[smoseley]

For anyone besides me who finds the Exige more attractive than the Elise, there's a company in Deutschland (Germany) called LotusSpecials (www.lotusspecials.com) that does conversions. I couldn't read their site, so I don't really know what it runs if you have them do it... but at least we know it can BE done !

Here's an image (yes, this is an elise!):

 

[meat]

For a S1, you really just need to buy the Exige clamshells, roof, bootlid, bonnet, wing, splitter, etc and fit them.

Once the S2 Exige comes out that may hold true as well.

Makes for an awfully expensive Elise.

 

[tidalwdave]

All I want is the intake. Does that increase performance much? Can you put an intake on the Elise any other way than like the Exige?

I don't know, sometimes I like the spoiler, sometimes not. Are there any other spoiler options?

 

[MickOpalak]

All I want is the intake. Does that increase performance much? Can you put an intake on the Elise any other way than like the Exige?

The Exige, Elise and Federal Elise all have about the same air intake - through hole on the left side of the car in front of the rear wheel. The duct on the roof of the Exige is just to feed cool air to the engine compartment, not the engine itself.

 

[meat]

The Motorsport Elise's oil cooler is mounted under the roof scoop.

The Exige roof scoop is for cooling.

As mentioned above the intake pulls air from the lefthand side vent.

 

[tidalwdave]

The Exige, Elise and Federal Elise all have about the same air intake - through hole on the left side of the car in front of the rear wheel. The duct on the roof of the Exige is just to feed cool air to the engine compartment, not the engine itself.

Okay, got ya. Thanks! I like the air feed on the top of the car, makes it look like a race car! I'm guessing it must be functional, or it wouldn't be there. It that something worth adding to the Elise, or will it be too much money and too much of a pain?

I'd like to do something to my Elise to make it a bit different than stock, but don't want to rice it out in anyway. Just some slight changes.

Sorry, hope I'm not going too far from topic. I think making the Elise look like an Exige is simlar to just wanting to change the looks and drive of the Elise, to be a bit different and stand out. I wouldn't want to do the whole conversion, as that would cost too much. I Would like to do something though.

 

[Mark]

I know someone who races and he's not bothered with a wing.
Instead he's put a better veturi on and replaced the body with one made of carbon/f.

To get good downforce check out the underside before the topside.

 

[MickOpalak]

Okay, got ya. Thanks! I like the air feed on the top of the car, makes it look like a race car! I'm guessing it must be functional, or it wouldn't be there. It that something worth adding to the Elise, or will it be too much money and too much of a pain?

Sorry, hope I'm not going too far from topic. I think making the Elise look like an Exige is simlar to just wanting to change the looks and drive of the Elise, to be a bit different and stand out. I wouldn't want to do the whole conversion, as that would cost too much. I Would like to do something though.

The Elise already gets plenty of fresh air from the passenger side air intake as well as the vents on the engine/trunk cover. The Exige roof vent doesn't help much in that respect. The fastback roof may smooth the aerodynamics a bit though. The Euro Exige S2 is very close to the Federal Elise with the hardtop and LSS. Only the body work is different, really.

 

[curty]

transio,

I am (almost) certain the car is an original Exige. Lotusspecials just wanted to show off their (way too) broader rims (11,5J rear ).
What they do though is fitting the Exige front clam shell to the Elise. Pretty pointless exercise.

Cheers, Curty

 

[smoseley]

Ah, someone at SELOC told me they do the fastback and top as well.

 

[boomboom]

To wing or not to wing

I'm not sure how much I would trust just slapping a wing on the car. I'm no expert on aero but I would think that extra downforce in the back if not compensated for could produce some interesting vehicle dynamics. I would think that extra downforce in teh back would be like taking force off the front wheels which again would be interesting. I trust lotus completely since i'm sure they have done wind tunnel tests of the car to make sure the distribution is correct. Maybe adding the front splitter in conjunction with the spoiler helps. Anyone knowledgable on this

 

[smoseley]

Downforce on the back doesn't create lift in the front, unless there's a torsion created by the shape of the wing (down in back, up in front)... which would more likely tear the wing off the car at high speeds... not a feasible wing design.

Increased downforce in the back with no adjustment up front does, however, create an imbalance in the way the car handles. The back has much more grip than the front now... so in hard turns, you will have serious understeer, and the inside front wheel may even lift off the ground completely!

This can be easily balanced out by augmenting the aero in the front too.

EDIT: for the record, though... you're right... "just slapping a wing on a car" is more likely detrimental to the overall performance... as it increases weight, increases the Cf (friction coefficient), decreasing top speed, and can create imbalance in handling, even if it effectively increases downforce (making the car harder to drive).

 

[smoseley]

But anyway, we've gotten a little off topic. Anyone else who'd like to see a fastback elise coupe?

 

[meat]

It's hard to put a scoop top on an Elise since there is nothing for the scoop to attach to.

 

[smoseley]

I don't care about the air induction... I just want the fastback.

I think it looks better, and fastbacks generate less turbulence at speed.

If someone made a two-piece fastback/hardtop combo for the Elise, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

 

[tidalwdave]

But anyway, we've gotten a little off topic. Anyone else who'd like to see a fastback elise coupe?

I'd like to see it, but I'd never own it. It would be nice for variety.

I plan on never buying a car that the top doesn't come off or down on. Well, until I have to move someplace cold. Even then I don't know if I could own an enclosed car.

 

[smoseley]

My current car (S2000) is my first convertible... and I love it for the wind in your hair and the increased visibility... but for a SERIOUS performance car, I much prefer a fastback coupe, for rigidity, safety, and aerodynamics. Besides that, I find it more attractive.

 

[mr.woolery]

RE

I love the Elise, and can't wait to see them here in the US, but an Exige...now THAT'S the perfect car for me. I'd LOVE to have a fastback coupe version of the Elise. My wallet would open for one, too. That's the primary reason why I haven't plunked down the dough and put my name on the waiting list for an Elise--I'm hoping for news of the Exige being released in the US. Maybe they'll do it in the second year of US release.

 

[smoseley]

What's the MSRP on an S2 Exige?

 

[Randy Chase]

I have not read an official MSRP on the S2 Exige, but one review was quoted at $32,000uk, which is about $55kus??