Exige or Cerbera
Discussion
rule no.1 as far as Lotus concerned ' don't listen to lil birdies' Can you spy on the Esprit production line for me?
I've been told they're DEFINITELY ending production this year.
Back to the original question - Ray, pull your finger out and buy the frickin' Cerbie. My V8 will be burping outside your door this December - you'll be gutted... you know you will...
>> Edited by olly_penguin on Friday 25th October 17:26
I've been told they're DEFINITELY ending production this year.
Back to the original question - Ray, pull your finger out and buy the frickin' Cerbie. My V8 will be burping outside your door this December - you'll be gutted... you know you will...
>> Edited by olly_penguin on Friday 25th October 17:26
From the Esprit forum;
So it seems you need the right footwear.
Will your platforms be ok Mr Medallion Man
andecorp said: I am 5'11 and I usually hover around 280lbs/127kg (not fat - professional bodybuilder). I am very wide in the shoulders, but I still find the Esprit roomy compared to the Elise. Getting in and out is a matter of practice if you are large or small. Once mastered though, it's easy.
The pedals are pretty bad though. I can't drive it wearing any kind of dress shoe. I can only drive wearing either summer boat shoes or Ottomix shoes (www.ottomix.com) I actually find the Ottomix perfect for driving it - feels like you are wearing nothing at all.
So it seems you need the right footwear.
Will your platforms be ok Mr Medallion Man
but don't treat everyone as wrong simply because they disagree with you.
- LISTEN TO THE UN
I totally agree with Gargamel most people here should post in other forums .You should look at the good points of Lotuses [Tuning options ,handling,suspension,looks,style, brakes ,acceleration} rather than slagging the bad points {which can all be rectified}.
People should disagree because this is a forum and everybodys different. I would hope that people who dislike lotuses and the Lotus marque take note of our offence. Perhaps if we dident have the manners to mension the bad points of the cerbie and other cars then you would all have less to say.
Gargamel had a right to flip - I would have.
>> Edited by hungryjim on Friday 25th October 22:21
- LISTEN TO THE UN
I totally agree with Gargamel most people here should post in other forums .You should look at the good points of Lotuses [Tuning options ,handling,suspension,looks,style, brakes ,acceleration} rather than slagging the bad points {which can all be rectified}.
People should disagree because this is a forum and everybodys different. I would hope that people who dislike lotuses and the Lotus marque take note of our offence. Perhaps if we dident have the manners to mension the bad points of the cerbie and other cars then you would all have less to say.
Gargamel had a right to flip - I would have.
>> Edited by hungryjim on Friday 25th October 22:21
I totally agree with Gargamel most people here should post in other forums .You should look at the good points of Lotuses [Tuning options ,handling,suspension,looks,style, brakes ,acceleration} rather than slagging the bad points {which can all be rectified}.
How come it takes the owners intiative to correct these 'bad points' as you call them? On a £26k sports car you should NOT have to look to third party tuners to make it the car it should have been in the first place!
People should disagree because this is a forum and everybodys different. I would hope that people who dislike lotuses and the Lotus marque take note of our offence.
I still don't fully understand what the problem is? Gargamel didn't like what I and a few others said about the Elise being underpowered, big deal, it's a harmless opinion and it's certainly not going to change the way Lotus do anything so so what?
If I went off for a sulk and complained bitterly about anyone disagreeing with me then I'd be a sad lonely person, that's for sure. I own a Civic Type-R for gods sake, see how many people have it in for us Honda owners!
You Lotus guys got it easy!!! 
Perhaps if we dident have the manners to mension the bad points of the cerbie and other cars then you would all have less to say.
Oh don't get so up yourself Jim, the fact is you probably have never seen one of these cars so you couldn't even begin to form an opinion.
Gargamel had a right to flip - I would have.
But you didn't.... so there!!
I totally agree with Gargamel most people here should post in other forums .You should look at the good points of Lotuses [Tuning options ,handling,suspension,looks,style, brakes ,acceleration} rather than slagging the bad points {which can all be rectified}.
People should disagree because this is a forum and everybodys different. I would hope that people who dislike lotuses and the Lotus marque take note of our offence. Perhaps if we dident have the manners to mension the bad points of the cerbie and other cars then you would all have less to say.
Gargamel had a right to flip - I would have.
