Strange, I’d have thought they’d have been trying to sell you the current one?!
SC makes sense with the extra space (over the 111R) above the engine.
Ian
I dont want to be a smart ass But I told You there was going to be a SC Exige Theres no way a company like lotus with its heritage was going to let the VXR be the fastest car out of heathal.
The cooling with any forced induction is trying to cool the charge (air / fuel mix), hence an intercooler normally (remember as air is compressed it heats up exponentially… So the more boost you can start to loose power!!!)
So the TT conversion used a charge cooler which is an Air to Water rad mounted up front to cool the air…
The only reason a turbo generate more heat at a given boost is the turbo hosing / manifold get f**king hot!!! It’ll just raise the ambient temp of the whole engine bay thereby increaseing the heat of the charge.
Essentially it’s the same problem if it’s SC’d or TC’d
The test drive car I saw had several available bolt holes on the drivers side of the engine at the top of the block, don’t know what they’d be for, maybe supercharger or turbo? Do all the Toyotas have these holes?
Kerry
Could be an engine mount as well rom the FF config…
FWIW the SC on my MR2 was mounted on the back of the block right at the bottom, so somehow sandwiched between that and the boot
He was kind of keen to sell the yellow demonstrator, also they have an arctic silver Exige coming in soon that he tried a go with. If anyone’s interested go and speak to Mark Shackleton at Lotus Ribble Valley. I forgot to take my driving licence and so couldn’t take it for a test drive.
Kirk,
i don’t want to be a smart ass either;). I never said that there wasn’t going to a Supercharger for the Exige. But I still very much doubt that Lotus will make a SC version of the Exige. I believe that the SC will be available as a (very expensive) option, both for the 111R and the Exige. Never below 8k pounds.
Now my other question… Would you buy a �45.000 Exige or 111R?
For that kind of money, I would take the TVR Sagaris or perhaps even an Noble M400, any day of the week.
Perhaps that’s just me
Still, I would strongly sugest… get the new Exige, while you can, and don’t keep waiting for the SC version (no, i don’t own a Lotus dealer )
Jose M8 , I have all ready got my s2 Exige and it is fantastic, Especialy with the roof And I had the choise of cars before I bought the Exige. TVR TO MANY HORROR STORIES and the noble Well the roof dont come of , well not untill the convertible is ready Yes I am just crazy enough to pay 8k For a SC upgrade, That would give the exige the performance to kick ass
Hmmm, I don’t get it.
The Exige already kicks ass!
I mean, other than Radicals, what car manages to go faster than mine humble Exige? let’s see:
A Honda converted 340R, a TVR Tuscan R that could not do more than 5 laps at a time otherwise it melted, a race-only Cossie (only external resemblance to a road going car, and about 450BHP), sometimes Russ’s Honda Exige, occasionally a Caterham R400 (depends on the day or the driver)…
Naaah, you’ll see me with my humble Exige S1 for a while, with my Rover bag of nails for an engine … kicking ass!!
Uldis, what kind of mods do you have?
Yes Uldis you are quite right The Exige is a kick ass ride and can out perform many a super car. But I am Talking Porsche GT thingy/Ford GT used have one that looked like that for my scaletrix when I was 12 thingy/Konigsiggyeggy thingy/MERC SLR with doors that will be bust in a week thingy/Pagine Zonda myshoes were made by the popes cobler thingy Know What I mean fast
Kirk,
I live in Portugal, so I don’t know those TVR Horror stories . Are they reliability wise?
Well, first of all congratulations on buying the car I wish I could buy… Are you planning on coming to Portugal, driving?
Second, very good purchase, but, would it be such a good purchase at 45k pounds?
Third, are you an experienced driver? Most of us dream of having a 400 bhp, 600 kg Lotus exige, but can we use our car at its full potential? Is the car performance limiting you?
Fourth, if you want the ultimate performance Exige, the S1 tt260 or the Honda conversion + a SC is the way to go. The car gets stupidly fast!!!
Are you sure you wont be coming to Portugal driving?
Uldis, what kind of mods do you have?
