First night with new '2

[Anonymous]

Hey, no worries  s:) s:)

[ChrisGB]

BTW - you seem very concerned about your cornering technique. What car are you used to?
If you are nervous, my advice is wait for it to dry and find some big empty roundabouts where you can slowly build up speed and experiment. It won't bite unless you really provoke it or do something abruptly.

Hi Chris

I suspect part of my paranoia stems from occasionally driving an old MkII turbo that was a bit lairy and a friends UK spec MkII that was really unstable in lift off oversteer terms. This is the first mid engined car I have owned. Previously had the ususal boring FWD stuff and a coule of quick RWD cars, currently a modified V6 Omega that is pretty easy to drift and previously a 24V senator that was oversteer mayhem. Both have the weight up front, so were easier to unstick at the back.

I have now covered around 400 miles and have sussed a few things out. First up, I was being what I thought was delicate with the car but could not get it to feel settled in corners, particularly the transition from turn in to fully settled cornering. Where I suspect I was going wrong was that I was being a little too forceful with the steering wheel and not forceful enough to load the rear with the throttle. I have started trusting it now and find I can use throttle and steering (now very lightly gripped and communicating wonderfully the state of the front tyres grip levels) to put the weight anywhere I want it. Corner speeds are up some more and exit speeds better still. Also sussed braking while steering. Apply the brakes slowly enough and the weight just loads up the fronts and moves to the outside of the corner without the worrying pitching at the back I experienced when trying it before. From there, more pedal pressure just wipes speed off with no drama. More stable than the Omega or the Fabia under these conditions.

I still dont rush it in the wet. The 040s are completely numb when the road is wet. I am not too keen to get it sideways. With the front engined RWD stuff I have owned before, a bit of opposite lock sorted it out easily. I am being cautious because of where the engine is. I get the feeling the rate of rotation is going to be very high once the back lets go.

Generally, after a week of driving it when I can, I am seriously getting to grips with the handling and balance. The car is exceeding my expectations by some way, being really addictive and totally involving to drive to a greater degree than I was expecting. Thursday evening was when the penny dropped. Gently with the steering and work the throttle more to transfer weight fore and aft to set the effectiveness of the steering. The thought that went through my mind it is reminded me of how a motorbike feels, needing to lose a bit of power to get the transition sometimes. I started treating it thus and it works a treat.

Had my first "great motoring moment" in this car on Thursday evening. Coming back from a drive around the Essex / Suffolk border area around midnight, where I had finally sussed the handling and was getting it nicely together, just passing Notley on the bypass, the car flowing through the roundabouts to perfection, the engine singing merrily away behind me, roof down and moonlight and fragrant May evening air pouring into the cabin. What a great feeling.

Chris

[ChrisGB]

The Neovas are as stiff as the OE Bridgestones with the added advantage of excellent and predictable grip in wet and dry. When you're pushing on a bit, the tyres break away in a very linear fashion and provide a large amount of feedback. It has the effect of "slowing everything down" because you know exactly what is going on. Not as twitchy as the OE's.

Regarding the T1s, these have softer sidewalls than stock and when I went to a track day at Elvington some of the guys had sidewall melting issues even after increasing the pressures. Not sure if th newer T1Rs are any stiffer.

Advan Neovas cost me about £400 for a set of 4 from Lotus Elise Parts - but then you still have to pay to have them fitted.

Hi

For clarification, are we talking about the AD07 Neovas (the one with the solid wavy cenre ribs) or the earlier ones with the Assymetric V on the outer edges?

Chris

[Anonymous]

These:

http://www.eliseparts.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=228

[Anonymous]

reminded me of how a motorbike feels, needing to lose a bit of power to get the transition sometimes. I started treating it thus and it works a treat.

I like that - spot on  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[ChrisGB]

These:

http://www.eliseparts.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=228

Hi

Thanks for the info. Two last questions on these. What are the load / speed index for these tyres and how do they compare to the OE Bridgestone 040 for tyre noise?

Thanks again.

Chris

[Anonymous]

Z and no real difference.

[ChrisGB]

Z and no real difference.

Thanks for that. Load index?

Chris

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I was incorrect with Z. The load / speed rating is 89W  s:wink: :wink: s:wink: