auxilary Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 why should a company follow suit with every other retro goback? Chrysler did the PT Cruiser, Chevy followed suit with the HHR. ford did the mustang. Chevy is bringing back a retro camaro Why should nissan revert back to the original 240z design? Just to be like everyone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 I constantly see guys on this board reference the Elise when talk gets down to light sports cars... Trust me, they aren't very fast at all. They are also knife edge handling and aren't real forgiving. Every single track event I've attended in 2005 there has been a student crash one at VIR. EVERY event. They are slow, under powered, and only of real concern in the hands of a highly skilled professional driver. My various instructors at the track commented on this very issue as to why the car is NOT what the magazines write. I also sat in one while at the track and they are TINY. They make the interior of a Zcar seem HUGE and spacious. Don't believe all the magazine articles about the Lotus. For the money, there are a LOT better choices out there... Like a MazdaSpeed MX5. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heavy Z Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 I constantly see guys on this board reference the Elise when talk gets down to light sports cars... Trust me' date=' they aren't very fast at all. They are also knife edge handling and aren't real forgiving. Every single track event I've attended in 2005 there has been a student crash one at VIR. EVERY event. They are slow, under powered, and only of real concern in the hands of a highly skilled professional driver. My various instructors at the track commented on this very issue as to why the car is NOT what the magazines write. I also sat in one while at the track and they are TINY. They make the interior of a Zcar seem HUGE and spacious. Don't believe all the magazine articles about the Lotus. For the money, there are a LOT better choices out there... Like a MazdaSpeed MX5. Mike[/quote'] In defense of the Elise... Is it slow? Depends on who you talk to I guess. Mid-13 quarter @ 103 isn't bad for a motor you can beat the hell out of all day long w/o worry. A factory supercharger kit that is in the works for around $3500 is looking to push the trap speed to 115 or so, and turbo kits are there for people who want even more. To be fair, we all have opinions. Those track stories certainly mean something, it does help to have driving experience. Now onto my own fist hand experiences driving this car. Last weekend, my brother and I took his new Elise into two hours of nothing but twistes in an uninhabited part of N. California. My brother isn't a highly skilled professional driver(20 years driving modded alfa romeos) but did manage to drive the HELL out of this car in ways surpassing all my expectations. It was amazing!!. It felt very cosistent and no I wouldn't say it feels knife-edgy at all, but then I'm used to driving my Z that does have an edge to it for sure. By the end, my brain was tired from being slammed around inside of my head from all the lateral Gs. I was impressed, take a ride and you may be too. Do you want a car that handles well? For the money, I don't think you can do better. These cars are stunning in person w/ hard top, not crazy about all colors or the looks of the soft top. It is true the Elise is smaller inside and harder to get in and out of than a Z. As for taking a Mazdaspeed MX5 over an Elise, to each his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudypoochris Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 Do you want a car that handles well? For the money, I don't think you can do better. I think you can do much better, for the money, with some decent mods on a mk1 mr2, granted that is used car and would need some mods, but it still would be alot cheaper. But to my main point, where the hell are these twisties!?!? i live in the east bay and i can't find any except from oakland to san leandro, and near crow canyon, even so those ones suck compared to my favorite spot which is in italy, so kinda out of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 Why should nissan revert back to the original 240z design? Just to be like everyone else? Nope, to sell cars anyway they can. The retro thing is just another way to sell cars. I'm one of the people who actually likes this general look. I think a heavily 240Z influenced 350Z would have been the ticket, just like the artist conception pictures that Nissan must have burned when it came time to make a decision. Just my stinky opinion Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heavy Z Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 Rudy, About the price, I should've said new cars(as in buy it, no mods, drive it). You sure could save some money if we're talking old cars! As for the spot...past Livermore to Mt. Hamilton, not sure what the road is called but I'll ask my brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudypoochris Posted October 23, 2005 Share Posted October 23, 2005 intresting ill check it out next time im down near del valle. Sounds like fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted October 23, 2005 Author Share Posted October 23, 2005 Aux I think ford started the whole retro thing with the T-bird. I could be wrong though. And honestly, I'd take a retro car over half the garbage on the market today. New cars are just wierd and unusual. Very few actually look decent (to my eyes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moridin Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 why should a company follow suit with every other retro goback? Chrysler did the PT Cruiser' date=' Chevy followed suit with the HHR. ford did the mustang. Chevy is bringing back a retro camaro Why should nissan revert back to the original 240z design? Just to be like everyone else?[/quote'] Not to be like everyone else, but to honor a great looking car that most of us own. I happen to like the HHR, Mustang, and the conceptual drawings of the Camaro. If Nissan could pay homage to the 240Z by doing what Ford did for the GT40 with the new GT, I would pick one up in a heartbeat (Assuming I could afford it or maybe I would anyway if I couldn't). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Poly Zmanaustin Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Don't believe all the magazine articles about the Lotus. For the money' date=' there are a LOT better choices out there... Like a MazdaSpeed MX5. Mike[/quote'] Mike just gets smarter every day!! Notice my sig. I couldn't agree more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusPuppis Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 I think ford started the whole retro thing with the T-bird. I could be wrong though. What a raging dissapointment that was. I like the Beamer. Very 240-esque. I like smoother slowing lines personally, not so much into the hard-edged look I see around these days. Still nice looking though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxilary Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 guys, when it comes to looks, it's all opinions. And opinions are like assholes: everyone has one, and most stink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted October 24, 2005 Author Share Posted October 24, 2005 LOL, you still rock in my book man And yes muspuppis, the new t-bird sucked, and for the price i wouldn't touch it with a 20 foot pole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxilary Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 Originally Posted by MikellyDon't believe all the magazine articles about the Lotus. For the money, there are a LOT better choices out there... Like a MazdaSpeed MX5. . Or the new NC body mx5. 2 liter, na, close ratio 6 speed tranny, 170hp, and no turbolag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trecani Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 I quite like that Z4 coupe. Would love to drop a M motor, cut a better hood, and turbo it. I think it looks pretty sexy. I'll look for a crashed one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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