Test drove a Exige S All Day Today.....
Discussion
Well today I was very lucky to borrow an Exige S for the whole day, courtesy of my local lotus dealership.
Very impressed by the ability to accelerate from any speed, handling absolutely sublime!
We even managed to get it to fit in our narrow garage!!!!
However, there were a couple of issues.....one of them being that I am very slim and have always got a sore back from very firm seats when go-Karting.....and guess what....yes it did my back in! So the first issue is if I get one are then any options to change the seats for something with more padding that may also be adjustable? This really could be a deal breaker for us at the moment! Now something else to take into account is that I'm 6ft tall and so cannot have a seat that is too thick at the bottom as otherwise I will have the roof in my line of sight.
Also, the car was in black and felt very unassuming.....whilst I like that, it is also nice to be noticed too! Unfortunately unless it was at the top of the rev range the engine/exhaust note left me a little cold feeling....I'm sure this can be rectified with a decent sports exhaust!
There is still something luring me toward the Europa S...maybe the fact that it is just that little bit different and that the luxury seats have more padding! However I am worried that the performance may be a little underwhelming.
Many thanks in advance for your help,
David
Very impressed by the ability to accelerate from any speed, handling absolutely sublime!
We even managed to get it to fit in our narrow garage!!!!
However, there were a couple of issues.....one of them being that I am very slim and have always got a sore back from very firm seats when go-Karting.....and guess what....yes it did my back in! So the first issue is if I get one are then any options to change the seats for something with more padding that may also be adjustable? This really could be a deal breaker for us at the moment! Now something else to take into account is that I'm 6ft tall and so cannot have a seat that is too thick at the bottom as otherwise I will have the roof in my line of sight.
Also, the car was in black and felt very unassuming.....whilst I like that, it is also nice to be noticed too! Unfortunately unless it was at the top of the rev range the engine/exhaust note left me a little cold feeling....I'm sure this can be rectified with a decent sports exhaust!
There is still something luring me toward the Europa S...maybe the fact that it is just that little bit different and that the luxury seats have more padding! However I am worried that the performance may be a little underwhelming.
Many thanks in advance for your help,
David
I drive an S1 Elise and had a go in a new Elise S a few weeks back. I thought it sounded dull and flat but apparently this can be remedied with a sports exhaust and induction kit. Colour can obviously be fixed, a friend of mine has a new Exige in orange which looks great. As for the seats, I don't think there's a factory option but you could always swap the stock seats for some aftermarket ones.
You can get the seats retrimmed to practically any spec you like by Lotus, talk to your dealer and get the number of the trim shop to discuss options.
If you want a fast road car, I'd consider the Elise SC or the Europa with the upgraded engine map etc. Thorney Motorsport can tweak the Europa to be quicker than an Exige S, and to handle just as well, and with dealers almost unable to shift them from forecourts, you could grab yourself a bargain, get Thorney to breathe on it, and still have significant change left from the cost of a new Exige S.
If you want a fast road car, I'd consider the Elise SC or the Europa with the upgraded engine map etc. Thorney Motorsport can tweak the Europa to be quicker than an Exige S, and to handle just as well, and with dealers almost unable to shift them from forecourts, you could grab yourself a bargain, get Thorney to breathe on it, and still have significant change left from the cost of a new Exige S.
There are some adjustable seats available but I'm guessing the bases will be too thick & I'll sit too high!
Has anyone changed their seats in their car? Just wondering if there is somewhere near us (Watford) where I could go and sit in an Exige/Elise to feel the difference in position.
Many thanks,
Has anyone changed their seats in their car? Just wondering if there is somewhere near us (Watford) where I could go and sit in an Exige/Elise to feel the difference in position.
Many thanks,
An interesting dilemma. Just ordered an Exige and the factory are sorting out the interior just the way I want it. Admittedly it is more about trim rather than padding but with the right dealer I am sure they will sort for you too, possible even worth a trip to the factory. Probably much easier and cheaper than aftermarket seats.
I'm not too sure a Europa would be any better for your back.. as I think that they use the same seats as the Exige S.
The satandard ones are the new Pro-bax ones with additional lumber padding, but I believe these are standard across the whole range now (they were certainly in a Elise S and R I have driven recently). The lux pack adds the winged back seats that I believe are standard in the Exige S.
The satandard ones are the new Pro-bax ones with additional lumber padding, but I believe these are standard across the whole range now (they were certainly in a Elise S and R I have driven recently). The lux pack adds the winged back seats that I believe are standard in the Exige S.
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