Track Car Choice: Shelby GT350 or Exige S Auto

[powellypowelly]

I'm on the verge of buying a track car, it won't be a daily driver but I do want to drive it to the track and back.

I've got it down to 2 options, a Shelby GT350 or a Lotus Exige S auto circa 2013. Wish there was a Exige manual available, but I'm not in the UK.

Which would you pick and why?

[culpz]

Lotus, as it's pretty much track-ready and focused from the off. It'll feel much more at home on track and you can still drive to and from the circuit in a relatively nice place to sit.

[ecain63]

Wow! That's a difficult choice if you're looking for a track hack lol.

Lotus, no question.

[powellypowelly]

It's just the auto box - I'd prefer a manual, and from the reviews that Lotus one doesn't sound great. Anyone tried one?

[ecain63]

powellypowelly said:

It's just the auto box - I'd prefer a manual, and from the reviews that Lotus one doesn't sound great. Anyone tried one?

I think the "doesn't sound great" thing is doom mongering by non users. From what owners actually say, it's not that bad.

[E-bmw]

powellypowelly said:

It's just the auto box - I'd prefer a manual, and from the reviews that Lotus one doesn't sound great. Anyone tried one?

So buy a manual.

[powellypowelly]

Wish I could, I'm not in the UK, it's all autos here.

[irocfan]

ecain63 said:

I think the "doesn't sound great" thing is doom mongering by non users. From what owners actually say, it's not that bad.

'not that bad' is hardly a ringing endorsement though is it?

[ecain63]

irocfan said:

ecain63 said:

I think the "doesn't sound great" thing is doom mongering by non users. From what owners actually say, it's not that bad.

'not that bad' is hardly a ringing endorsement though is it?

It's got to be better than a heavy, wallowing Mustang in any event.

[jackstrath]

So your in the USA right?

Think we need to know a bit more, Is it a track only car or a weekend toy that youll take to tracks?
Lotus is a right on the knife edge of hardcore, they are very plasticy in feel day to day driving, its not that they rattle along the road but they just arnt solid if you know what i mean... Where as the mustang will be.
What year is the GT350? The one with the flatplane crank is fantastic (that said even the new one that doesnt have that still gets a good reveiw)
It sings, like really sounds awesome and for your longer style tracks i think it would real you in!

Hard to choose, two capiable track cars but at diffrent ends of the scale.... Me in the UK as a weekend car that id take to tracks would want the GT350 just becasue you dont see them, how it would cope with the narror oulton park and cadwells ect is anyones guess, lotus would prob be better there. But your larger tracks i think the GT350 would be more fun.
Not sure if id like an auto lotus ether...

[culpz]

jackstrath said:

So your in the USA right?

Think we need to know a bit more, Is it a track only car or a weekend toy that youll take to tracks?
Lotus is a right on the knife edge of hardcore, they are very plasticy in feel day to day driving, its not that they rattle along the road but they just arnt solid if you know what i mean... Where as the mustang will be.
What year is the GT350? The one with the flatplane crank is fantastic (that said even the new one that doesnt have that still gets a good reveiw)
It sings, like really sounds awesome and for your longer style tracks i think it would real you in!

Hard to choose, two capiable track cars but at diffrent ends of the scale.... Me in the UK as a weekend car that id take to tracks would want the GT350 just becasue you dont see them, how it would cope with the narror oulton park and cadwells ect is anyones guess, lotus would prob be better there. But your larger tracks i think the GT350 would be more fun.
Not sure if id like an auto lotus ether...

I'm sure you can have a lot of fun on track in a GT350, but it's definitely not a track car in the slightest. It's a big, heavy muscle car.

But, yeah, like you said, depends how often it's going to actually get used on track. Occasionally, yeah, why not, but as a dedicated track car that you can still drive to and from each circuit, it'd be the Lotus all day for me, automatic or not.

[jackstrath]

culpz said:

I'm sure you can have a lot of fun on track in a GT350, but it's definitely not a track car in the slightest. It's a big, heavy muscle car.

But, yeah, like you said, depends how often it's going to actually get used on track. Occasionally, yeah, why not, but as a dedicated track car that you can still drive to and from each circuit, it'd be the Lotus all day for me, automatic or not.

Have you drove one? I got the chance to drive a 2017 model round a "track" and honestly its not your sterio typical "yank tank", its completely diffrent to the normal mustang.... its not heavy tbh by todays standards, it comes in at roughly the same weight as a M4..... sure its a hippo compared to a lotus but nearly everything else is!

Hate to use this as a base but the GT350 laps the nurburgring in 7:32...... the fastest Exige Cup 380 and it did it in 7:48. Take them both to a small track and im sure the tables will turn but thats why i said track type is also a factor.

