RE: PH Carpool: Lotus Exige S1
Discussion
Thorburn said:
Out of interest what is the full spec of the car in terms of suspension?
Had an S1 Elise for almost 5 years now and having watched the values rise in that time always regretted not getting an S1 Exige - but having finally driven one a couple months back in 177bhp trim with the standard Lotus Sports Suspension it was one of my greatest motoring disappointments.
Simply couldn't drive it quickly over less than billiard table smooth surfaces as the car seemed to be constantly bottoming out and scraping along the ground (was actually just scuffing the mudguards along the ground, but when someone has lent you their car you don't want to damage it!), which meant never really got the VHPD working outside that 'p
s off and come back in 1000rpm' part of the rev range.
James, mine is running two-way Nitons and been geo'd by Ollie at Phoenix. It's set up to be pretty keen on turn-in with a tiny tab of toe-out at the front. It hunts out corners like a dog down a rabbit hole. It's fiercely direct - completely different ballgame to my 111R. Had an S1 Elise for almost 5 years now and having watched the values rise in that time always regretted not getting an S1 Exige - but having finally driven one a couple months back in 177bhp trim with the standard Lotus Sports Suspension it was one of my greatest motoring disappointments.
Simply couldn't drive it quickly over less than billiard table smooth surfaces as the car seemed to be constantly bottoming out and scraping along the ground (was actually just scuffing the mudguards along the ground, but when someone has lent you their car you don't want to damage it!), which meant never really got the VHPD working outside that 'p
s off and come back in 1000rpm' part of the rev range.The suspension is stiff but it only ever grounds out on the splitter at the front. That's only generally during low speed manoeuvring and things. Won't happen out on the open road as a rule of thumb. I find it's stiffer than my Elise was but not annoyingly so. I find you need to learn to trust it as the lack of roll takes away a degree of feel - you don't get that sense of weight moving around. However, at speed on any road I've never driven such a confidence-inspiring and intuitive car.
My missus said after a short passenger ride that it felt less "squirrely" than the Elise. It certainly feels totally stable, and only improves with speed. In fast corners, the limiting factor is always me - on road or track.
Sorry to hear you had a disappointing experience. Probably only goes to show quite what an awesome creation the S1 Elise is in standard trim. Oh and the VHPD at high revs is awful - sounds like it's being tortured...
trickymex said:
Apart from a more powerful version of the K series and cosmetic differences was the exige any more different than the Elise?
Different suspension in terms of springs and dampers I believe and a thicker front anti-roll bar as well - some Elises like the Sport 160/Sport 190 might have shared some of this although I think the Sport 160 LSS suspension was different again. The Exige has larger 16" front and 17" rear wheels as well.The Exige was basically a road going version of the Motorsport Elise, which featured similar bodywork.
chevronb37 said:
Sorry to hear you had a disappointing experience. Probably only goes to show quite what an awesome creation the S1 Elise is in standard trim. Oh and the VHPD at high revs is awful - sounds like it's being tortured...
Funnily I thought the noise was one of the best bits, the VHPD sounds proper race car angry at the top-end, I just didn't get much chance to explore it and with 177bhp it didn't give the final push to the redline that the low-rev manners suggested you'd get.The car is with Nitron for developing their 46mm dampers, so hopefully I'll get to try it again at some point.
Nice little write up...although think it has been on either Exiges or SELOC already!
Lovely little car and i am very fond of the k-series. For an isolated driving experience, i personally think in a decent spec it is a fantastic engine and no Elise handles better than one with the original K.
Lovely little car and i am very fond of the k-series. For an isolated driving experience, i personally think in a decent spec it is a fantastic engine and no Elise handles better than one with the original K.
It's race car angry at the bottom, middle and top ends. It's certainly not a very tuneful sound. I find the noise in the cabin is pretty intense but it's compounded by all the induction noise and mechanical din. I heard mine from the outside down at North Weald in August when my missus and Walshy were driving it. Sounds insane at high revs - really special.
