RE: PH Carpool: Lotus Exige S1
Discussion
Good assessment of a good drive in an Exige. It's an intense, breathless experience and quite unlike anything I've driven on the road.
I've been reproached on another forum for not being fair to the VHPD. It is a little animal. It's an angry, fierce little engine. It might lack the firepower of a K20 but it burbles and screams and pips and bangs. It smells and adds a whole extra dimension to the car.
I've been reproached on another forum for not being fair to the VHPD. It is a little animal. It's an angry, fierce little engine. It might lack the firepower of a K20 but it burbles and screams and pips and bangs. It smells and adds a whole extra dimension to the car.
chevronb37 said:
Good assessment of a good drive in an Exige. It's an intense, breathless experience and quite unlike anything I've driven on the road.
I've been reproached on another forum for not being fair to the VHPD. It is a little animal. It's an angry, fierce little engine. It might lack the firepower of a K20 but it burbles and screams and pips and bangs. It smells and adds a whole extra dimension to the car.
just to put it from the other side....I've been reproached on another forum for not being fair to the VHPD. It is a little animal. It's an angry, fierce little engine. It might lack the firepower of a K20 but it burbles and screams and pips and bangs. It smells and adds a whole extra dimension to the car.
VHPD is a BAG-O s
tE engine that can't even idle properly, might as well have been tuned by a dyslexic monkey with arthritis.what you lot call 'character' is actually just s
t running, it would have been character if it was 50 years ago and running on fixed jet carbs and centrifugal distributor, but this is a so called modern engine with modern engine management. No excuses, it's appalling by anybodies standards, no torque, massive flat-spots, and never made the so called 190Hp ever, several people need to hang their collective heads in shame coming up with this.
the 160Hp VVC is a much better engine, and in reality, probably faster.
swilding said:
Thanks Nigel. I hope that you are well? What did you replace your Exige with in the end?
I remember the day that picture was taken. It was at the bottom of Stelvio wasn't it? My car was filthy and I was fighting my OCD urges to wash and polish it!
Yes it was Bormio I think, as you can see mine was pretty dirty too, but I never have the overriding urge to wash any of my cars unless they are going to a car show I remember the day that picture was taken. It was at the bottom of Stelvio wasn't it? My car was filthy and I was fighting my OCD urges to wash and polish it!
Replaced the Exige with a pile of cash which I took to the USA and bought a Corvette ZR1 with it. We live in Illinois now.
Scuffers said:
just to put it from the other side....
VHPD is a BAG-O stE engine that can't even idle properly, might as well have been tuned by a dyslexic monkey with arthritis.
what you lot call 'character' is actually just st running, it would have been character if it was 50 years ago and running on fixed jet carbs and centrifugal distributor, but this is a so called modern engine with modern engine management.
No excuses, it's appalling by anybodies standards, no torque, massive flat-spots, and never made the so called 190Hp ever, several people need to hang their collective heads in shame coming up with this.
the 160Hp VVC is a much better engine, and in reality, probably faster.
So are the people that said it's a shame that people like to put K20's in em are crazy?VHPD is a BAG-O s
tE engine that can't even idle properly, might as well have been tuned by a dyslexic monkey with arthritis.what you lot call 'character' is actually just s
t running, it would have been character if it was 50 years ago and running on fixed jet carbs and centrifugal distributor, but this is a so called modern engine with modern engine management. No excuses, it's appalling by anybodies standards, no torque, massive flat-spots, and never made the so called 190Hp ever, several people need to hang their collective heads in shame coming up with this.
the 160Hp VVC is a much better engine, and in reality, probably faster.
I can't see how the original Exige engine or anything Lotus 4 pot powered is better than the Honda unit. Imagine a tuned up K20 running 250bhp in a Elise or Exige, that would be f
kin awesome.Grovsie26 said:
So are the people that said it's a shame that people like to put K20's in em are crazy?
I can't see how the original Exige engine or anything Lotus 4 pot powered is better than the Honda unit. Imagine a tuned up K20 running 250bhp in a Elise or Exige, that would be fkin awesome.
I don't need to imagine.... that's the point!I can't see how the original Exige engine or anything Lotus 4 pot powered is better than the Honda unit. Imagine a tuned up K20 running 250bhp in a Elise or Exige, that would be f
kin awesome.I actually like the k series. I know a little bit about engines and agree with scuffers comments regarding mapping and that lotus didn't finish the job. But somehow this does at least in my opinion give it "character" which many modern cars just don't have.
The sc Honda conversions are also great but more because of the awesome performance.
So both installations are great. Lets please not turn a thread about my car into a k series vs honda fight. Rather lets agree that the Exige is a great car that should be celebrated.
The sc Honda conversions are also great but more because of the awesome performance.
So both installations are great. Lets please not turn a thread about my car into a k series vs honda fight. Rather lets agree that the Exige is a great car that should be celebrated.
I thought I'd quickly summarise why I quite like the VHPD - in spite of its failings.
I was lucky that my dad was a racing enthusiast, so he started taking me to race meetings when I was 3 or 4 years old. I've been obsessed with the sport ever since. I love being in the paddock around the cars. I love the smell of unburned fuel and of Castrol R. I love the sound of race engines warming up, of lumpy cams and off-beat idles.
However, I've never tried to kid myself that I'm a racing driver. Unfortunately, for all my passion, I'm a decidedly mediocre driver. I also can't take much interest in road cars - I find 99.9% of them completely 'meh'. The Exige, for all its failings, gives me - as a rank amateur - just a little feeling that I'm living my racing driver dreams. When I first start the car up and it's idling away, all savage violence, with that big wing looming in the mirrors, it gives me a frisson of excitement every time.
As a mediocre driver I love the challenge of getting the best out of the VHPD. It's not nearly as fast as a Honda but I love the massive pops on the over-run when you time your gearchanges correctly and I love the total lack of flywheel effect when you blip the throttle and the completely analogue throttle response. It makes me feel like I'm alive.
By comparison, I've been out in NA, SC, SC CC and K24 SC CC Elises and Exiges now. They are an absolute force of nature. The thrust in 3rd and 4th gears in the K24 car was just unbelievable. But they're for the professionals, the guys who can really drive. For a wannabe like me who wants to feel like a racing driver but hasn't the ability, the VHPD is part of what makes every drive a total pleasure.
I was lucky that my dad was a racing enthusiast, so he started taking me to race meetings when I was 3 or 4 years old. I've been obsessed with the sport ever since. I love being in the paddock around the cars. I love the smell of unburned fuel and of Castrol R. I love the sound of race engines warming up, of lumpy cams and off-beat idles.
However, I've never tried to kid myself that I'm a racing driver. Unfortunately, for all my passion, I'm a decidedly mediocre driver. I also can't take much interest in road cars - I find 99.9% of them completely 'meh'. The Exige, for all its failings, gives me - as a rank amateur - just a little feeling that I'm living my racing driver dreams. When I first start the car up and it's idling away, all savage violence, with that big wing looming in the mirrors, it gives me a frisson of excitement every time.
As a mediocre driver I love the challenge of getting the best out of the VHPD. It's not nearly as fast as a Honda but I love the massive pops on the over-run when you time your gearchanges correctly and I love the total lack of flywheel effect when you blip the throttle and the completely analogue throttle response. It makes me feel like I'm alive.
By comparison, I've been out in NA, SC, SC CC and K24 SC CC Elises and Exiges now. They are an absolute force of nature. The thrust in 3rd and 4th gears in the K24 car was just unbelievable. But they're for the professionals, the guys who can really drive. For a wannabe like me who wants to feel like a racing driver but hasn't the ability, the VHPD is part of what makes every drive a total pleasure.
moribund said:
Andy, we met last year when you used some of my Le Mans photos. The one thing that really impressed itself into my memory about your Exige was the noise. Everything you said rings true, that lumpy angry idle was just like having a race car parked outside my house!
Of course I remember! Now knowing what I do about West Yorkshire Police's presence in that immediate area I wish I'd made a little less noise, but that's another story...I think the Exige has just about struck the right balance between being a racing car and being a road car. It makes you feel like you've got a racing car tucked up in the garage but actually it can handle speed bumps, fit enough luggage for a long weekend away and happily go to the supermarket - if it needs.
Bought my Exige S1 new 12 years, & 102k miles ago including around 100 trackdays.
Ditched the VHPD at 36k miles - served me well (engine refresh at 25k miles), but not for a millisecond have I regretted the Honda conversion. Like chalk & cheeses in every aspect, & imho the Honda wins hands down. I don't give a stuff for originality for my car, it's for reliable driving on road & track, not being polished to death & only used occasionally/displaying at car shows.
Respect to those keeping the faith, there's no right or wrong - just do what suits you best!
In whatever guise, the Exige S1 is just fabulous.
Ditched the VHPD at 36k miles - served me well (engine refresh at 25k miles), but not for a millisecond have I regretted the Honda conversion. Like chalk & cheeses in every aspect, & imho the Honda wins hands down. I don't give a stuff for originality for my car, it's for reliable driving on road & track, not being polished to death & only used occasionally/displaying at car shows.
Respect to those keeping the faith, there's no right or wrong - just do what suits you best!
In whatever guise, the Exige S1 is just fabulous.
Pesky said:
Bought my Exige S1 new 12 years, & 102k miles ago including around 100 trackdays.
Ditched the VHPD at 36k miles - served me well (engine refresh at 25k miles), but not for a millisecond have I regretted the Honda conversion. Like chalk & cheeses in every aspect, & imho the Honda wins hands down. I don't give a stuff for originality for my car, it's for reliable driving on road & track, not being polished to death & only used occasionally/displaying at car shows.
Respect to those keeping the faith, there's no right or wrong - just do what suits you best!
In whatever guise, the Exige S1 is just fabulous.
Ditched the VHPD at 36k miles - served me well (engine refresh at 25k miles), but not for a millisecond have I regretted the Honda conversion. Like chalk & cheeses in every aspect, & imho the Honda wins hands down. I don't give a stuff for originality for my car, it's for reliable driving on road & track, not being polished to death & only used occasionally/displaying at car shows.
Respect to those keeping the faith, there's no right or wrong - just do what suits you best!
In whatever guise, the Exige S1 is just fabulous.
Didn't know you were over 100k, Rob. You're one of the 'proper' drivers I describe. Your car is amazing - an absolute force of nature, but well beyond my talents! And it's not right colour any longer ;-)
chevronb37 said:
As a mediocre driver I love the challenge of getting the best out of the VHPD. It's not nearly as fast as a Honda but I love the massive pops on the over-run when you time your gearchanges correctly and I love the total lack of flywheel effect when you blip the throttle and the completely analogue throttle response. It makes me feel like I'm alive.
Corrected!!! I would suggest by observation that a well driven VHPD is every bit as fast as the much heavier Honda mate! And I agree with the sound track too!!!
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