried one of these, but it must be so.....honest and direct, and a pleasure to drive.....
Thanks Peter! Thumbs up!
PS did you say you tried the Evora?
Like to see that one!
Kind regards from europe!
Hi Martijn, that's a an excellent description - honest and direct! It's a great car and as always, thanks so much for watching and leaving a comment. Here's a link to the Evora review: theredline.com.au/2017-lotus-evora-400-v6/
Thanks again!
The Redline thanks Peter! I'll watch the Evora review right now!
Love this review. I’m thinking about moving from a Yaris GRMN (same engine) to an Elise 220 Sport. I was lucky enough to drive the Elise 220 Sport on track and I completely agree with your comment about the quality of the controls, I.e. clutch/steering/brake feel. My family were surprised when I said I felt it was easier to drive than my Yaris in many respects.
Don’t suppose you know what options came with the car you tested? Did it have the standard exhaust? Thanks 😊
Hey there! Thanks so much for watching and for your kind comments. I'm pretty sure the car was basically standard. I think it had the standard exhaust. I recently drove an Elise Cup 250 (theredline.com.au/lotus-elise-sport-cup-250-review-road-and-track/) and the Sprint 220 isn't that much slower in the real world, but the Cup has the same torque across a broader range (that's to with charge cooling). Either way, it's a terrific car and you'll be very happy with a Sprint 220 I'm sure. I would be! I think it would be much more drivable than the Yaris because the engine mapping would be a lot more consistent. Let me know what you end up doing!
Thinking of getting this after I get bored of my Abarth 595 Competizione. There is a thril about light weight cars that power can't replace.
Hey Shiv - yep, you won't ever get bored of what this car can do. I absolutely loved it. As you can tell. Hoping to spend more time in Lotuses in 2020.
Always loved these little cars. I've got a mate with one, maybe I'll get him to let me take her out for a spin some time. I'm more focused on getting into his Bimmers though including his M4 GTS 🤗
Ha! Thanks for coming back to have a watch. The Elise is great but I, like you, have a BMW fetish - owned five of them. E60 M5, E87 130i Sport, E90 330d M Sport. And a couple of other 1ers. But get on that Elise. Have you seen our Evora review?
I haven't watched the Evora review yet, I'll do that now.
I Have a 135i myself. Lots of mods and lots more to come. Just ordered new rims and tires this past Friday. It's my 1st BMW and I dove head first into the culture. Learning everything I can and loving every minute!
Such a great car. We're living in the last years of real cars.
It's starting to feel that way. Thanks so much for watching, make sure you subscribe!
I came for the lotus but I subbed for Peter.
Great review of an awesome car mate, ive got an Elise as well and it’s magic. So much fun even at low speeds. It’s a turbo 2zz though so it’s allot of fun at high speeds as well ;) just tuned it to 380rwhp
Wow, that thing would be off the chain! It is an amazing car and to still be amazing after all these years - from a car company with almost no money - shows what a brilliant job Lotus did in the 90s. I was so blown away by home responsive and fun but also how comfortable it was - there's more body roll than I thought (wait till you see the stills on the website) but it was so controllable and fun. Glad you love your car and even gladder you watch the review. If you're a Lotus fan we've also done the Evora if you're interested. Don't forget to subscribe and check out the website, we've got plenty more coming!
Love the "I was a kid......sort of" comment!
I *might* still have been teenager on the day it was announced. Or rumoured. I can't remember. It was sooooo long ago.
Lotus are the best cars.! Είναι supercars.! Πολύ γρήγορα και πάρα πολύ ωραία σχεδιαστικα αυτά τα αυτοκίνητα.! 🇬🇷🏁🏆💪
This car is so cute
Turn the music down or off. Watching a car video with music is like playing the stereo in that Lotus at full volume so it drowns out the engine. Sacrilege!
Hey there - is it still too loud? I *absolutely* took your advice about the sound to heart and we turned it down a fair bit in the final edit. We might think about ditching music altogether in-car. Thanks again. And yes. Sacrilege! Thanks for watching.
I'd have to say the music was definitely un-needed in a bunch of parts. Towards the beginning of the video when you're leaned under the hood with it open. The music is super low and just kind of annoying. The audio on your voice isn't the best in that section as it is, it's a bit low and there is some hiss so the music just makes it even more distracting to make out what you are saying.
In contrast, at the very beginning when different clips are being shown and you're talking about the model, you're vocals are clean (in studio I assume) and the music is also clean, it all works well together here.
During the in car I would rather just hear the audio from the car as well, you're already talking on top of it so that's like two soundtracks as is without adding in the music.
During the outro it could be a tad quieter so we can better hear what you're saying and then it comes up way loud at the end, too much I'd say.
I do have a lot of experience working with audio so just trying to give some friendly and helpful feedback. Overall your videos are really well produced.
Thanks for the feedback BimmerTV. We do try our best to give you the best content on this channel. But we do occasionally miss those little details that makes or breaks it. Will definitely try out the idea of just using the raw audio of the engine with the in car talk. That's all it really needs I think. I'll pay a bit more attention to the levels at the end as well.
Do make sure to keep the feedback coming in as it only helps us to understand what our audience is wanting to gain from our videos. Hope to see you coming back for more as I'm sure there is going to be plenty of more beemers coming in the future.
Happy to help out. I'll be around :D
My first time on this channel and came to the comments for the same reason. Music way way too loud, especially if wearing headphones. Being more positive, no music was really needed. Great video and really captured what I hoped it would. 😛
are you telling me it's a more expensive miat?
Hi Jimmy. I am definitely not telling you it’s a more expensive Miata. :-) Thanks for watching and don’t forget to subscribe!
Why you drove so slowly?
Speed limits and video evidence that the cops like so much.
cant find any in melbourne
No Elises in Melbourne?
@@TheRedlinedotcom well, not many, only the ones from 2003 are available, im looking for an elise thats p plate approved like the club or the 2017 elise sprint(not the 220)
@@pikachu9756 Ah, okay. Yeah, Lotus owners tend to hang on to them. Have you tried aussieelises.com?
If it’s the 220 it’s a 1.8l unit. Do your research!!
Aw, MegaRockstar, thanks so much for watching and paying close attention. I did make a mistake, but as you can see under the video, I corrected myself. All it takes is a moment of research!
You need to try the Lotus Exige 430
You're dead right about that - it's on the list. Thanks so much for watching, make sure you subscribe, there's plenty more coming!
Yea, but nearly double the cost
you know
I do? Awesome! Thanks so much for watching!
Banned in the USA :-(
Oh, man, that is a bummer. Sorry to hear that. At least you guys get the Evora - we reviewed that too!
Nice engine, wait ?! carbon cover
Definitely a plastic one on this one. Thanks so much for watching, don't forget to subscribe for more!
@@TheRedlinedotcom I know this is a 2 year old comment and you may realise by now but everything that looks like carbon on a lotus is real and high quality carbon at that. Definitely not plastic!