[MattG]

In this announcement , Lotus announces that a new Exige will be built with the Toyota motor. However, they make it a point to say that it will not be for the US market. :-(

New Exige to Change the Rules





Hethel, UK

8th September 2003

Not since the arrival of the Elise has any car made such an impact. Now, as the current Elise improved on the original icon, so the Exige is to perform the same feat. The new Lotus Exige bears all the hallmarks of a true racer. Large air intakes and front splitter dominate the cars aggressive front stance. Sweeping lines and extended air scoops lead into the commanding rear haunches and spoiler, proudly displaying the cars racing intent.


With Lotus Design working in conjunction with Lotus engineering and aerodynamic teams to achieve an optimum driving experience, the Exige performs as dynamically as it looks. Powered by a 1.8 litre 4 cylinder 16 valve engine with VVTL-i variable valve technology and mated to a close ratio six-speed manual gearbox, the Exige will sweep effortlessly past 60mph in under 5 seconds whilst breaking the 140mph mark with ease. With an output of 190bhp, the Toyota Motor Corporation manufactured engine is perfectly suited to the Exige, revving to around 8350rpm.

As with any Lotus, perfect dynamics are key to the product. Tuned by Lotus’ world famous Ride and Handling team, every conceivable component, such as suspension, wheels and tyres have been developed to provide the ultimate performance both on and off the track.

The Exige will be unveiled at the 2004 Geneva Motorshow for the UK, Europe and Asia-Pacific markets. Details of specifications and price will be announced closer to this unveiling date.

The K-Series engine will continue to be used within the Elise range for the foreseeable future.

 

[LarryB]

Pretty sure we'll get it in a year or two. In the home market the sales have soften and there sticking with the Rover motor. It's a good way to renew intrest in Lotus.

With the Elise still 9 months away, wouldn't think they would bring a Exige over at the same time. If you really want a Exige & are willing to wait or trade up ... it might be a year or two.

 

[BrianK]

I would be willing to venture that the Exige will never be street legal in the US. Lotus may bring a few race-only Exiges in through LCU's race car program just as they have in the past, but to make the Exige street legal would be going against purpose built Exige design. I mean, it's a race car, plain and simple - bumpers, air bags, and the other Federalizing bits and pieces would hinder its performance. People in the UK are lucky (in a sense) that they can run near-race cars on the road.

 

[meat]

The Exige in stock form is a street car. Don't fool yourself. Lots of stuff needs to be done to it to make it a good track vehicle.

It isn't a good street car either, IMHO.

What they are losing is the intent of the Exige - the road-going version of the Motorsport Elise. I take that back if there is a Motorsport Elise in the works that it will be based off of.

 

[shinoo]

Meat,

What things are required to make your Exige track capable?

I was at CA Speedway earlier this summer and watched a couple of stock Exiges tearing up the place. They were on the track with other track dedicated machines and were lapping everyone. I don't believe the owners had done anything to the cars.

I'm pretty happy they have developed the new Exige. I will likely buy one when they offer them here. I agree that it will likely be for track use only...I'll keep my Elise for street use.

 

[meat]

First - I said to make it a good track car. A stock Exige holds it's own on the track, but it can be so much better.

All of the Exiges brought in by Lotus USA are not stock. They include a 190hp upgrade, fire system, a kill switch, a roll bar, carbon fiber air box and 5-pt belts. In addition there are some other things that can be done to make the car much better than a stock Exige. First change should be suspension related. Stock springs and dampers are not set-up for heavy track use, especially when you want to use stickier tires (there are also other suspension bits that should be upgraded when using stickier tires). The gearbox can also be upgraded for improved ratios. A short-shifter is also a key item. My car was also fitted with the Motorsport Elise brake package at the factory (very nice).

What kind of cars were the Exiges lapping?

 

[shinoo]

What kind of cars were the Exiges lapping?

911s of several vintages , 914s, Mustangs and other misc track prepped cars. All the cars were track dedicated - no street legal cars in the bunch.

