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Nice collection. I'm quite partial to the GT1, but if I ever needed an everyday Lotus, it would unquestionably be this one:
Provided it's an S, of course. I don't know if you've ever driven an Exige, but the standard version is a little underwhelming on the straights at somewhere like Silverstone - fantastic in the corners, but not so quick on the bits between them. It's great if you just listen to the noise that power unit makes at 8,500rpm right behind your head, but don't check the speedo too often.
Leaving that behind (it was a bit windy anyway, so I can't judge all that accurately about the speed of the thing), it really is a wonderful track machine, and a great experience to drive.
DE
Lord Exige.
I doth doff my cap to you for a most enthusiastic post. However, I find it most difficult to accept the Lotus of today as a true representation of what Sir Colin hath wrought. I have owned at various times, an Elan, Europa, and Esprit S, most decidedly English, and ingenious in their design and execution. Whilst today's Lotus is indeed most beautiful, and handles as though on rails, it hath lurking in it's engine bay, a motor from Japan! I am loathe to accept this vehicle as a true Lotus, in fact methinks it is a pretender to the throne. It is of the same heritage as the unfortunate Isuzu Impulse with suspension by Lotus.
'Tis but a thought, ramblings of Ye Olde Skooler,
Fangio
Presumably you're aware that the Esprit had the gearbox out of the not entirely British Renault 21?
Now I have a family and am therefore inclined to question the relevance to me of 2-seaters, there are very few of them which really move me, and to which I would give serious consideration were my liquidity to significantly increase. The S2 Exige S is most definitely one of them.
I clearly didn't look hard enough at that rear wing, of course it's not... The roof helped trick me too.exigeracerNo, the matte black car is not an Exige S, it is a normal Elise. It does however have an aftermarket Ronin/Katana supercharger and a mollion other goodies. The car is for sale, I do believe, but no listed price. I seem to remember hearing that the owner declined a 75,000$US offer.
Indeed - although this new 'performance package' is news to me - happy news, of course.exigeracerThe Exige, as a car that should theoretically outperform the Elise, didn't so such a great job of that at first. On longer tracks, of course you're going to feel slow on the straights, but that's been the case with almost any Lotus in recent history. That's also why you cannot buy a new NA Exige anymore, only 07 Exige S's, various Cup cars (up to 255hp), nothing official on 08 cars, but rumor is a "performance package" has higher rater ECU settings to pull out closer to 240hp from the box.
If anything had passed me on the straights, then yes, I suppose so...exigeracerAnd anywho, you can still smile that when the cars that you passed in the turns are now flying by you on the straights, your wallet's still twice as thick as theirs, and your smile twice as wide.
edit - just noticed they put the driver's blood type next to his name on the Asian Lotus racers... Freaky.