RE: Pic of the Week: Lotus Exige S

[leon9191]

Thorburn said:

leon9191 said:

I saw a prototype one of these in Norwich a few weeks back I guessed it must have been on test but wasnt in disguise, the inlaws thought it was very strange of me to stop dead in my tracks and stare at it but they think cars are "boring".

was maroon which wasnt the colour I'd choose but still looked nice

Wasn't this one was it? http://www.seloc.org/2011/11/exige-v6-and-s2-exige...

Had a few sightings of them now on the forums

Might have been yeah, the one I saw looked like a bit of a mule though in the flesh.

I work in Thetford so pass Hethel every day and its the only one I've seen so far.

[jellison]

That Lotus site is useless - tells you Sod all about the Engine they are proposing to quiz in there.

Can't help but think it would be a worse car over a blown (Turbo or SC) 4 pot Exige, bigger heavier (the opposite of the whole point of an Exige!).

[Thorburn]

jellison said:

That Lotus site is useless - tells you Sod all about the Engine they are proposing to quiz in there.

Can't help but think it would be a worse car over a blown (Turbo or SC) 4 pot Exige, bigger heavier (the opposite of the whole point of an Exige!).

Same engine as the Evora S, Toyota 2GR-FE (3456cc, V6) with a Harrop HTV 1320 supercharger , Lotus T6e ECU, 345bhp @ 7000rpm, 295 lb/ft @ 4500rpm.

[mikEsprit]

I'm looking forward to Lotus making their own engines again.

[JS100]

The Crack Fox said:

TheOrangePeril said:

Exciting stuff! Great snap too. Would love to have a blast in one of these.

Go to the 'ring and rent one. The best thing I've ever driven....

Stunning photo. S2 Exige one of the best looking cars ever made IMO, not just for Lotus. Dropped the ball stylistically with the new S3 - deserved better.

[Thorburn]

JS100 said:

Stunning photo. S2 Exige one of the best looking cars ever made IMO, not just for Lotus. Dropped the ball stylistically with the new S3 - deserved better.

Everyone I've spoken to who's seen the V6 says it looks stunning in real life - much more presence than the S2.

[crofty1984]

Scrambled said:

Looks fantastic in the photo _ cannot see that it will disappoint in real life. Hope it's a success.

I've seen it in the flesh. It's absoulteley mega. Still recognisably an Exige, but the new shape makes it look just a bit more grown-up and special.

[The Pits]

The wheels are stunning I think.

Mr Magoo and co on here can have them in plain black without the shiny bits if they prefer.

[RogueMotorsport]

MartG said:

I'm just surprised it's taken so long - people have been dropping this engine into MR2s for years now

Although the addition of a supercharger is a fairly recent development. (Noise warning - turn volume down before clicking link):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWPh54-0H8A

[GTRene]

RogueMotorsport said:

MartG said:

I'm just surprised it's taken so long - people have been dropping this engine into MR2s for years now

Although the addition of a supercharger is a fairly recent development. (Noise warning - turn volume down before clicking link):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWPh54-0H8A

how much power does that mr2 have? looks fast, also nice the front with airstream/radiator/hood.

[RogueMotorsport]

GTRene said:

how much power does that mr2 have? looks fast, also nice the front with airstream/radiator/hood.

Figures are measured at the hubs, and this is an endurance tune. There's another 10bhp or so that could be squeezed out of it. Engine-wise everything is the same as it would be in a factory car with the addition of some sump baffling and external oil cooler.

[chevronb37]

Having spent a bit of time around this car a couple of weeks ago, I rather like it. It's bigger and more grown up than previous Exiges but looks well proportioned. I'd change a couple of details, given the opportunity, but generally it works well and it is really very fast indeed. Conceptually I'm an S1 man through and through but as an object and a driving tool, the new V6 car promises to be pretty awesome.

This was its visit to our local dealer.

[Shnozz]

The Crack Fox said:

TheOrangePeril said:

Exciting stuff! Great snap too. Would love to have a blast in one of these.

Go to the 'ring and rent one. The best thing I've ever driven....

725 euros for 4 laps. Blimey! As much as I think the supercharged Exige is an amazing all round experience (well, I would do wouldn't I?!), it makes a days hire of the Bookatrack Caterham seem amazing value.

[I WISH]

chevronb37 said:

Having spent a bit of time around this car a couple of weeks ago, I rather like it. It's bigger and more grown up than previous Exiges but looks well proportioned. I'd change a couple of details, given the opportunity, but generally it works well and it is really very fast indeed. Conceptually I'm an S1 man through and through but as an object and a driving tool, the new V6 car promises to be pretty awesome.

This was its visit to our local dealer.

Even on a second viewing of a bigger photo those wheels are absolutely awful. Can't visualise any that I can remember seeing that are worse. (Obviously someone will now post a pic of some that are!).

[gforceg]

Is the rear spoiler fixed or speed actuated?
Wheels are truly gopping. They look broken.

[Shnozz]

Thorburn said:

JS100 said:

Stunning photo. S2 Exige one of the best looking cars ever made IMO, not just for Lotus. Dropped the ball stylistically with the new S3 - deserved better.

Everyone I've spoken to who's seen the V6 says it looks stunning in real life - much more presence than the S2.

The S1 and S2 were a lot smaller though, so lacked presence largely due to size more than in the looks department IMHO. That said, the compactness of the earlier cars is also a strength, not just in terms of lightweight, but in being able to hussle a country lane which you simply cant do as well in a bigger car. I am yet to see the S3 in the fibreglass (as you know, I went to the 'unveiling' at JCT only to find sandwiches and drinks and no S3 Exige!) but I like what I see from pictures.

That said, the wheels are a bit rank IMHO.

[Thorburn]

gforceg said:

Is the rear spoiler fixed or speed actuated?

Pretty sure it's fixed to the boot lid, so gets lifted up when you open the boot.

[chevronb37]

Shnozz said:

Thorburn said:

JS100 said:

Stunning photo. S2 Exige one of the best looking cars ever made IMO, not just for Lotus. Dropped the ball stylistically with the new S3 - deserved better.

Everyone I've spoken to who's seen the V6 says it looks stunning in real life - much more presence than the S2.

The S1 and S2 were a lot smaller though, so lacked presence largely due to size more than in the looks department IMHO. That said, the compactness of the earlier cars is also a strength, not just in terms of lightweight, but in being able to hussle a country lane which you simply cant do as well in a bigger car. I am yet to see the S3 in the fibreglass (as you know, I went to the 'unveiling' at JCT only to find sandwiches and drinks and no S3 Exige!) but I like what I see from pictures.

That said, the wheels are a bit rank IMHO.

So it was you who had all the refreshments?!

I think it's better to think of the new Exige as a kind of Noble M12 rival rather than an Exige in its previous state. On that basis it makes some degree of sense. I totally agree with your sentiment though - you can punt an older Elise/Exige through tiny gaps because it's so compact and you can see the wheelarches perfectly so it's very easily to hustle.

[branflakes]

Hopefully it'll be more successful than this.

[PascalBuyens]

jellison said:

That Lotus site is useless - tells you Sod all about the Engine they are proposing to quiz in there.

Can't help but think it would be a worse car over a blown (Turbo or SC) 4 pot Exige, bigger heavier (the opposite of the whole point of an Exige!).

3.5 V6 from the Toyota Camry, reworked ECU, bringing it up to 350-ish bhp.