I'd recommend trying one with Nitrons on it. Of course the other problem is that it's a struggle to commit much when it's somebody else's car. I think it's just on the borderline of acceptability for a road car. As mine is just for track day, high days and holidays I don't mind too much. If I was using it every day and over a greater variety of roads then I might crave a little more compliance. Once the speed starts building and you learn to trust it, it's epic. Just doesn't roll and doesn't even move over uneven surfaces - seems a bit spooky. It just grips and goes. At least within my limited ambitions and talents.
I'd recommend trying one with Nitrons on it. Of course the other problem is that it's a struggle to commit much when it's somebody else's car. I think it's just on the borderline of acceptability for a road car. As mine is just for track day, high days and holidays I don't mind too much. If I was using it every day and over a greater variety of roads then I might crave a little more compliance. Once the speed starts building and you learn to trust it, it's epic. Just doesn't roll and doesn't even move over uneven surfaces - seems a bit spooky. It just grips and goes. At least within my limited ambitions and talents.
chevronb37 said:
I think it's just on the borderline of acceptability for a road car. As mine is just for track day, high days and holidays I don't mind too much. If I was using it every day and over a greater variety of roads then I might crave a little more compliance.
2 years of using my S1 Elise as a daily driver was more than enough for me, if I had to do that again I'd trade up to an S2.If you're ever down South with it then give me a shout - would be good to have a look round the car and a chat.
Loved my mate's Exige, didn't love getting in and out of it, he's basically a dwarf & I'm over 6 foot, have "some" success ballast and a bum knee, I did point out that with the addition of a disability handle on the roof to hoist yourself in on they would be fine cars to own but he wasn't going for it..
That particular one is a lovely piece of motoring history, glad the engine is staying stock!
That particular one is a lovely piece of motoring history, glad the engine is staying stock!
Edited by M@1975 on Monday 10th December 16:37
Thorburn said:
chevronb37 said:
I think it's just on the borderline of acceptability for a road car. As mine is just for track day, high days and holidays I don't mind too much. If I was using it every day and over a greater variety of roads then I might crave a little more compliance.
2 years of using my S1 Elise as a daily driver was more than enough for me, if I had to do that again I'd trade up to an S2.If you're ever down South with it then give me a shout - would be good to have a look round the car and a chat.
I won't have the old shed down south until the new year but I'll definitely give you a shout. You can pore over it to your heart's content and we'll go out for a thrash about somewhere. I've barely driven it for the last few months after a spate of poor reliability but a good drive in the North Yorks Dales a week ago has rekindled the love affair. And made all my clothes stink of petrol.
Just to offer a bit of contrast...
I had an Elise S160 for 2 years. Loved it every minute of it. Hated having to sell it.
Bought an S1 Exige a few years later, as I've always, always wanted one and had a financial window of opportunity. I figured it'd be similar to the Elise but a little more extreme; I was quite wrong. Sold it after 9 months.
I loved my Elise because it was fun at all speeds and conditions, from 2/10ths around town, to 9/10ths on the B-roads. The Exige (for me, at least) suffered because it was only enjoyable at 9/10ths. Don't get me wrong - when wound up, its a phenomenal car. The way you can feel it 'suck' into the ground at speed with the downforce, the immense traction and the noise from that VHPD make it feel like a proper road racer. On a couple of occasions I think I actually had to remember to breath.
But otherwise - its like sitting in an oven, the visability is shocking, I didn't realise how much I'd miss being able to take the roof off, and it just felt like it 'hated' being held back all the time, like a bear on a leash. Oh, and everybody looks, stares, takes pictures, asks questions - if you want to know what its like to be famous, drive an S1 Exige. It also didn't help that mine was riddled with eletrical problems leaving me frequently stranded.
All of the above should be obvious - but I think its easy to get caught up in the "OMGItsAnS1ExigeAndItLooksAwesomeIMustBuyIt!!!" mentality as I did, instead of taking a step back, being properly objective - and then going and buying another S1 Elise.
I had an Elise S160 for 2 years. Loved it every minute of it. Hated having to sell it.
Bought an S1 Exige a few years later, as I've always, always wanted one and had a financial window of opportunity. I figured it'd be similar to the Elise but a little more extreme; I was quite wrong. Sold it after 9 months.
I loved my Elise because it was fun at all speeds and conditions, from 2/10ths around town, to 9/10ths on the B-roads. The Exige (for me, at least) suffered because it was only enjoyable at 9/10ths. Don't get me wrong - when wound up, its a phenomenal car. The way you can feel it 'suck' into the ground at speed with the downforce, the immense traction and the noise from that VHPD make it feel like a proper road racer. On a couple of occasions I think I actually had to remember to breath.
But otherwise - its like sitting in an oven, the visability is shocking, I didn't realise how much I'd miss being able to take the roof off, and it just felt like it 'hated' being held back all the time, like a bear on a leash. Oh, and everybody looks, stares, takes pictures, asks questions - if you want to know what its like to be famous, drive an S1 Exige. It also didn't help that mine was riddled with eletrical problems leaving me frequently stranded.
All of the above should be obvious - but I think its easy to get caught up in the "OMGItsAnS1ExigeAndItLooksAwesomeIMustBuyIt!!!" mentality as I did, instead of taking a step back, being properly objective - and then going and buying another S1 Elise.
Carnnoisseur said:
I've never had the opportunity to experience an Exige first hand, but have always admired them from afar. Aside from the uncomfortable hot cabin over long journeys, is it also hard to get in and out of like the Elise? (I've driven one of those, I had a nightmare climbing out)
It's exactly the same as an S1 Elise. Hmmm... interesting to read that mattyb. I bought a sport 160 with the notion of upgrading to exige at some point. I did get really close at one point, had one checked out but then got side tracked with a modified S1 instead.
That didn't work out for various reasons but I often wondered how I'd have got on with that change. Bloody loved the 160's character. Much prefer the exige styling but think the non convertible roof could be annoying. Luckily they are so expensive now that I can't justify it at all. Could be up for a motorsport bodied one at some point though.
That didn't work out for various reasons but I often wondered how I'd have got on with that change. Bloody loved the 160's character. Much prefer the exige styling but think the non convertible roof could be annoying. Luckily they are so expensive now that I can't justify it at all. Could be up for a motorsport bodied one at some point though.
Yes, they're stupid. Yes they break down. A lot. Yes, they make all your clothes smell of petrol. Yes, the boot leaks in the rain and makes all your missus' clothes soggy. Yes, you struggle a bit with steep slopes. And yes, you feel a complete and utter berk driving it. But...
To my eyes the best looking Elise derivative by some distance and a car which still makes me shiver with excitement every time I pick up the keys. MattyB is right that they are like a caged tiger around town but the solution is just to keep it for best. The buzz as I leave a village and head out into the Dales early on a Sunday morning is phenomenal.
PS - just to add some balance. Here it is broken.
To my eyes the best looking Elise derivative by some distance and a car which still makes me shiver with excitement every time I pick up the keys. MattyB is right that they are like a caged tiger around town but the solution is just to keep it for best. The buzz as I leave a village and head out into the Dales early on a Sunday morning is phenomenal.
PS - just to add some balance. Here it is broken.
kambites said:
I've used my S2 Elise as a daily for nearly 6 years so far and still love every drive (well almost every drive). I decided that the S1 Exige was a step too far for daily use, though. Shame really, looking at their value now.
I had a S1 Elise, which was my daily for nearly 3 years. As the ex-girlfriend's family was located in Lancaster, we had to drive a 560 mile round trip on a regular basis. It was one hot Summer's day, stuck in a queue on the M40, that I broke ... and soon after upgraded to a S2 111S with air con!
It's now been my daily for nearly 3 years and is driven in sun, rain and snow Edited by Ikemi on Monday 10th December 18:36
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff