Scottish Elises

I didn't quite realise just how long the Lotus bug has been with me. Ok, so it started waaaay before I got the first Exige, but it took me looking through some old pictures to appreciate how important the brand has become to me - and that I sure have a thing for yellow Hope you enjoy my self-indulgent trip down memory lane.

Some great photos there. Thanks for sharing

Nice selection

Nice pictures

You just need another Yule plate to keep the new car-new plate tradition going.


Steve.

I have got a small library of YUL plates....... sightly embarrassingly.....

Very nice assortment of Loti! Since you have owned both an Evora S and an Exige V6 I'd be very curious to hear how they compare. The Evora is obviously the more comfortable, usable car, but is it far behind the Exige in terms of excitement and driving fun?

Mark

ryallm wrote:Very nice assortment of Loti! Since you have owned both an Evora S and an Exige V6 I'd be very curious to hear how they compare. The Evora is obviously the more comfortable, usable car, but is it far behind the Exige in terms of excitement and driving fun?

Mark

Almost exactly what i was going to post

Interestingly enough...... Ive thought about this same question time and time again. Having owned Evora S then to Exige then back to Evora S I feel that I can talk with some authority on the subject!

My own personal view? (and one which I have heard muttered by others.....) - Exige is the faster track car - Evora S is the faster road car. A number of factors might lead me to believe this - power steering/ longer wheelbase for stability and softer suspension are the three areas where I believe the Evora is a more sorted road car (and therefore a more capable point to point steer). Once I have the Evora back to the approximate power/ weight of the Exige (really only achievable by piling on the BHP of the Evora as I have no desire to lose the rear seats or compromise on sound-proofing, etc), then I think the Evora will be unstoppable.

Have I explained this well enough? Im really not sure if I have. Tell you what....... how about this:

The Exige does everything that a thoroughbred sports cars should (in my opinion). It is extremely accomplished at covering ground in an astonishing quick way. It accelerates/ corners and stops like no other car that I have had the fortune to drive - and the knowledge that you are practically the quickest thing on the road leaves one feeling ever so slightly smug. For me it wasn't that the Exige did anything 'badly',.... rather..... some elements in its armoury were missing altogether. The Evora comes equipped with around 80% of the Exiges formidable arsenal - and then tops it off by being softer/ easier to drive/ more comfortable and much better equipped. Overall the Evora is just a brilliant piece of Lotus engineering - a possible "sleeper" - sometimes over shadowed by its more extreme siblings, but actually i think its the pick of the bunch. Undoubtably expensive for a Lotus - but cheap compared to something like a 911.

Im enjoying driving my Evora more now than I think I ever enjoyed driving the Exige. I used to get up early on a sunday morning before the roads got busy and take the Exige for a 10/10ths ride over the Pass of Ballater, over Gairn Shiel towards Strathdon and back to Aboyne via Logie Coldstone. It was immense, it was exhilarating - but after a while it got a little tiresome. Thats when I realised (for me), that this was really all the Exige could do. Unless you were balls to the wall I didn't think it came alive. I now regularly enjoy the Evora at 6, 7, 8/10ths - and so, for me, its a more fun car to drive more of the time

Very interesting indeed, thanks! Do you/did you use either the Evora or Exige as a daily driver? Much as I loved my Exige (just a 190 4 pot) there was no way I would have wanted to drive it every day - simply fantastic when driven hard, tiresome the rest of the time.

Mark

ryallm wrote:Very interesting indeed, thanks! Do you/did you use either the Evora or Exige as a daily driver? Much as I loved my Exige (just a 190 4 pot) there was no way I would have wanted to drive it every day - simply fantastic when driven hard, tiresome the rest of the time.

Mark

I would take the Exige to work on a Friday if it was a dry sunny day.... I use the Evora every day regardless of the weather. Just a totally different kettle of fish despite the same power train. Once the 2ubular and remap/ CAI have been fitted then I think I'll have the best of both worlds.....

A very interesting post gents, and it's not often i"ll speak out!

I'd love to give this to Chris Harris and ask him to compare the Exige, Evora S and a 911 of a suitable comparison - not saying he would have a much more educated view on things, but interesting none the less...

Anthony, you've certainly enjoyed a good few cars for which your experience counts for a lot!

Dave

I think an Evora as a daily is a no brainer - eminently useable and with a wee touch of restraint it's not too heavy on fuel either

Harris has tested so many 911's over the years and he loved the Exige.... but Im not sure if he has ever driven the Evora S (on video?) - I would be interested to see how he compared them too..... although (and as much as I loved Chris), I fear that with a 911 in the line up his penchant for Stuttgart would come to the fore.

I firmly believe that the MY12 (and beyond) Evora S is a very realistic alternative to the 911.

j2 lot wrote:I think an Evora as a daily is a no brainer - eminently useable and with a wee touch of restraint it's not too heavy on fuel either

Agreed - I was getting 28mpg from the S when I drove her down to MMC for her run in service (and that was over Glenshee too). I think because it's quieter and a more relaxed drive (and with cruise control), it's easier to settle into a 'slower' pace which benefits all round.