Exige mk2 or mk3?
Discussion
I have a really fantastic car. An S2 Exige 240 PP. The best car I have ever owned. It fits my budget. Small, compact, appreciated everwhere I go. Absolutely brilliant. Had it eighteen months now and 10000 miles. There was a time when I used to think nothing, but nothing could make me change my mind. It's just that of late I have started hankering for a V6. They have sort of grown om me. My screensaver used to be my car. Now it's a V6. I will probably never quite be able to get into one. Money is hard earned and pockets not deep enough. My car remains wonderful, but if I could-I'm sure you've guessed. Its not the same budget, but if you can afford it the V6 is the way to go. If not, an S2, is not second best, that would be unfair. It's just not a V6.
fatwomble said:
Performance of the V6 is on another level. The 1.8 SC is a quick car, the V6 is pretty much supercar quick. It's also much more expensive and more expensive to run.
I would not say 14 seconds to 125 mph is supercar quick, when Macca's are doing it in 8 and the new entry level 540 is doing it in 10. You are talking Cayman quick.
I have drag raced my Exige V6 against some friends, one of which has an Aventador, and off the line up to about 70 or so there is not a great deal in it, but after that, there is just no contest...in the dry...it would be even worse in the wet due the Aventadors 4WD! I had a passenger ride in the Aventador though, and whilst it sounded awsome and was clearly very fast, it did not feel that exciting...which is surely the point, and is why I prefer the Exige to any car I have ever driven or been in (although I love my Evora aswell...its nice to have some comfort occasionally)...so far, and that includes various Porsche derivatives, even if some might be a bit faster in the pub! (great cars, but the newer ones again lack soul).
When it comes to corners though, its a very quick car. It is all the Aventador can do to hang on...it catches up again down the straights.
I have been lucky enough to own both. As a weekend toy for pottering about on a Sunday both are great, but if travelling any distance or using daily as I do, the V6 is the better place to be largely due to the extra torque.
I have not trackday`d it yet (unfortunately) but it feels like it will be extremely effective. I think the 4 cylinder car will have some advantages at lower manouvering speeds due to its lower weight. The V6 is much more stable, especially in the wet. The front end aquaplanes, but the back end does not spin round on standing water!
When it comes to corners though, its a very quick car. It is all the Aventador can do to hang on...it catches up again down the straights.
I have been lucky enough to own both. As a weekend toy for pottering about on a Sunday both are great, but if travelling any distance or using daily as I do, the V6 is the better place to be largely due to the extra torque.
I have not trackday`d it yet (unfortunately) but it feels like it will be extremely effective. I think the 4 cylinder car will have some advantages at lower manouvering speeds due to its lower weight. The V6 is much more stable, especially in the wet. The front end aquaplanes, but the back end does not spin round on standing water!
estacion said:
So which is best? The new car looks great, and the 3.5 litre engine had got to be good news, but are there people who prefer the previous generation? I'm thinking about late 240 or 260 bhp models. Discuss!
I have the V6 with the approved ex430 bhp upgrade. Quicker than virtually anything on a regular trackday, and can out brake and corner anything other than Radicals running slicks. I have been in both, the V6 is a big step forward.
I've driven quite a few examples of the mk2 and one example of the mk3, a V6 Coupe. My opinion was that the mk3 feels a lot quicker and that the ride and handling has moved on another step from the mk2. I was due to trade in my Elise for an Exige back in 2012 and was left disappointed by the mk2 Exige, as they all felt very similar to Elises to me, and not that quick (I drove a std S and an RGB), whereas when I drove a mk3 it left me totally blown away by how feelsome, capable and well engineered it was, and I'd go so far as to say it's the best daily usable performance car I've ever driven. As it happens, I bought a 2-Eleven, but that's another thing entirely!
I should immediately say that the Exige Mk2 is a long way from being a bad car, but expect a small step on in ride, handling and performance from an Elise. The mk3 is a whole different experience and feels like a distinct model apart from an Elise, and in that sense I think it resolves the Lotus range really nicely.
