The latest EVO arrived yesterday, they’ve driven (and photoed) the S2 Exige and there’s a few more interesting bits that come out of it.
The words against the opening picture - “Exige S2 looks less ‘motorsport’, more ‘Elise with a hardtop’.”
EVO point out it is a prototype, with the appropriate shabbiness
The wheel base is currently 3cm longer than production
Clamshells are different, covering wheels more, fussy vents next to rear lights gone, etc [But why not sexier?? Although I’d like to see a picture next to an S2 Elise]
ABS is std (potentially along with e/wins!? & A/c) but is v.good (Boxster’s was taken as the benchmark), lots of dev at the 'Ring [I don’t think this is a Euro requirement, otherwise Radicals would have it surely]
Brakes are servoed
Lotus say the 2 secs improvement in lap time comes from tyres (48s, worth 1 sec) and suspension (due to knowledge gained from VX) [no mention of power or brakes, so does perhaps indicate that a full 190 S1 with Pagids would match it]
They talk a lot about the engine and how they hate it in Toyotas, but seem to hate it less in this (in fact they don’t really give an opinion, just info on its character)
Sounds as if the 190 Toyota was much cheaper to develop than the VHPD K-series
Toyota use to own part of Lotus and it was a partnership in that they developed the engine, rather than just blonking it in [did you know that Lotus Engineering has developed the engines for 10% of the new cars sold in Europe - me neither]
EVO calc 860kgs for the weight
They also say power oversteer is easily and enjoyable achieved [Perhaps helped by the extra 3cm?]
They’re aiming to build 1000 [Bold! Only shifting 600ish last time and not providing a real reason to upgrade]
Downforce appears the same as S1 @ 80kgs/100mph
Matthew Becker (Lotus’ principle Dynamics Engineer) can really drive! Although with 5000hrs and 250,000 laps at Hethel do should know the circuit by now!
In the news section Lotus state Proton have given them the money to refresh models every 18 months with a new car every 3 years, including a new Espirit [so lets hope they do some a bit more radical than this S2 with it then!]
I think this car is going to be interesting to the press mainly for its engine and perhaps a show piece for sporting ABS. Which struck me that if you were a car company about to launch (hopefully) thousands of them on the US market, why not do a low volume one for a hard-core mob some of whom will thrash the nuts off them - customers will be doing R&D work! (how very TVR) Clever though if that was the thinking.
For me, I still currently prefer the Honda route as an upgrade (cheaper, more torque, etc). I heard at the weekend that one of the SELOC guys has installed a Jap spec PR racing kit in his Elise. Joe shipped it for �8k all in, with inches of instructions that a complete numpty could follow. That said for only �2k more Jonny’s the turnkey solution with more local support seems equally good value.
The wheel base is currently 3cm longer than production
Ian, my copy of EVO has not yet arrived, so I don’t understand the above quote. Surely it’s meant to be saying that the MK2’s wheelbase is longer than the MK1’s - rather than the test car’s compared to that of the intended production car??? Would make a mockery of all that hard work setting up the suspension etc otherwise.
So far I agree with you, why spend �15K plus to change from a MK1 to MK2???
The prototype is on the VX chassis, which is 30mm longer.
Mockery perhaps, or (perish the thought) just a VX with a new body, tweeked ABS and Toyota engine.
Ian
eee gadzz… anyone actually think this is going to get off the ground ? or is it, as someone already suggested, just a test bed for an engine ? and the wrong engine at that !!
I think it’ll definitely happen, too much press coverage to backout.
I believe the VX and Lotus chassis are close enough that I doubt it’ll be a major issue to ‘re-build it’ on an S2 Elise chassis. They may have used the VX chassis as it probably has a smidge more room in the engine bay to work the new engine in to. It’ll still give’em some headaches and they may show it in Geneva but not deliver any until the 2nd half of next year. I wonder a bit whether they just used the Toyota engined US Elise test bed and put a new body and tyres on it and tweaked.
Having thought about it (over a glass of wine where all good conspires theories start), I really do think there may well be some truth in them wanting to try the new engine out on a small market first.
It’s like a bad dream that goes on and on!
The bloody thing doen’t even exist, and it’s going to be made for the masses.
Besides, nobody here is going to buy one, I’d rather get a VX220T instead.
I’d say: Fcuk the S2 Exige!
(Hat, coat and slams the door, trapping a finger, fcuk!)
In a few months time S2 Exige owners will turn up here wanting to be our friends. Whilst always knowing be have the better/purer/original [delete as appropriate] car we’re very likely to want to be friends with our kindred spirits. After all, they’ve made the same(/similar) fantastic discovery we did - just a few years late!
Surely, we’ve got to at least have an opinion and follow this baby to it’s birth. As a collective, we’re expectant siblings!!!
Well said Ian and I’m sure Mr Admin will not object to the 1000 projected new S2 Exige owners - so long as he doesn’t change the S1 Exige logo, particularly as its in that rather fetching new ali colour…
Great reading guys! I looked long and hard for a decent s1 exige, but to no avail. Ended up with a brand spanker 135r in mica blue with a hard top which doesnt look too unlike…
Will certainly look at the s2 in march next year (or Q2 more likely), but also want to (at least look at) the new 160mph boxster coupe as well. Mind you, having blown many boxsters into the weeds already, I think it would be a downgrade in therapy…