I have an early S1 (chassis No 66). The slowest and least capable Elise but it is the only car I have owned for more than a couple of years - 17 years so far. I will never sell it as long as I can get in it.. You can thrash them without risking your licence. Fantastic cars
Nearly unsubscribed when you say you dont like the looks - its bloody gorgeous! Its very well proportioned, nicely curved, and has some exotic flair without being garish. Its dated better than the S2 Elise and that shows you what a great design it was from the off
Great video James and thanks for the mention! I genuinely think the most fun as a road car is an S1 or S2 with upgraded Rover engine to around 160bhp, close ratio gearbox and upgraded suspension. Budget around £14-17k for a good one, you'll have sooo much fun and it's better than money in the bank! :)
@@steveluck9541 I'm yet to try a S1 with a diff. My mild fettled 111s only has 150'ish bhp, not sure if a diff would bring much. Happy to be wrong though if I try one.
Mark Tickle I have S1 111s with janspeed manifold and exhaust inc sport cat, hurricane filter, 52mm throttle body and lightened flywheel. So similar cars do 160+ on Dino. Quaife lets you nail the throttle very hard pulling out of tight T junctions without any wheel spin at all.
@@steveluck9541 I'm yet to dino mine. Probably similar'ish; janspeed supersport, ITG Maxogen (carbon box) and de-cat. I don't think anywhere I use mine has tight enough corners to warrant a diff really, mainly flowing roads.
My first drive in a elise jubileum (number 46 red gold and white) was when i got her, 460 km non stop. Rainy weather i got real wet on my knees by the way. Had her for two years as a daily commuting car summer and winter. Great motor no trubble what so ever. Miss her.
4 mods to the K updated head gasket and steel locating dowels The strengthened oil ladder on the bottom end The PRT thermostat kit An after market low coolant alarm kit Then reliable as anything else
As below - I bought mine 18 years ago! Meant to drive it for a couple of years, but I've never been able to let it go. Every time I drive it, it makes me smile and stays another ... few ... years ... couple of decades ... still have it. My other car for the last 6 years has had 400 BHP, but this is so special - as is the club you seem to join unwittingly when you own one. There is nothing on the road like it.
Forgot to say, compared to the Toyota engine of the S2 onwards, I absolutely love the k series, and whilst it is down over 100bhp on my previous Exige RGB the little S1 feels nippier, more drivable and I'm not so fearful of loosing my license for excessive speed like I was in the Exige. Oh and the price, you get for more bang for your buck with the little S1 in fact my S1 cost a fraction of the price of a late plate S2 exige. And finally James was bang on when he said that if you drive one your want to buy one, I feel in love with my S1 the moment I test drove it. So moving from a Exige S2 260s to a S1 Elise in my case wasn't the down grade I thought it might be,...........absolutely love driving this car and gelled with it and it's pureness of design immediately. Great review James.
@Texan White Panther Exige has stiffer, more track focused suspension, but you give up suppleness and comfort on the road. I think it’s more a horses for courses issue.
Handling is great, a good geo on these cars makes all the difference. A big thanks to Kenny Brown Motor Engineers in Hillington for working their geo magic on this car.
Sold my Exige 260S RGB for one of these and I can say without a shadow of a doubt the little S1 elise knocks the spots off the Exige, the S1 is so drivable, with power so usable at most of the time. As for buying. ...........I bought the first one I drove! !!!!!!!! I just couldn't help myself.
I personally think they look pretty good in this version probably due to them being rare but also because it has that 90s and 2000s "Extreme sport" aesthetic that I satisfyingly enjoy. Dont know what im talking about? Look up 90s and 2000s snowboard, ski or powerboats. You should get the point
That car, that kind of road is a perfect Sunday to me. Rebuild a K series with a decent head gasket etc and they're no trouble what so ever in my experience.
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And a proper, considered head gasket replacement to boot. I did the gasket on my little Rover 25 (Payen MLS etc) in 2007 and it's still going strong! The problem usually starts with the £10 intake manifold gasket losing coolant.
@ The issues were caused by penny pinching, not enough shakedown and testing of the design and poor production methods not the actual engine itself. All the issues would have beeen ironed out if not for this. A mate of mine bought a MG ZS120 with 30k on it and put a Freelander head gasket and replaced the manifold gasket and ball valve and put another 125k on it without any hassle. Then he crashed it....oops, he was fine though lol
@ Thats true, replacing any metal parts in an engine with plastic is never going to end well, like these manufacturers who make plastic water pumps....I mean, really? And also thinking that an office johnny (who never lifts the bonnet of their car) knows better than an engineer about what an engine needs 🤦♂️. Ok I'm an office johnny myself but I'd never tell an engineer his job and I know about cars from my previous jobs and its my hobby....but still!!
Just realised I missed this video from last year. I think the emotion is spot on. That is what I feel when I can take the roof off and just stroll around.
