Exige - manual or flappy paddle?
Discussion
Hi all, I'm looking at buying an Exige 380 sport, any views about these cars or things to look out for would be appreciated 
From what I can see for sale, a brand new one seems to be available at around 69/70k, although most seem to be asking nearer 77/78k.
I'm coming from driving Nissan GT-R's (R35) for the last 6 years, and have done over 100k miles in them, and fallen in love with dual clutch transmission flappy paddles. All the control of a manual instantly at your finger tips, plus downshift rev matching is sublime when changing down quickly through the gears.
Question is, would any of you ever buy a Lotus with semi auto box and paddles? I'm guessing it will have a fairly laggy response when pulling the paddles, compared to a DCT, and I'm guessing most Lotus owners would hate it and think of it as an old fashioned auto
Do the second hand values of semi auto Exige's crash quickly? Does anyone know the ratio of manual to auto cars built?
Thanks everyone!
From what I can see for sale, a brand new one seems to be available at around 69/70k, although most seem to be asking nearer 77/78k.
I'm coming from driving Nissan GT-R's (R35) for the last 6 years, and have done over 100k miles in them, and fallen in love with dual clutch transmission flappy paddles. All the control of a manual instantly at your finger tips, plus downshift rev matching is sublime when changing down quickly through the gears.
Question is, would any of you ever buy a Lotus with semi auto box and paddles? I'm guessing it will have a fairly laggy response when pulling the paddles, compared to a DCT, and I'm guessing most Lotus owners would hate it and think of it as an old fashioned auto
Do the second hand values of semi auto Exige's crash quickly? Does anyone know the ratio of manual to auto cars built?
Thanks everyone!
UK Lotus owners are served by some very good single marque forums, which despite being predictably cliquey and insular are very good sources of Lotus specific information.As for the question: the auto box Lotus attach to the V6 is an old fashioned auto, it's not a question of "thinking about it that way" - it's a six-speed planetary torque convertor unit. I can sort of see the appeal in the Evora if being used in heavy traffic a lot, but personally I can't imagine ever considering that 'box in anything as focused as the Exige.
I think there's a moderate number of automatic Evoras sold in the UK (and I wouldn't be surprised if the automatic 'box out-sold the manual internationally) but I've never come across an automatic Exige at all.
Lucky old me I've had both a manual and automatic Evora`s and a manual Exige. I`ve also test driven a Nissan GTR so get what you mean about the flappy paddle gearchange.
Kambites is right regarding the auto in the Evora...it`s not the best out there (ZF for instance), but it`s not bad. When in sport mode it responds quite well from the paddles and it makes some great noises as the throttle blips on down changes...infact its so much fun you`d change down for the hell of it!
The auto also has more appeal in the earlier Evoras because the achillies heel is the manual gearchange...some are ok, but never great. This issue is greatly improved on both the later Evoras and the Exiges...350 onwards. I bought an Evora 400 manual in p/x for my Evora S IPS and I think for day to day driving I have made a mistake and should have got an auto.
Exiges are quite different animals in some ways...similar DNA but quite different in execution. I can see the appeal of a flappy pedal set up if it works as instantly as the GTR, but they don`t and as electric as much of the cars capabilities are, the slight delay with the auto gearbox would probably cause frustration, whereas a good manual is totally in keeping with the full on intensity of the drive.
There are auto Exiges out there...Bell and Colville had one until recently and I seem to remember a few in the Pistonheads classifieds...best way is to try both and decide which suits you.
FYI my thoughts for the GTR is that it would be fantastic fun for a day, especially to rag around a track with (assuming you did not have brake fade, tyres chewing themselves up etc), but after that it would lose it`s appeal. The Exige on the other hand, whilst it can be tiring in some situations and is not ideal in the dark in November (well, most of winter), is mostly huge fun all the time...but we all have different tastes.
Kambites is right regarding the auto in the Evora...it`s not the best out there (ZF for instance), but it`s not bad. When in sport mode it responds quite well from the paddles and it makes some great noises as the throttle blips on down changes...infact its so much fun you`d change down for the hell of it!
The auto also has more appeal in the earlier Evoras because the achillies heel is the manual gearchange...some are ok, but never great. This issue is greatly improved on both the later Evoras and the Exiges...350 onwards. I bought an Evora 400 manual in p/x for my Evora S IPS and I think for day to day driving I have made a mistake and should have got an auto.
Exiges are quite different animals in some ways...similar DNA but quite different in execution. I can see the appeal of a flappy pedal set up if it works as instantly as the GTR, but they don`t and as electric as much of the cars capabilities are, the slight delay with the auto gearbox would probably cause frustration, whereas a good manual is totally in keeping with the full on intensity of the drive.
There are auto Exiges out there...Bell and Colville had one until recently and I seem to remember a few in the Pistonheads classifieds...best way is to try both and decide which suits you.
FYI my thoughts for the GTR is that it would be fantastic fun for a day, especially to rag around a track with (assuming you did not have brake fade, tyres chewing themselves up etc), but after that it would lose it`s appeal. The Exige on the other hand, whilst it can be tiring in some situations and is not ideal in the dark in November (well, most of winter), is mostly huge fun all the time...but we all have different tastes.
