Lotus Exige
Lotus isnt in an easy position. Caught in a hiatus period between the death of the old Esprit and the launch of the new Europa, Esprit and Circuit Car, theyre effectively down to one main product line, the Elise, with its offshoot sibling, the Exige coupe. Boom times may be just around the corner, but for now the Norfolk company needs to play the hand its been dealt as skilfully as possible. Introducing an improved variety of Elise and Exige models is one interim step and here we take a look at the Exige, a car that we rarely need any excuse to drive.
Before purists start crowing that Lotus have sold out and made the Exige flabby and comfortable, lets establish the facts. Yes, there are two Touring packs that take the edge off the Exiges rawest qualities but there are also two Sport packs that enhance this cars headbanger appeal. Whats not to like about extended choice? Lets get the Touring packs out of the way to begin with. The first includes electric windows, leather and suede upholstery, carpets and additional noise insulation.
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The first pack features twin oil coolers and Lotuss switchable traction control system. Some may tut-tut about electronic control systems appearing in the Exige, but the LTC system is well worth having. It activates above 5mph and works through the engine rather than the brakes, reducing power when required to maintain traction. This system is sharper to react than many more rudimentary traction control systems that rely on braking, often a sub-optimal solution when traction is at a premium in the first instance.
A Torsen-type limited slip differential is available as an option designed for what Lotus calls "tight, low speed, high acceleration driving (such as auto tests)." It also makes the Exige a whole lot more controllable in a drift, but if sideways stuff is your thing, there are many better cars than this grippy, mid-engined pocket rocket. A £2,000 Nissan 200SX for instance.
"Whats not to like about extended choice?"
Also included are sports seats and a T45 steel rollover hoop and harness bar for the aftermarket fitment of four-point harnesses. Opt for the Super Sports pack and things start getting very serious indeed. One suspects that this represented a virtual carte blanche proposal to Lotus chassis engineers whereby they could within reason specify their ultimate Exige. As such, the Super Sport car gets ultra lightweight forged split seven spoke alloy rims, track suspension with Eibach springs and Bilstein one-way adjustable dampers, adjustable front anti-roll bar and a double shear track control arm brace which helps when throwing the Exige over race track kerbing.
In addition theres ultra high end Yokohama Advan A048 KTS tyres and a motorsports specification rollover hoop which, when fitted with a Lotus Sport six-point cage, meets the most stringent FIA race criteria. If you understand vehicle dynamics, you wont need me to tell you that unsprung weight is the enemy of the chassis engineer. Heavy wheels, tyres and hubs create momentum thats tricky to factor into the handling delicacy of a lightweight car like the Exige and the forged alloy wheels save a massive 1.2kg of unsprung weight at each corner of the car.
Dithering owners will be pleased to know that elements from each pack can be mixed and matched. Stand alone options include traction control, the limited slip differential and a lightweight air conditioning system that tips the scales at just 15 kilos. Special Probax seats are a first in any production car. These are designed to increase blood flow and improve posture while seated and this has been shown to enhance response times, raise alertness levels and reduce muscle fatigue.
A side effect has been a reduction in weight and bulk, increasing the useable space in the cabin. LED rear lights are fitted which are 36 per cent brighter than tungsten bulbs and illuminate 0.2 seconds quicker (or one Elise car length at just 43mph). The classy extruded aluminium pedals have been ditched in favour of steel items that are lighter.
The pedal box was always the weakest point of the Elise, and it was unforgivable that in such a focused drivers car, it was often virtually impossible to execute a heel and toe downchange. With an electronic throttle, a reduced brake pedal ratio and a change in pedal positioning, the pedal box is now better suited to expert drivers. The first Exiges used a rather rattly K-series engine but the latest generation cars use a far more sophisticated powerplant. The unit in question is essentially the same 1.
8-litre VVTL-i 189bhp Toyota unit youll find in that companys Celica T-Sport sports coupe which may be similar in output to the old car but behaves in a quite different manner. Its almost civilised at normal revs, feeling tractable and docile where the old engine would grumble obstreperously below 3,000rpm. Despite this, the new Exige is no faster in a straight line than its predecessor, the additional 80kg of weight nullifying any advantage the new engine bestows. Sixty will arrive in 4.
9 seconds and 100mph flashes by in 13.2. The magic number with this engine is 6,200, that being the rpm where the cams change profile and all hell lets loose. Given its head, the latest car will nudge 150mph.
That this Toyota unit is the best engine for the job is evident within just a few hundred yards. The soundtrack from the twin rear tailpipes is so throaty that youd swear the optional sports exhaust was already fitted. This powerplants party piece is the way it switches cams at 6,200rpm, giving a glorious surge of extra power that you cant help wishing was available further down the rev range. Still, its a treat when you get to experience it, offering a seamless stream of acceleration all the way up to the 8,200rpm red line.
Its torquey too, with 181Nm (133.5 lbs/ft) of pulling power. Choices can be problematic. With the latest Exige, Lotus has taken the sting out of being caught on the horns of a dilemma.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Lotus Exige
PRICE: £30,945 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 20
CO2 EMISSIONS: 208g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 149mph / 0-60mph 4.9s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 23.3mpg / (extra urban) 41.5mpg
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 3797/1850/1159mm