Great video. Watched it with a big smile on my face. Well, except when you criticised the styling. (It’s a timeless design that references Lotus past without being a retro pastiche. IMHO) I had a S1 more than 20 years ago. I chose exactly that colour. And you’re right, people just didn’t see it. As for the driving, there’s really nothing like it. Even my current car which is similar in size and concept can’t match the Elise magic on a British B road.
The rest of the review was a bit philosophical rather than giving us really insightful comments about the driving experience. But still fun. Personally I prefer the looks of the S1 without a doubt. Timeless, classic, perfectly proportioned. A Toyota S2 just comes with some really nice ease of life changes, like the short roof, better gear change, marginally better build quality etc. The K-series is a fantastic engine though. All will have had an upgraded head gasket fitted by now and if not just fit one. After that you're left with a perfectly reliable engine that is lighter for its displacement than just about anything else and the perfect motor for an Elise..except maybe an K20A....
Bought an S2 as a compromise 8 years ago, fuel economy on an SLK55 was silly. It's now a part of the family and won't be sold. When you own an Elise you meet more owners and become friends with them. We now have a small collection of interesting cars I don't see any of them being replaced.
Loving the improvement in the videos with the passing shots of the cars. I know it's a longer day but it is worth it. The cockpit narration is great but everyone wants to see it moving so thanks for that. I went out to buy a car in 2002 with a 30k budget. Turned up to the Leeds Lotus dealer for the test drive, 6ft 1" and Roy had the roof down on a S2 111S. As I arrived the heavens opened. He looked disappointed and put up the roof for the test drive. I loved the car but didn't fit.. Bought an Audi TT 225 instead and regretted every day since. Cooper S that followed was better... ish.
I love the S1. I wish we could get them in the States. It's only a few years now until we can import them at least. On the brake pedal of the S2 and heel and toe - I also have the somewhat annoying initial zone where the pedal will travel before biting, but it's fairly easy to adjust the throttle pedal position so that heel and toe is very, very easy.
That silver car at ~6.09, for a lot of people that's a normal speed on twisty Scottish roads. I don't know what happened to people, but they seem terrified of any speed and brake for corners even when they're already going slowly enough. Many drive at 45 all the time, but there's also a murder-inducing few who drive at 35. And those bastards never pull over.
Styling is a personal thing - but have to say I thought the S1 was the best. The gearchange was crap and the rear suspension unacceptably noisy as supplied in 1999 (well mine was). I suspect that has been addressed by current owners. BUT the original Rover engine - even in 118bhp form was a delight. I have driven an S220 which was a significant step forward in terms of refinement and gearchange, but the extra weight did take its toll on steering and scrubby understeer at low speeds. In terms of handling the Elise (whichever variant) remains the benchmark, which only the Caterham of the cars I have driven or owned challenges (or beats?)
@T R I've owned a 981S Cayman - an Elise is a far more engaging car to drive. Steering is in a different league. A Cayman (any Cayman) is, by contrast a tank. An Alpine imo is more engaging than a Cayman, a Elise more engaging still, a Caterham or Radical more engaging still. I've owned all bar the Radical. FRankly don't give a damn what lap times modded cars can achieve. In standard form a Cayman is capable but not that much fun by comparison with the alternatives.
20 years ago this December and still love it. Driving it doesn't get old. Yep, noisey, hot (In australia) and a proper driver's car.The first S2 i drove was such a disappointment compared to it. The 2014 Exige S had a lovely sound and torque, but inside the cabin was as if i was still in a 1997 Elise. Why would i ever change?
My biggest regret.. selling my S1 (Honda Type R). But the next owner of it was a certain person known as "Tut".. and I see this car has done Tut Towers..
i always drive with my Low-Beam headlights ON, in overcast or countryside driving. Put your lights On before complaining no-one can see you. Nice video though thanks
Dave S. In the MR2 Spyder, the low beams come on as soon as you take off the parking brake. So you can tell that is exactly what Toyota’s safety team thinks is the right thing to do.
Great review. Personally I prefer the look of the S1 over more recent flavours of the Elise. Love the headlights in particular. I daren’t go and try one because I know I’d have to buy it, and they're not cheap. The K-series can be a great little engine if it’s looked after properly: I know, I’ve got one in my MGTF.
Agreed on the looks. I bought a new one because I wanted the most up to date performance and aircon, but looks wise, I prefer that S1. Ferrari Dino and Ford GT40 are excellent examples to take styling cues from.
JayEmm on Cars On the LotusFanatics UA-cam channel there’s a documentary I saw on the birth of the Elise on Discovery channel a long long time ago. Inside Story (Project M1:11). Highly recommended if you’re an Elise fan.
Could you please review the "new" Elan if possible, Jay? It may be front wheel drive but I always rather liked it, even though it is ridiculously rare in Germany. As for the Elise, I think the first ones are the best looking.
