how about a lotus my bro has 3 the exige is a bloody quick car
The Elise should really be top of the list of "topless cars without significant hairdresser appeal" but for some reason they just don't deliver. Such a car should really just slip into place and be a joy to drive but there's always an edginess with them. You seem to be constantly fighting the ergonomics and the nasty gearchange. It makes it known all the damn time that there's a price to pay for being sporty.
It's not that I'm averse to cars that sacrifice a bit of comfort. I drive my Westfield every day the weather allows and I'm as happy pootling along in traffic as I am at 10 tenths, as long as it's not raining. Everything falls into place, the controls are accurate and in the right places, and it's a joy to drive. Same can be said of Mrs. KW's MX 5, TBH. It's a shame they didn't get it right with the Elise. I've seen so many people move from a kit car to an Elise and be disappointed.
Not driven a VX220, so don't know if that has inherited any of these traits. Might be worth a look? I hesitate because, whilst not overly a hairdresser's car, two guys came touring with our kit car group a few years back in a VX220. They must have had the entire Vidal Sassoon range applied to their bonces daily, so that image has kinda stuck with me.

Older Merc SL, perhaps? A mate of mine has a 1995ish SL600 with all the AMG bits on.
