By Blair Smith · May 6, 2026

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Winter is finally gone, which can mean only one thing—time to drive. Especially here in Utah, where the mountain passes are just starting to reopen and the first proper run of the year feels earned.

Most drives come together the same way: who’s in, and what are we bringing? 

This one ended up small but serious—two Lotus and one very special Porsche. My 2005 Elise 111RS, a 2025 Emira, and a 1992 911 RS (964 – in Rubystone!). 

Three very different answers to the same question: what makes the best driver’s car?

Three cars, one road, and a simple plan—drive, swap, repeat. There’s no better way to understand a car than back-to-back, especially with friends willing to hand over the keys. Talk about good friends!

These moments provide clarity, something that can be so elusive for those of us with the disease. Preferences get sharper. Assumptions get challenged. You start to define what actually matters to you behind the wheel.

The Elise sets the tone immediately. It’s raw, direct, and completely alive. The steering doesn’t just respond—it talks. Every ripple in the pavement, every shift in weight, comes through with clarity. This lesson in steering is to enthusiasts what English 1010 is for the college freshman - should be required learning!

The chassis is light, eager, and fully connected. There’s no slack in the system. On a tight canyon road, it becomes immersive in a way few cars can match. You’re not just driving—you’re plugged in.

It demands attention, but rewards it with an expressive willingness.

You want sound? It shrieks off the canyon walls. Gives a stern warning to the moose that jumped across the road that driving season is back! 

After an hour in the Elise, the Emira feels like a different world. There are zero hints that these two are related. It’s like meeting two siblings and wondering if the mailman truly was a hunk!

The first impression is comfort—better seats, more space, more refinement. You fit the car instead of folding into it.

Out on the road, it’s quick and capable. The steering is good—better than most—but much lighter and more assisted. There’s a layer of filtering that softens the experience. 

The ride is cushy, almost tall by comparison. The cabin smells of leather and is sufficiently quiet, yet rings with that unmistakable supercharger whine. And without a 3rd cat, it also wails, only slightly deeper.

It’s undeniably fun, but much less intense. Less demanding. This is a car you could drive every day without hesitation.

Then comes the Porsche. And not just any Porsche – the air-cooled 911 that carries real weight within the pantheon of the Porsche greats.

Sit in the factory, 3-tone Recaro bucket and you know you're in something special. 

It feels mechanical from the start. Solid, stiff, and purposeful. The seam-welded chassis is planted, yet expressive. You feel the weight transfer clearly—side to side, front to back—and it adds to the sense of involvement.

The bored-to-3.8L flat-six pulls hard. It’s surprisingly fast and has no trouble keeping up.  

The steering has that classic-car, play on center, then builds weight as you load it up. It communicates, but not always with precision. Compared to the Elise, you work more to interpret what the front end is doing.

Having driven this car many times, it’s hard to believe that the Elise has suddenly caused it to feel a little refined. Not many cars can do that. But that’s not all bad as it straddles the line of usability and engagement.

Back-to-back, the differences are impossible to ignore.

The Elise is all about connection—light, communicative, engaging, and exciting.
The Emira balances performance with usability—refined, precise, capable, and easy to live with.
The 964 RS is special—mechanical, expressive, and full of character.

None of them are wrong.

It just comes down to one question: what do you want your car to do?

Pick your poison.

I’ve picked mine. 

— Blair Smith

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