@ So do I! It was too dark to take a photo, however, and to be perfectly honest it took me a couple of seconds to understand what car just went by, at which point it was already too far away. I llike to add that I only ever saw two other examples of our car, a Jaguar XK8, in the German "wilderness". Jaguar E-Types are common compared to that :D
Having tested both recently. The S1 is definitely more raw and more of a compromise if you were going to use it daily. The S2 has a nicer ride and is quieter (stock), it also has AC as standard from 2004+
You covered everything pretty well except entrance and egress. Can you get into and out of the car, especially with the hood up? I’d hate to get in, only to be unable to get out.
Errmm yes. Yes it is. My girlfriend has had two. I may have slightly written the first one off!!!! - Also if you look at S/H values an S1 is around the same price of an S2 and in certain cases more.
Hope that it's not on the standard Konis. My S1 has Nitron Street series with the dampng wound quite a long way off from how Nitron supply them. The difference is night and day, and they won't break the bank either. I believe that they cost less than the Bilstein S2 "upgrade".
@@whizzo94 Suspension refresh and Quantum Zeros installed this past spring :) LOVE what's happening with the car now, although the rock-hard seats might be addressed next. That, or a lot more doughnuts and ice cream for me for added padding :)
I never liked the styling of the S1 either......the S1 Exige however is in my mind the best looking Lotus ever! But with the prices of the S1 Exige now in the mid to high £45k, and the 190 engine being a bit peaky and a little fragile.....I'm going to convert an S1 Elise to an Exige with a K20a Honda swap. Best of all worlds.....just no convertible (only downside) What are your thoughts on a S1 Exige for styling etc Jay??
I have an Elise SC Mk2. When I first drove it I didn’t like it. I actually thought about selling it. This went on for 3 days. On the 4th day.....OMG! Fifth day OMFG! It goes without saying that I will NEVER sell it!! James didn’t mention that they do not lose their value and they are rock-solid reliable. Really!
Hello James, well maybe I can only vouch for my 10 year old Elise. I literally have not had a thing wrong with it. Anyway, good video and you are my favourite car reviewer!
Out of all the standard Elise’s I’ve driven, the latest cup 250 is as good as it gets for a standard Elise, I would however buy a sport 220 and modify it to my liking. The s1’s just don’t have any form of build quality and don’t really gain anything over the later models even if they’re lighter. In Australia a decent s1 is the same price as a Toyota engined s2, so not really worth it.
if i was going to honda swap one of these, i'd put the S660 engine in and tweak it to about 100bhp. only 18bhp down on an original, and with less weight behind the seats
If you're in the UK why didn't you get a Lotus Type 116? The Lotus the you UK badge snobs have forgotten about. I am in New Zealand went to buy a brand new 370z. But ended up with a Opel Speedster instead. Love it. There are still some cheaper VX220's there too. But won't be for long as the Germans and Italians are buying them up.
Carl Ellacott well, for a start they are uglier than the Series 2 elise, but the main reason is that they were badged vauxhalls here and driving a Vauxhall has to be done only with a paper bag over your head
paid 12.5k for a 1998 bell and cov 160hp ceramic breaks uprated susp and light wheels and left the noise behind from a sports exhaust back in 2002 ......12000 miles on clock..... it certainly wouldnt do what you asked of it as light on the front the wheels could leave ground on country lanes and advan tyres survived 3000 miles on rear never spun. it was reliable but be warned the cambelt snapped at 29000 milesand 3 years old ..... ceramic breaks were great bar in wet weather on a motorway as i discovered braking was non existent unless you blipped them every so often to clear the water off them... points to note, country lanes will shake loose the front bonnet and rear boot engine cover and i had to make a special tool to tighten them as my specialist charged 400 quid saying the rear clam shell needed to be removed to get at the boot bolt all those years ago. i was annoyed to have to change the clutch hydraulic pipe as the plastic one became useless when hot ! ( lol bel and cov missed doing that !)
IMHO there is a significant difference between the standard S1 & S1 Sport 135. 135 is way quicker. Having owned both, the 135 is quicker even with the standard ratio gear box. 135 reminds me of my Cat 7 1.6K 136 BHP Supersport.
Fantastic car. Prefer the looks of the S2, but man is the S1 light. However, I think the extra weight of a rollcage would be a very worthwhile investment: imagine crashing this thing into a regular car (never mind an SUV, etc.). If we're being practical and thinking about reliability, Toyota engine over Rover engine every day of the week.
@ I can't see how a full cage, going down the A pillars and B pillars, and with bars joining those two are not going to help you in a frontal impact. I'm no expert on cages, but I've seen a lot of race cars crash, sometimes front-on. As for the K Series vs the Toyota engine, either a lot of people are lying or the K series has more problems. To do a reasonable comparison, you have to look at a lot of engines - how many K series engines do you have experience with?