[ecain63]

jackstrath said:

Have you drove one? I got the chance to drive a 2017 model round a "track" and honestly its not your sterio typical "yank tank", its completely diffrent to the normal mustang.... its not heavy tbh by todays standards, it comes in at roughly the same weight as a M4..... sure its a hippo compared to a lotus but nearly everything else is!

Hate to use this as a base but the GT350 laps the nurburgring in 7:32...... the fastest Exige Cup 380 and it did it in 7:48. Take them both to a small track and im sure the tables will turn but thats why i said track type is also a factor.

Can't really use the Ring as a bench when comparing these cars. Apple's with oranges on a track suited to power and size for laptimes.

The Lotus however could lap the Ring for a week solid and not need more than maybe an oil change and fuel to keep it happy. The Mustang would likely need multiple tyre changes, pads, oil, loads of fuel and hubs.

Edited by ecain63 on Friday 13th November 22:33

[powellypowelly]

Interesting points, thanks, I do think the GT350 isn't well understood generally, it's night and day different to the normal v8 (which is my daily drive).

Bit more background, this is just a track toy and won't have any other duties, but I want something road legal as I don't fancy trailering it around. I had an E36 328 in the UK (still do, gathering dust + needs to go, sob) and this is the replacement. The 2 circuits closest to me are power circuits and less than an hour away, and I've decided 30k-ish GBP equivalent is my max for this.

I'm ruling out the Exige auto, I just can't deal with it being an auto. I'd love a manual but it's out of budget and too difficult to get here.

What would be better than the GT350 for 30k-ish GBP? I want decent straight line speed, reasonable costs (I'd expect to need new tyres and pads, 1 OEM/specialist service, and possibly an additional oil change every year, which would be around 6-8 track days), but having said all of that, what I want most is the best fun on track.

Suggestions welcome.

[irocfan]

Corvette of some flavour?



https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehiclede...

(they do come less brightly coloured to )

Edited by irocfan on Saturday 14th November 10:39

[jackstrath]

ecain63 said:

Can't really use the Ring as a bench when comparing these cars. Apple's with oranges on a track suited to power and size for laptimes.

The Lotus however could lap the Ring for a week solid and not need more than maybe an oil change and fuel to keep it happy. The Mustang would likely need multiple tyre changes, pads, oil, loads of fuel and hubs.

Edited by ecain63 on Friday 13th November 22:33

I said I didnt want to but I can as that was one of my points asking the kinda tracks, and then backing it up showing that the " heavy muscle car " is anything but on the right track...

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

Have you looked at some of the us kit cars.

You may get an already built and sorted superlight sl-c in budget (basically a us ultima)

Caterham also sell in the US.

And factory five do some impreza based thing IIRC.

On track, light, analogue, and RWD is the way to go.

[QBee]

One possible compromise would be a pre-95 TVR Chimaera, Griffith or V8S. Over 25 years old, so can be registered in the USA. 4.0, 4.3, or 5.0 litres of torquey V8 and reasonable handling, though not Lotus standard.

[braddo]

Are there any Lotus Evoras around?

Otherwise obvious contenders would be a Porsche Cayman or a Corvette. Both are say 200-300kg lighter than the Mustang? That makes a massive difference to how a car feels on track (and how much you chew through tyres and brakes).

[culpz]

jackstrath said:

culpz said:

I'm sure you can have a lot of fun on track in a GT350, but it's definitely not a track car in the slightest. It's a big, heavy muscle car.

But, yeah, like you said, depends how often it's going to actually get used on track. Occasionally, yeah, why not, but as a dedicated track car that you can still drive to and from each circuit, it'd be the Lotus all day for me, automatic or not.

Have you drove one? I got the chance to drive a 2017 model round a "track" and honestly its not your sterio typical "yank tank", its completely diffrent to the normal mustang.... its not heavy tbh by todays standards, it comes in at roughly the same weight as a M4..... sure its a hippo compared to a lotus but nearly everything else is!

Hate to use this as a base but the GT350 laps the nurburgring in 7:32...... the fastest Exige Cup 380 and it did it in 7:48. Take them both to a small track and im sure the tables will turn but thats why i said track type is also a factor.

I haven't, but I'd say an M4 is already too heavy for sole track use. I don't disbelieve what you're saying, but lighter is always better.

I know in America, there appears to be more people happy to run much bigger and heavier cars than we do here in the UK on track, and it's quite refreshing to see actually. You just need to be aware that you're going to go through consumables at a much higher rate and, if you end up wanting to strip them out to make them lighter, then it probably would have just been worth just buying something more suited in the first place.

Which "track" did you take it on btw? I'm guessing you mean the 'Ring, which heavier cars can and will do good times round there and won't feel so big and cumbersome, as there' aren't any real heavy braking areas, so it's not actually that wearing on tyres, discs and pads compared to a proper circuit. It's deceptive and, comparing it to a real track-day circuit, especially more tight and twisty ones, it's not gonna feel the same.