RE: Chris Harris video: Lotus Exige S
Discussion
I remember reading about this when it was in the pipeline and thinking it's what I've always wanted in a Lotus - light, light, light, agile, superb suspension, AND with great sounding engine. I find Lotus has got most stuff right. Now just what remains is detail quality and the public perception of Lotus cars as quality cars. I find Bahar's aspirational plan with multiple new models bewildering and too scattered. The current line up is fine. Hone it an build brand value a step at a time, pretty much like Porsche has done since the inception of the 911.
Esprit said:
PascalBuyens said:
Exige S1 was already a bit too "sterile" for me...
Of all the words I've heard to describe the S1 Exige, "sterile" is a new one to me!Compared to a Honda'd Elise, on Advan Neovas... Yep, the handling was too neutral for my liking. Definitely more planted, yes, but I prefer a car that you have to "work" in to get it round a corner. The Exige didn't do that for me..
I may be a bit too much of a purist when it comes down to fun driving, I don't like electronic nannies at all, hence my comments about the steering help on the S.
RudeDog said:
"It's been looming but, as of today - with the heaviest of hearts - Lotus Cars, you are dead to me. Gutted. Angry." - Chris Harris
Some people are so fickle.
It's easy to do that when you pick quotes out of context. That was referring to the Mansory connection. This video is all about the fact that underneath all the glitz, Swizz Beats, Mansory and 5-can plan bSome people are so fickle.
ks Lotus can still make stunningly good cars.Here's what i posted in the other thread:
I've hoped (nay prayed) that this would be a return to form for Lotus - God knows they need it. Really glad to read that it is as good as I hoped, and matches the (IMO) stunning looks.
I'm really intrigued by the Roadster though - all that power, handling and balance with the option of exposing your bonce to the elements and your ears to more of the V6 howl.
Looking at the Roadster they had at Geneva, they obviously offer a fully trimmed interior, though no doubt at a cost - maybe that would lift the interior a little?
edit: Just found this on Castle Sports Cars website:
Option Packs
Premium Pack
Choice of leather colour: Ebony Black, Ivory White, Venom Red, Cognac Brown, Imperial Blue, Cocoa Brown, Ash Grey
Leather centre console
Fully covered foot well area (carpet + leather)
Sport/Premium steering wheel in full black leather
leather sills
Door panels in leather
Metal bezel around gear and handbrake gaiter
Sport/Premium seats in full leather
Full sound insulating material
Dark trinket tray
Face-level air vents covered in leather
Premium Pack Sport SuedeTex
Ebony Black/Slate Grey SuedeTex® interior combination,
SuedeTex® centre console
Black floor mats
Sport/Premium steering wheel with dark grey leather
Dark grey binnacle top,
Door panels in carbon effect leather
Metal bezel around gear and handbrake gaiter
Sport/Premium seats with carbon effect eather inserts
Sound insulating material
Carbon Pack (Premium Pack required)
Carbon centre console
Carbon sill covers
Carbon air conditioning controls
Carbon air conditioning vents
Carbon binnacle surround and binnacle top
Carbon Dynamic Performance Management (DPM) switch panel
Race Pack
4 mode Lotus DPM system including launch control
Exhaust bypass valve override switch
Optimised suspension to suit the Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo tyre characteristics
Convenience Pack
Trinket tray divider
USB connection
Cup holder
Lotus Exige S MSRP £49,900
Premium Pack £2000
Premium Pack Sport Suedetex £1500
Carbon Pack £1500
Race Pack £2000
Convenience Pack £350
Air Conditioning £1100
Rear Parking Sensors £350
Heated Seats £350
Contrast Stitching £245
Trofeo Tyres £800
Crossbar & Harness Mounts £700
Metallic Paint £600
Premium Paint £1200
Motorsport Paint £1800
Diamond Cut Wheels (18/19", Cast) £350
Pistonheads forum said:
Unless it weighs 100kg, costs 50p and has 500hp, it's not a Lotus and I won't even look at it. If they manage that then I may deign to step foot in their showrooms, but I'll still buy a Porsche because I prefer their interior plastics and it'll impress the neighbours more.
harryowl said:
Max_Torque said:
Sorry, but i'm still struggling with the £53k bit!
What other car can you buy new with the same performance for 53k?For the vast majority of people, going fast is nice, but not at the expense of everything else. For a small minority of people (with £53k buring a hole in their pocket) that's no issue, they probably have 3 other cars to choose from. IMO, what Lotus need is an affordable, eco sportscar. Needs to be £30k, 5sec to 60 and 50mpg. (all doable imo) That way, people with 2 car families (which is a lot of people) can have 1 sensible car (for the wife.. ;-) and 1 car for fun, but crucially which they can also commute to work in all year.
This of course doesn't negate the requirement for pure fun cars like the Exige V6, selling in ultra low numbers, with a halo effect on the rest of the brand, but they DO need to be prop'd up by decend, mid level volume (say >5k pa units) sellers.
Personally, for £53k, i'd have a nice £10k commuter (something diesel, something comfy) and a Caterham. And this is Lotuses problem, their are lots of otherways for people to spend their money these days. Lets face it, PH is the kind of site that the Exige V6 is aimed at, but how many people on here 1)want one (lots) and cruically 2) actually have a real £53k to spend(very few) ?? (i'm going to guess at less than 10-20 in the uk)
What an epic wee car from the lads (and ladies?) at Hethel...must admit at first I was not sure about the new Bosch electrickery, but heck, you can turn it off and go mad, so what's not to like.
I can see this car getting some further power via tuners in the future, so what would we expect power wise? 400bhp? 420bhp? Yikes, that'll be serious fun (as if it isn't already!).
Black on black for me please - I reckon that would look realy stealth!
Cheers,
C.
I can see this car getting some further power via tuners in the future, so what would we expect power wise? 400bhp? 420bhp? Yikes, that'll be serious fun (as if it isn't already!).
Black on black for me please - I reckon that would look realy stealth!
Cheers,
C.
Max_Torque said:
Personally, for £53k, i'd have a nice £10k commuter (something diesel, something comfy) and a Caterham. And this is Lotuses problem, their are lots of otherways for people to spend their money these days. Lets face it, PH is the kind of site that the Exige V6 is aimed at, but how many people on here 1)want one (lots) and cruically 2) actually have a real £53k to spend(very few) ?? (i'm going to guess at less than 10-20 in the uk)
AFAIK, Lotus have around 350+ orders for them already. Caractacus said:
What an epic wee car from the lads (and ladies?) at Hethel...must admit at first I was not sure about the new Bosch electrickery, but heck, you can turn it off and go mad, so what's not to like.
I can see this car getting some further power via tuners in the future, so what would we expect power wise? 400bhp? 420bhp? Yikes, that'll be serious fun (as if it isn't already!).
Black on black for me please - I reckon that would look realy stealth!
Cheers,
C.
The evora GTE has the same engine and is 440 bhp I can see this car getting some further power via tuners in the future, so what would we expect power wise? 400bhp? 420bhp? Yikes, that'll be serious fun (as if it isn't already!).
Black on black for me please - I reckon that would look realy stealth!
Cheers,
C.
Beefmeister said:
RudeDog said:
"It's been looming but, as of today - with the heaviest of hearts - Lotus Cars, you are dead to me. Gutted. Angry." - Chris Harris
Some people are so fickle.
It's easy to do that when you pick quotes out of context. That was referring to the Mansory connection. This video is all about the fact that underneath all the glitz, Swizz Beats, Mansory and 5-can plan bSome people are so fickle.
ks Lotus can still make stunningly good cars.ks and what has been achieved in recent times is massively more than has ever been achieved in the last 20 years. Please tell me you don’t think that Lotus should be making lightweight little sports cars and selling them for £25k! Lotus never stopped making stunningly good little cars but they don’t make enough/any money. They either remain small/niche and sell tiny numbers of cars or they MTFU, get some investment, bring in some top guys from the industry and show that they can compete with the world’s best given the chance. As a committed Lotus fan I am seriously glad they took the second option!
Max_Torque said:
As i mentioned though in my original post, it's not the performance itself that is the issue, it's the fast that is all that it does. It goes fast and............ well, it goes fast and thats it.
What gives you the impression that this could not be used as an everyday car (it is an Exige after all!)? Lots of people have used Elises as everyday cars and I don't see why this would be different.People buy focussed stuff like GT3s. People will buy (and have indeed ordered) this.
The £30k/5 sec/50mpg sports car is pipe dream. Even if a manufacturer could afford to sell a car for that price, they would be mad to offer it so cheap.
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