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@@julianevans9548 Cages are mostly for rollovers. If the car isn't inherently strong at the front you will still get the pedal box mashed into your lower legs regardless of how much additional strength you add between the fore and aft pillars. Huge amounts of experience as a semi retired mechanic who looked after anything from 1.4 k series in a Rover 25 to the vvc160 in MGFs and just about every model and iteration in between (no experience with the Judd racing units asides watching them compete, though.) Asides failures in the 'shim' type gasket with the elastomer layers either side the biggest cause of hgf on the K was the use of hollow plastic location dowels - earlier more robust engines used hollow steel dowels with a switch to the aforementioned plastic dowels latwr on, a cost cutting exercise which wasn't the best of ideas admittedly. Later replacement multi layer steel head gaskets came with steel dowels. Liner height was rarely an issue despite what some would have you believe. Another area was the green 'rubber' gaskets fitted to engines with the injected plastic manifolds, while a little unconventional these are best treated as a semi service item and ideally replaced every 3 years or so. They're less than a tenner and a doddle to do so I never considered this to be an issue though some of course might. Additionally, the KV6 as fitted to the Rover 45, 75 and MG ZS and ZT models was largely bullet proof. The virtually unrelated KV6 as fitted to the mk2 Rover 800 (later 800 models) was a bit of a dog though and largely worth avoiding!
@ Interesting response, thanks. Wouldn't the cage still provide protection to your torso and head, though, even if your legs got mashed (at least they can bend back at the knee)? That way, you've more chance of surviving?
Julian Evans A Roll cage would increase the chance of your head hitting something hard - the roll cage. You’d need to wear a helmet all the time. The Elise has a built in roll bar that’s about 3” dia.
I have an early S1 (chassis No 66). The slowest and least capable Elise but it is the only car I have owned for more than a couple of years - 17 years so far. I will never sell it as long as I can get in it.. You can thrash them without risking your licence. Fantastic cars
I loved mine, it was the first car I ever had that I could get the rear loose on a roundabout... Scared the crap out of me haha :-)
Those driving by shots were amazing. The first gen Elise is one of the automotive greats.
Nearly unsubscribed when you say you dont like the looks - its bloody gorgeous!
Its very well proportioned, nicely curved, and has some exotic flair without being garish. Its dated better than the S2 Elise and that shows you what a great design it was from the off
You mean better than the S3, the S2 is one of those cars that will never age, like the S1
Great video James and thanks for the mention! I genuinely think the most fun as a road car is an S1 or S2 with upgraded Rover engine to around 160bhp, close ratio gearbox and upgraded suspension. Budget around £14-17k for a good one, you'll have sooo much fun and it's better than money in the bank! :)
Revvy K-series, close ratio box, AD08's, bilsteins and of course an S1...perfect Elise 👌
Almost - quaife torque biasing diff best mod to keep your car on the road and not through a hedge backwards.
@@steveluck9541 I'm yet to try a S1 with a diff. My mild fettled 111s only has 150'ish bhp, not sure if a diff would bring much. Happy to be wrong though if I try one.
Mark Tickle I have S1 111s with janspeed manifold and exhaust inc sport cat, hurricane filter, 52mm throttle body and lightened flywheel. So similar cars do 160+ on Dino. Quaife lets you nail the throttle very hard pulling out of tight T junctions without any wheel spin at all.
@@steveluck9541 I'm yet to dino mine. Probably similar'ish; janspeed supersport, ITG Maxogen (carbon box) and de-cat. I don't think anywhere I use mine has tight enough corners to warrant a diff really, mainly flowing roads.
My first drive in a elise jubileum (number 46 red gold and white) was when i got her, 460 km non stop. Rainy weather i got real wet on my knees by the way. Had her for two years as a daily commuting car summer and winter. Great motor no trubble what so ever. Miss her.
4 mods to the K
updated head gasket and steel locating dowels
The strengthened oil ladder on the bottom end
The PRT thermostat kit
An after market low coolant alarm kit
Then reliable as anything else
@T R Yup, I know about the VVC fobiles, I was the owner of Project Vi when its VVC failed www.mg-rover.org/threads/standby-for-project-vi.111432/
Every time I see you in a lotus you look so happy James,
True, he clearly wants one. Only a matter of time...
As below - I bought mine 18 years ago! Meant to drive it for a couple of years, but I've never been able to let it go. Every time I drive it, it makes me smile and stays another ... few ... years ... couple of decades ... still have it. My other car for the last 6 years has had 400 BHP, but this is so special - as is the club you seem to join unwittingly when you own one. There is nothing on the road like it.
This is the problem
Every time I see an Elise in a photo, video or on the road I want another!
Badly😔
Had a 98 S1 for 3+ years. Still miss it so badly :(
Nice that Will and Jamie get a mention, bought my first and only Lotus S2 111R from Will.
Forgot to say, compared to the Toyota engine of the S2 onwards, I absolutely love the k series, and whilst it is down over 100bhp on my previous Exige RGB the little S1 feels nippier, more drivable and I'm not so fearful of loosing my license for excessive speed like I was in the Exige. Oh and the price, you get for more bang for your buck with the little S1 in fact my S1 cost a fraction of the price of a late plate S2 exige. And finally James was bang on when he said that if you drive one your want to buy one, I feel in love with my S1 the moment I test drove it. So moving from a Exige S2 260s to a S1 Elise in my case wasn't the down grade I thought it might be,...........absolutely love driving this car and gelled with it and it's pureness of design immediately. Great review James.
