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Confused as to how you can say the Mercedes has a cumbersome infotainment system....especially compared to a Lotus? It's one of the easiest and straightforward systems, with all the info you need at your fingertips and easy to navigate. Plus with that cramped interior and cheap build components, in the Lotus, I would say that your complaint of a fraction of a second "perceived" turbo lag doesn't even weigh in the overall picture...but enjoy your Toyota kit car.
Man, what an unnecessarily snarky post. I have a GT-C and i still regard my Elise as the most fun to drive, connected car I have ever owned. And that list includes a Mclaren, a Ferrari, and several Porsches.
Interesting review. Sad to see the ED1 go but if it didn't connect with you then it didn't. I do get what you are saying about the lag but it has not been an issue for me and I only notice it going from my P100D to that. Similar to you, it's supposed to be a fun car for me but I end up driving it more on the daily than not. It is just that fun.
I also had a Lotus a long time ago. In my opinion, the connection my Elise had to the road was on a different level. It was raw and I felt alive every time I was in it. I tracked it, I beat it up, I sometimes also drove it to work and in 4 years of ownership not a single issue. Oil change brake pads and tires, boy did those tires go quick. Having said that, two entirely different cars. I wish you luck with the Evora.
I think it falls back on what someone above mentioned...these two cars are not exactly comparable. They are different on so many levels, size, motor, weight, wheel size, etc. The op transitioned from one car to another car that obviously will give that, connected, smaller, go cart effect. That's an exhilarating feeling to have. I also think coming into a GT forum and describing the euphoria of another platform and what a great switch it was will cause many to scratch their heads. Disclaimer: I have never owned a Lotus, but as a car nut obviously know about them, seen many of them, and have driven an Exige for a few sprints. Just not comparable (as in different) to the Mercedes GT platform.
That being said, the overall picture on the build quality and seeing whats out there and what is falling apart, the AMG GT is very well put together in its own regard for what you are getting nowadays.
I’ve owned the amg for about 1 year and have put over 5k miles on it including a few track days.
The good: The car is fast. Really fast. The amg was able to accelerate and pull like a muscle car. And on top of that once the car starts the pull, the sound that it creates. Holy crap, the amg stock exhaust sounds incredible. When you stomp on it it’s an invigorating burbling noise that does not disappoint.
It’s also absolutely a looker. It’s got a menacing look and from my perspective there’s not a lot of other cars that look better.
Looks aside, on the track is truly where you see the amg shine. It belongs at the track. The acceleration, the handling, and the exhaust make for an unforgettable experience on track.
The bad: Turbo lag. With the exception of using launch control, the car always took a second to think before it put the power down from a standstill. I understand that it may be due to the dual clutch, but nonetheless, there was lag. I considered tuning it but tuners let me know a tune wouldn’t really resolve this issue.
Suspension stiffness. Even on comfort setting, it’s a harsh ride. The 2018 GTCs I heard have softer suspension but the GTS was uncomfortable. I eventually got used to it, but the fiancée never wanted to set foot in the car. The car also had tons of squeaks. All sports car squeak right? Again, I kinda got used to it.
Infotainment. I don’t know what Mercedes’ was thinking but the infotainment was cumbersome and clumsy. I basically set my Bluetooth and left it alone.
The ugly: the day after I got the car I got a check engine light. I’ll spare you the details but it was caused by the valves of the exhaust sticking. A VERY common problem in AMGs. The car came with a CPO warranty and Mercedes’ did not want cover this repair. I even escalated it to MB USA and they declined to help. I had to get a brand new exhaust on my dime. Total BS.
At the end of the day, I wanted a weekend car that was an experience. Something fun. I found myself driving the amg to work more than on a weekend cruise. A part of that was due to being an automatic, but, I realized that having 500+hp isn’t fun for me. You can’t use it in the streets. You’re basically in go to jail speeds real quick. I really missed rowing gears. This week, I decided to trade it for a manual 2021 lotus Evora GT. Let’s see how different this experience is
I do understand the feeling of not being able to use the power on the streets. I traded my AMG GT S for a Porsche 718 Spyder for similar reasons of wanting something smaller, lighter, and with a manual transmission.
