Adding lightness - fun in a Westfield and Exige
Discussion
Adding lightness, as Colin Chapman used to say. An interesting theory on which to base a week off work? I thought so...
With this thought in mind and taking advantage of living so close to some great driving roads in North Wales, the scene was set for a fun couple of days.
My car career to date hasn't been too shabby; however my current steed is anything but a lightweight and the closest I have come to owning something with a spot of automotive anorexia has been a Honda S2000. So, what better place to start than a date with a Westfield. A yellow one…
Stopping for a coffee at Llyn Brenig
The first thing that strikes you about the Westfield is its diminutive size. Parked next to any regular car it looks comically small, the side exit exhaust and visible suspension struts and steering arms only adding to its ability to render the complexity of other means of automotive transport abstruse.
Sliding into the cabin with its torso hugging seats and Willan harnesses you instantly feel a part of the car before even starting the engine. It’s a cosy fit, but feels totally appropriate and with all the main controls falling to hand and feet, it doesn't feel intimidating. Until you try and pull away smoothly. The major controls are all very different from the sanitised world of a mainstream car manufacturer - the steering is heavy, the gears so closely stacked that selecting first instead of third is a real possibility and a throttle so sharp you are thankful for the small slither of rubber on the bottom of your shoes. Scarred feet would surely be the alternative.
But all of this simply amplifies what this car is all about - feel. Pulling away like a demented Australian mammal, you soon learn to be smooth and calculated with all your inputs, revelling in a car so full of character. Heading along some familiar roads, it is striking just how much the car is able to translate subtle changes in surface texture; where in other cars this might manifest itself as a change in cabin noise, in the Westfield you feel this through the steering wheel, adjusting your inputs almost telepathically. That you are sat so close to the floor, securely ensconced by the harness, only serves to amplify these sensations.
Taking in a favourite route - no prizes for guessing where!
Of course, the other aspect of what makes light cars so great is the way they accelerate. And boy could the Westfield do this. The 2 litre Zetec engine fitted to the car I was in may have started life taking kids to school, mum to yoga and dad to the pub, but surely it's true vocation is to hammer a few hundred kilos up the road with such disdain, it simply makes you grin, drop a gear, and bury the throttle again and again. It is also fair to say that no 4pot has any reason to sound so good, turning the somewhat bassy tone low down into a full blown blare at high revs. Plenty of gratuitous pops and bangs are also available on a trailing throttle. 170bhp has never felt so good.
Once up to speed, the combination of transparent steering, brilliant damping and all-round visibility means it is remarkably easy to stay there. Several times I found myself glancing at the speedo, unable to register just how effortlessly the previous corner was taken. Maintaining momentum in a car so full of feel, so much grip and such an ability to translate the tapestry of a road is simplicity in itself and vastly more rewarding that punishing a road into submission which many, much heavier, power laden cars seem to do.
An envious Westie gazing out onto the awesome Oulton Park
Sat trackside at Oulton Park it seemed more than obvious why countless motoring enthusiasts tear out the interiors of their cars, searching for less weight. I mused to myself the obsession we have all had at some point, of power, of mechanical grip, and of heading for multiple cylinders to get our sonic thrills. Yet sat next to me, its yellow paint glistening in the sun, was the epitome of motoring thrills. To many, something with such little power, no roof, no stereo and no climate control would be seen as no good. But to dismiss a drive in a Westfield is to miss the point of what driving is all about. The Westfield counters all that it doesn’t have with qualities much more relevant to the motoring enthusiast. Its lack of weight, unique soundtrack and pure feel mean that in terms of providing a real driving experience, little comes close.
Or does it....?
Those die hard Lotus fans may have already stopped reading, disgraced at the mention of Mr Chapman in my first sentence, yet proceeding to talk about a bright yellow car. So, in the interest of a balanced review, and not using the Chapman name in vain, I also spent some time in another lightweight masterpiece…
Lotus Exige S
My time in the Exige was painfully short, consisting of a few laps of a very wet Silverstone South Circuit. However, despite this fact, I was still left in awe at the sheer audacity with which the Lotus was able to entertain.
The Exige in question was the ‘S’ variant which has a supercharged 220bhp mid-mounted engine and, true to the Chapman ethos, not a lot else. I have only ever driven one other mid-engined car - one of Sant' Agata’s finest, which weighed a fair bit more, and had three times as many cylinders. A wet track, rear wheel drive and an engine in the right, or wrong place depending on your view of the prevailing weather conditions, would all serve to provide an entertaining and memorable August afternoon.