@Texan White Panther Exige has stiffer, more track focused suspension, but you give up suppleness and comfort on the road. I think it’s more a horses for courses issue.
Great review James!
‘If you drive it, you’ll probably have to buy it’ < so true!
Whoever is doing the 'drive by' shots, (Dominic?) is absolutely beasting it. The handling looks amazing!
Handling is great, a good geo on these cars makes all the difference. A big thanks to Kenny Brown Motor Engineers in Hillington for working their geo magic on this car.
domshan11 It definitely shows in the confidence you have to throw it around! Great little car!
Sold my Exige 260S RGB for one of these and I can say without a shadow of a doubt the little S1 elise knocks the spots off the Exige, the S1 is so drivable, with power so usable at most of the time. As for buying. ...........I bought the first one I drove! !!!!!!!! I just couldn't help myself.
I personally think they look pretty good in this version probably due to them being rare but also because it has that 90s and 2000s "Extreme sport" aesthetic that I satisfyingly enjoy. Dont know what im talking about? Look up 90s and 2000s snowboard, ski or powerboats. You should get the point
You and carwow are pretty much the only channels I watch now. Please do not switch to the OMG WOW thumbnails.
I have no plans for that
My ’99 Sport 135 is mustard yellow metallic. And I really like enjoy to drive it.
That car, that kind of road is a perfect Sunday to me. Rebuild a K series with a decent head gasket etc and they're no trouble what so ever in my experience.
And a proper, considered head gasket replacement to boot. I did the gasket on my little Rover 25 (Payen MLS etc) in 2007 and it's still going strong!
The problem usually starts with the £10 intake manifold gasket losing coolant.
@ The issues were caused by penny pinching, not enough shakedown and testing of the design and poor production methods not the actual engine itself. All the issues would have beeen ironed out if not for this. A mate of mine bought a MG ZS120 with 30k on it and put a Freelander head gasket and replaced the manifold gasket and ball valve and put another 125k on it without any hassle. Then he crashed it....oops, he was fine though lol
@ Thats true, replacing any metal parts in an engine with plastic is never going to end well, like these manufacturers who make plastic water pumps....I mean, really? And also thinking that an office johnny (who never lifts the bonnet of their car) knows better than an engineer about what an engine needs 🤦♂️. Ok I'm an office johnny myself but I'd never tell an engineer his job and I know about cars from my previous jobs and its my hobby....but still!!
The cooling system is what causes them to blow. They experience thermal shock. It can be prevented with aftermarket parts.
Remote thermostat kit fixes the problem - still on my original head gasket. OEM radiator has caused more grief.
9:47 had my first ever spliff in that lay-by.
The front grill, headlights and front indicator placement resembles that of the lotus europa when viewed head on
Just realised I missed this video from last year. I think the emotion is spot on. That is what I feel when I can take the roof off and just stroll around.
Great video. Watched it with a big smile on my face. Well, except when you criticised the styling. (It’s a timeless design that references Lotus past without being a retro pastiche. IMHO)
I had a S1 more than 20 years ago. I chose exactly that colour. And you’re right, people just didn’t see it.
As for the driving, there’s really nothing like it. Even my current car which is similar in size and concept can’t match the Elise magic on a British B road.
Stopped the vid one minute in to say that is the best intro I've seen to a youtube vid......ever? Much better than the weird music previously used.
The rest of the review was a bit philosophical rather than giving us really insightful comments about the driving experience. But still fun.
Personally I prefer the looks of the S1 without a doubt. Timeless, classic, perfectly proportioned. A Toyota S2 just comes with some really nice ease of life changes, like the short roof, better gear change, marginally better build quality etc.
The K-series is a fantastic engine though. All will have had an upgraded head gasket fitted by now and if not just fit one. After that you're left with a perfectly reliable engine that is lighter for its displacement than just about anything else and the perfect motor for an Elise..except maybe an K20A....
The thing is I've covered Elises so many times on the channel, I wanted to try and approach it from a slightly different angle
You need to try a S1 exige!!! This may be close to heaven but the exige is Nirvana.
Bought an S2 as a compromise 8 years ago, fuel economy on an SLK55 was silly. It's now a part of the family and won't be sold. When you own an Elise you meet more owners and become friends with them. We now have a small collection of interesting cars I don't see any of them being replaced.
Sounds far better than my S2 ever did. Prefer the shape too.
Loving the improvement in the videos with the passing shots of the cars. I know it's a longer day but it is worth it. The cockpit narration is great but everyone wants to see it moving so thanks for that. I went out to buy a car in 2002 with a 30k budget. Turned up to the Leeds Lotus dealer for the test drive, 6ft 1" and Roy had the roof down on a S2 111S. As I arrived the heavens opened. He looked disappointed and put up the roof for the test drive. I loved the car but didn't fit.. Bought an Audi TT 225 instead and regretted every day since. Cooper S that followed was better... ish.
