The magazine features a shoot-out of all Elise variants (Exige, Elise, 340Rs both in S1 and S2 guise) and shock horror… guess what wins ?
Yep, you guessed it, the S2 Exige.
We shall overlook the fact that the 340R was actually the fastest around the circuit (by 1 seconds)
We shall also overlook the fact that somehow the normally aspirated VX220 is faster than an S1 Exige around the track (by nearly 2 seconds)
For the S1 Exige it says “but it’s still not up there with the 340R… I guess that’s a weight issue”… Lets overlook the fact that the S2 Exige is heavier still…
But don’t let facts stand in the way of a nicely skewed article in favour of whatever is being currently plugged.
And the article reckons the S1 + S2 Exige are the same weight.
And Top Gear is supposed to be a knowledgeable one…
I also wonder, how come the S1 Exige has been faring so poorly at the recent road tests? I could accept that the S2 Exige could be faster than the S1, after all, I haven’t seen one at a track.
But a VX220? Not even a Turbo comes close!
What’s happening? Are all the S1 Exiges they’re testing knackered? if so, who are they getting them from? Us? I would think all of the Exiges on this forum are well kept, just because we care.
Or are they poorly driven on purpose?
Or fitting bad tyres/wrong pressures?
I don’t understand, there have been several reviews like that…
I thought a VX220T was quicker in a straight line? At bedford I was normally just hitting above 120 down the back straight… The VX220T was just hitting 130, not a lot in it but that torque from the turbo is a b@stard.
However a timed lap would be a different story.
But I’ve found the S1 Exige pretty tricky to drive, once you find the limit it’s lovely but it can be quite odd finding that… Especially if you’ve tracked a few other cars… Well IMHO
It does all sound like the “You don’t want a S1 Exige, they’re rubbish, the S2 is MUCH MUCH better! Go on buy that… Please…? Pretty please? I’ll put a bow round it? And you can borrow Veronique for a week too!”
Mark, I have tracked with several VX220T and believe me, on a straight line there is nothing in it against a stock 177 Exige.
And as you say, a whole lap shows just how (ahem!) track biased the Exige is.
Normal road driving I’m sure the extra bottom end torque is noticeable, but come on, you don’t really NEED more than a stock Exige gives you, right?
The trouble with the S1 Exige is that it is quite difficult for the average driver to get the most out of it. I heard that during that test the driver only did a couple of laps in each car so all the results really show is how easy each car is to drive straight away, not how fast they are ultimately.
Paul… I would never say such a thing about the S2 OR the S2 Exige… They’re not girly at all… Just more campness inclined LOL!
Udlis… I agree, that was in my Exige as stock with the 177, A539’s on which overheated in about 5 laps So there was naff all in it
The Exige does really need to be screaming to make progress tho’… And thinking about it I think the guy was running different engine management so had far too much boost
I’ll get mine running the 190 on the emerald and then leave it well alone
Yes, in fact mine is 190 spec now with the verniers and Emerald, but I was referring to when I tracked the car in std spec and there were VX220T more than once, different tracks as well.
Actually, I still have a CAT, and the car made 187BHP at Dave Walker’s RR, so there you go, 190 spec.