Basically, very few - but he is a very quick/skilled driver Which all goes to show that there’s a load of bollox talked about increasing the power of the Exige - very few owners are as capable as their cars are Apart from upgrading the brakes, rear toelinks & engine bay cooling, very little tuning (if any) is required - except to the driver. Anyone who has been driven around a circuit by the likes of Gavan, Hyla or Alastair will know I’m right. There are some very quick drivers who are regulars on this bbs, but most of us aren’t in the same league - which doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy my trackdays as much as the next man
Yes, but looks do not equate fast.
And in fact, after my (2) years racing bikes I lost my lust for BHP, it’s definitely not all, and it doesn’t help you learn to drive properly.
You need flat torque on an engine that continues building it nicely up high, naturally aspirated and that doesn’t break (ok, here’s the problem)
I would be much happier with 200 BHP but:
-a lighter car
-adjustable suspension (separate adjustability for bump and rebound)
-an engine that doesn’t break
-and a flat torque curve from 3.5K to 8K rpm
That would make a driver learn (and enjoy) much more than a SC or Turbo nutter on any track.
And Jose (Pepe?), my car is basically a 190 spec (still with a CAT) but with sorted brakes (after warping 4 sets of rotors), brake cooling and a Mexican Nut holding the steering wheel
Basically, very few - but he is a very quick/skilled driver
Erm… Merci, monsieur Hesketh!
You made my day
Yes, but looks do not equate fast.
And in fact, after my (2) years racing bikes I lost my lust for BHP, it’s definitely not all, and it doesn’t help you learn to drive properly.
You need flat torque on an engine that continues building it nicely up high, naturally aspirated and that doesn’t break (ok, here’s the problem)I would be much happier with 200 BHP but:
-a lighter car
-adjustable suspension (separate adjustability for bump and rebound)
-an engine that doesn’t break
-and a flat torque curve from 3.5K to 8K rpmThat would make a driver learn (and enjoy) much more than a SC or Turbo nutter on any track.
And Jose (Pepe?), my car is basically a 190 spec (still with a CAT) but with sorted brakes (after warping 4 sets of rotors), brake cooling and a Mexican Nut holding the steering wheel
I totally agree with fact that you should invest those 8k pounds in driver training instead of an SC. You will end up faster!
Now, wouldn’t an SC give you a flatter and higher torque curve, from 3,5 up to 8k?
What about the Honda conversion on an Exige? That would solve the breaking problems and the flat torque curve, no?
By the way, Pepe would be a nickname for Pedro and it would be spanish, not portuguese. However you could use Ze (the “e” has the same sound as the “e” in Echo or Beckham. It should be something like Zeah)
Nah, too complicated! (the nicknames)
But yes, the Honda conversion is a very tasty one, but it’s a no brainer to me: don’t have the money!
Besides, I’d like to keep the car as close to original as possible just for the sake of it. (Ok, I have limits, I will not have those Lotus brake disks, as they are made of cheese)
The SC would be nice, but normally they add on a few Kg, which is a no-no in my list (ANY addition, I’m already heavy enough), heat and complexity and they make the K series Rover rev less than before up to about 7K only (otherwise it would granade).
Good for the road, not ideal for the track
But then, good for some people, as I’m one that almost never uses full throttle on the road, no need.
I like NA solutions if possible.
So, in my point of view, when it’s time to change engine, the Honda would be a good solution, and if tuned to about 260 BHP (possible) would be perfect for an Exige.
Need no more!
Nah, too complicated! (the nicknames)
But yes, the Honda conversion is a very tasty one, but it’s a no brainer to me: don’t have the money!
Besides, I’d like to keep the car as close to original as possible just for the sake of it. (Ok, I have limits, I will not have those Lotus brake disks, as they are made of cheese)
The SC would be nice, but normally they add on a few Kg, which is a no-no in my list (ANY addition, I’m already heavy enough), heat and complexity and they make the K series Rover rev less than before up to about 7K only (otherwise it would granade).
Good for the road, not ideal for the track
But then, good for some people, as I’m one that almost never uses full throttle on the road, no need.
I like NA solutions if possible.So, in my point of view, when it’s time to change engine, the Honda would be a good solution, and if tuned to about 260 BHP (possible) would be perfect for an Exige.
Need no more!
Tune a K20A to 260 bhp’s without an SC? How?
Jose,
mine has more than 260 and this without a kompressor or turbo. It is possible but not the cheapest way…
Tune a K20A to 260 bhp’s without an SC? How?
Very carefully!