Waiting patiently in the pit area, I was nervous. Sure, the sopping wet track surface didn’t look welcoming, but I have driven on track in worse conditions. I have also driven cars with more power, and ones which weigh less. I then realised, it wasn’t just nerves, but anticipation. Watching the Ferraris and Aston Martins crawl through Stowe I wanted to make sure that, despite the conditions, I got the most out of the Exige for the five laps I would be held securely in its grasp.
So I did.
The instructor sat next to me was a decent chap. Enquiring about my previous track experience, he wanted to make sure that we maximised the potential of the Lotus, which was reassuring given the conditions. A word of caution about the kerbs was unsurprising, their inviting barber-pole markings a beacon for those wanting to experience a Loti pirouette. This was going to be a memorable drive.
Turning into the first corner, Club, revealed what I now know as the definition of how a car should steer. Wow. Having never experienced a Lotus before, the numerous tales about how they change direction have often left me wondering whether they were told only by heady Lotus enthusiasts. That first corner however, dispensed with all doubts. The steering isn’t light, and really rather heavier than you first expect it ought to be. But it’s not an artificial heft, more mechanical, almost allowing you to feel the steering rack itself. A treacly, yet curiously gritty sensation allied to what can only be described as a unique, four-square stance which makes you feel right at the centre of the car, as if it is turning on a perfect central axis linked directly to your inputs.
I think I grinned.
The whole car was genuinely like nothing else I have driven. It felt very cerebral through the first lap, with not a hint of nervousness despite the less than perfect conditions. Having no experience of Silverstone, my track knowledge extended only to that which I had engrained in my mind before getting in the car, yet every missed apex, every turn in point slightly overcooked, was met with a wonderfully malleable and adjustable car.
Heading down the Hangar Straight, towards Stowe
After a couple of confidence building laps, the pace now starting to increase, the Exige began to impress even more. Accelerating up the Hangar straight was great fun and I made sure to let the engine work hard in its upper rev range through third and fourth. Its quick, no doubt about it.
What stayed with me though was the way in which the Exige was able to react to any given input. The most fun was had through the corners where I was able to simply pick a line and follow it. The brakes were fantastic, really working hard and not suffering any fade, even at the end of the Hangar straight. A spot of slightly over the threshold braking at one point gave a slight hip wiggle but was so intuitive to catch. Perhaps not the kind of car to make you feel like a hero as you hustle it into yet another power slide, but more the kind of machine that dons you with a set of Alpinestar boots and Nomex race suit, your Arai visor letting you scythe another perfect line through the corner.
Trundling back into the pits at the end of the five lap stint I was absolutely hooked. The whole feel of the car is one of absolute integrity to the process of driving. There is no slack, very little inertia and bags of feel through every major control that enables you to feel that you are getting so much out of the car, at any speed. Perhaps though, one of the most addictive aspects of the Exige is knowing that you could spend years learning its many idiosyncrasies yet never get bored.
And that, I think, sums it up for me. Sure, the purity of the driving experience of both the Westfield and the Lotus is unrivalled and deeply impressive, for what their lightness brings to the party cannot be manufactured. But what really gets under your skin is the depth of character that such cars possess. That I left both cars feeling energised and impressed is telling of their ability, but what marks them out as a pre-requisite ownership proposition for any motoring enthusiast is that you would never stop finding new ways in which they impress you.
With this thought in mind and taking advantage of living so close to some great driving roads in North Wales, the scene was set for a fun couple of days.
My car career to date hasn't been too shabby; however my current steed is anything but a lightweight and the closest I have come to owning something with a spot of automotive anorexia has been a Honda S2000. So, what better place to start than a date with a Westfield. A yellow one…
Stopping for a coffee at Llyn Brenig
The first thing that strikes you about the Westfield is its diminutive size. Parked next to any regular car it looks comically small, the side exit exhaust and visible suspension struts and steering arms only adding to its ability to render the complexity of other means of automotive transport abstruse.
