Reort on the 111R

Anonymous · February 8, 2004, 19:52

Well, I finally got to drive the 111R yesterday. And I will now let you know what I think............

Set out early to the Stanstead Lotus/TVR dealer and got there bright and early. Nice journey through some of the back roads to get there. Made me smile cos I normally do motorway driving and don't get to drive the 2 properly and forget what a fantastic little car it is. Anyway, I digress......

Pulled into the car park where three Elises past us and the forcourt was PACKED with every type of TVR there is! Those Tuscans STILL look astonishing in the flesh..........

Reported in to the indoor showroom where there was three Elises, all 111S's, one in Black, one in Silver and one in a very similar blue to Lagoon. Just being that close to them, being that low and agressive looking makes me shiver. GOD they are sexy!!!! REALLY sexy.......

As most of you are aware, the ONLY car at this point in my life I would swap the 2 for is an Elise. Utterly amazing cars. But I came to this 111R launch with a little bit of trepidation and with maybe a feeling that with the reports that the car had been "dumbed down" for the American market. I was all set to be dissapointed. How wrong was I............

After hanging around, sitting in the showroom cars and taking pictures, I was calles and introduced to a driver called Nick (who, incidentally, was a TVR mechanic who had some racing experience, so had been drafted in for the day!!). We got into a gunmetal grey car, which, contrary to reports really doesn't look all that different to the "standard" Elises. STILL sexy......oh I have said that........ s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

Out we go into the courty lanes, which were dissapointingly busy. Nick drive for about 5 miles, not really being able to show me what the car could do. We pulled over in a layby on a duel carriageway and I got in the drivers chair. Started her up and could see in the mirror a car coming up quite quickly. "Sod this" I thought and stuck my foot down. Its quick. Not bad at all. Then Nick "reminded" me that the engine can do 8500rpm and doesn't really kick in until about 6000. I knew that, but was used to driving the K series. So, round the next roundabout to make the journey back and a clearish road in front. First gear, up to about 5000rpm. Nice, very nice. Second gear and floored it. OH MY GIDDY LITTLE CRINKLY AUNT!!!!! Its a COMPLETELY different animal after 6000rpm. Just UTTERLY astonishing. I can truthfully say, right here, right now, I have NEVER, EVER driven ANYTHING as quick as this little car in my life! It really is a cliche, but it feels like the turbo has just kicked in at 6000. Nothing I have ever drive comes close to this experience. The engine is utterly, utterly astonishing. I really hope that the keep the spec of the british cars and just transplant these engines, cos Toyota have an utter gem on their hands. My god, what a car.........

As for the rest of it, well, the handling is STILL razor sharp and although the suspension HAS been fettled a little, I would say hardly to the detriment to the car. I could tell no difference between the R and the S I have driven. So that is a plus point. The other thing that I was worried about was the brakes. ABS on an Elise? Scandalous!!! Not really...........

The standard Elise has lvoely brakes, but you do need to stand on them a little as they are not assisted in anyway. Great for high speed modulation, but not the best for everyday driving. Big strong right thigh........The R has a race tuned ABS system and it showed. The brakes are fantastic! Easily as much stopping power as the standard brakes and much, much easier to live with on a day to day basis. In fact, I would go as far to say, I preferred them. Only gripe is this. On the standard Elise, the brake and the throttle pedals are placed PERFECTLY for heel and toeing. Hit the brakes and the throttle is right there for the blip. Not the R. This will have to be changed. The pedal, now assisted, travels a little to far down and the starting positions are just to level to make smooth and easy heel and toe changes. I am not the best heel and toer in the world, but I could see this was a little problem. But other than that, nothing to worry about.

I want one. I want one SOOOO badly, I have actually seriously looked into trading in the 2 and getting an S1, which I could JUST about afford. I am being silly though, cos after we left, driving the 2 back through the country lanes, she STILL put a smile on my face. I will be with her for a little while longer. I love her, she loves me..............but I want an Elise as a mistress...........I have to stop tourtouring myself by going to these things. If ANYONE gets a chance to drive the 111R (or ANY other Elise for that matter), you will learn the meaning of feedback. The 2 is fantastic for that. The Elise takes it to another level....

So, to sum up, the car is just as good as it was, that engine is quite, quite astonishing. Utterly tractable and more than quick enough below 6000rpm. Above that, my god, hold on to your hats!!! The brakes are bang on and the handling is just as good as it ever was.

Sod the practicalities. Everyone here should buy and Elise when it comes to trade up...........

Right, rant over............ s:roll: :roll: s:roll: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Anonymous · February 8, 2004, 20:00

Nice review, I just wish we had the 2ZZ as a factory option s:x :x s:x

For that I would trade in tomorrow.

Anonymous · February 8, 2004, 20:05

You're not wrong there mate! Fantastic engine. I had no idea........Shame cos it would transform the 2 to be honest.

aaronjb · February 9, 2004, 09:10

Nice report John, and I'm not a bit jealous.. at all.. honest.. s;)

s;)

I can see Toyota's reasoning for not putting the 2ZZ in the '2 as standard, but it really should have been an option (for those of us who can live with changing gear every 3 seconds s:D

s:D ). Anyway, that's for a seperate topic s:)

s:)

You lucky lucky thing you...

Anonymous · February 9, 2004, 09:31

Cheers............ s:wink: :wink: s:wink: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Anonymous · February 9, 2004, 15:15

For anyone who doesn't know, the 2ZZ in the Elise performs a little differently to in the Celica because Lotus have developed their own engine management. The drop in torque before the top end hit has been all-but eliminated.
I have been a passenger in a 2ZZ Elise and can confirm that it is absolutely Awesome! Rather expensive compared with Mr2, but undoubtedly a terrific car.
I too would love the 2ZZ in my '2!

Nice review John!

markiii · February 9, 2004, 15:22

agreed it has a lotus ecu, but the only thing they can really do is recuce teh pint at which lift kicks in, that won't reduce the kick, just move it. Failing that you could increase the off cam torque by using a unichip approach and leave the on cam alone, which would have the apperance of removing it, but you wouldn't be making the best of teh top end then.

Still should get more down teh bottom with teh same at the top and less kick, you could probably do the same with a piggyback on the stock ecu.

Anonymous · February 9, 2004, 17:06

This is interesting, as the guy who took me out for the test drive said that the engine was bought over stock from Toyota untouched. He may have got his facts wrong as he WAS a TVR mechanic, but he said he had been fully briefed on the car and he was pretty sure the engine was stock.

Either way, the engine was VERY tractable low down with more then enough grunt to humble most cars and it wasn't even its power band. Like I said, 6000rpm was a different story altogether though.........

(As an aside, I also thought that Lotus had fettled the engine too, hence I asked the guy the question............)

SteveJ · February 9, 2004, 17:14

Quote from: "John Woodward"This is interesting, as the guy who took me out for the test drive said that the engine was bought over stock from Toyota untouched. He may have got his facts wrong as he WAS a TVR mechanic, but he said he had been fully briefed on the car and he was pretty sure the engine was stock.

Either way, the engine was VERY tractable low down with more then enough grunt to humble most cars and it wasn't even its power band. Like I said, 6000rpm was a different story altogether though.........

(As an aside, I also thought that Lotus had fettled the engine too, hence I asked the guy the question............)

What Mark and Andy are saying is they have left the engine alone, but what they done is changed the ECU that controls it, so that they can decide when the cam change occurs along with the change in valve timing (and the more common parameters of timing and fueling)

markiii · February 9, 2004, 17:15

Well thats theother thing, an elise weighs as much as my socks, even without bags of torque it will shift.

Blink motorsport will but a honda vtec (civic typeR) in an early elise for £8000, now that should shift.

EDITED DUE TO STUPIDITY

aaronjb · February 9, 2004, 17:18

Quote from: "markiii"Blink motorsport will but a honda vtec (civic typeR) in an early elise for £8, now that should shift.

For eight quid? Nice! s;)

s;) (Sorry, couldn't resist).

You're getting into the realms of silly money though when you're looking at either (the 111R or a R-powered 111S) really.. unless you have that kind of cash to splurge on a totally impractical motor (for day to day use..)

Plus I'd never fit into one, so I'm bitter s:D

s:D s:D

s:D

Anonymous · February 9, 2004, 18:07

Quote from: "John Woodward"This is interesting, as the guy who took me out for the test drive said that the engine was bought over stock from Toyota untouched. He may have got his facts wrong as he WAS a TVR mechanic, but he said he had been fully briefed on the car and he was pretty sure the engine was stock.

Either way, the engine was VERY tractable low down with more then enough grunt to humble most cars and it wasn't even its power band. Like I said, 6000rpm was a different story altogether though.........

(As an aside, I also thought that Lotus had fettled the engine too, hence I asked the guy the question............)

call it marketing bro, of course "lotus has tweaked the engine" so the kick would be slightly less experienced, and I am sure that Toyota might have helped with that as well... I have 2zz in my CTS and it is a superb piece of work

Anonymous · February 9, 2004, 22:29

If anything, I would say the kick is MUCH more pronounced! As I said, hit 6000rpm and the thing took off like a cat with a firework up its arse! I have been a number of Honda's with V-tech and even my mates S2000 never had a power kick like this! Mind blowing........

I guess a lot of it is what was said earlier though. Because the car is so light, pretty much anything is going to be enhanced 10-fold. I suppose you just notice it more...........bloody addictive though!!! s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted: s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted: s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted: