Who has driven an Exige S2 and a Caterham?
Discussion
Yes, not the same topic but i was asking about the handling to.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=210089&f=101&h=0
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=210089&f=101&h=0
the link seems to suggest:
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exige:
-precise
-snappy
-needs to be driven smooth and accurately
-less opportunity for creative or hooliganised driving
-appeals more to the brain
-slower
-will ultimately make you into a better mannered/smoother driver
-rewards the commited precise smooth track driver but may bore those who are more emotional based
caterham:
more progressive (in part cos you sit over the rear axle and feel any oversteer more readily because of that ... the exige does not lack feel at all)
less "graceful" and more "crude" in general feel
quicker with more grip and much more agile in the slower stuff
be neat and quick or just bung it in whatever takes you fancy, gives you more options than the elise IMO
infinitely setup-able to your liking so good if you want to learn about handling
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interesting. i dont know anything about caterhams to be honest so the above was information to me.....exige looks a lot better if that helps
scott
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exige:
-precise
-snappy
-needs to be driven smooth and accurately
-less opportunity for creative or hooliganised driving
-appeals more to the brain
-slower
-will ultimately make you into a better mannered/smoother driver
-rewards the commited precise smooth track driver but may bore those who are more emotional based
caterham:
more progressive (in part cos you sit over the rear axle and feel any oversteer more readily because of that ... the exige does not lack feel at all)
less "graceful" and more "crude" in general feel
quicker with more grip and much more agile in the slower stuff
be neat and quick or just bung it in whatever takes you fancy, gives you more options than the elise IMO
infinitely setup-able to your liking so good if you want to learn about handling
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interesting. i dont know anything about caterhams to be honest so the above was information to me.....exige looks a lot better if that helps
scott
I own ans Exige but have only had pax laps in a Caterham (Superlight R)
Tha Caterham felt quicker, but then it should, it had almost identical power but was half the weight.
The Exige was still fast and great fun on track and after clocking up over 170 miles around Donnington I just turned the CD player on, nudged the air con up a bit and cruised home in comfort.
As a track toy - Caterham
Road use and the odd Trackday - Exige
Tha Caterham felt quicker, but then it should, it had almost identical power but was half the weight.
The Exige was still fast and great fun on track and after clocking up over 170 miles around Donnington I just turned the CD player on, nudged the air con up a bit and cruised home in comfort.
As a track toy - Caterham
Road use and the odd Trackday - Exige
If i would buy an exige or caterham i wouldn't drive it daily but more as a 2nd fun car if it's not raining.
I bought my honda s2000 thinking i would still have fun driving it daily but i don't... i got used to it as i am getting used driving my dad's volvo and only seem to enjoy the occasional headturn from people now and then wich is a bit sad.
I know an exige would be a lot more fun then an s2000 and i also like the look of an exige a lot more but still...
From my experience i don't seem to care as much for comfort as most do but i still have to try a caterham first before i make up my mind, especially for the interior noise it makes.
Ultimately the price for an exige S2 or caterham 2nd hand is the biggest deciding factor and it seems i'd rather go for an older caterham with low mileage and a reasonable price then for an exige s2 wich seems not to drop much in price.
If money wasn't an issue i dunno what i would choose... A few weeks back i was sure my next car would be an exige but now i have doubts and seem to be more intrested towards caterham.
So i guess a caterham with the modern looks of an exige would be the perfect match for me, imagine the awesome long bonnet it would have. lol
>> Edited by RCduck7 on Friday 30th September 19:06
I bought my honda s2000 thinking i would still have fun driving it daily but i don't... i got used to it as i am getting used driving my dad's volvo and only seem to enjoy the occasional headturn from people now and then wich is a bit sad.
I know an exige would be a lot more fun then an s2000 and i also like the look of an exige a lot more but still...
From my experience i don't seem to care as much for comfort as most do but i still have to try a caterham first before i make up my mind, especially for the interior noise it makes.
Ultimately the price for an exige S2 or caterham 2nd hand is the biggest deciding factor and it seems i'd rather go for an older caterham with low mileage and a reasonable price then for an exige s2 wich seems not to drop much in price.
If money wasn't an issue i dunno what i would choose... A few weeks back i was sure my next car would be an exige but now i have doubts and seem to be more intrested towards caterham.
So i guess a caterham with the modern looks of an exige would be the perfect match for me, imagine the awesome long bonnet it would have. lol
>> Edited by RCduck7 on Friday 30th September 19:06
Drove a Caterham CSR 260 then a Caterham Roadsport B, and then an S1 Exige (and 190 Elise), plus an Atom last weekend [edit - thanks to Track-Club].
The CSR was a wide bodied Caterham with FIA rollbar on road springs, the Roadsport B was a small body, with full cage with track springs, the Exige was very track focused with pads. All had good pads and rubber.
The Lotus felt VERY heavy after the other cars, but it felt better made, more solid and not nearly as clostrophobic. It was also better balanced and more responsive, but that made it bite more. However, I felt I could control it better and never felt in trouble with it.
The CSR was fast, very, very fast, and the lightness meant it went through the corners quicker than the Lotus too. However, it get very warm, and the transmission tunnel started to cook my left kidney.
The B spec felt too small - I had to take my shoes off, and not that well put together. Don't get me wrong, it stood up well to the (ab)use, but wires were hanging out, the dials didn't work, and with my shoes off, I kept hitting my heel on the studs on the floor of the footwell.
Handling wise, I prefered the Lotus, and dealing with my sloppiness going into corners was a lot easier, and holding slides was easy. It felt better made, and much more everyday freindly, even though it was very track focused.
However, the Caterhams were much lighter, and the new CSR felt well built too - just far too hot. The break-away was more progrssive, and turning-in with the accelerator felt safer. The Roadsport was very progressive and light, but too(ooo) small, especially with the cage (getting it was hard, getting the helment on and off was harder).
>> Edited by jitsukadave on Monday 3rd October 09:47
The CSR was a wide bodied Caterham with FIA rollbar on road springs, the Roadsport B was a small body, with full cage with track springs, the Exige was very track focused with pads. All had good pads and rubber.
The Lotus felt VERY heavy after the other cars, but it felt better made, more solid and not nearly as clostrophobic. It was also better balanced and more responsive, but that made it bite more. However, I felt I could control it better and never felt in trouble with it.
The CSR was fast, very, very fast, and the lightness meant it went through the corners quicker than the Lotus too. However, it get very warm, and the transmission tunnel started to cook my left kidney.
The B spec felt too small - I had to take my shoes off, and not that well put together. Don't get me wrong, it stood up well to the (ab)use, but wires were hanging out, the dials didn't work, and with my shoes off, I kept hitting my heel on the studs on the floor of the footwell.
Handling wise, I prefered the Lotus, and dealing with my sloppiness going into corners was a lot easier, and holding slides was easy. It felt better made, and much more everyday freindly, even though it was very track focused.
However, the Caterhams were much lighter, and the new CSR felt well built too - just far too hot. The break-away was more progrssive, and turning-in with the accelerator felt safer. The Roadsport was very progressive and light, but too(ooo) small, especially with the cage (getting it was hard, getting the helment on and off was harder).
>> Edited by jitsukadave on Monday 3rd October 09:47
I have owned both.... The Lotus is much easier to live with and requires less TLC.. With caterhams, as std from the factory car will be biased for understeer and seem to not handle as well as the Lotus.. so you need to have it corner weighted and make sure the wheel size and tyre choices are right.. get it right they are mega fast and handle like a dream. You have to be very careful as they are fragile too.. the aluminium will start to carode at the slightest wiff of salt.. stone chips are worse IMHO than on the Lotus. BUT drive on a summers day down a country road with the sidescreens off and you wont get much more of an exhilarating experience on four wheels.
The Exige has more grip in most cases, but is less predictable on the limit.. much easier to live with and better built in most cases.. The toyota lump will require less TLC and you can use it every day if you need to.
For me, the Exige meets my needs as its easier to live with (I have 3 kids) and is almost as much fun as the Caterham (more so in some aspects). Either car is fabulous in its own way..
The Exige has more grip in most cases, but is less predictable on the limit.. much easier to live with and better built in most cases.. The toyota lump will require less TLC and you can use it every day if you need to.
For me, the Exige meets my needs as its easier to live with (I have 3 kids) and is almost as much fun as the Caterham (more so in some aspects). Either car is fabulous in its own way..
mmhh... feel a bit mixed... the fragility of the caterham, the standard set up that could be off the mark and the heat from the tunnel coming from the csr worries me.
The caterham's positive point (if it happens to be a good balanced one) seems being more progressive on the limit then an exige S2 (understandable as the exige is a mid rear engined car).
The exiges S2 positive points for me is the look (especially it's rear, allthough a longer bonnet would be nice with the engine at the front and sitting at the back) and if you really want you can still get the roof off with the exige S2.
If i would get my s2000 sold for a good price i could be driving a good 2nd hand caterham within 6 months but with an exige S2 i see myself saving money a few years more.
But i don't mind the wait if it would be the car that i want.
I'm 30 years old now and i guess i still have some time left before i'm to old to drive these things and run out of reflexes, hand eye coordination and things like that.
The caterham's positive point (if it happens to be a good balanced one) seems being more progressive on the limit then an exige S2 (understandable as the exige is a mid rear engined car).
The exiges S2 positive points for me is the look (especially it's rear, allthough a longer bonnet would be nice with the engine at the front and sitting at the back) and if you really want you can still get the roof off with the exige S2.
If i would get my s2000 sold for a good price i could be driving a good 2nd hand caterham within 6 months but with an exige S2 i see myself saving money a few years more.
But i don't mind the wait if it would be the car that i want.
I'm 30 years old now and i guess i still have some time left before i'm to old to drive these things and run out of reflexes, hand eye coordination and things like that.
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