Exige77 said:
I don’t think Lotus available with semi auto box just regular full auto.
It’s not like double clutch box found in other performance cars.
Yep. They experimented with automated versions of their single clutch manuals with the Elise SPS, Evora GTE and the Exige V6 Roadster was originally shown as an SPS although don't think it was actually linked up to anything and was just the same panels and paddles as the auto. It’s not like double clutch box found in other performance cars.
All were abandoned though. The Elise SPS was canned before launch and the development cars converted to manuals by Long Stratton, the Evora GTE cars were converted to standard Evora S running gear and the Exige V6 came to market as an auto.
It was probably for the best to be honest, I had some documentation on the Elise SPS and it was over a second slower to 60mph than the standard 1.6 - about the same hit the version of the Toyota Auris with the same gearbox in manual and automated manual versions took.
The other day I went with my S3 Exige and a friend in his Caterham round some superb roads behind Brecon super early in the morning.
There were 3 GTR's parked up in this most amazing mountaintop car park that we used to turn around in (three times!).
I found those roads far better than any track day I've ever been on.
It was an excellent day.
I have no point other than we would never have imagined parking!
What a wonderful problem to have!
There were 3 GTR's parked up in this most amazing mountaintop car park that we used to turn around in (three times!).
I found those roads far better than any track day I've ever been on.
It was an excellent day.
I have no point other than we would never have imagined parking!
What a wonderful problem to have!
I have an auto Exige having come from an M3 with the DCT gearbox. Its fine. In Sport the auto box works well and is responsive, in manual the downshifts are brilliant (a match for the DCT) but upshifts need some thought. It does not have the crack of the DCT but is pretty good once it starts to change but there is a lag between the paddle being pulled and the gearbox starting to operate. This is compounded by the way the paddle moves, it is heavily damped rather than switch like. If that could be changed it would make the experience much better. Having had it for a year though I think the real issue is the redline, it is just really low. You notice it more in the auto I think as you are having to pull the paddle before the first red light shows. So if the paddle operation could be changed it would be much better but it is the low red line that causes the bigger issue.
Would I buy it again, possibly as I do enjoy it but I certainly do not regret it. I love it on track and I felt I wanted an easier gearbox as I got into track days with the idea that I could move back to manual when the 50/50 deal is up next year.
Don't dismiss but it is important to go in with your eyes open, particularly if you are trying it on a short test drive. Get it straight into sport and use the paddles.
Would I buy it again, possibly as I do enjoy it but I certainly do not regret it. I love it on track and I felt I wanted an easier gearbox as I got into track days with the idea that I could move back to manual when the 50/50 deal is up next year.
Don't dismiss but it is important to go in with your eyes open, particularly if you are trying it on a short test drive. Get it straight into sport and use the paddles.
dulcinea said:
I have an auto Exige having come from an M3 with the DCT gearbox. Its fine. In Sport the auto box works well and is responsive, in manual the downshifts are brilliant (a match for the DCT) but upshifts need some thought. It does not have the crack of the DCT but is pretty good once it starts to change but there is a lag between the paddle being pulled and the gearbox starting to operate. This is compounded by the way the paddle moves, it is heavily damped rather than switch like. If that could be changed it would make the experience much better. Having had it for a year though I think the real issue is the redline, it is just really low. You notice it more in the auto I think as you are having to pull the paddle before the first red light shows. So if the paddle operation could be changed it would be much better but it is the low red line that causes the bigger issue.
Would I buy it again, possibly as I do enjoy it but I certainly do not regret it. I love it on track and I felt I wanted an easier gearbox as I got into track days with the idea that I could move back to manual when the 50/50 deal is up next year.
Don't dismiss but it is important to go in with your eyes open, particularly if you are trying it on a short test drive. Get it straight into sport and use the paddles.
Is that an Exige S or Sport 350. Heard some say it was improved with the 350. Would I buy it again, possibly as I do enjoy it but I certainly do not regret it. I love it on track and I felt I wanted an easier gearbox as I got into track days with the idea that I could move back to manual when the 50/50 deal is up next year.
Don't dismiss but it is important to go in with your eyes open, particularly if you are trying it on a short test drive. Get it straight into sport and use the paddles.
Thorburn said:
Rebuild costs/intervals would be a bit wearing for road use.
I don't know for sure, but I don't see why a sequential box would require to be rebuilt any more frequent than any other manual box? After all, every motorcycles ever made have straight cut sequential boxes...Jodele said:
Thorburn said:
Rebuild costs/intervals would be a bit wearing for road use.
I don't know for sure, but I don't see why a sequential box would require to be rebuilt any more frequent than any other manual box? After all, every motorcycles ever made have straight cut sequential boxes...Exige77 said:
Do regular motorcycle engines have a lot of torque ?
You were talking about a "street" car... the up shifts aren't the problem (load on the transmission), it is the down shift that puts the load on a sequential. So, if you use the clutch on the down shifts, it should last three days past for ever...I'm just suggestion that you not summarily dismiss a sequential for street use. Seriously...test drive one.
Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff