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The V6 Exige is HUGE

13K views 66 replies 25 participants last post by  difflow 
#1 · (Edited)
I thought this side-by-side of the Elise and V6 Exige was eye opening. I didn't realize how much bigger the Exige grew in width.



From this view, it legitimately looks like a completely different car.
 
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#2 ·
^ I thought the wheelbase was longer for the Exige but It looks the same as the Elise? Obviously the body work is longer/wider at the front/rear.
 
#7 ·
Indeed heavier at a little over 2400lbs. The Exige front looks damn good and couldn't agree more with your comment on the rear. It's like the car version opposite of a "Butter Face".
 
#9 ·
Heavier, a hybrid really (all sorts of cars were used to make this thing), unbalanced visually, weak top, basic engine cover, terrible rear, and they made it even worse with the newer ones.

The front, however, is to die for.

The original S3 is at the top with the 4 tails, the newer one is at the bottom with just 2 and 2 smaller ones. PUKE
 
#31 ·
I think a lot of the “bulk” of the rear of the original (white) S3 is purely optics. If much of the back was simply not blacked out and painted body color, it wouldn’t appear as big and unappealing to many - especially if the center mesh section were solid and also painted white. In the revised S3, the fact that is has smaller and fewer taillights only adds to the effect. In that case, painting it blue probably wouldn’t help as much. Nevertheless, I do think it would be a bit better. I think it would be very interesting to see the rear of an S3.1 Exige done in the same color as the rest of the car, with the mesh colored as well.
 
#11 · (Edited)
The S3 is not an ugly car by any means - especially compared with some of the hideous things rolling around these days, but I feel that from every angle, the S3 is not nearly as attractive as the S2. Including the front. It just seems so bland to me. That and the fact that it is so much heavier makes it a very unattractive car to me.
 
#16 ·
Personally, I think Lotus did an absolutely brilliant job with the front, and side of the S3. The shapes they used are just fantastic, and the updating with regards to widening the rear is so smooth and beautiful. It's so sad that they dropped the ball completely on the access covers, top, hatch, and rear.

I hate to admit it, but in real life, the car has an enormous amount of presence, making the S2 look like a kid with dirt on his face. Standing next to it, you forgive the designers for making the front and rear so large compared to the old tiny cabin, but it's pretty obvious if you spend any time looking at it. Looks great in pix, as long as you photograph it from the front.

 
#19 ·
The S3 is just an evolution of the design. Too bad about the rear. I don’t know why they had to do that. The Evora doesn’t have that ugly sh*t. They didn’t go hardcore enough with the S2 and you’re seeing that with all these crazy versions of the S3.
 
#25 · (Edited)
I dont understand the -VE comments regards the Exige V6. Having owned a combination 10+ Elise/Exige/2-Eleven/Evora (inc Cup versions) I'd happily settle for an Exige Sport 410 in a heartbeat, which is the current pick of the range IMO.

I know they are super rare in the USA, but if they were road legal in North America, I guarantee they'd be Lotus' best seller - as they are in most other markets. With the Evora, Lotus tried to appeal to a wider market, but most potential customers just walked-by. No-one buys an Exige V6 cross-shopping, it makes no apology by pleasing core Lotus enthusiasts.

For sure it's a Lotus hot-rod, being part S2, part Evora - so lacks ultimate purity of design / engineering - I wouldn't call it a 'Chapman' car. But like many skunkworks cars, the result is simply fun to drive. In theory it should be a pig to drive, with a heavy, high up, SC V6 out back & skinny alloy chassis originally designed for shopping trolley 4 pot. But in reality, it handles / rides / steers / brakes in typical Lotus fashion, yet you have a torquey engine to push you along to. Its not quite as 'instant' in reactions compared to a S2 Exige... but its all relative - nor is a S2 compared to a 700 KG S1. Spend time in an Exige V6 & the S2 Exige does seem 'toy' like & the lack of torque is amplified. In high speed corners & knarley roads, the Exige V6 is way more composed.