With that said, I'm not sure what this turbo lag you're talking about is. There was almost zero perceptible turbo lag on my AMG GT S. The turbos spooled up as quick as I could put my foot down, and there was no hesitation off the line either (though traction control could kick in). If you floored it while the car was in an automatic mode in a high gear, it did take a while to downshift through the gears on its own before providing full power, but that wasn't an issue as long as I shifted manually to keep the car in the optimal gear, or used race mode. It was also possible to get slight turbo lag when flooring it below 2500 RPM in a high gear, but a naturally aspirated car would just feel totally gutless doing the same thing.
I miss the power, sound, interior, and styling of my old AMG GT S. I also miss having a (powerful and good) dual clutch car now. However, my current Porsche is a gorgeous car too, and I like its size, light footedness, engine responsiveness, and relatively supple suspension compared to the AMG GT. The grass is always greener on the other side.
To me, the cars just aren't really comparable. They serve two separate purposes.
The Lotus, in my mind, has always been grouped with the R34 Skyline, 4th gen Supra, JDM crowd rather than the luxury/exotic crowd. I understand it isn't JDM, but it just has that JDM feel/vibe/look. It doesn't have the masculine-luxury feel of an AMG GT. It has more of a fun-quick-zip around the track feel. That's both looks and performance wise.
This Evora was at my local indy today. It looked phenomenal, honestly. They are just very different cars and are both incredible in their own right.
If you want something visceral that feels like you're connected to the ground, buy an Evora or a 911 C2S/GTS. If you want something that is luxurious and commands the road, but an AMG GT.
My frustration with the Lotus is that it assumes in its config that no one over 5'9" will ever want to drive one. My R8 was the same...as much as I modified it, I was always about as comfortable as a circus bear riding a tricycle.Something that the GT line could never be accused of!
I do understand the feeling of not being able to use the power on the streets. I traded my AMG GT S for a Porsche 718 Spyder for similar reasons of wanting something smaller, lighter, and with a manual transmission.
With that said, I'm not sure what this turbo lag you're talking about is. There was almost zero perceptible turbo lag on my AMG GT S. The turbos spooled up as quick as I could put my foot down, and there was no hesitation off the line either (though traction control could kick in). If you floored it while the car was in an automatic mode in a high gear, it did take a while to downshift through the gears on its own before providing full power, but that wasn't an issue as long as I shifted manually to keep the car in the optimal gear, or used race mode. It was also possible to get slight turbo lag when flooring it below 2500 RPM in a high gear, but a naturally aspirated car would just feel totally gutless doing the same thing.
I miss the power, sound, interior, and styling of my old AMG GT S. I also miss having a (powerful and good) dual clutch car now. However, my current Porsche is a gorgeous car too, and I like its size, light footedness, engine responsiveness, and relatively supple suspension compared to the AMG GT. The grass is always greener on the other side.
I'm on the edge of making the same move myself. There is an allocation for a 2023 spyder I'm eyeing. Have you made peace with the fiddly roof on the Spyder? And is it true that you cannot disable the stoplight cutoff feature, even for a single drive? Any other things you would share with someone thinking about a Spyder? Perhaps must have options? Thanks!
My frustration with the Lotus is that it assumes in its config that no one over 5'9" will ever want to drive one. My R8 was the same...as much as I modified it, I was always about as comfortable as a circus bear riding a tricycle.Something that the GT line could never be accused of!
So here is where it gets interesting on the newer lotus cars… inside it’s kinda spacious for larger drivers! I’m almost 6 foot and have tons of headroom and sit close to the wheel. If you have a second check out Jay Lenos review on the Evora GT. He’s a big guy and when he pulls the seat back all the way, he’s not even close to touching the pedals with his feet.
So here is where it gets interesting on the newer lotus cars… inside it’s kinda spacious for larger drivers! I’m almost 6 foot and have tons of headroom and sit close to the wheel. If you have a second check out Jay Lenos review on the Evora GT. He’s a big guy and when he pulls the seat back all the way, he’s not even close to touching the pedals with his feet.
done it...the stuggle with I would say over 6'2" (I'm 6'4") is that its like trying on a shoe thats size 11 when your size 13. If you can manage to even get your foot in, you arent going very far before that becomes unbearable. Just under 6' might be able to power through it but beyond that, its a dealer killer.
In the spirit of a brightside, this is a lot better than the Elise that made it difficult if you were taller than 5'8"!
08-07-2022 | 12:18 PM