I love the S1. I wish we could get them in the States. It's only a few years now until we can import them at least. On the brake pedal of the S2 and heel and toe - I also have the somewhat annoying initial zone where the pedal will travel before biting, but it's fairly easy to adjust the throttle pedal position so that heel and toe is very, very easy.
You passed my hoose! Gutted I'd already sold the VX220, would have come out to join you and Dom on the Crow Road!
Bring your Skoda next time :o)
Spot the standard Dom driving slinging it through the corners. :)
All i know is that when you saw one of these in an online race in Gran Turismo, you expected it to be at the front. It was a cornering cheat car!
That silver car at ~6.09, for a lot of people that's a normal speed on twisty Scottish roads. I don't know what happened to people, but they seem terrified of any speed and brake for corners even when they're already going slowly enough.
Many drive at 45 all the time, but there's also a murder-inducing few who drive at 35. And those bastards never pull over.
Blasting over the "SLOW" written on the road: EPIC!
My love of the Elise stems from seeing my first S1 in Azure blue.
The most beautiful color it was offered with, in my eyes.
Never liked the styling? Way better than the later insect cars.
Styling is a personal thing - but have to say I thought the S1 was the best. The gearchange was crap and the rear suspension unacceptably noisy as supplied in 1999 (well mine was). I suspect that has been addressed by current owners. BUT the original Rover engine - even in 118bhp form was a delight. I have driven an S220 which was a significant step forward in terms of refinement and gearchange, but the extra weight did take its toll on steering and scrubby understeer at low speeds. In terms of handling the Elise (whichever variant) remains the benchmark, which only the Caterham of the cars I have driven or owned challenges (or beats?)
@T R Lot's? Which of vaguely affordable or useable cars are you thinking of?
@T R I've owned a 981S Cayman - an Elise is a far more engaging car to drive. Steering is in a different league. A Cayman (any Cayman) is, by contrast a tank. An Alpine imo is more engaging than a Cayman, a Elise more engaging still, a Caterham or Radical more engaging still. I've owned all bar the Radical. FRankly don't give a damn what lap times modded cars can achieve. In standard form a Cayman is capable but not that much fun by comparison with the alternatives.
Nothing wrong with insect looks. I like both. S3 most boring front.
I feel the second en is the best looking. The sypder eyes look cool to me
20 years ago this December and still love it. Driving it doesn't get old. Yep, noisey, hot (In australia) and a proper driver's car.The first S2 i drove was such a disappointment compared to it. The 2014 Exige S had a lovely sound and torque, but inside the cabin was as if i was still in a 1997 Elise. Why would i ever change?
My biggest regret.. selling my S1 (Honda Type R). But the next owner of it was a certain person known as "Tut".. and I see this car has done Tut Towers..
Yup yup. I owned a TTRS, drove the elise, and I bought it. No regrets.
God....it’s just glued to the road ....
I got a 135 engine in my ZR love it
So agree with JayEmm's comment on the colour. No small sportscar should be grey (no way is it actually 'silver').
i always drive with my Low-Beam headlights ON, in overcast or countryside driving. Put your lights On before complaining no-one can see you. Nice video though thanks
Dave S. In the MR2 Spyder, the low beams come on as soon as you take off the parking brake. So you can tell that is exactly what Toyota’s safety team thinks is the right thing to do.
the second best imo the very best i think is the 160
Great review. Personally I prefer the look of the S1 over more recent flavours of the Elise. Love the headlights in particular. I daren’t go and try one because I know I’d have to buy it, and they're not cheap. The K-series can be a great little engine if it’s looked after properly: I know, I’ve got one in my MGTF.
Agreed on the looks. I bought a new one because I wanted the most up to date performance and aircon, but looks wise, I prefer that S1. Ferrari Dino and Ford GT40 are excellent examples to take styling cues from.
I seldom hear of anyone who's sold their S1 that doesn't seriously regret it...
'Sonic bombardement' nice!
Will be good to see on channel vx220 turbo too...not necessarily stage 3🤣👍😻
i hope i can import one to the states before they get too expensive
I took a friends series 1 out for 1/2 an hour and realised what it should be to drive a car, no aids whatsoever and all the better for it.
You ever driven a vx220?
The styling of the front is based on the Lotus 23, a sports racer from the 1960’s
I own chassis number 84 of the 2000 production run
Are you looking for a 340R to review? That’d be amazing. Not much content out there on them. Very rare car.
I would love to review one, but they are very hard to find
JayEmm on Cars On the LotusFanatics UA-cam channel there’s a documentary I saw on the birth of the Elise on Discovery channel a long long time ago. Inside Story (Project M1:11). Highly recommended if you’re an Elise fan.
@@rajjy1976 I've seen it, great doc
Could you please review the "new" Elan if possible, Jay? It may be front wheel drive but I always rather liked it, even though it is ridiculously rare in Germany.
As for the Elise, I think the first ones are the best looking.
