kwicslvr

you'd be surprised how light that V8 is. I wouldn't doubt it weighs about the same. Just because it is a V8 doesn'y mean its heavier.

x_rayted711

I would have to say at least50lbs, but is probably closer to 100lbs. Not a BIG difference, but enough to throw the weight ratio off....And we don't know how far forward that engine is going to be mounted.

emiller

I think its like this instead. Those are pretty light weight engines too so I dont think they would weigh much more than the 4 cyclinder. Upgraded drive train might though.

djct_watt

The elise is one of the best handling cars on the planet, by many subjective tests. . . I'm sure the Solstice is a great car, but really. . .

But I'm no pro on the subject, as I would probably never want to own either car.

JustAnotherAsian

im a fan of the elise myself. i think i might have misguided some people earlier. i was just saying that the solstice had 1.02g down for handling, and i wasn't sure the elise was better than 1.02g, but now i know it's damn close!

so anywaiz, to settle this, here are the specs of both cars side-by-side.

(so here are specs to the elise and mallet solstice according to the lotuscars.com and puresportscar.com websites and mallet solstice "details" pdf download.)

elise $42,990 MSRP; 2000 produced
1984 lb. w/ 2zz-ge (190hp@7800rpm; 138 ft/lb@6800rpm)
0-60 @4.7-4.9 seconds; 1/4 mile @13.1 seconds (mph not specified)
lateral grip @ 1.0g; weight dist. (f/r) 40/60

solstice around $38,000 MSRP; 100 produced
2800 lb w/ LS2 (400hp@6000rpm; 400 ft/lb@4400rpm)
0-60 @4.2 seconds; 1/4 mile @12.8 seconds & 114 mph
lateral grip @ 1.02g; weight dist. (f/r) 50/50***

*** the 50/50% distribution on the solstice was a semi-educated guess and not based on the sources( ) since the LS2 can't throw off the distribution way off from the original 50/50 if it is indeed a light engine as some of you say.

(btw, in my opinion, i'd take the elise because it would save me gas (23mpg city and 27mpg highway!!!)... like mpg is a concern in this thread. LOL.)

JustAnotherAsian

yeah. it is one of the best handling production cars on the planet (that's why i'm a fan!). as you can see from my last few posts, the solstice DOES outhandle the lotus by .02 g.

just curious [and no offense], what specs were you looking at? according to my last post (ultimately in accord with lotuscars.com and puresportscar.com [for the lotus] and mallet specifications pdf download), the solstice "out-does" the lotus in every respect performance-wise (except weight and, most likely, mpg), and is cheaper (assuming one chose the $18,000 package).

kwicslvr

Believe it or not that LS2 gets 28 mpg in the new Corvette on the highway.

I would take the Elise though over the Solstice if I could fit in it which I don't. They are tiny! Smaller than an xA. The Solstice is actually made for people who are tall. That was a requirement of Bob Lutz....he had to fit in it comfortably. LOL.

JustAnotherAsian

28 in the highway? im amazed! that's relatively good milage for a v8 of that size from what i know (which isn't much). but then again, the four-banger in the elise has relatively bad milage for a four-banger of that size. wats the city mpg for this solstice btw? and does it use 91 octane like the 2zz-ge in the elise?

(i can't believe we're talking about mpg now, nonetheless, comparing a solstice to an elise . but keep 'em comin)

and to the other point, i guess i could still dream about the elise over this solstice, assuming being 5'8" isn't too tall for the elise . lol. another reason to like the elise is because of its exotic-ness, even though the solstice is going to be way more limited than the elise. the solstice just doesn't have that same vibe the elise has.

on that note, i should probably shut up now. i've had my fair share of contributions to the "mallet solstice vs. elise" run. unless you peeps are alrite with it... lol.

again, just my 2 cents.

djct_watt

Sorry, I was a bit vague, but I was looking at only handling numbers. . . and I was comparing the standard solstice with the Elise, based on magazine comparos (yeah, not the greatest source). I was looking at slalom and skid pad numbers. I don't remember the numbers off hand, but don't recall the standard Solstice breaking 1.0G. . . did they upgrade the wheels/tires. If so, that's not a fair comparison. Both cars must have the same grade tires to be considered a fair comparison. You can stick race rubber on a Civic and break 1.0G for under 10k, so it doesn't really mean much in my book, especially if a car is modified. And if you put 1000mm width tires on a bus, I'm sure it would achieve high G's as well, but actual handling prowess would be in the pits.

Skidpad numbers are not always the best qualifiers for handling. Sure, it tells you the max grip (which is HIGHLY dependent on the tires), but it doesn't account for transitive handling and response.

I havn't really looked in this upgraded version very much, so I'm no expert, nor am I one anyway. . . so. . . yeah. But I do know that the Solstice isn't a POS either. I'm sure it's a great car. I would love to see some head to head tests. . . on a track, where you can actually see an applied difference.

JustAnotherAsian

as a matter in fact, this solstice is upgraded with penske coil-overs and a wide wheel-and-[sticky]tire is equipped, so this is pretty darn far from a "fair comparison" in my book as well. i'm not a fan of unfair comparisons as well (i actually commented about this comparo a few posts earlier), but heck, every one was goin off with this "solstice vs. elise" blah blah and i just had to have my 2 cents shoved in here as well. .

and to the other points... i think the elise would have an edge with the transitive handling and response, and that's just a feeling, since the elise actually has a track record the solstice can only dream of.

but i think this solstice vs. elise stuff is getting old... so what's the next car that we can put up against the mallet solstice eh? jk.

djct_watt

A nice comparo would be between a heavily boosted turbo Mazdaspeed Miata vs a Mallet Solstice.

JustAnotherAsian

^werd... but with a bit more modifications like wide sticky tires and lightweight wheels, top-shelf coilovers, and other equivalent mods. i think we can all agree on that.

but in my book (not a very good book to begin with), you'd have to dump "heavily boosted turbo" for "v8 stuffed" in order to have a real comparison. i can just imagine all the complaints on how a boosted inline-4 is not a fair comparison to a LS2 v8, so might as well shove another v8 into another puny car to make it "fair" for those people.

again, just my 2 cents

djct_watt

True true. . . but having driven some modified Z3's, I tend not to like small, short wheel base cars with too much bottom end. It destroys the agility of a small car. When your tail steps out from a .05mm too much throttle input, it gets REALLY rediculous. I can't imagine a V8, unless you were strictly drag racing. . . but that's me.