Exige MK2 Official Release

General General Lotus Talk
41

Ian,

Thanks for the comments and support! Now, I never said I wouldn’t get it to the track, just that the track is 3 hours away I would hit the track when possible, but it will not be as often as I would want to drive the car. The good thing about western Montana USA, is that there are lots of good mountain roads here!

Of course, the looks has a lot to do with it also and the elise is nice, but its not an exige. Also if I had one it would NOT be a daily driver

MEL
Hoping for a street legal S2 Exige in the USA

42

A few pics of a silver S2 Exige in this months EVO.

Gone off it again! The orange is better.

Plus a review of the 111R, they like it, giving it the all important 5 EVO stars!

Ian

43

Was anyone else surprised to see the Elise in 9th place with the Clio Williams in 7th place in EVO’s best car over the last 10 years feature? - can’t argue with the top 3 tho 550 Maranello, Zonda, GT3 - now where’s me chequebook?

44

now where’s me chequebook?

Have you asked your missus, cos she’s probably hidden it…again

45

Yes it surprised me too.

The Elise has done more for the sportscar genre than any other in the past decade.

Ferraris and Zondas are obviously the stuff dreams are made of, but how many of us can realistically hope to ever own one?

The Elise is within reach of most of us, particularly as early examples are now available sub �10k

46

now, this is utter rubish…as usual…
you can’t take them serious really…I used to have a Williams…before the Elise…nice hot hatch but that’s about it… …you can’t compare it with the Elise really…
laters,
B

47

Perhaps in their defense, the Elise does have a tail happy weight distribution that makes it different and therefore difficult for journos to get their head around quickly (instantly making it not quite as good).

Ian

48

mind you IDG… a GT3 ain’t exactly 50:50 either…

49

But Porsche have worked bl*@dy hard to make it drive like that!

Ian

50

Guys

Nicked from a posting by Tut on Scottish Elises… Is this the new exige…

"�Amongst the first will be the VX220 VXR. The limited edition of just 50 cars will benefit from a new turbo set up and ECU, giving in excess of 220bhp.

The VXR will get new, uprated suspension based on that used by the Exige. It will be lower than the standard car.

It will be distinguished by different (exige) wheels (7 x 16 front, 8 x 17 on the rear), a black windscreen surround, black rear spoiler, black wing mirrors and black front grille.

On the inside there’ll be some black anodised bits, a carbon fibre effect dashboard and seats from the new Exige complete with additional shoulder support and provision for harnesses.

Price will be �29,995 and the first cars will be available from the end of May.�

some more stuff here

there is talk of 250bhp…

51

Rox really wierd this one - a friend told me some 6 months ago (on good authority ) that the S2 Exige would def have the VXT motor installed and 250bhp would be on tap… - thought Toyota had knocked that on the head - maybe not…

52

You just get the feeling that the Exige is going to follow the Elise policy of constant improvement.

In other words, we can probably expect engine upgrades of one kind or another IF the car sells well initially.

Personally, if I were to change my S1, I’d be sorely tempted by the VXR - naff badge notwithstanding

53

now, this is utter rubish…as usual…
you can’t take them serious really…I used to have a Williams…before the Elise…nice hot hatch but that’s about it… …you can’t compare it with the Elise really…
laters,
B

I have to disagree. I had a Clio Williams before the Exige and it was the best car I have ever owned… It could do absolutely everything really, really well. Around a track it would be beaten hands down by an Elise but on the road there isn’t much in it and it is much faster in a straight line than a standard one. It was completely practical, bloody comfortable, bloody quick, reliable, good looking and had the best 4 pot engine I know of. An Elise is always going to feel more special to blat down an empty road but it is not a complete car like the Willy.

54

Blime - so you liked it then Randy!

“Willy” - titter!

Ian

55

Sounds like it! Although don’t get me wrong… I prefer my Exige.

56

hold on hold on Randy, calm down …you can say a lot about this Willy, it’s a nice hothatch but it is not a sports car whatsoever…it handles not bad but is still a French frog and as you said: an Elise is always to feel more speacial and this is what it’s all about. I don’t think a true petrolhead like we all are will swap an Elise for a poxy Willy
laters,
B

57

I would certainly have an Elise over a Williams but I can see why the Williams came out on top. Trouble with the Elise is the flaws it has - the hairdryer instead of the engine to start with. The Clio does everything very well whilst the Elise does some things exceptionally and some things very badly.

58

oh yeah, forgot that the Willy is a shopping trolly
nothing wrong with the K-engine, really…erm…what exactly does the Elly do wrong for a petrolhead???

59

“nothing wrong with the K-engine”

Everything is wrong with the K engine…It’s really really crap. No power, no torque, the VHPD is horribly lumpy, it’s unreliable and it sounds sh*te. The sooner I have the K out of my car the better .

60

I have to agree that the K is a bag of nails, yet I feel it’s somehow appropiate for the Exige, especially the VHPD lumpyness

There’s only one plus point about the K is that it’s small and very light weight (I don’t think there’s another engine of the same capacity that weighs less), this in turn means it lives in a lot of lightweight sportcars, like us lot and caterfields and what not… Which in turn means there’s loads of tuning info and knowledge about.

To me it seems a much more “grassroots” engine IYSWIM.