July Evo - Just Buy It!
Discussion
Brilliant extended test of the Exige S vs Mercedes C63 AMG Black, Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0, BMW M3 GTS, Nissan GT-R Track pack. Yes, all are significantly more expensive, some more than twice as much and yes they probably have development budgets behind them bigger than the entire Lotus budget for the last 20 years, but bloody hell, does the Exige S cut it, and then some.
"The Exige S shocked us with its performance, delighted us with its steering and sweet balance and made us excited about what might lie ahead"
Also a great piece on various iterations of the Esprit at Hethel. Awesome.
That's all I'll say, I'm having a quiet sit down after reading that lot.....
On sale next Wednesday, the 23rd. Subscriber editions hitting doormats today.
"The Exige S shocked us with its performance, delighted us with its steering and sweet balance and made us excited about what might lie ahead"
Also a great piece on various iterations of the Esprit at Hethel. Awesome.
That's all I'll say, I'm having a quiet sit down after reading that lot.....
On sale next Wednesday, the 23rd. Subscriber editions hitting doormats today.
Just finished over 2 hours of total indulgence reading this fantastic account of this great new car. It reminded me of why i used to like this magazine so much particularly the earlier publications where Lotus used to really feature.
It also made me realise just how much this new Exige S3 represents the true core values of the Lotus brand: Light weight, fantastic handling and steering, individuality...and this one really does GO! And looks the nuts.
10/10 for EVO and 10/10 for you guys up in Norfolk.. This must surely now provide the catalyst for the long awaited upturn and boost to sales.
It also made me realise just how much this new Exige S3 represents the true core values of the Lotus brand: Light weight, fantastic handling and steering, individuality...and this one really does GO! And looks the nuts.
10/10 for EVO and 10/10 for you guys up in Norfolk.. This must surely now provide the catalyst for the long awaited upturn and boost to sales.
Dissapointing no USA /Canada road legal versions available.
The top of the line 2011 Exige sold in the USA for $75,000, this version is over $100,000!
I think its a mistake to ignore a market in which you sold alot of cars in not all that long ago.
Shame that , it looks like an exciting car.
The top of the line 2011 Exige sold in the USA for $75,000, this version is over $100,000!
I think its a mistake to ignore a market in which you sold alot of cars in not all that long ago.
Shame that , it looks like an exciting car.
Edited by WayneB on Saturday 19th May 23:16
WayneB said:
Dissapointing no USA /Canada road legal versions available.
The top of the line 2011 Exige sold in the USA for $75,000, this version is over $100,000!
I think its a mistake to ignore a market in which you sold alot of cars in not all that long ago.
I don't think they're ignoring it, they had regulation exemptions which allowed the sale of the Elise and Exige in the US expire last year. I think some of them were fairly fundamental.The top of the line 2011 Exige sold in the USA for $75,000, this version is over $100,000!
I think its a mistake to ignore a market in which you sold alot of cars in not all that long ago.
I was aware the exemption the USA Federal Govt and Transport Canada had granted the Elise/Exige had expired, so I guess the new Exige is incapable of meeting current North American crash regulations also.
Just an idea, but why doesnt Lotus consider importing the V6 Exige into North America sans drivetrain as a "kit" and dealerships can install a "customer supplied" Toyota drivetrain to skirt round the regs?
Factory 5, Caterham and Noble have been doing this a while with posative results.
I know it probably doesnt meet with Bahars vision of Lotus's glorious future but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Just an idea, but why doesnt Lotus consider importing the V6 Exige into North America sans drivetrain as a "kit" and dealerships can install a "customer supplied" Toyota drivetrain to skirt round the regs?
Factory 5, Caterham and Noble have been doing this a while with posative results.
I know it probably doesnt meet with Bahars vision of Lotus's glorious future but desperate times call for desperate measures.
WayneB said:
Just an idea, but why doesnt Lotus consider importing the V6 Exige into North America sans drivetrain as a "kit" and dealerships can install a "customer supplied" Toyota drivetrain to skirt round the regs?
No idea why not. I think they're doing it as a track-only model in the US though?Is there any way of road registering a car like that in the US, akin to the SVA test over here?
The side curtain airbags are very expensive to develop, I wondered though whether Lotus could rob them from another sportscar? (Of course the car would still have to go through all of the Federal Certification which is also expensive)
The Exige V6 could be imported into USA/Canada, but solely as a track only car.
It would have to have no Lotus VIN to make Canada Customs/Transport Canada happy, If it did have a vin they flat wouldnt allow it in as it isnt on its list of eligable vehicles
I suspect though you could bring one into the USA though and register it in a state like Michigan that will issue a Vin after the car has been inspected (and give it a reconstructed/rebuilt/kit title)
The Exige V6 could be imported into USA/Canada, but solely as a track only car.
