This morning I was lucky to get half an hour to myself in Oakmere’s Exige 350 Sport. Id gone to have a look at them to compare it to my 2-11 to see if I fancy buying one at some point.
First impressions: it’s miles better built than an S2. All the surfaces are solid and rattle free. The fit and finish has been greatly improved.
The drive: it’s a far more muscular and physical thing to drive compared to a 2-11. It feels solid, beautifully damped and very powerful. The gear change is a revelation. It’s devoid of any slack or rubberiness. It has a taught and nicely oiled mechanical feel. It’s very nice. It’s performance is so accessible with the V6 motor it’s a big step on compared to the old 2ZZ-GE.
Do I want one?..yes! A 360 Cup would be the one I’d go for. Unfortunately the Cup can’t be bought with the excellent 0% 50/50 offer which is s bummer.
Do I want to sell my 2-11 for one?..I’m not sure. The 2-11 is like my best mate. I’ll have a think.
My thought the other day was to sell my old BMW M5 & 2-11 and replace with a 350 Sport / Cup that can be used on road and track. One special car, one insurance / maintenance / tax etc.
I’ve got my wife’s old VW Golf that I use as an everyday car which doesn’t cost me anything in the grand scheme of things.
We’ll see…may end up keeping the 2-11 and get a 350 in a couple of years time if finances allow in time for my 40th
I had a snoop around one and an Evora 400 at B&C and they certainly feel well put together. I’m not buying anything else right now…I can certainly see the attraction though. I made a special point of not organising a test drive
2-11 is a very special car to own, however I reckon you’d get 6x more use out of an Exige. But then you’d kick yourself for selling the 2-11 on the odd occasion it can be used properly.
If you can afford both then do that! You really would have the best combo from both ends of the spectrum Lotus has to offer.