Although I think the Exige V6's evolution was too slow (it's origin was a mule to help develop the Evora - even going back to the 90's Lotus had developed a Rover KV6 powered coupe on the 111 chassis), Lotus have really upped the pace with the 380/410/430 versions. If you're US based, next time you have a trip to a country where the Exige V6 is sold, try one - I think you'll like it :)
 

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#33 ·
I know they are super rare in the USA, but if they were road legal in North America, I guarantee they'd be Lotus' best seller - as they are in most other markets.
Yes, for big fat, power-hungry American's. Not sure what that has to do with Lotus, since their cars are mostly made for small skinny, handling-appreciating Europeans.

No-one buys an Exige V6 cross-shopping, it makes no apology by pleasing core Lotus enthusiasts.
If you say so. It's a heavy bastard-child in reality, and doesn't please most real Lotus enthusiasts.

In theory it should be a pig to drive, with a heavy, high up, SC V6 out back & skinny alloy chassis originally designed for shopping trolley 4 pot. But in reality, it handles / rides / steers / brakes in typical Lotus fashion, yet you have a torquey engine to push you along to.
This would be a very different conversation had Lotus had the money, and inclination to actually follow the Lotus idea. Can you even imagine a stiffer, lighter, better balanced evolution of the S2 with 430 hp? Stuff of dreams. Dreams that Lotus couldn't afford.
 
#26 ·
^^^^^ I would agree for the most part with @cain-it. No doubt, stock for stock, my current 2015 CupR (as built by Lotus Motorsport, back when it still existed as a separate division) is far superior to the Cup255 I received from Lotus back in 2007.

But, I must say that I still love tracking/driving my 2-Eleven -- granted it has gone through a lot of development/changes from what Lotus sold me in 2008. ;) . Can't beat the fun of driving a 1585 lb car with ~ 275 RWHP -- I just wish it had the X-trac tranny. :D
 

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#27 ·
I have an elise and v6 cup. Two completely different animals, confused with each other because they share the same tub, to drive they are completly different. Even Hennesy made a 1100hp car with the elige tub.

Where th 4cyl cars have a delicate feel through the wheel, and at an edge on the limit. The V6 car is heavier at the wheel, and the whole ride is more planted. At or near the limit it does not feel like it may suddenly overotate and rap you over the knuckles like a 4 cyl car, it just does not feel so on edge, this can be good or bad depending on use. The whole feel of the wheel is far heavier, and yes the longer wheelbase and wider track do make huge differences, it feels stable at big speeds of 150+ and has a high speed stability throught he corners a 4 cyl car does not. on the otehr hand in slower corners the 4 cyl car just rotates so beutifully.

Powerwise its a different ball game again, from 3000rpm up it pull like a good old fashioned small block chevy. In terms of raw speed think 997 porche Gt3. You have Tq that no moded 4cyl can match even f a 4cyl has the hp. The V6 cars can also be modded to a level no 4cyl car can apporach. 500hp and close ratio gearboxes, to start.


On track it will be faster through corners than a new 18 GT3, and the speed delta down the straight is not so huge, and thats stock.

Comparing 4cyl to V6 its like comparing a rapier to a tomahawk or broadsword.
 
#28 ·
The two are clearly very different cars. My statement on the size of the Exige is tongue-in-cheek as it's clearly not a big car at all and lighter than any of it's competition. But the overhead view really emphasizes it's growth over the 4 pot version. I actually think the Exige is beautiful from all angles as well, although I'm not personally a fan of the bandit mask on any car so I'd go with body color.
 
#36 ·
@cain-it --- don't waste you time -- they got to love what they can get and they can't get the Exige V6. I've had them all and love the CupR. Andrew is just jealous and he needs to justify all the money he has spent creating a "replica" Exige Cup255... >:) >:) Just kidding Andrew, love your dedication. :bow::bow:
@Varun916 --- I bet my car only weighs maybe 150 pounds more (maybe even less) than a stock S2 Exige S and I have a roll cage and fire suppression system plus a V6. :D :UK:
 
#37 ·
@Jack is right, my 2011 S260 FE weights in around 2000 lbs. To have the V6 torque & HP over 4 Pot is well worth the extra 180 lbs. I use to put extra weight 100 lbs in my circle track car because it actually helped the cornering performance. Of course, were I put that extra 100 lbs was critical!

Later,
Eldon
 
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