machasm
Active Member
Took both the VX220 Turbo and the Lotus 111R out for a test drive today.
I started in the VX.
Styling is OK but not great.
Interior is utter cr@p and looks like they used even cheaper plastic than usual
Getting in and out wasn't too bad after I had made a couple of references to a copy of 'contortionist monthly', and had my right leg sawn off!
I had begun to have doubts about my decision already.
But its not all about looks is it? Its about the drive.
The salesman was pretty cool and let me take it (with him in it) wherever I wanted.
I knew the exact place. Some country lanes round near where I live where I have 'test driven' the CLK once or twice.
After setting off and driving in traffic towards my testing ground I found the ride to be quite comfy for a relatively stiff setup.
When I reached the lanes in question I began to open it up a little and found that the responsiveness of the steering was very good. You could feel all the little bumps and dips in the road and it always felt like it could give you more.
The engine has a surprising amount of torque low down for a turbo. In fact from about 2000 rpm actually. The power delivery is pretty smooth through the whole rev band and just tails off a little right at the top. (the whistle of the turbo can be quite addictive)
The worst part was when it came to braking. It was rubbish. So bad, in fact, that I was convinced there was something wrong with this demonstrator. From 60MPH to 20MPH after almost standing on the pedal I had enough time to shout at the salesman "when is this thing going to stop" TWICE.
Eventually drove back, more sedately, to the dealership, handed over the keys and got back into the CLK to drive down to the local Lotus dealer.
All the while with my stomach churning and my heart saying 'DON'T SELL THE AMG'.
So got to the Lotus dealer and took the 111R below to exactly the same road I just went down the VX in.
I immediately thought that this looked much sexier.
Got in and the interior had a much better fit and finish than the VX.
I was already feeling a bit better and my doubts began to subside.
After letting the salesman drive me to the 'test lane' I switched over and began driving.
Now all I can say is that for 2 cars built on the same chassis it was like chalk and cheese.
The Lotus was far more ballettic and the feedback was even greater than the VX. Whereas, with the VX I could feel every dip and bump, in the elise I could swear I could feel the grains of dirt/sand in the dips and bumps!
The handling was truely superb.
The engine was quite different in that the power delivery was quite a bit peaky. With not a lot below 3000 RPM and a good kick in the back at 6000 RPM. However, being 10BHP shy of the 200BHP in the VX i would say that the elise if anything was quicker (I put that down to the salesman being substantially lighter than the previous guy)!
Now for the moment of truth I thought, I warned the salesman that I was going to try the brakes quite hard and after checking my mirrors that I was clear of traffic, applied the brakes rather firmly. Time seemed to stop and I could have sworn that I had stopped before I had applied the brakes at all!
Now thats how a car should stop.
After a few more minutes of fun (60 actually) we drove back to the showroom. The ride quality was surprisingly good at this sedate pace and the car was very docile and well behaved.
Needless to say that any doubts I had were completely banished and my mind was well and truly made up.
A 111R for me please.
Now just need to find a nice one in my price range.
There were some other goodies in the Lotus showroom that I thought I would share with you too.
and a couple of links to 2 clips
http://adrian-gentry.co.uk/111R walk.mp4
http://adrian-gentry.co.uk/VXT walk.mp4
Thanks for reading all this
Mac.
I started in the VX.
Styling is OK but not great.
Interior is utter cr@p and looks like they used even cheaper plastic than usual
Getting in and out wasn't too bad after I had made a couple of references to a copy of 'contortionist monthly', and had my right leg sawn off!
I had begun to have doubts about my decision already.
But its not all about looks is it? Its about the drive.
The salesman was pretty cool and let me take it (with him in it) wherever I wanted.
I knew the exact place. Some country lanes round near where I live where I have 'test driven' the CLK once or twice.
After setting off and driving in traffic towards my testing ground I found the ride to be quite comfy for a relatively stiff setup.
When I reached the lanes in question I began to open it up a little and found that the responsiveness of the steering was very good. You could feel all the little bumps and dips in the road and it always felt like it could give you more.
The engine has a surprising amount of torque low down for a turbo. In fact from about 2000 rpm actually. The power delivery is pretty smooth through the whole rev band and just tails off a little right at the top. (the whistle of the turbo can be quite addictive)
The worst part was when it came to braking. It was rubbish. So bad, in fact, that I was convinced there was something wrong with this demonstrator. From 60MPH to 20MPH after almost standing on the pedal I had enough time to shout at the salesman "when is this thing going to stop" TWICE.
Eventually drove back, more sedately, to the dealership, handed over the keys and got back into the CLK to drive down to the local Lotus dealer.
All the while with my stomach churning and my heart saying 'DON'T SELL THE AMG'.
So got to the Lotus dealer and took the 111R below to exactly the same road I just went down the VX in.
I immediately thought that this looked much sexier.
Got in and the interior had a much better fit and finish than the VX.
I was already feeling a bit better and my doubts began to subside.
After letting the salesman drive me to the 'test lane' I switched over and began driving.
Now all I can say is that for 2 cars built on the same chassis it was like chalk and cheese.
The Lotus was far more ballettic and the feedback was even greater than the VX. Whereas, with the VX I could feel every dip and bump, in the elise I could swear I could feel the grains of dirt/sand in the dips and bumps!
The handling was truely superb.
The engine was quite different in that the power delivery was quite a bit peaky. With not a lot below 3000 RPM and a good kick in the back at 6000 RPM. However, being 10BHP shy of the 200BHP in the VX i would say that the elise if anything was quicker (I put that down to the salesman being substantially lighter than the previous guy)!
Now for the moment of truth I thought, I warned the salesman that I was going to try the brakes quite hard and after checking my mirrors that I was clear of traffic, applied the brakes rather firmly. Time seemed to stop and I could have sworn that I had stopped before I had applied the brakes at all!
Now thats how a car should stop.
After a few more minutes of fun (60 actually) we drove back to the showroom. The ride quality was surprisingly good at this sedate pace and the car was very docile and well behaved.
Needless to say that any doubts I had were completely banished and my mind was well and truly made up.
A 111R for me please.
Now just need to find a nice one in my price range.
There were some other goodies in the Lotus showroom that I thought I would share with you too.
and a couple of links to 2 clips
http://adrian-gentry.co.uk/111R walk.mp4
http://adrian-gentry.co.uk/VXT walk.mp4
Thanks for reading all this
Mac.
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