Sliding into the cabin with its torso hugging seats and Willan harnesses you instantly feel a part of the car before even starting the engine. It’s a cosy fit, but feels totally appropriate and with all the main controls falling to hand and feet, it doesn't feel intimidating. Until you try and pull away smoothly. The major controls are all very different from the sanitised world of a mainstream car manufacturer - the steering is heavy, the gears so closely stacked that selecting first instead of third is a real possibility and a throttle so sharp you are thankful for the small slither of rubber on the bottom of your shoes. Scarred feet would surely be the alternative.
But all of this simply amplifies what this car is all about - feel. Pulling away like a demented Australian mammal, you soon learn to be smooth and calculated with all your inputs, revelling in a car so full of character. Heading along some familiar roads, it is striking just how much the car is able to translate subtle changes in surface texture; where in other cars this might manifest itself as a change in cabin noise, in the Westfield you feel this through the steering wheel, adjusting your inputs almost telepathically. That you are sat so close to the floor, securely ensconced by the harness, only serves to amplify these sensations.
Taking in a favourite route - no prizes for guessing where!
Of course, the other aspect of what makes light cars so great is the way they accelerate. And boy could the Westfield do this. The 2 litre Zetec engine fitted to the car I was in may have started life taking kids to school, mum to yoga and dad to the pub, but surely it's true vocation is to hammer a few hundred kilos up the road with such disdain, it simply makes you grin, drop a gear, and bury the throttle again and again. It is also fair to say that no 4pot has any reason to sound so good, turning the somewhat bassy tone low down into a full blown blare at high revs. Plenty of gratuitous pops and bangs are also available on a trailing throttle. 170bhp has never felt so good.
Once up to speed, the combination of transparent steering, brilliant damping and all-round visibility means it is remarkably easy to stay there. Several times I found myself glancing at the speedo, unable to register just how effortlessly the previous corner was taken. Maintaining momentum in a car so full of feel, so much grip and such an ability to translate the tapestry of a road is simplicity in itself and vastly more rewarding that punishing a road into submission which many, much heavier, power laden cars seem to do.
An envious Westie gazing out onto the awesome Oulton Park
Sat trackside at Oulton Park it seemed more than obvious why countless motoring enthusiasts tear out the interiors of their cars, searching for less weight. I mused to myself the obsession we have all had at some point, of power, of mechanical grip, and of heading for multiple cylinders to get our sonic thrills. Yet sat next to me, its yellow paint glistening in the sun, was the epitome of motoring thrills. To many, something with such little power, no roof, no stereo and no climate control would be seen as no good. But to dismiss a drive in a Westfield is to miss the point of what driving is all about. The Westfield counters all that it doesn’t have with qualities much more relevant to the motoring enthusiast. Its lack of weight, unique soundtrack and pure feel mean that in terms of providing a real driving experience, little comes close.
Or does it....?
Those die hard Lotus fans may have already stopped reading, disgraced at the mention of Mr Chapman in my first sentence, yet proceeding to talk about a bright yellow car. So, in the interest of a balanced review, and not using the Chapman name in vain, I also spent some time in another lightweight masterpiece…
Lotus Exige S
My time in the Exige was painfully short, consisting of a few laps of a very wet Silverstone South Circuit. However, despite this fact, I was still left in awe at the sheer audacity with which the Lotus was able to entertain.
The Exige in question was the ‘S’ variant which has a supercharged 220bhp mid-mounted engine and, true to the Chapman ethos, not a lot else. I have only ever driven one other mid-engined car - one of Sant' Agata’s finest, which weighed a fair bit more, and had three times as many cylinders. A wet track, rear wheel drive and an engine in the right, or wrong place depending on your view of the prevailing weather conditions, would all serve to provide an entertaining and memorable August afternoon.
Waiting patiently in the pit area, I was nervous. Sure, the sopping wet track surface didn’t look welcoming, but I have driven on track in worse conditions. I have also driven cars with more power, and ones which weigh less. I then realised, it wasn’t just nerves, but anticipation. Watching the Ferraris and Aston Martins crawl through Stowe I wanted to make sure that, despite the conditions, I got the most out of the Exige for the five laps I would be held securely in its grasp.
So I did.
The instructor sat next to me was a decent chap. Enquiring about my previous track experience, he wanted to make sure that we maximised the potential of the Lotus, which was reassuring given the conditions. A word of caution about the kerbs was unsurprising, their inviting barber-pole markings a beacon for those wanting to experience a Loti pirouette. This was going to be a memorable drive.
Turning into the first corner, Club, revealed what I now know as the definition of how a car should steer. Wow. Having never experienced a Lotus before, the numerous tales about how they change direction have often left me wondering whether they were told only by heady Lotus enthusiasts. That first corner however, dispensed with all doubts. The steering isn’t light, and really rather heavier than you first expect it ought to be. But it’s not an artificial heft, more mechanical, almost allowing you to feel the steering rack itself. A treacly, yet curiously gritty sensation allied to what can only be described as a unique, four-square stance which makes you feel right at the centre of the car, as if it is turning on a perfect central axis linked directly to your inputs.
I think I grinned.
The whole car was genuinely like nothing else I have driven. It felt very cerebral through the first lap, with not a hint of nervousness despite the less than perfect conditions. Having no experience of Silverstone, my track knowledge extended only to that which I had engrained in my mind before getting in the car, yet every missed apex, every turn in point slightly overcooked, was met with a wonderfully malleable and adjustable car.
Heading down the Hangar Straight, towards Stowe
After a couple of confidence building laps, the pace now starting to increase, the Exige began to impress even more. Accelerating up the Hangar straight was great fun and I made sure to let the engine work hard in its upper rev range through third and fourth. Its quick, no doubt about it.
What stayed with me though was the way in which the Exige was able to react to any given input. The most fun was had through the corners where I was able to simply pick a line and follow it. The brakes were fantastic, really working hard and not suffering any fade, even at the end of the Hangar straight. A spot of slightly over the threshold braking at one point gave a slight hip wiggle but was so intuitive to catch. Perhaps not the kind of car to make you feel like a hero as you hustle it into yet another power slide, but more the kind of machine that dons you with a set of Alpinestar boots and Nomex race suit, your Arai visor letting you scythe another perfect line through the corner.
Trundling back into the pits at the end of the five lap stint I was absolutely hooked. The whole feel of the car is one of absolute integrity to the process of driving. There is no slack, very little inertia and bags of feel through every major control that enables you to feel that you are getting so much out of the car, at any speed. Perhaps though, one of the most addictive aspects of the Exige is knowing that you could spend years learning its many idiosyncrasies yet never get bored.
And that, I think, sums it up for me. Sure, the purity of the driving experience of both the Westfield and the Lotus is unrivalled and deeply impressive, for what their lightness brings to the party cannot be manufactured. But what really gets under your skin is the depth of character that such cars possess. That I left both cars feeling energised and impressed is telling of their ability, but what marks them out as a pre-requisite ownership proposition for any motoring enthusiast is that you would never stop finding new ways in which they impress you.
Both fun cars 
Glad you enjoyed!
Even if the weather wasn't great for the Lotus drive. The brakes are amazing in the wet though huh?
I'm lucky enough to have one of each. Love them both in different ways. Respect the Lotus and its sooooo capable and usable. The Westfield is more fun though and thrilling (and scary as mine has 500bhp Turbocharged lump!)
The Supercharged Toyota engine is kinda like the Lotus as a whole for me. Impressive in what it does. High rev's, nice spread of Torque, etc... but overall lacking a touch of 'character'? Just does everything soooo well.
I do alot of trackdays if you ever want to experience either again. PM me. Had them both out the last few weekends at Bedford actually, good pair to have at a day as so different but still both light and involving.
Glad you enjoyed! Even if the weather wasn't great for the Lotus drive. The brakes are amazing in the wet though huh?
I'm lucky enough to have one of each. Love them both in different ways. Respect the Lotus and its sooooo capable and usable. The Westfield is more fun though and thrilling (and scary as mine has 500bhp Turbocharged lump!)
The Supercharged Toyota engine is kinda like the Lotus as a whole for me. Impressive in what it does. High rev's, nice spread of Torque, etc... but overall lacking a touch of 'character'? Just does everything soooo well.
I do alot of trackdays if you ever want to experience either again. PM me. Had them both out the last few weekends at Bedford actually, good pair to have at a day as so different but still both light and involving.
Edited by Porkie on Thursday 1st September 09:06
Excellent write up there.
Enjoyed that and can whole heartedly appreciate it. I have, just last week, got my Westfield out for the first time this summer.
On the first evening out in it I arrived home several hours later than planned laughing like an imbecile at the sheer joy of driving it. They really are so far removed from normal cars and I wish I had got one years ago!
Sod every petrol head owning an Alfa... Every petrol head should own a Westy / Seven at some point!
Enjoyed that and can whole heartedly appreciate it. I have, just last week, got my Westfield out for the first time this summer.
On the first evening out in it I arrived home several hours later than planned laughing like an imbecile at the sheer joy of driving it. They really are so far removed from normal cars and I wish I had got one years ago!
Sod every petrol head owning an Alfa... Every petrol head should own a Westy / Seven at some point!
MrMoonyMan said:
Sod every petrol head owning an Alfa... Every petrol head should own a Westy / Seven at some point!
Agree Love getting the Westy out for a blast around the lanes on a sunny summers evening. They are just soooo different and just awesome fun. Makes me feel 'alive' and always makes me smile just pottering around.
Porkie said:
Both fun cars Glad you enjoyed!
The Westfield is more fun though and thrilling (and scary as mine has 500bhp Turbocharged lump!)
Glad you enjoyed! The Westfield is more fun though and thrilling (and scary as mine has 500bhp Turbocharged lump!)
My Westfield only had 165bhp and that felt pretty fast. This must redefine the meaning of fun and scary in a road going car.Respect!!
Enjoyable write up OP.
Thanks for the comments guys. I hope it maybe inspires a few people to do the same thing - they really are great cars.
Porkie, you will probably have noticed that the one thing I didn't mention in my exige review was the engine noise. Not to say it isn't interesting in it's own way but it perhaps just gets lost amongst the rest of the cars abilities. It's a very strong unit though and it works well wirh the car.
I perhaps also didnt highlight how good the brakes were either - as you say, in the wet they are superb and very confidence inspiring.
I very much want to have a go in a caterham now - as an event the westie was just awesome, as it's so unlike anything else on the road.
Porkie, you will probably have noticed that the one thing I didn't mention in my exige review was the engine noise. Not to say it isn't interesting in it's own way but it perhaps just gets lost amongst the rest of the cars abilities. It's a very strong unit though and it works well wirh the car.
I perhaps also didnt highlight how good the brakes were either - as you say, in the wet they are superb and very confidence inspiring.
I very much want to have a go in a caterham now - as an event the westie was just awesome, as it's so unlike anything else on the road.
Yes engine note is rubbish and dull....
I had an aftermarket exhaust on mine, certainly added some character. But was annoying on motorways and failed noise limits at Bedford so went back to standard.
I took a few friends to bedford this weekend to drive some of my cars and actually and he posted on another forum his thoughts as well... have cut it to just the Westy and Lotus as thought it goes quite well with this thread?
What is it with these cars that make people to good forum write ups?!?!
Mike Rainbird said....
The fourth car I drove was the Cossie powered Westfield. This thing is mental in the dry, let along in the wet (where by now we had had the first of the sporadic showers). 500bhp, suspension and tyres (R888s) set up for dry use, plus a power band that goes from pussy cat to I'm going to fecking pull your face off and s
t down your neck; in the space of 1000rpm - is not a pleasant thing. The Elite 6-speed sequential gearbox was an absolute joy to use, but with stiff suspension, the car wanted to slide EVERYWHERE, so it took every ounce of concentration to keep it on the track in the prevailing weather conditions. As you couldn't go too fast on the straights (the torque would have lit the tyres up and the diff was too aggressive for wet use, turning the car sideways with the torque reaction if it lit the tyres up in a straight line (V.Scary!)), so I spent around 25 minutes scaring myself sliding around a very damp circuit. Had a couple of BIG slides that I thought I wasn't going to recover from (as did the following cars ), but only spun once (same corner I spun the Ferrari on). The good thing about spending all that time out on track was that there were loads of photos taken from various parts of the circuit:
Obviously you have probably noticed that I skipped a car and as you may have guessed, this was because I saved the best until last. I had never driven an Exige before (as was shown by the fact when taking the owner's guests out for passenger rides, I failed to spot the starter button and was miserably trying to start it on the key ). This car is almost standard (which impressed me the most, as normally standard cars are wk on track), with the normal factory Bilstein dampers, but with the 2-piece front disc upgrade (with the awesome Pagid "blues" ) and the intercooler being upgraded to a larger more efficient Pro-alloy item with additional cold air ducts feeding from the side pods.
Everything about the car was absolutely perfect, and I had to be physically removed from it after each "session" (to let other people drive it), but I would hover around it so as soon as it became free, I was out in it again. The steering is perfectly weighted, the brakes are other-worldly (especially in the wet, where the front end grip was frankly unbelievable). The 996 GT3 RS that was there was quicker down the straights, but in the corners, there wasn't anything that could live with it. When the rear broke away on the high-speed 4th gear corners (which I think could be attributed to the rear tyres running low pressures, but this is what the owner had them set to), a quick dab of oppo was all it needed to bring it in line. If it ran wide, a quick lift had the rear stepping out to turn the nose in (you had to be ready for it on high speed corners doing that though, as the faster you went, the more the back wanted to come round on lift off). The perfect amount of challenge -v- reward factor.
[i] As the day progressed, I wanted the traction control to be turned down (the owner wanted me to turn it off, but I wanted a safety net in someone elses car LOL), so that I could slide it out of the second gear corners (which it defintely wanted to do, but the TC was spoiling things). Apparently it has a 10 stage control, fully on and then up to a max of 10% slip in increments and then fully off. Putting it on 10% was so much fun in the slow corners, where it slid perfectly, but then on the straights accelerating through 5500 to 6000 rpm, the traction control light would flash a couple of times and it would misfire for some bizarre reason, so not wanting to damage it, I put the TC back on. It didn't spoil things too much, as it would still alow the car to slide into the corners, it just didn't allow the rear tyres to travel faster than the fronts accelerating out of them (apart from occasionally managing to overwhelm the system where it caught another driver out when I was a passenger). AWESOME little car .
Thanks ever-so much to Lee for letting me play with all his toys [/i]
I added the spin pics just to embarrass Mike
I had an aftermarket exhaust on mine, certainly added some character. But was annoying on motorways and failed noise limits at Bedford so went back to standard.
I took a few friends to bedford this weekend to drive some of my cars and actually and he posted on another forum his thoughts as well... have cut it to just the Westy and Lotus as thought it goes quite well with this thread?
What is it with these cars that make people to good forum write ups?!?!
Mike Rainbird said....
The fourth car I drove was the Cossie powered Westfield. This thing is mental in the dry, let along in the wet (where by now we had had the first of the sporadic showers). 500bhp, suspension and tyres (R888s) set up for dry use, plus a power band that goes from pussy cat to I'm going to fecking pull your face off and s
t down your neck; in the space of 1000rpm - is not a pleasant thing. The Elite 6-speed sequential gearbox was an absolute joy to use, but with stiff suspension, the car wanted to slide EVERYWHERE, so it took every ounce of concentration to keep it on the track in the prevailing weather conditions. As you couldn't go too fast on the straights (the torque would have lit the tyres up and the diff was too aggressive for wet use, turning the car sideways with the torque reaction if it lit the tyres up in a straight line (V.Scary!)), so I spent around 25 minutes scaring myself sliding around a very damp circuit. Had a couple of BIG slides that I thought I wasn't going to recover from (as did the following cars ), but only spun once (same corner I spun the Ferrari on). The good thing about spending all that time out on track was that there were loads of photos taken from various parts of the circuit:Obviously you have probably noticed that I skipped a car and as you may have guessed, this was because I saved the best until last. I had never driven an Exige before (as was shown by the fact when taking the owner's guests out for passenger rides, I failed to spot the starter button and was miserably trying to start it on the key ). This car is almost standard (which impressed me the most, as normally standard cars are w
k on track), with the normal factory Bilstein dampers, but with the 2-piece front disc upgrade (with the awesome Pagid "blues" ) and the intercooler being upgraded to a larger more efficient Pro-alloy item with additional cold air ducts feeding from the side pods.Everything about the car was absolutely perfect, and I had to be physically removed from it after each "session" (to let other people drive it), but I would hover around it so as soon as it became free, I was out in it again. The steering is perfectly weighted, the brakes are other-worldly (especially in the wet, where the front end grip was frankly unbelievable). The 996 GT3 RS that was there was quicker down the straights, but in the corners, there wasn't anything that could live with it. When the rear broke away on the high-speed 4th gear corners (which I think could be attributed to the rear tyres running low pressures, but this is what the owner had them set to), a quick dab of oppo was all it needed to bring it in line. If it ran wide, a quick lift had the rear stepping out to turn the nose in (you had to be ready for it on high speed corners doing that though, as the faster you went, the more the back wanted to come round on lift off). The perfect amount of challenge -v- reward factor.