It would have to have no Lotus VIN to make Canada Customs/Transport Canada happy, If it did have a vin they flat wouldnt allow it in as it isnt on its list of eligable vehicles
I suspect though you could bring one into the USA though and register it in a state like Michigan that will issue a Vin after the car has been inspected (and give it a reconstructed/rebuilt/kit title)
heebeegeetee said:
It seems Autocar prefer the 2.7 Boxster though, according to this week's issue.
They do prefer the Boxter mate, but over the Elise S, not the Exige S. That's a group test including the BMW Z4. https://secure.zinio.com/magimages/500612953/2012/...
The Exige S is in 911 GT3 territory. There would be no point in pitching it against the Boxter.
Edited by Hedgerley on Friday 8th June 22:15
Edited by Hedgerley on Friday 8th June 22:19
Hedgerley said:
heebeegeetee said:
It seems Autocar prefer the 2.7 Boxster though, according to this week's issue.
They do prefer the Boxter mate, but over the Elise S, not the Exige S. That's a group test including the BMW Z4. https://secure.zinio.com/magimages/500612953/2012/...
The Exige S is in 911 GT3 territory. There would be no point in pitching it against the Boxter.
Edited by Hedgerley on Friday 8th June 22:15
Edited by Hedgerley on Friday 8th June 22:19
I think I was that bemused and amazed by the long-winded car-mag cliche and idiom that I clearly didn't even take notice of which cars the article was about. Even had to see who the author was to make sure I avoid in the future.
I found the article typically Evo which means, increasingly so, rather irritating.
Simply not enough detail on what the car is like to drive and the conclusion was tediously predictable. They basically said the 911 was the best car ever (simply preposterous conclusion, at least to me, because with 500bhp from behind the rear axle makes it one of the least desirable cars ever) then in the very next sentence begged everyone to 'open their wallets' to save Lotus by buying what is in their view, the 'third best' car (inferior to a grotesquely over priced M3!). Quite why anyone should do this was left to the reader's imagination. They kick Lotus in the balls for years, slavishly promote hugely successful German car makers then ask their readers to help bail out a struggling british marque.
So tired of car journalisms obssession with 'the best' because the 'the best' for them is very rarely the best for me. I just don't see what qualifies any of them to tell me what to drive and what I should like any more than a music critic should be telling me what to put on my ipod. There's a crucial distinction between 'I like x' and 'x is the best' because it's subjectivity masquerading as objectivity. It's a line car journos tread all over with constant disregard.
If the Exige really can compete with cars well over twice it's price (and many more times the development budget) then it should be shouted from the roof tops. If they think many of their readers can drop £130k on a sports car without flinching they are even more out of touch than I realised.
Simply not enough detail on what the car is like to drive and the conclusion was tediously predictable. They basically said the 911 was the best car ever (simply preposterous conclusion, at least to me, because with 500bhp from behind the rear axle makes it one of the least desirable cars ever) then in the very next sentence begged everyone to 'open their wallets' to save Lotus by buying what is in their view, the 'third best' car (inferior to a grotesquely over priced M3!). Quite why anyone should do this was left to the reader's imagination. They kick Lotus in the balls for years, slavishly promote hugely successful German car makers then ask their readers to help bail out a struggling british marque.
So tired of car journalisms obssession with 'the best' because the 'the best' for them is very rarely the best for me. I just don't see what qualifies any of them to tell me what to drive and what I should like any more than a music critic should be telling me what to put on my ipod. There's a crucial distinction between 'I like x' and 'x is the best' because it's subjectivity masquerading as objectivity. It's a line car journos tread all over with constant disregard.
If the Exige really can compete with cars well over twice it's price (and many more times the development budget) then it should be shouted from the roof tops. If they think many of their readers can drop £130k on a sports car without flinching they are even more out of touch than I realised.
For once "The Pits" I have to agree with you, with to regard to journalistic standards. But of course not with your nonsense about 911's ! I think I read somewhere, ( but of course it came from a journalist ) that the weight distribution of the 991 ( new generation 911 ) was less rear biased than an Evora, it would of course have a much lower engine due to it's bespoke flat six engine .
I think journalists in the UK motoring press have been shown to be completely out of touch and without much life experience in the way that most of them provided such an obviously dubious character as Mr Bahar with such a sycophantic platform for the last couple of years. some of us saw through it from a very early point, and were told that we were "think, ignorant and out of touch", particularly by the "know-all" posters from the media and marketing industries. Much as you loath him, Chris Harris was the only journalist that I read who shared my view, which strangely turned out to be correct.
I think journalists in the UK motoring press have been shown to be completely out of touch and without much life experience in the way that most of them provided such an obviously dubious character as Mr Bahar with such a sycophantic platform for the last couple of years. some of us saw through it from a very early point, and were told that we were "think, ignorant and out of touch", particularly by the "know-all" posters from the media and marketing industries. Much as you loath him, Chris Harris was the only journalist that I read who shared my view, which strangely turned out to be correct.
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