my lotus elise and my ariel plans..

[slowcharles]

My atom has music (ipod) and a heater(gerbings). Roofs and windows are overrated in a sports car. Anyway after you get the atom let us know if you drive the elise again

[Flying Phil]

[John H]

[quote="slowcharles"]
My atom has music (ipod) and a heater(gerbings). Roofs and windows are overrated in a sports car. Anyway after you get the atom let us know if you drive the elise again
[/quote]
It will also have a leggy blonde fitted as an optional extra next month eh?

[MNlotus]

[quote="slowcharles"]
My atom has music (ipod) and a heater(gerbings). Roofs and windows are overrated in a sports car. Anyway after you get the atom let us know if you drive the elise again
[/quote]

[Lane]

[quote="John H"]
It will also have a leggy blonde fitted as an optional extra next month eh?
[/quote]

I think you'll find the long-term maintenance and hidden cost of that option much higher than you expect.

[MNlotus]

have any of you driven a lotus before? i think you would be suprised at how it performs.
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f163/bl ... ndex6.html
just check out what this guy did to his elise. go to post #118

[Wmcmanus]

[quote="MNlotus"]
have any of you driven a lotus before? i think you would be suprised at how it performs.
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f163/bl ... ndex6.html
just check out what this guy did to his elise. go to post #118
[/quote]

Whew!  That man sure can drive!  I see he's the 2008 XP Solo National Champion, which I assume has something to do with driving, and not horseshoes.

Quite a machine, too.  I don't think anyone here is trying to take anything at all away from what an Elise can do in terms of acceleration, braking, cornering, or anything else.  To me, the key advantage that the Atom has relative to almost all other cars is that the experience is more visceral since you're in open air.  Imagine being behind the wheel of that same run but without a hood, windshield, or doors.  It just intensifies everything by another 10% or so.

[DADOH]

[quote="Wmcmanus"]
[quote="MNlotus"]
have any of you driven a lotus before? i think you would be suprised at how it performs.
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f163/bl ... ndex6.html
just check out what this guy did to his elise. go to post #118
[/quote]

To me, the key advantage that the Atom has relative to almost all other cars is that the experience is more visceral since you're in open air.  Imagine being behind the wheel of that same run but without a hood, windshield, or doors.  It just intensifies everything by another 10% or so.


[/quote]


That's one of the main reasons I chose the atom over the GTR, more thrills at lower speed  (and at any speed)= less speeding tickets. The parallels of the atome to a powerful bike are what makes it so appealing- ref the famous Top Gear vid.

[DarthChicken]

[quote="MNlotus"]
have any of you driven a lotus before? i think you would be suprised at how it performs.
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f163/bl ... ndex6.html
just check out what this guy did to his elise. go to post #118
[/quote]

VERY impressive.  WAY over the top.  Calscot, this guy must be your long lost brother or something.  I don't think I've ever seen a car able to transition left to right so quickly!

[Heywood-Yablowme]

"I don't think I've ever seen a car able to transition left to right so quickly"

I have;  An Atom with V710 275's all around

Boy,they use a LOT of cones....

Only prob I have with the Elise is  size; I just don't fit in them.

Cool cars!

[jon b]

I have owned and driven many elise exige variants. I love lotus , to me they create the greatest sense of feel over any other sports car out there. Inparticular the feedback, delicacy of steering feel is unsurpassed IMO. The Atom is just all out a more immersive and (as has been say) far, far more visceral.
Importantly you very quickly get used to the performance of the Lotus and then continue to savour the magnificent steering. The Atom (300) 2 years on and everything about the atom still blows me away- the acceleration is still mental and I still can't understand how it remains so controlled . The sc noise is otherworldly yet, as has been said many a time, you still get an immersive buzz driving it at 30mph - even more so than a road Reg Radical sr3- which is saying something.
The atom isn't perfect but it is about as close as your going to get in this type of car

[bolus]

[quote="MNlotus"]
have any of you driven a lotus before? i think you would be suprised at how it performs.
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f163/bl ... ndex6.html
just check out what this guy did to his elise. go to post #118
[/quote]

Dont worry, most of us just think the Atom is the end-all be-all sports car, and then we put our fingers in our ears and go "nananananananananana" when anyone mentions another car

Lotus is another favorite car of mine.  I'd love to have one for my DD.

But the Atom has probably more of a visceral feel than any other car though.  Engine inches from your head, wind in your face, tarmac so close you car touch it, tires in full view.  You add the noises, the smells, the sounds, the acceleration, the grip and it provides a pretty unique experience that just makes most other cars seem benign no matter how fast they are. 

[Heywood-Yablowme]

I have had my Atom for over a year. I never stop "shopping" cars.  Never will.  I've been in some very nice cars,both as driver and passenger. I keep comparing them to my Atom.

I even considered a formula car.

I thought about selling the Atom. Once or twice. What would I replace it with?

Too heavy. Too expensive. Too technical. Too much...too much stuff I don't need or want.


I bought another Atom.    They always make me smile.

Nothing is an Atom,but an Atom. 

[MNlotus]

thanks for your guys feedback. i am just now debating on when i should get it. do you think i should order a new one or buy a used one. i think id prefer a new one

[bolus]

If you have the opportunity, find one to test drive or fly our to VIR and let TMI give you a test drive. 

Personally, I'd get a new one.  You'll get the Atom 3 which has a lot of improvements over the used Atom 2's out there and it is a unified model with the UK, so if anything would happen to TMI you could still get parts from the UK.  You are also not going to get to drive it all winter anyway.