The point you're missing Hungryjim and Gargamel is that several past owners and big fans of Lotus cars including myself have not been impressed with the "development" Lotus have been making. The S2 was released with 118bhp and was heavier even though everybody reviewing the Original Elise said that it was underpowered and several versions all with more power were made. The m250 project which looked like an excellent car was shelved, the Esprit is being canned so what is the future of Lotus? Certainly if I had the money to buy a sports car at the moment I would not buy a Lotus, as a fan this is surely wrong!!
The point of this forum is to discuss points about Lotus. It would be nice to think that Lotus themselves read the opinions of their loyal fans. Instead of thinking of going into F1 they should be looking into the next supercar or Esprit replacement. They produced a GT version of the Elise it looked and sounded beautiful but we may never get the road going version.
In answer to the Exige vs Cerbera question I would personally go look at the Cerbera. The exige is a great car. I had the pleasure of unlimited driving it a fully run-in 190 for a day BUT the performance is not that stunning. The car was hot and too loud for reasonable every day use and in queuing traffic it was awkward to drive. On the country roads it handled well but so does the M100 and thats less than half the price and has comfy seats. I'm a person that is used to discomfort in cars (hey, I drove a very wet Kit car everyday for 7 years) the Exige isn't worth the sacrifice IMHO. The Cerbera I have never driven but looking inside the luxury and performance are excellent and I would imagine would be a far more practical solution for the road.
I'm sorry if some people find this offensive but if people didn't point out improvements in my company I wouldn't develop better products. Lotus don't seem to be listening to their customers they just seem to be doing "posh painted" Elises.
>> Edited by smeagol on Saturday 26th October 00:57
How come it takes the owners intiative to correct these 'bad points' as you call them? On a £26k sports car you should NOT have to look to third party tuners to make it the car it should have been in the first place!
With respect, the same has just been said about the Cerbera, read back in the thread . . . only this time it's a suspension and handling problem (in a supercar as you put it
- hmmm that's clever) you have to pay a third party to rectify, only on a much more costly car in the first place . . . Im sure you'll forget about that to suit your 'argument' however your intent on this thread is fairly clear, buy a TVR regardless of it's suitability for purpose or use, fair enough, why don't you have one then ? You've already had an Elise and therefore because you didn't enjoy it neither should anybody else, however no TVR in the fleet yet, will you detest it as much once you've owned one of those too . . .
There's no point in having any kind of sensible discussion on this forum because anti anything but TVR biggotry will spoil it.
l8r
Fd
>> Edited by fergusd on Saturday 26th October 19:34
fergusd said:
With respect, the same has just been said about the Cerbera, read back in the thread . . . only this time it's a suspension and handling problem (in a supercar as you put it
What you will also find is that TVR listen to their customers, just look at what was announced at this months motorshow!! New revised suspension for the Cerbera, pity that Lotus had nothing to show but a boat inspired paint job....
Im sure you'll forget about that to suit your 'argument' however your intent on this thread is fairly clear, buy a TVR regardless of it's suitability for purpose or use, fair enough, why don't you have one then ? You've already had an Elise and therefore because you didn't enjoy it neither should anybody else, however no TVR in the fleet yet, will you detest it as much once you've owned one of those too . . .
Mmmm.... well this is getting rather heated and personal isn't it? My dear boy it does do the heart wonders if you stopped pumping all your blood to your head.
Right, well I don't have a TVR and I probably wouldn't get one, saving up for that BMW M3 or 993.... yum! The thread topic suggested the choices were between the Cerbera and the Exige, see how that limits ones choice of alternatives to the Lotus?
If I had the choice of the two I would pick the Cerbera, that's all I'm trying to get across. If you don't like my opinion, then that's fine, do what Bonce suggested and just ignore it. It makes life so much more easy and stress free.
As for me slating anyone with a Lotus I don't seem to remember abusing anyone or saying anything rude? I can't say the Elise is a pile of
mainly because it isn't. It is a flawed machine but I doubt any car on the road today can be accused of being perfect. What frustrates me is how long it takes Lotus to actually get round to doing anything new or frankly interesting these days, and even if they do it try it just turns out to be a dire mess (M250).
There's no point in having any kind of sensible discussion on this forum because anti anything but TVR biggotry will spoil it.