I would like to see the M100 as well
@
Boy, I'd love to get my hands on one! Only 2 (!) are currently for sale on Germany's largest used car website...
@
It really is! Funnily enough I saw one "in the wild" only two weeks ago. I cannot remember ever seeing one elsewhere, however.
@
So do I!
It was too dark to take a photo, however, and to be perfectly honest it took me a couple of seconds to understand what car just went by, at which point it was already too far away.
I llike to add that I only ever saw two other examples of our car, a Jaguar XK8, in the German "wilderness". Jaguar E-Types are common compared to that :D
Great review. Love the series 1
5:16, 7:08 it looks like a lot of fun
I had a mustard yellow S1 with 118hp, fantastic little car, except for the roof which was crap....
Having tested both recently. The S1 is definitely more raw and more of a compromise if you were going to use it daily. The S2 has a nicer ride and is quieter (stock), it also has AC as standard from 2004+
S2 Springs and shocks easily fitted to S1 Elise. Less roll and a smoother ride. Common upgrade.
Loving the content. Thank you
You covered everything pretty well except entrance and egress.
Can you get into and out of the car, especially with the hood up? I’d hate to get in, only to be unable to get out.
Errmm yes. Yes it is. My girlfriend has had two. I may have slightly written the first one off!!!! - Also if you look at S/H values an S1 is around the same price of an S2 and in certain cases more.
I can tell you that even though I love my Elise S1, it is most certainly uncomfortable. But I guess it depends where your padding is.
Hope that it's not on the standard Konis. My S1 has Nitron Street series with the dampng wound quite a long way off from how Nitron supply them. The difference is night and day, and they won't break the bank either. I believe that they cost less than the Bilstein S2 "upgrade".
@@whizzo94 Suspension refresh and Quantum Zeros installed this past spring :) LOVE what's happening with the car now, although the rock-hard seats might be addressed next. That, or a lot more doughnuts and ice cream for me for added padding :)
Don't discount the VX220 either, I've had an S1 and now the VX. Saving for my 250cup.
TOP GEAR QUALITY VIDEO !! thanks
I never liked the styling of the S1 either......the S1 Exige however is in my mind the best looking Lotus ever! But with the prices of the S1 Exige now in the mid to high £45k, and the 190 engine being a bit peaky and a little fragile.....I'm going to convert an S1 Elise to an Exige with a K20a Honda swap. Best of all worlds.....just no convertible (only downside)
What are your thoughts on a S1 Exige for styling etc Jay??
That's what I'm planning to do too. A converted elise with the honda k20 would beat everything on a trackday
It's gorgeous!
Tbh I like the older outro better
My uncle had one. This could be the most hated cars in the world, after he hit 100mph when I was a kid I’ve wanted one aha
Thought about one around 2008. Loved them but, couldn't really get in or out.
My loss.
great review
I think an elise is the only car id swap my current car for. In fact if anybody with an elise is interested in a swap for an audi A5 3.0tdi quattro...
I have an Elise SC Mk2. When I first drove it I didn’t like it. I actually thought about selling it. This went on for 3 days. On the 4th day.....OMG! Fifth day OMFG! It goes without saying that I will NEVER sell it!! James didn’t mention that they do not lose their value and they are rock-solid reliable. Really!
They don't lose their value, but they are not rock solid reliable
Hello James, well maybe I can only vouch for my 10 year old Elise. I literally have not had a thing wrong with it. Anyway, good video and you are my favourite car reviewer!
@@gaza2322 I speak from experience with mine, it cost me a lot! They're simple cars but things do like to go wrong with them from time to time.
Out of all the standard Elise’s I’ve driven, the latest cup 250 is as good as it gets for a standard Elise, I would however buy a sport 220 and modify it to my liking. The s1’s just don’t have any form of build quality and don’t really gain anything over the later models even if they’re lighter. In Australia a decent s1 is the same price as a Toyota engined s2, so not really worth it.
@jayemmoncars The K series was hardly venerable when the Elise was launched. It was new, innovative, light and compact.
I’d love one if the values hadn’t suddenly increased in the past year!!!!
How do prices look now? 20+.
Great Speech !
Lovely looking car sweeeet
Lotus! Lotus!
Spent today driving 2-lanes in my 111R. Try erasing the grin on my face.
Had to imagine that these cars are pushing 30 years young. I must be getting old.
Down that road in that weather it's a Caterham or an Elise. Everywhere else you need to be committed or insane.
Where was this filmed?
I wonder what a 2zz mk3 mr2 would be like in comparison
You need to remap the ecu after removing the exhaust cats
Never heard this before, I thought the standard ECU was pretty much non-remappable? Where did you get your K Series mapped?
you are right!
Which place in UK is this? Its beautiful
It's filmed on the Campsie fells (Crow Rd) north of Glasgow.
Never had or driven one but I reckon I’d love one if I did
I have the same invisibility at junctions in my TVR people just pull out in front of me
if i was going to honda swap one of these, i'd put the S660 engine in and tweak it to about 100bhp. only 18bhp down on an original, and with less weight behind the seats
Those are 111s wheels. The sport 135 had the original launch alloys.
The 1999 sport 135 had the 6 spoke wheels as standard. The 1998 135s had the standard awi alloys
Is This The One That Illegal In U.S.? Anyway Nice Video Mate!
The only road legal ones in the US were the later (S2) Toyota engined cars, but only for a couple of years before they will pulled from sale again.
Wish we got these in North America.
You can, oldest S1 are 25years old now, so you can import them
If you drive it, you will buy it, I'm proof of that......
Where is that road, please?
always had the same issue with the styling, thanks for another great review.....certainly sounded rattly...
I've got an Mr2 roaster (red) couldn't ever afford a lotus. Closest I could get here in the UK.. I'm broke lol
If you're in the UK why didn't you get a Lotus Type 116?
The Lotus the you UK badge snobs have forgotten about.
I am in New Zealand went to buy a brand new 370z. But ended up with a Opel Speedster instead. Love it.
There are still some cheaper VX220's there too. But won't be for long as the Germans and Italians are buying them up.
Carl Ellacott well, for a start they are uglier than the Series 2 elise, but the main reason is that they were badged vauxhalls here and driving a Vauxhall has to be done only with a paper bag over your head
Really wish I hadn’t sold mine 😞
paid 12.5k for a 1998 bell and cov 160hp ceramic breaks uprated susp and light wheels and left the noise behind from a sports exhaust back in 2002 ......12000 miles on clock.....
it certainly wouldnt do what you asked of it as light on the front the wheels could leave ground on country lanes and advan tyres survived 3000 miles on rear never spun. it was reliable but be warned the cambelt snapped at 29000 milesand 3 years old .....
ceramic breaks were great bar in wet weather on a motorway as i discovered braking was non existent unless you blipped them every so often to clear the water off them...
points to note, country lanes will shake loose the front bonnet and rear boot engine cover and i had to make a special tool to tighten them as my specialist charged 400 quid saying the rear clam shell needed to be removed to get at the boot bolt all those years ago.
i was annoyed to have to change the clutch hydraulic pipe as the plastic one became useless when hot ! ( lol bel and cov missed doing that !)
Which part of Scotland is that road?
followin
Crow road, just north of Glasgow
IMHO there is a significant difference between the standard S1 & S1 Sport 135. 135 is way quicker. Having owned both, the 135 is quicker even with the standard ratio gear box. 135 reminds me of my Cat 7 1.6K 136 BHP Supersport.
you can add 135 cams from MGF. It is like 150gbp upgrade which is nobrainer
very decent...seems to know his onions...
Fantastic car. Prefer the looks of the S2, but man is the S1 light. However, I think the extra weight of a rollcage would be a very worthwhile investment: imagine crashing this thing into a regular car (never mind an SUV, etc.).
If we're being practical and thinking about reliability, Toyota engine over Rover engine every day of the week.
@ I can't see how a full cage, going down the A pillars and B pillars, and with bars joining those two are not going to help you in a frontal impact. I'm no expert on cages, but I've seen a lot of race cars crash, sometimes front-on.
As for the K Series vs the Toyota engine, either a lot of people are lying or the K series has more problems.
To do a reasonable comparison, you have to look at a lot of engines - how many K series engines do you have experience with?
@@julianevans9548
Cages are mostly for rollovers. If the car isn't inherently strong at the front you will still get the pedal box mashed into your lower legs regardless of how much additional strength you add between the fore and aft pillars.
Huge amounts of experience as a semi retired mechanic who looked after anything from 1.4 k series in a Rover 25 to the vvc160 in MGFs and just about every model and iteration in between (no experience with the Judd racing units asides watching them compete, though.)
Asides failures in the 'shim' type gasket with the elastomer layers either side the biggest cause of hgf on the K was the use of hollow plastic location dowels - earlier more robust engines used hollow steel dowels with a switch to the aforementioned plastic dowels latwr on, a cost cutting exercise which wasn't the best of ideas admittedly. Later replacement multi layer steel head gaskets came with steel dowels. Liner height was rarely an issue despite what some would have you believe.
Another area was the green 'rubber' gaskets fitted to engines with the injected plastic manifolds, while a little unconventional these are best treated as a semi service item and ideally replaced every 3 years or so. They're less than a tenner and a doddle to do so I never considered this to be an issue though some of course might.
Additionally, the KV6 as fitted to the Rover 45, 75 and MG ZS and ZT models was largely bullet proof. The virtually unrelated KV6 as fitted to the mk2 Rover 800 (later 800 models) was a bit of a dog though and largely worth avoiding!
@ Interesting response, thanks.
Wouldn't the cage still provide protection to your torso and head, though, even if your legs got mashed (at least they can bend back at the knee)? That way, you've more chance of surviving?
Julian Evans A Roll cage would increase the chance of your head hitting something hard - the roll cage. You’d need to wear a helmet all the time. The Elise has a built in roll bar that’s about 3” dia.