[i] As the day progressed, I wanted the traction control to be turned down (the owner wanted me to turn it off, but I wanted a safety net in someone elses car LOL), so that I could slide it out of the second gear corners (which it defintely wanted to do, but the TC was spoiling things). Apparently it has a 10 stage control, fully on and then up to a max of 10% slip in increments and then fully off. Putting it on 10% was so much fun in the slow corners, where it slid perfectly, but then on the straights accelerating through 5500 to 6000 rpm, the traction control light would flash a couple of times and it would misfire for some bizarre reason, so not wanting to damage it, I put the TC back on. It didn't spoil things too much, as it would still alow the car to slide into the corners, it just didn't allow the rear tyres to travel faster than the fronts accelerating out of them (apart from occasionally managing to overwhelm the system where it caught another driver out when I was a passenger). AWESOME little car .
Thanks ever-so much to Lee for letting me play with all his toys [/i]
I added the spin pics just to embarrass Mike
Edited by Porkie on Thursday 1st September 11:10
You mean heavy in the loosest possible sense of the word though?!
Interesting additional writeup about the "same" two cars - there really is something about the Exige that gets under your skin.
Sounds like I got off lightly driving the Exige in the wet though; a 500bhp Westfield sounds fun, but in a very different way!
Interesting additional writeup about the "same" two cars - there really is something about the Exige that gets under your skin.
Sounds like I got off lightly driving the Exige in the wet though; a 500bhp Westfield sounds fun, but in a very different way!
snorkel sucker said:
You mean heavy in the loosest possible sense of the word though?!
Interesting additional writeup about the "same" two cars - there really is something about the Exige that gets under your skin.
Sounds like I got off lightly driving the Exige in the wet though; a 500bhp Westfield sounds fun, but in a very different way!
Of course. Interesting additional writeup about the "same" two cars - there really is something about the Exige that gets under your skin.
Sounds like I got off lightly driving the Exige in the wet though; a 500bhp Westfield sounds fun, but in a very different way!
It's interesting what you (and others) say about the exige though. A friend of mine has one - a cup version IIRC - and before that he had a range of Elises inc a 190 with every possible performance option, and for me the 190 was a nicer ownership prospect than the Exige. It offered most of the exige performance, but could also do the summer roof off evening drive. I find the Exige loses too much of what makes the Elise great for not enough benefits.
rhinochopig said:
snorkel sucker said:
You mean heavy in the loosest possible sense of the word though?!
Interesting additional writeup about the "same" two cars - there really is something about the Exige that gets under your skin.
Sounds like I got off lightly driving the Exige in the wet though; a 500bhp Westfield sounds fun, but in a very different way!
Of course. Interesting additional writeup about the "same" two cars - there really is something about the Exige that gets under your skin.
Sounds like I got off lightly driving the Exige in the wet though; a 500bhp Westfield sounds fun, but in a very different way!
It's interesting what you (and others) say about the exige though. A friend of mine has one - a cup version IIRC - and before that he had a range of Elises inc a 190 with every possible performance option, and for me the 190 was a nicer ownership prospect than the Exige. It offered most of the exige performance, but could also do the summer roof off evening drive. I find the Exige loses too much of what makes the Elise great for not enough benefits.
So what does the Exige loose?????
I have a soft top for mine
I dont have any pics though. here is a nice black one with roof off though....
green with roof fitted...
cool blue one
Exige purists will hate you though lol!
I ONLY really like cars where the roof comes off though to be honest!
Edited by Porkie on Thursday 1st September 12:33
Edited by Porkie on Thursday 1st September 12:37
I found the Exige deeply impressive. But.
IF I were in a position to buy one, I think I would spend the money on an Elise CR or suchlike.
Why? Purely because I am a fan of open top motoring, and, as you allude to, the Elise would give you that option.
What I would like to do next is to try an Elise and see how it compares to the Exige.
Hmmm... now theres a thought...
ETA - I knew that the Exige could go topless, just that it not the "thing to do" with them.
Honest!
IF I were in a position to buy one, I think I would spend the money on an Elise CR or suchlike.
Why? Purely because I am a fan of open top motoring, and, as you allude to, the Elise would give you that option.
What I would like to do next is to try an Elise and see how it compares to the Exige.
Hmmm... now theres a thought...
ETA - I knew that the Exige could go topless, just that it not the "thing to do" with them.
Honest!
Edited by snorkel sucker on Thursday 1st September 12:42
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff