Lotus Elise SC review

"All those people in Mondeos and Vectras looked glum"

That meant it would be used for lifts to the airport, ferrying presents about and even a 500-mile round trip to Cornwall. Oh, and it would have to do all this without annoying my hard-to-please girlfriend.

Things got off to a good start. When the car - an SC model in bright white - rolled up at my South London digs my missus looked at the exterior and actually cooed. There was a slight decline in enthusiasm when she realised how awkward it is to climb in and out of. But, overall, her first impressions we very positive. So far so good.

The first task for the SC was to take her to Gatwick airport as she was travelling home to Budapest. Luckily with this being a brief trip her luggage was kept to a minimum and we easily got it all in the Elise's little boot. On the way back, and freed from the speed limiter (the girlfriend), I took the scenic route home and had some serious fun.

The Elise is meant for twisty roads. When you are pushing the car hard and feeling every sensation, the lightning quick steering, the immense grip and confidence-inspiring poise, it makes total sense. Really, few cars deliver the driving enjoyment you get from an Elise. And the SC has the added benefit of being seriously, seriously quick. That supercharged Toyota engine really is a gem.

Anyway, I was soon back at home and back to reality - the car's next task was lugging presents over to the family in Sussex. However, once again, it took everything in its stride. With the passenger seat not in use I could easily fit all the gifts in. Again I took the scenic route to enjoy the car to the full. All those people I passed in their dreary Mondeos and Vectras looked ever so glum as I whizzed passed. The fools, I thought. They could be in a Lotus. You really can live with one everyday. Only, of course, you can't.

This dawned on me when I was invited to a New Year's Eve party in Cornwall. With the Girlfriend back in the country the speed limiter was back on. And that meant mundane motorways and A-roads again. Let me tell you there's nothing quite like a 500-mile round trip on boring straight roads to reveal the Elise's short comings. With my mind not concentrating on perfectly clipping apexes, it could focus on other things. The wind noise. The hard ride. The rubbish heater. Oh, and the pain in my back. Until now, I hadn't noticed how uncomfortable those sports seats are.

A day later and I'm sure the pain is still there. In fact it has caused me to make another New Year's resolution - to never drive to Cornwall in a Lotus Elise again. But I won't be proved wrong. I still think you could have one as your only car although I do have one caveat. If you want to go to Cornwall, drive the car to your nearest rail station and go by train.

by Paul Slater