A Lotus Exige for Big Guys - is there one?

[zedhex]

I had a test drive in a Lotus Exige a while ago, and it was great fun, but just too uncomfortable for me - I am just too tall (6'4", 115kg). I could only drive it with my head banging on the roof and my knees bashing on the dash. At the time, I decided not to get one, as I just couldn't live with that. That's a pity, cos the Exige (and the Elise) are such wonderful cars to drive. But it got me thinking - what is the alternative? I want a simple sports car with light weight, fixed roof (I don't like open tops - I get skin cancer), superb handling, no frills and big enough for me to fit in. Is there anything like that out there? The only other car I can think of would be a Honda NSX, but they are increasingly rare and expensive. All the other alternatives are either too fancy, too expensive, too heavy or too old.

I need a Lotus Exige for big guys. Does such a thing exist?

[anonymous-user]

What about some sort of Noble?

Or do you want a daily?

[zedhex]

A noble is not a bad idea - never tried sitting in one though.

Don't need a daily - got a Mondeo for that

[rhyspw]

TVR!

[zedhex]

maybe I should add: "... too heavy, too old and too unreliable"

[Crusoe]

Ferrari 360 was surprisingly similar in driving sensation and more raw than expected.

[trickywoo]

Apart from the already mentioned Noble I think a Cayman GT4 might be the nearest thing that will work for you.

[SuperVM]

The Evora is along these lines, isn't it?

[UTH]

zedhex said:

A noble is not a bad idea - never tried sitting in one though.

Don't need a daily - got a Mondeo for that

My brother's got a Noble and he's 5ft10"....hard to say how much more room he has in there from memory but it might be worth you looking into. I'd certainly rather a Noble over a Lotus any day.

[SuperVM]

A well assembled Ultima?

[zedhex]

Cayman GT4 looks nice, but its not exactly 'no frills' is it? (traffic info, sounds system, stability management, aircon etc.).

[essIII]

Caterham with the SV chassis and the hood always attached?!

[sjc]

I'm 6'3, owned two Nobles, you'll fit.
I had both my cars adjusted by fitting an extended steering wheel boss,( plus the wheel itself in the extended position which helps clear the knees much better) and raising the height of the seat at the front to help with thigh support. Driving position is nigh on perfect for me like that. See you're in Cambridge? You have Jetstream at Bruntingthorpe who will always have a few in to have a look/see.

[LotusOmega375D]

The new Evora 400 is much easier to access than the previous model. Goes as quick as an Exige S too.

[Ozzie Osmond]

McLaren 540C is the way to go - that's if you really won't buy a Boxster/Cayman, which is a similar car at half the price!

I understand your difficulties with Exige - it's a rocket powered shoe box.

[Long'un]

zedhex said:

I had a test drive in a Lotus Exige a while ago, and it was great fun, but just too uncomfortable for me - I am just too tall (6'4", 115kg). I could only drive it with my head banging on the roof and my knees bashing on the dash. At the time, I decided not to get one, as I just couldn't live with that. That's a pity, cos the Exige (and the Elise) are such wonderful cars to drive. But it got me thinking - what is the alternative? I want a simple sports car with light weight, fixed roof (I don't like open tops - I get skin cancer), superb handling, no frills and big enough for me to fit in. Is there anything like that out there? The only other car I can think of would be a Honda NSX, but they are increasingly rare and expensive. All the other alternatives are either too fancy, too expensive, too heavy or too old.

I need a Lotus Exige for big guys. Does such a thing exist?

I’m 6’5’’ and in the process of buying an S1 Elise.
From what I’ve seen you can do a fair bit to make them a better fit.
The one I have lined up has the padding removed from the seat for headroom, and a steering column extension as the owner is 6’3’’.
When I pick it up I shall be installing a Tillett B5 seat mounted directly to the floor and probably a 50mm steering column spacer with a smaller (300mm) steering wheel.

Also worth a look http://www.britishspeed.com/forum/showthread.php?8...

[jayemm89]

Stripped out 911, a TVR, a BMW Z4 M, Nobles, Ultima, Ginetta?

[crostonian]

Alfa 4C? Apparently Clarkson easily fitted into one.

[zedhex]

<puts curmudgeonly mac on...>

McLaren: too f*ckin expensive
Evora: see above
911: engine in wrong place. hate 'em.
TVR: too old, soft top, break down all the time
Z4: quite possibly the ugliest sports car in the world (to be said in a Clarkson voice)
Ultima: great on track, crap off it.
Ginetta: see above
Alfa 4C: too expensive (and Clarkson was lying)
Noble: aha... maybe we have something here.

[Yiliterate]

zedhex said:

I need a Lotus Exige for big guys. Does such a thing exist?

A Lotus Exige only bigger, you say....

http://www.venomgt.com

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!