I should immediately say that the Exige Mk2 is a long way from being a bad car, but expect a small step on in ride, handling and performance from an Elise. The mk3 is a whole different experience and feels like a distinct model apart from an Elise, and in that sense I think it resolves the Lotus range really nicely.
RobM77 said:
I've driven quite a few examples of the mk2 and one example of the mk3, a V6 Coupe. My opinion was that the mk3 feels a lot quicker and that the ride and handling has moved on another step from the mk2. I was due to trade in my Elise for an Exige back in 2012 and was left disappointed by the mk2 Exige, as they all felt very similar to Elises to me, and not that quick (I drove a std S and an RGB), whereas when I drove a mk3 it left me totally blown away by how feelsome, capable and well engineered it was, and I'd go so far as to say it's the best daily usable performance car I've ever driven. As it happens, I bought a 2-Eleven, but that's another thing entirely!
I should immediately say that the Exige Mk2 is a long way from being a bad car, but expect a small step on in ride, handling and performance from an Elise. The mk3 is a whole different experience and feels like a distinct model apart from an Elise, and in that sense I think it resolves the Lotus range really nicely.
Comments justified albeit a little unfair. I had an Elise R (190), now have an Exige S 240PP. For me there is a marked difference in performance between the two models, rather than a small step'. The Elise is a great car, but find the Exige S2 even better. A little surprised that the RGB which has 260 bhp didn't feel such a big step up. I should immediately say that the Exige Mk2 is a long way from being a bad car, but expect a small step on in ride, handling and performance from an Elise. The mk3 is a whole different experience and feels like a distinct model apart from an Elise, and in that sense I think it resolves the Lotus range really nicely.
As for the V6, it is no doubt on a different level and I would love one. However, for the price that to me is to be expected. Not quite comparing like with like when you have to add between £15K/£20K, for a used example.
simpo555 said:
RobM77 said:
I've driven quite a few examples of the mk2 and one example of the mk3, a V6 Coupe. My opinion was that the mk3 feels a lot quicker and that the ride and handling has moved on another step from the mk2. I was due to trade in my Elise for an Exige back in 2012 and was left disappointed by the mk2 Exige, as they all felt very similar to Elises to me, and not that quick (I drove a std S and an RGB), whereas when I drove a mk3 it left me totally blown away by how feelsome, capable and well engineered it was, and I'd go so far as to say it's the best daily usable performance car I've ever driven. As it happens, I bought a 2-Eleven, but that's another thing entirely!
I should immediately say that the Exige Mk2 is a long way from being a bad car, but expect a small step on in ride, handling and performance from an Elise. The mk3 is a whole different experience and feels like a distinct model apart from an Elise, and in that sense I think it resolves the Lotus range really nicely.
Comments justified albeit a little unfair. I had an Elise R (190), now have an Exige S 240PP. For me there is a marked difference in performance between the two models, rather than a small step'. The Elise is a great car, but find the Exige S2 even better. A little surprised that the RGB which has 260 bhp didn't feel such a big step up. I should immediately say that the Exige Mk2 is a long way from being a bad car, but expect a small step on in ride, handling and performance from an Elise. The mk3 is a whole different experience and feels like a distinct model apart from an Elise, and in that sense I think it resolves the Lotus range really nicely.
As for the V6, it is no doubt on a different level and I would love one. However, for the price that to me is to be expected. Not quite comparing like with like when you have to add between £15K/£20K, for a used example.
As for your comments on budget,
oh yes, definitely; if we're bringing budget into the equation then it's an entirely different matter, with the average used V6 probably double the cost of the average used mk2 4cyl. I was commenting purely on my driving impressions though, with budget to one side. With budget in mind, back in the real world, I bought a 2-Eleven in preference to the V6, which bizarrely feels nothing like either car to drive. I won't exactly be going away for the weekend in the 2-Eleven though or driving it to work!Needless to say, everything that's rolled out of Hethel is utterly stunning to drive, particularly the recent cars; we all just pick our own flavour that suits us best.
RobM77 said:
Thanks for your post - when dealing with opinions it's always good to have some balance. I completely stand by what I said above though. I guess we all pick up on different things when driving a car? I must confess that years of racing have numbed me somewhat to the performance of most road cars, although once they get above about 300bhp/tonne they do start to feel fun in a straight line; however up until that point my focus with a road car is devoted almost entirely to its ride and handling, which is no doubt a bit different between the Elise and Exige, but I didn't feel it warranted the extra expenditure (my Elise plus £10k - £15k) for me at the time. To my senses the new Exige V6 seemed to be offering quite a noticeable difference in ride and handling and a big difference in straight line performance.
As for your comments on budget, oh yes, definitely; if we're bringing budget into the equation then it's an entirely different matter, with the average used V6 probably double the cost of the average used mk2 4cyl. I was commenting purely on my driving impressions though, with budget to one side. With budget in mind, back in the real world, I bought a 2-Eleven in preference to the V6, which bizarrely feels nothing like either car to drive. I won't exactly be going away for the weekend in the 2-Eleven though or driving it to work!
Needless to say, everything that's rolled out of Hethel is utterly stunning to drive, particularly the recent cars; we all just pick our own flavour that suits us best.
Have to agreeAs for your comments on budget,
oh yes, definitely; if we're bringing budget into the equation then it's an entirely different matter, with the average used V6 probably double the cost of the average used mk2 4cyl. I was commenting purely on my driving impressions though, with budget to one side. With budget in mind, back in the real world, I bought a 2-Eleven in preference to the V6, which bizarrely feels nothing like either car to drive. I won't exactly be going away for the weekend in the 2-Eleven though or driving it to work!Needless to say, everything that's rolled out of Hethel is utterly stunning to drive, particularly the recent cars; we all just pick our own flavour that suits us best.
. Now you've opened up a whole new can of worms. 2-elevens are stunning. Congrats. Just not practical, although very few Lotuses are;) PorscheGT4 said:
Zyp said:
Hmmm.....only if you're talking about 0-125mph.
that's what super cars do though don't they, go fastI could say ok then lets see a ring time but again only about Cayman quick !
Not knocking the car you understand, it's just not super car fast as stated.
0-100, Cayman S, porsche quoted time : 10.8 secs
0-100. Exige S, independent from Autocar : 9.6 secs
The mclaren is in another league. If you're being fussy on the nomenclature it's a hypercar. But the exige S is far, far quicker than the cayman. It's typically quicker than any "cooking" 911 too. It's about as quick as a 997 GT3. Not as quick as a 991 GT3.
schrodinger said:
PorscheGT4 said:
Zyp said:
Hmmm.....only if you're talking about 0-125mph.
that's what super cars do though don't they, go fastI could say ok then lets see a ring time but again only about Cayman quick !
Not knocking the car you understand, it's just not super car fast as stated.
0-100, Cayman S, porsche quoted time : 10.8 secs
0-100. Exige S, independent from Autocar : 9.6 secs
The mclaren is in another league. If you're being fussy on the nomenclature it's a hypercar. But the exige S is far, far quicker than the cayman. It's typically quicker than any "cooking" 911 too. It's about as quick as a 997 GT3. Not as quick as a 991 GT3.
PorscheGT4 said:
that's what super cars do though don't they, go fast
I could say ok then lets see a ring time but again only about Cayman quick !
Not knocking the car you understand, it's just not super car fast as stated.
lol, S2 Exige is Cayman S quick. My 240PP Exige was all over it on a track day. V6 Exige in different league to a Cayman S. As been said, V6 Exige comparable with GT3.I could say ok then lets see a ring time but again only about Cayman quick !
Not knocking the car you understand, it's just not super car fast as stated.
I'd quite happily move up to a V6, but I am waiting till they hit the 40k mark, then make the move. S2 is an amazing car, but V6 is moving close to super car territory, well about as close as your gonna get in performance for a fraction of the cost.
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