New V6 Exige pics

[tut]

Have fun Graeme, I think they like the Exige. We will be looking out for the first on here to buy one.

However that interior reminds me of the last time that I was in a Turkish brothel.

tut

ps does the roof come off?

[alicrozier]

Its not the 55k that's putting me off the Exige it's the running costs and the tracking costs.

I'm with Scotty on this, big tyres & brakes along with the power and weight equals big bills. Also what cost when you add the needed option packs.
(Happy with my 2-11 and 370Z instead)

On the plus side I like the styling in the pics and think it'll have awesome presence in person. Also looks like the roof will come straight off for an elise soft top conversion...wonder if it'll look better than a roofless Exige...maybe as it doesn't have a roof scoop...

[campbell]

I had been saying for a while that none of you will be disappointed.....my internal campaign to get my new company car sorted starts now

LOL.

Now where's that Elise Club Racer S, with slightly tighter gear ratios and factory-set engine map releasing 170bhp in normally aspirated form?!?!?!?!

Definitely a good start Graeme. I read EVO's short, but strong, preview of the Exige and Evora GTE when it dropped on the doormat this morning. Salivated all through my breakfast. These cars are in dreamland for me but definitely throw Lotus in a good light just now. Enjoy the rest of the show.

PS - would you please send any pics of trick new Skodas, thanks

[Shug]

Its not the 55k that's putting me off the Exige it's the running costs and the tracking costs.

I'm with Scotty on this, big tyres & brakes along with the power and weight equals big bills. Also what cost when you add the needed option packs.
(Happy with my 2-11 and 370Z instead)

On the plus side I like the styling in the pics and think it'll have awesome presence in person. Also looks like the roof will come straight off for an elise soft top conversion...wonder if it'll look better than a roofless Exige...maybe as it doesn't have a roof scoop...

But in comparison to something with similar pace - say maybe 911 GT3 - how do the bills stack up then?

Never going to be as cheap to run as a 4-banger. Kinda not the point. I think it needs compared with stuff that it could boogie with - which possibly includes stuff like a GT3 (pure speculation, of course)

[ryallm]

I had been saying for a while that none of you will be disappointed.....this is one of the products that made me want to come and work here, even more than some of the future models.
G

Exciting times indeed for Lotus. I can't remember wanting a car as much since I test drove the first yellow S2 Exige demo at MMC back in 2004. You guys at Hethel are now almost, almost forgiven for the toe curling Swiz Beatz debacle Just shoot the guy who thought the latter was a good idea and the future is looking bright

[alicrozier]

I guess that was my point Shug, 'tracking' costs will be more comparable with a GT3 etc than an Elise/Exige/2-11...OK would still be cheaper to track than a GT3 but probably 2 or 3 times the cost of a 211? (which can boogie with GT3's all day)

[Shug]

I guess that was my point Shug, 'tracking' costs will be more comparable with a GT3 etc than an Elise/Exige/2-11...OK would still be cheaper to track than a GT3 but probably 2 or 3 times the cost of a 211? (which can boogie with GT3's all day)

Suppose it's really all guesswork until we actually get it in the real world - will be interesting to see. I'm very keen to see its pace - given the 211 seems to punch way above its weight (sic) if you look at the raw figures.

[tut]

Trouble is Ali, loveable as the 2-11 is, it is for a different useage than an Exige, which is a true all round car.

It is at its best on track or warmish road runs, but no fun driving 600 miles on Motorways in sleet or heavy rain. Different story however if you trailer it.

tut

[KevD]

Is it really going to be that much worse on tyres and brakes? ( compared to Exige S)

Someone on Seloc was trying to compare it to a GtR- similar purchase price but the running costs for a tracked exige will be hugely less - I doubt the fun or pace will be much lower. Advantage over a 2-11 is the ability to use it day to day as well for more mundane stuff.

[Scotty C]

I guess that was my point Shug, 'tracking' costs will be more comparable with a GT3 etc than an Elise/Exige/2-11...OK would still be cheaper to track than a GT3 but probably 2 or 3 times the cost of a 211? (which can boogie with GT3's all day)

Suppose it's really all guesswork until we actually get it in the real world - will be interesting to see. I'm very keen to see its pace - given the 211 seems to punch way above its weight (sic) if you look at the raw figures.

I had a good chat with someone in the know, that's why I'm waiting to have a shotty first.

In the 3 years of the 211 I can't remember been blown away by another car on track. Even at the ring(you need power) you don't get passed by many gt3/rs or even bikes. Sub 8 minute laps out the box with a joe at the wheel.

Yes the Exige will have a better top end speed, but it's not going to stop as fast. Can't wait to try thou

[shooomer]

I had a good chat with someone in the know, that's why I'm waiting to have a shotty

Are you hinting it doesn't drive as well as it looks?

[alicrozier]

Is it really going to be that much worse on tyres and brakes? ( compared to Exige S)

Someone on Seloc was trying to compare it to a GtR- similar purchase price but the running costs for a tracked exige will be hugely less - I doubt the fun or pace will be much lower. Advantage over a 2-11 is the ability to use it day to day as well for more mundane stuff.

I'd guess 2 or 3 times the running cost of a current Exige S - Power and weight...plus the brakes and tyres are bigger so more expensive too. Agree much less than a GTR.

I see the day to day advantages etc but I've been down that compromise route...I found my Exige wasn't perfectly suited to either role hence a bit frustrating doing either.
I'm still not looking forward to slogging the 2-11 to Oulton in November but I could always take the 370Z if the weather forecast is particularly bad.

[Kelvin]

I like it. More grown up and purposeful looking than the toy race car looks of the 'old' Exige. Those tyres are going to cost a binload of cash though so you wouldn't want to be burning through them at a rate of knots.

I think this is why Lotus need to consider some kind of car that is ideally suited to the track and road that sits below the new models. If you consider that the new Elise will weigh in at 1000kg's or so (claimed) and that it will have circa 300bhp then it will be equally expensive to track as this Exige. The beauty of the current Elise is that it's 'relatively' cheap to own and use on track (and even then it can still cost a small fortune) I once did 24 track days in a 14 month period and it wasn't that expensive on the car as I recall. I'd hate to think of the cost if you did it in this Exige.

[foz01]

Intriguing car, but at the end of the day this miracle compromise car just isnt there, you want lightness for track cars, then you lose comfort for the daily grind.

I spent 10 years looking at ended up with the best overall compromise as an S1 elise imho, with about 340 bhp mind

People saying its too expensive were the run out 4 pot 260 special edtions not knocking 50k?

[campbell]

People saying its too expensive were the run out 4 pot 260 special edtions not knocking 50k?

Probably, but they were fully loaded.

As ever, the "base" price of this new offering is £55k but by the time you've added even some basic goodies or "packs", I am sure it'll be well over £60k. That's a decent sized home extension for some

Anyway it's fun speculating from a safe distance