[suv_bait]

I was looking at the online EPA "Green Vehicle Guide" as they have recently added 2005 cars to their database. ( http://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/select.htm )

Look under manufacturer "Lotus".

There are 2 models.

One is not the Elise.

Should we be reading anything into this? Why in the world else would this particular model name have found it's way to the EPA web site? Is the guy who makes the "Green Vehicle Guide" a particularly wishful Elise fan? Seems unlikely...

Please comment/speculate away...

- John

 

[ivan1]

interesting...especially as they state:


Every vehicle listed in this guide meets federal emission and fuel economy requirements.

 

[thegit]

:clap: :clap: :drool:
m

 

[Stan]

FWIW I keep getting over 30 MPG tank averages when there is any degree of highway mileage. And that aint at 55...

I hope we hear more about the eaton supercharger option.

 

[MattG]

:clap:

Fantastic find!!!

I see no reason why the EPA would have any record of the Exige unless Lotus has or had intentions to sell it here. What's a little disappointing is that the engine type listed for the Exige is *identical* to that of the Elise (5LTXV01.8JHB). Thus, the Exige will not come with a supercharger from the factory (though I think we all hope for it as a dealer-installed option!).

There is a chance Lotus did the paperwork for the Exige at the same time as the Elise, before a decision on bringing it here was made - in which case, this website may mean nothing. Well, not true - it means Lotus IS looking into bring the Exige to the US.

 

[jtanner]

Time to call LOA, I think!!

I'm going to be *pissed* if the Exiges show up shortly after I place my order for an Elise. OTOH, since I'm #137 at LOA, I guess I've got a little time to wait and see...

Jim

 

[zvezdah1]

I really don't think the Exige will be here anytime soon., Just mho.
Chris

 

[MattG]

Chris, you're probably right, but I see one key feature of the Exige - it'd cost roughly the same to build, yet Lotus could charge more for it. For a company that's probably losing money on each Elise it sells, this would be hard to pass up.

 

[zvezdah1]

But they were hard put to sell the 600 or so S1 exiges. Granted the S2 exige is far more practical a car than the S1 was.

See absolutely no chance of them bringing over the S2 exige unless it's got 225 plus HP by whatever method, only way they could justify the 10-20 k price difference. My guess is it'll be supercharged, and will have LSS, etc ie be loaded.

I really don't think it's gonna happen before the 07 model year, but perhaps I'm being a bit pessimistic.
Chris

 

[shay2nak]

FWIW I keep getting over 30 MPG tank averages when there is any degree of highway mileage. And that aint at 55...

I hope we hear more about the eaton supercharger option.

I don't think gas mileage is the only factor for a "green vehicle." If you remember one of the papers stuck to the windshield had the emissions scale from 0 to 1. The Elise was pretty damn close to 1. I know because I was so damn surprised to see how much a polluting car it is.

 

[jtanner]

Frankly, I'm still a little baffled about why Lotus won't sell the current Exige here as a special order option. It's not like they're not manufacturing them. It seems to me that it would just require them to stick a different chassis on the production line when my turn came up.

I'd buy an Exige if it had a minor markup over the Elise, but unfortunately I'm not in the market for a $70k car right now...

Jim

 

[rob]

FWIW I keep getting over 30 MPG tank averages when there is any degree of highway mileage. And that aint at 55...

I hope we hear more about the eaton supercharger option.

Fuel consumption and clean air are often related, but one does not necessarily mean the other. For example, if you click on the above link and select 'compare with other small cars,' you will see that the Aston Martin DB9 Volante has a better pollution score than the Elise. Try and figure that one out!

 

[zvezdah1]

Still remains to be seen if they need to apply for different exemptions for the Exige for the US market. Bureaucracy being what it is here, I'd guess it's a whole new process.
Chris

 

[babak]

It's funny how much Macintosh fanatics and us have in common. They find little tidbits about some case or brace that apple ordered. Then they spend an ungodly time speculating about what it's for.
I think this is simply Lotus filing jointly with some forward thinking in their part. Just in case they decide to bring over a 2zz exige.

 

[Allan Gibbs]

This is just pure speculation, but why couldn't Lotus sell a limited number of Exiges in 2005 (2006 model) primarily as a marketing move?

That way, Lotus would get some media attention and rake in a few more sales before the revised Elise comes arrives in 2006 (2007 model).

As Jtanner mentioned, they're already making them. To justify the price increase, they could just up the horse power with that rumored turbo charger, and sell that in Europe as a Exige R (basically what like they did with the Fed version being sold there).

 

[Gromit]

This is just pure speculation, but why couldn't Lotus sell a limited number of Exiges in 2005 (2006 model) primarily as a marketing move?

That way, Lotus would get some media attention and rake in a few more sales before the revised Elise comes arrives in 2006 (2007 model).

As Jtanner mentioned, they're already making them. To justify the price increase, they could just up the horse power with that rumored turbo charger, and sell that in Europe as a Exige R (basically what like they did with the Fed version being sold there).

With the amount of people paying premium for an Elise which they discover to be undrivable after they've bought it, I don't think they'd need to justify any price increase.

Just sell the Exige at 15K more, and people will buy it. If not because they want it, but because it costs more than the Elise, so it must be good !

 

[zvezdah1]

Allan,
I think selling the exige in the US would be entirely dependant on whether it comes in as a fastback elise or has to go through the process, which seems to have taken about 18 months for the elis.

If they did have to recertify, get exempts again, can't imagine them doing that for the limited number they'd probably sell(because of significantly higher price), but could happen.
Chris

 

[Allan Gibbs]

Allan,
I think selling the exige in the US would be entirely dependant on whether it comes in as a fastback elise or has to go through the process, which seems to have taken about 18 months for the elise.

If they did have to recertify, get exempts again, can't imagine them doing that for the limited number they'd probably sell(because of significantly higher price), but could happen.
Chris

Oh, I see. All along, I had though it would come in as an Elise variant. I guess Lotus is looking into that since the Exige is showing up on the EPA's site.

I wonder if anyone's put a deposit down on an Exige?

 

[Gromit]

Oh, I see. All along, I had though it would come in as an Elise variant. I guess Lotus is looking into that since the Exige is showing up on the EPA's site.

I wonder if anyone's put a deposit down on an Exige?

The Elise is a very limited edition car, and having a deposit down on that is pointless. So with an even more limited edition car, that'll be .. well .. less productive than voting yesterday ...