Lotus exige

4.2 V8 32v Naturally Aspirated - 414 bhp
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HEo2TEC
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Lotus exige

Post by HEo2TEC » Sat Jun 02, 2012 1:58 am

Had a run in with a lotus exige tonight not sure which model it was but on the bends I was right on him, had to back off as I was getting blasted with stones, I knew there was a duel carriageway ahead. Got to the roundabout before the dueler and nailed it, went past him in second and by 130 I must of been Severn car lengths ahead, not bad for a heavy four door :)

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Re: Lotus exige

Post by adsgreen » Sat Jun 02, 2012 7:27 am

Ah now you see it's a real case of 'it depends'.
Oh the relatively recent cars have any form if traction control and the supercharged ones have enough torque that it can overwhelm it. None of them have stability control so you can spin it.
As such, if you put that with light weight + rwd+ short wheelbase = very nervous car compared to a very well sorted 4wd Quattro. Driver skill is a much bigger factor - very easy to end up backwards in a ditch if you get it wrong.

Also elise based cars are generally not 'fast' in straight lines. Most of their advantage is early on being light.

That being said, an Elise car is incredibly good fun to drive at road sensible/non license losing speeds.
I borrowed a stock 118bhp s1 whilst my 211 was being serviced and it was hilariously good fun. Sure, not a speed demon but fun.

I love both Elise cars and the rs4 - both very quick capable cars but also very different to drive. I think they make an ideal two car lineup.

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Re: Lotus exige

Post by adsgreen » Sat Jun 02, 2012 7:29 am

Oh and if you havent tried one, I'd totally recommend it.
Not about outright speed but 'fun' - and does a grand job of doing it :)

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Re: Lotus exige

Post by P_G » Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:32 am

My former neighbour has a Elise 111S and when we inadvertedly ended up on the same piece of twisty country road one day I think he was a bit surprised my lardy 1700+ kilo car was sitting safely on his bumper all the time.

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Re: Lotus exige

Post by adsgreen » Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:22 am

That's the problem with the elise - the feed back is so good that it feels alit faster than it is.
For most average drivers the sensation is that you are on the limit but barely 75%. You have to push past this then the car comes alive.

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Re: Lotus exige

Post by P_G » Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:04 am

Could well be. I know that was his 4th Elise along with having had an Exige so I suspect he was pretty handy with it but you never know.

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Lotus exige

Post by HEo2TEC » Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:19 am

I had my window open as well, it sounded pretty good and he hit the limiter but was then overwhelmed by the the v8 :)

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Re: Lotus exige

Post by fiveoclock » Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:32 am

Do a track day with some properly driven Elises/Exiges/VX220s and see how far behind you are!!

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Lotus exige

Post by HEo2TEC » Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:20 am

I don't trust myself on a trackday I'm a bit of a looney!

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Re: Lotus exige

Post by adsgreen » Sat Jun 02, 2012 1:19 pm

Depends on track - brands Indy they work very well...
Silverstone however I can tell you for a fact power rules here :)

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Re: Lotus exige

Post by adsgreen » Sat Jun 02, 2012 1:21 pm

HEo2TEC wrote:I don't trust myself on a trackday I'm a bit of a looney!
Blag/steal/bribe/beg yourself onto a Jon palmer day at bedford :)

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HEo2TEC
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Lotus exige

Post by HEo2TEC » Sat Jun 02, 2012 2:49 pm

adsgreen wrote:
HEo2TEC wrote:I don't trust myself on a trackday I'm a bit of a looney!
Blag/steal/bribe/beg yourself onto a Jon palmer day at bedford :)
I will one day, I know I would love it.

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