New Exige

[JAMES]

its in evo this month with full article on it!

[Mark H]

http://www.strattonmotorcompany.com/images...ige%20Large.jpg

 

New picture of the final version.

[Kris H]

Think that looks much better than the original drawings actually. Quite nice, and less like an S2 with a comedy max power spoiler glued on the back.

[Mark A]

Not impressed.

 

I haven't seen it in the flesh so reserving judgement but looks too much like a std S2. Doesn't look like it will have the presence of the S1 Exige.

 

190bhp isn't enough! The S2 Exige will be heavier than a 111R, add some LSS and A048's to the 111R and you'll have a quicker car.

[Snapper]

New Exige.......Hmmmm.........Just seen the picture........O'Dear.....

 

Looks like a 111r with a screw down hard top & couple of spare bits from the max power bin...

 

Bolt on Splitter & Spoiler..... Hmmm Nice.. couldn't they colour match them? The extra design features looks like they called in the Blue Peter TV team and a couple of 6-year olds with double sided stick tape.

 

I hope they had adult supervision while using the scissors!!!!!...

 

Within two seconds of looking at the picture I could have worked out how they could have made it look so much better with very little effort...

 

How very disappointing especially with the same 190 bhp engine and gear box..

 

I would get a 111r and add in a sports suspension pack, brake upgrade and an after market spitter & bigger rear under vent things to suck the car down instead of a tacky spoiler..

[Mark H]

More pictures released:

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.a...=83064&f=15&h=0

[Kris H]

Must admit that I don't like it in the flesh and would go for a 111r over that for roof off larks.

[Scrappydog]

Must admit that I don't like it in the flesh and would go for a 111r over that for roof off larks. 

Kris - where did you see one "in the flesh"? I didn't think they were at dealer yet?

 

BTW, can anyone tell me if the S1 Exige came with the 190bhp upgrade from day one? Or was it something they announced later on.

 

IMHO the new photos show it looking much more like the original renderings than the black test hack that EVO took out. Notice the vents on the trailing edge of the from wheel-arches. Also the back end look much nicer than the S1 Exige. Can't wait to test drive one of these to see if it is any good.

 

 

Andy

[Mark A]

The 190 upgrade on the S1 Exige was just that an upgrade. Standard cars were all 177bhp and then if you wanted 190bhp you bought the kit.

[Scrappydog]

Mark,

 

I guess my point is that when I looked through old reports of the original S1 Exige they did indeed only talk of the 177bhp version and the upgrade was not available from day 1 (i.e. on official launch day).

 

Now the S2 Exige comes with 190bhp as standard on launch day. One might speculate the appearance of a power upgrade in the near future.

 

I just get a little hacked off when people start slagging things off that they haven't even seen or driven. Are owners of existing Exiges that insecure?

Would be interesting to trawl back through the old BSS threads to see what people said of the launch of the original Exige.

 

IMH Lotus seem to be moving in the right direction after the last few years of stagnation, when they churned out rubbish like the S2 135R and various stripey paint models.

 

Andy

[Kris H]

Andy

 

I saw one over near the A46/Warwick/Straford although didn't get the greatest look at it as I was driving. Bit of a double take actually since it kind of looked like a modded S2 with hardtop. Basing opinions on photos as well really. I haven't driven an S2 exige and probably won't. For me the fundamental problem with the exige is that I can't take the roof off which is why the 111r appeals more due to versatility. Same is true of the S1 exige. I don't particularly like the styling of the S2 since I think it lacks a little of the aggressive edge of the S1. Not slagging it off as you put it though, just expressing an opinion on desirability to me personally. I think you may well have a good point about upgrades to follow though.

 

Kristian

[Scrappydog]

Oh, I should probably mention that I've been doing some research into the supercharger upgrade to the T-Sport engine. There is currently a very simple bolt-on upgrade from Toyoto Racing Developments (which I think is the official tuning arm of Toyota for aftermarket bits). It repleaces the inlet manifold with a neat supercharger and boosts power to 230bhp.

 

The same installation will fit a Celica; however substantial amounts of bonnet needs to be cut away to enable this thing to fit. So the resultant bonnet bulge look really stupid!

 

However, due to the engine installation in the elise the inlet manifold is on the bulkhead side, so this installation will not drop directly into the Elise 111R. My non-educated guess, is that Lotus will work with TRD on an official conversion. However, with the given space constraints it is likely that the install will have to be modified significantly and thus be a much narrower but taller install than the T-Sport one. The significance of that it may be too big to fit in the 111R but will easily fit into the S2 Exige. Thus an S2 Exige with 230-240bhp would be quite easy and it the cost was £3-4K you would have a car that was on par with a TVR T350 power/weight wise and much better handling; more like a cheap alternative to a Noble.

 

I admit this is all guess work, but stranger things have happend.

 

Andy

[Scrappydog]

Not slagging it off as you put it though, just expressing an opinion on desirability to me personally.

Kristian - wasn't really refering to you. At least you've seen the thing! But everyone seems to have a negative opinion. I guess it's similar to the whole S1 vs S2 Elise thing. Those people that thinks it's good and will actually give Lotus some money are much less vocal than those who are happy with what they've got and feel they need to justify it.

 

Regarding the styling, I'll probably agree with you when I see it "in the flesh" , there is definately something special about the styling of the original Exige from the front and side, however I think the rear still looks butt ugly!

 

Again, I understand why it wouldn't be an alternative because it's not a soft top - cos that's the whole reason I bought my Elise in the first place. But I'm still excited about any new models from Lotus.

 

Andy

[Mark H]

More pictures from the Geneva motorshow from Yves on the BCBBS:

 

http://www.kirschmann.ch/lotus/salon_2004/index.htm

 

And also the ones I added the other day to the gallery:

 

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...&code=00&cat=27

[spike]

I like it, not as much as the S1 Exige, but i do like like it

 

Looks like it could take a slightly larger rear spoiler imho. Still a little dispointed it's not as agressive looking as those early Hethel spy shots would have suggested.