Oh that really is rather poor now isn't it? The fact is this site really does attract a whole range of interesting people and I love all the points of view that come across. That's what makes it interesting doesn't it?
Best regards and peace...!
Ahh!!!! - opinions, opinions - too true thats what I like about this site, bit of marque loyalty, tonque in cheek comments, controversy, bias, etc, etc - keep it up - makes for lively debate and vibrancy - fact I think that Lotus is premier Brit sportscar (IMHO of course!!) brand is unimportant.
Oh that really is rather poor now isn't it? The fact is this site really does attract a whole range of interesting people and I love all the points of view that come across. That's what makes it interesting doesn't it?
Yes
Coming from you that seems very strange!You never struck me as a man who liked people disagreeing with them.
HungryJim
Motorshow was ok but absence of top manufacturers was v disappointing, eg, BMW, Merc, etc, but plenty to look at. TVR stand was as impressive as Lotus stand was disappointing, MG put on a good show and of course plenty of 'distractions'! Not the best but didn't feel robbed..
Motorshow was ok but absence of top manufacturers was v disappointing, eg, BMW, Merc, etc, but plenty to look at. TVR stand was as impressive as Lotus stand was disappointing, MG put on a good show and of course plenty of 'distractions'! Not the best but didn't feel robbed..
As I rarely frequent this forum, I hope you will forgive the intrusion, but I was reading the original question and wondering why these two cars were being judged against one another at all? The Lotus Exige is, to my mind, an out & out track day car, sure its capable of road use, but to be perfectly honest, I very much doubt that the original design breif was to compete with the TVR Cerbera. To begin with the Cerbera is obviously aimed at the luxury sports tourer market, with its large torquey motor, leather interior and capacity to seat 4 people, not a particualy well handling vehicle but perfectly happy to blast along for mile after mile of motorway in relative comfort whereas the Exige is the Antithesis of the Cerbera, being as it is an ultra light wieght car powered by a small but perfecly adiquate motor for the job in hand. The trim level of the Lotus gives you all the clues, spartan by comparison to the majority of road cars, the legendary Lotus handling and inovative design have combined once again to produce a car that suits the enviroment it was meant for. In answer to the original question I would have to say buy both. The TVR will be a great car for making a lovely noise in and posing around town on a saturday evening, and the Lotus will be fabulous for having a heart stopping ball in. I am reminded of a quote I once read, Graham Arnold, he of Club Lotus, was driving the then new Elite M50 with Lotus's Techincal Director Tony Rudd in the passenger seat. In the middle of some rather enthusiastic cornering Tony piped up "Remeber Graham, the Lotus will always make it round, but you could meet a TVR doing the same speed the other way, and the TVR will always be out of shape".
Simon Elite 501
Of course you're right 'apples and pears' - can't compare. Exige is the most uncomfortable, ill-equiped, noisy, spartan car I've driven since my Anglia 105E days, but my God the handling, looks and sheer thrill of driving it make the downsides of no consequence. In a straight line the Cerbie will absolutely murder it, round the bends ta ta TVR. As I said apples and pears.
>> Edited by clanger on Wednesday 30th October 07:37
Of course you're right 'apples and pears' - can't compare. Exige is the most uncomfortable, ill-equiped, noisy, spartan car I've driven since my Anglia 105E days, but my God the handling, looks and sheer thrill of driving it make the downsides of no consequence. In a straight line the Cerbie will absolutely murder it, round the bends ta ta TVR. As I said apples and pears.
>> Edited by clanger on Wednesday 30th October 07:37
Simon Elite 501
I think you missed the point of my original post completely, maybe just mixed up in all the responses posted. My question was , which shall I buy?. You see I had the two cars on my short list, and was asking for peoples comments, suggestions, and ownership experiences. The question of judging the two cars was never the intention. Both cars suit different requirements as most people on the thread have pointed out. I was also going to include the Evo VI, but had already removed it off my list cause the interior looks like my Dads Nissan Sunny :-)
I think you missed the point of my original post completely, maybe just mixed up in all the responses posted. My question was , which shall I buy?. You see I had the two cars on my short list, and was asking for peoples comments, suggestions, and ownership experiences. The question of judging the two cars was never the intention. Both cars suit different requirements as most people on the thread have pointed out. I was also going to include the Evo VI, but had already removed it off my list cause the interior looks like my Dads Nissan Sunny :-)
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