just driven Exige 220S... :D
Discussion
As the topic suggest I’ve just test driven the Exige S. Chris from Westover Sports Cars kindly let me take their demo out for a couple of hours.
Well…. What a car! There are a few small grumbles but overall a serious bit of kit. Thougths as follows....
AMAZING handling, felt so planted and direct. With the chunkier tyres and the semi slicks it really hugs the tarmac. The steering was slightly heavier than my 111S as a result of mainly the rubber, but it was all in a good way.
Suspension set up was perfect, absorbed far more bumps than my current (or at least it felt that way) It was also really responsive and balanced.
Throwing it through some of the roundabouts we come through on the return from a burger run it was so easy to control, bit of a flick got the back end easing out, but very controllable and great fun
Brakes were very effective, not used to having ABS to help me stop
Felt a bit weird a few times when really anchoring it on, on slightly greasy damp twisty country roads, felt like the car really didn’t want to be made to brake that hard and I was being nasty to it 
The gearbox / gear change was like a rifle bolt. There is a really positive feel to the change with very little input required. Took a wee while to get used to having another gear though
Clutch was firm and positive, not all ‘fluffy’ like the k-series cars
It’s got looks to die for, I would naturally have a black one of course, pure stealth. Got lots of looks in the short time I was driving it!
I love the fact its got built in soft top fittings now, there’s nothing like roof off motoring in the summer, and I’m sure the whistle of the supercharger will be even better
On that subject the noise was immense! I was literally laughing out loud when I first pulled away with this crescendo of whistles and wurrs behind me. I bet it sounds the mutts with a good exhaust on it too
The power delivery is mental… one minute you here… the next minute your… wooooo sh**************t all the way down here
it really creeps up on you and all of a sudden you’re doing warp speed (on a private track obvisouly)
Interior wise the new sports seats are great, I never really had a problem with mine anyway but these were still good. The general quality inside seems to have gone up, far less rattles and knocks, squeaks and clunks!
My only slight negatives were:
There seems a lot of brake pedal travel before it really worked, and then they seriously kicked in! Probably just a thing to ‘get used to’ over a bit more driving.
The fly by wire throttle was very odd to start with, seems very ON or OFF and you feel ever so slightly detached from it all. Couldn’t really toe & heel either which is a shame, as there’s nothing better than bringing the revs up to meet the downshift when approaching a corner! As with the brake pedal I think it would just take a bit of getting used to.
Generally the car was quite difficult to drive smoothly straight away, but by the end of the run it was all starting to flow nicely.
Final comment is… I want one in starlight black please
Well…. What a car! There are a few small grumbles but overall a serious bit of kit. Thougths as follows....
AMAZING handling, felt so planted and direct. With the chunkier tyres and the semi slicks it really hugs the tarmac. The steering was slightly heavier than my 111S as a result of mainly the rubber, but it was all in a good way.
Suspension set up was perfect, absorbed far more bumps than my current (or at least it felt that way) It was also really responsive and balanced.
Throwing it through some of the roundabouts we come through on the return from a burger run it was so easy to control, bit of a flick got the back end easing out, but very controllable and great fun
Brakes were very effective, not used to having ABS to help me stop
Felt a bit weird a few times when really anchoring it on, on slightly greasy damp twisty country roads, felt like the car really didn’t want to be made to brake that hard and I was being nasty to it The gearbox / gear change was like a rifle bolt. There is a really positive feel to the change with very little input required. Took a wee while to get used to having another gear though
Clutch was firm and positive, not all ‘fluffy’ like the k-series cars
It’s got looks to die for, I would naturally have a black one of course, pure stealth. Got lots of looks in the short time I was driving it!
I love the fact its got built in soft top fittings now, there’s nothing like roof off motoring in the summer, and I’m sure the whistle of the supercharger will be even better
On that subject the noise was immense! I was literally laughing out loud when I first pulled away with this crescendo of whistles and wurrs behind me. I bet it sounds the mutts with a good exhaust on it too
The power delivery is mental… one minute you here… the next minute your… wooooo sh**************t all the way down here
it really creeps up on you and all of a sudden you’re doing warp speed (on a private track obvisouly) Interior wise the new sports seats are great, I never really had a problem with mine anyway but these were still good. The general quality inside seems to have gone up, far less rattles and knocks, squeaks and clunks!
My only slight negatives were:
There seems a lot of brake pedal travel before it really worked, and then they seriously kicked in! Probably just a thing to ‘get used to’ over a bit more driving.
The fly by wire throttle was very odd to start with, seems very ON or OFF and you feel ever so slightly detached from it all. Couldn’t really toe & heel either which is a shame, as there’s nothing better than bringing the revs up to meet the downshift when approaching a corner! As with the brake pedal I think it would just take a bit of getting used to.
Generally the car was quite difficult to drive smoothly straight away, but by the end of the run it was all starting to flow nicely.
Final comment is… I want one in starlight black please
well if you like a starlight black Exige S in Germany they have this one for sale, stralight black Exige S with stripes does not look bad...
thought I share that idea with you...
though I would go for the batmobile black, the one fom le-mans...one of the best lay out I've ever seen...realy love it!
Or a black JPS version of the Exige S thats nice too
here with arton senna....
and this...this is the way to go...not 72 but the real thing JPS
GTRene
does not look bad... thought I share that idea with you...
though I would go for the batmobile black, the one fom le-mans...one of the best lay out I've ever seen...realy love it!
Or a black JPS version of the Exige S thats nice too
here with arton senna....
and this...this is the way to go...not 72 but the real thing JPS
GTRene
Edited by GTRene on Thursday 6th July 19:15
GTRene said:
well if you like a starlight black Exige S in Germany they have this one for sale, stralight black Exige S with stripes does not look bad...
does not look bad... very nice!
GTRene said:
though I would go for the batmobile black, the one fom le-mans...one of the best lay out I've ever seen...realy love it!
Or a black JPS version of the Exige S thats nice too
yeah i saw the car when i was there, i thought maybe next year i would do the JPS colours actually, and hopefully on an Exige S
Bogie... not driven a honda car yet, in fat haven't even seen one in the flesh, but hope to soon, maybe LoT Bedford bank holiday day?
yeah - I will be at Bedford with LoT as will a lot of other Honda/Audi cars
...get someone to take you out in one ...obviously cornering wise then any well set-up Elise running Nitrons/A048s etc is pretty much the same ....but with 300bhp and minus 100Kg) coming out of the corners then 220/240Rs dont even see which way you went
...get someone to take you out in one ...obviously cornering wise then any well set-up Elise running Nitrons/A048s etc is pretty much the same ....but with 300bhp and minus 100Kg) coming out of the corners then 220/240Rs dont even see which way you went
ahhhhh man, one day, Bogie, one day, I will manage to blag 
a passenger 
in your bullet and have the crap scared out of me. I can not begin to imagine what the acceleration must be like.
cheekymonkey, you've got to go for it! Black looks absolutely amazing and I have to say that it's probably one of the best looking cars on the road at the moment
. Much nicer than that dam ugly new Ferrari I saw today. 
S
a passenger in your bullet and have the crap scared out of me. I can not begin to imagine what the acceleration must be like. cheekymonkey, you've got to go for it! Black looks absolutely amazing and I have to say that it's probably one of the best looking cars on the road at the moment
. Much nicer than that dam ugly new Ferrari I saw today. S
Cheekymonkey this could be the start of a slippery slope ! I am consciously avoiding the dreaded test drive, apart from the session at Castle Coombe the other week with Alistair McQueen that I put down to be passengering a "driving god". That was awesome. I am sure that if I borrow one I will want one, I did even ask Chris whether he could take mine in for a "service", change the number plates over and do the swap same day for another black one, just so that my wife wouldn't notice ! If you haven't tried it you won't miss it !
bogie said:
yeah - I will be at Bedford with LoT as will a lot of other Honda/Audi cars
Cool well i'll track you down and hop in for a couple of laps if that's ok! I'm sure it's absolutely bonkers
sramdeen said:
cheekymonkey, you've got to go for it! Black looks absolutely amazing and I have to say that it's probably one of the best looking cars on the road at the moment .
. you're not wrong there, i think it looks stunning, however my other choice would be an ultima gtr... in black of course
also a very, very good looking car pennpromo said:
Cheekymonkey this could be the start of a slippery slope !
i think it is... and it started with a passanger ride in your car so you're to blame
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