 

[Allan Gibbs]

Sorry for the dumb question but how do you pronounce "Exige"

"X -ig" or "Xistge"?

 

[mikester]

I believe it's "ex-eedge".

Other guesses ?

 

[scot]

Naw in America it is pronounced "Wowee son, what kinda veehickle is that?"

or some white kid busting gang signs saying "yo man, that s... is dope"

Or of course, my favorite " d00d, dat stff iz s000 klr, can drive da b34st?" (Though I think my brain refuses to let me type that with a true representation of the the grammar commonly used today...)


Ok one more.. "Yeah man, I put NOS in it and blew the engine. So dad bought me a new car, and this time I am going to put the nos150 with a new injection system and a turbo on it. I am going to be fast and furious in my [email protected]$"

 

[meat]

Are you sure they weren't Motorsport Elises that you saw? I know several are in SoCal. Otherwise, you may have seen a silver Exige that has a Honda motor with 260hp.

While the Exige is fast, unless the other drivers aren't good, it won't lap track prepped 911's.

 

[shinoo]

Yeah, they were Motorsports Exiges with Rover engines. The drivers were all 'gentleman racers' - so I assume they were amatuers. The Exiges were spanking the 911s. None of the 911s appeared to be Cup cars. Just street cars that were modified for track use.

I'm sure driver skill had something to do with it.

 

[HoopyFrood]

I believe it's "ex-eedge".

Other guesses ?

Hmm. I've always read it as "ex-eh-gee", ie. similar to "extacy", the feeling driving one is said to induce.

 

[MickOpalak]

When I talked to a marketing dude from Lotus USA he pronounced it ex-eye-j. (not ex-eye-jay, but ex-eye-jjj)

 

[lotusetude]

When I talked to a marketing dude from Lotus USA he pronounced it ex-eye-j. (not ex-eye-jay, but ex-eye-jjj)

Hmmmm....

Anyone pronouncing with a long i, as in ex-eye-jay, must be from England - but that must surely have a regional twang about it!

I pronounce it as: ex-eja or ex-ege with two syllables, not three.

-- Tom

 

[Lotus Fury]

A visit to the factory provided me with their pronunciation: "ex-eege"

Which brings me to a rant on the British & their complete INABILITY to pronounce things the way they are spelled.

Spelled - Pronounced
Elise - E - lize
Exige - Ex - eege
Silverstone - Silverstun
towchester - toaster
wochester - woster
*shire - *sure

Notice how Elise and Exige are spelled nearly the same yet they are pronounced completely different?

It sucks trying to pronounce stuff over there, they just giggle anytime I say anything. Although I did realize that if you think of a English person as being drunk and sluring their speech you tend to understand more without going "Huh?" That's not to be rude but it's quite amazing how well that works.

 

[adamant]

Exige is a French word, a verb meaning "demands". It is pronounced the same way as pretige.
ex- eezh (somewhere between a hard g and j sound)

 

[meat]

A Motorsport Elise (not Exige) is a full-blown race car, not a street car made up for the track. These cars will usually beat most cars on the track. Drive skill always plays a roll however.

The pecking order for those that are confused...

Top - Motorsport Elise
Then - 190hp Exige - Roadgoing version of the Motorsport Elise
Then - Elise 190S
Then - Elise 111S
Then - Base Elise

This is the basic fast to slow layout of the Elise variants and their performance on track.

 

[Craigy]

A Motorsport Elise (not Exige) is a full-blown race car, not a street car made up for the track. These cars will usually beat most cars on the track. Drive skill always plays a roll however.

The pecking order for those that are confused...

Top - Motorsport Elise
Then - 190hp Exige - Roadgoing version of the Motorsport Elise
Then - Elise 190S
Then - Elise 111S
Then - Base Elise

This is the basic fast to slow layout of the Elise variants and their performance on track.

Actually a good driver in a basic elise will destroy an average driver in a motorsport elise. This is borne out by experiment.

Craigy