RE: Lotus Exige Automatic spec confirmed
Thursday 29th January 2015
The launch of the Lotus Exige Automatic isn't far off now, with first drives commencing next week (PH is at the front of the queue, fear not). Ahead of those Lotus has confirmed all the important numbers for the automatic.
Lotus Exige Automatic spec confirmed
240-millisecond shifts and lower CO2 for £2,000 auto option
It had already stated a 3.9-second sprint to 62mph (one tenth faster than a manual) and an identical lap time around Hethel. You can now add to that a drop in CO2 from 235g/km to 222g/km plus an improvement in economy from 28 to 29.4mpg. Small gains then, but something at least. Weight is quoted at 1,182kg (unladen), which compares favourably with the 1,176kg of the manual. Top speed drops fractionally from 170mph to 162 for the coupe and remains at 145mph for the Roadster
Lotus claims a 240-millisecond shift time on pulling one of the forged aluminium paddles. There's the mandatory throttle blip on downshifts as well, but only in Sport mode. In both automatic and manual modes a "very rapid driving experience" is promised.
Lotus expects around a third of Exige S customers will opt for the £2,000 automatic option. By way of a quick comparo, a PDK Cayman GTS would cost £57,748 with the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe a £2,351 option. An Exige S coupe automatic is £58,610 and orders are being taken now. Drive story soon!
Discussion
LukeR94 said:
The proof is in the pudding, we will see how it drives.
Ultimatly that is the most important thing.
Unfortunately not or there would be an Evora on every street corner and an Exige in every garage. It's important to magazine writers and internet forum contributors, but the people who buy sports cars look for other attributes. Ultimatly that is the most important thing.
I fear it'll reduce driver involvement, but it's surely good news for those with limited use of their left leg, or even completely disabled drivers. The automatic option may broaden the appeal to able bodied drivers too, although I would think the type of buyer who wants an Exige over a Cayman or similar would demand a manual box.
The Exige V6 is almost certainly the best full usable road car I've ever driven (I prefer my 2-Eleven, but it's not exactly an everyday road car!), so I'm confident it'll still be very good in automatic form, even if it isn't as good to drive as the manual (which is inevitable I think).
The Exige V6 is almost certainly the best full usable road car I've ever driven (I prefer my 2-Eleven, but it's not exactly an everyday road car!), so I'm confident it'll still be very good in automatic form, even if it isn't as good to drive as the manual (which is inevitable I think).
RobM77 said:
I fear it'll reduce driver involvement, but it's surely good news for those with limited use of their left leg, or even completely disabled drivers. The automatic option may broaden the appeal to able bodied drivers too, although I would think the type of buyer who wants an Exige over a Cayman or similar would demand a manual box.
The Exige V6 is almost certainly the best full usable road car I've ever driven (I prefer my 2-Eleven, but it's not exactly an everyday road car!), so I'm confident it'll still be very good in automatic form, even if it isn't as good to drive as the manual (which is inevitable I think).
Its great! I have it on my Evora and when' pressing on you get 'flat shifts' (ok they might not be the fastest but they are still damn fast) and blips on the downchange for that 'driving god' feeling! I find it helps to that I keep both hands on the wheel, where I really need them. The Exige V6 is almost certainly the best full usable road car I've ever driven (I prefer my 2-Eleven, but it's not exactly an everyday road car!), so I'm confident it'll still be very good in automatic form, even if it isn't as good to drive as the manual (which is inevitable I think).
Why the hell its called 'automatic' and not IPS like the Evora is a question only some idiot at Lotus can answer!! i could understand it the other way around but....
kambites said:
rhinochopig said:
240ms is ages - that's quarter of a second or about 5 times slower than the best DC boxes.
Indeed. a quarter of a second is easily perceptible. RobM77 said:
kambites said:
rhinochopig said:
240ms is ages - that's quarter of a second or about 5 times slower than the best DC boxes.
Indeed. a quarter of a second is easily perceptible. Article said:
Lotus claims a 240-millisecond shift time on pulling one of the forged aluminium paddles.
Is this from when you start to pull the lever? Are the other times (i.e. 80ms for BMW) just the actual gear change process even though it might occur several hundred milliseconds after starting to pull the paddle?alock said:
RobM77 said:
kambites said:
rhinochopig said:
240ms is ages - that's quarter of a second or about 5 times slower than the best DC boxes.
Indeed. a quarter of a second is easily perceptible. Article said:
Lotus claims a 240-millisecond shift time on pulling one of the forged aluminium paddles.
Is this from when you start to pull the lever? Are the other times (i.e. 80ms for BMW) just the actual gear change process even though it might occur several hundred milliseconds after starting to pull the paddle?GranCab said:
Will sales of these hit double figures in the UK ? I doubt it.
If Lotus are right about it taking roughly a third of sales (which I'm not convinced of) that'd be about a hundred cars a year in the UK, I think. I'd guess it's aimed more at the eastern markets, though. Edited by kambites on Thursday 29th January 15:40
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