Lotus Elise   Women's view

Vanessa Hinkley Contorts Herself Into The Drivers Seat And Finds Out Why The Lotus Elise Is So Popular

At first glance, it is difficult to see how the Elise could possibly suit anyone. Extremely low to the ground, with a sill some distance above the seat base, just getting in is enough to give most people hernias. As for getting out, dont even go there. With your derriere mere inches from the floor, you dont really want to go over any item bigger than a bottle cap at speed.

Still, there has to be something to recommend it And once Id fired up the 120bhp engine, I found out what it was.

Lets get right to the nub of the matter if you are looking for a conventionally practical car, dont buy an Elise. Yes, it offers 115 litres of boot space. Yes there is a rear shelf for small items (ie ones that wont take your head off in a collision) and it does somehow make 38.5mpg.

But you are so low to the floor that you almost need a flag to show other motorists where you are and you wouldnt even consider putting a child in the passenger seat. As for the suspension (or lack of it) Put it this way, budget an hour with the physio for every 150 miles driven However, if track days are your thing or you are looking for something to put the fizz back into your driving, then the Elise could well fit the bill nicely. Cheap (you pay just £22,995) and pretty economical, it is one of the least expensive ways to have fun. If you want something with carpets and a modicum of refinement try the more powerful 111S model, priced from £25,995.

Theres also a £27,995 Sport 135R for genuine trackday heroes.

This generation Elise is a vast improvement on the old model, both in driving and in design. Although some styling cues remain, the overall effect is one of bold modernity. Redesigned suspension gives you greater control when pushing the car to its limits and reduces the 80mph tail-out moments that so upset owners of the older vehicles. In addition, significant work has gone into quietening the motorway experience and the insistent droning of the previous generation has nearly been cut out completely.

There is no doubt that the Elise is a great drivers car. Even at low speeds it is quite possible to pull of some stunning manoeuvres in complete safety, so telling is the feel of the car. However, it is a bit of a hard, uncompromising ride, so the pregnant among us would be advise to steer well clear or get a bus even if you do have to stand. Although slightly heavier than the old model, the Elise can smash 60mph in 5.

7 seconds, making it easily one of the fastest cars I have tested. Tyre squealing is the order of the day, especially if you put it on full lock and then pull urgently out of a junction

When you consider the opposition to the Lotus Elise namely the Vauxhall VX220 it represents an excellent value proposition at just £22,995. It also falls quiet nicely between the relatively more benign MG TF/Toyota MR2 niche and the vicious Caterham 7, Westfield and Ariel Atom market, which, lets face it, are only really good for track use. Replacement parts are pretty reasonable too, although there is a long waiting list for body panels. You can really tell that the Elise was developed from the ground upwards by car nuts, rather than designers producing pretty pictures.

Whether I could live with a Lotus Elise is questionable not because of the car as such, but because it would not fit with my lifestyle. Not only do I refuse to be my physiotherapist/osteopath/counsellors retirement fund, but I wouldnt be able to fit my household cleaning supplies in the boot. The Lotus is a magnificent drivers car, but only as a second or third vehicle. As a primary means of transport, it is too impractical and uncompromising.

But I want another week behind the wheel