Lotus Exige

[oliie]

A very good (enter time of day here) to you all

Just a bit of a strange question... has anyone here drive or been in a Lotus Exige?

How was it? Interested in views from either S1 or S2...

Supercharged experiences deserve bonus points!!!! :lol:

O.

 

[hyb]

I love em! Does that help? no here's a couple I encountered at Brands Hatch a few weeks ago. A friend I use to fit bits to the S works for Westover sports cars, (lotus dealer) he's a wealth of information on them if you wanted to know anything to look out for when buying. He showed me a video of a passenger ride in a supercharged exige. Scary car!

 

[oliie]

Thanks Hyb!!!

The white Exige looks mean!!!

I'm getting itchy fingers for a second car (hence the old 993 post and this one) but I am really at a loss.

A 993 can be a daily and a track car (and therefore no need for the Trophy) but I am not too sure I am prepared to sacrifice reliability/running costs just for an old(ish) Porsche when an Elise/Exige can do everything as well albeit in less comfort and with just two. But with a Lotus the feedback I've received is that you must have another car as a daily driver.

The only sway in my decision is that my partner likes the Elise/Exige quite a bit, but it has to be in yellow :roll:

Arggg... annoying!

We also had a look at a 335ci (diesel and twin turbo petrol) but we both felt was not special enough as a coupe (esp. at the asking price for a 335d coupe which was near £40k with options... i.e. same as a FQ400 or a Supercharged Exige!).

Mate - at least you seemed to have an easy decision when you migrated to the S2K!!! Still smiling or are your fingers getting itchy now too? :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

O.

 

[artdealer]

Offered a white Exige today via e-mail:

06/06 Exige S in Aspen White / Black Alcantara with the better options Touring Pack, Aircon, Level 2 Sports exhaust, Armorfend etc. 6500m one owner with minimal prep to wheels req'd. Could take the Trophy back

Not sure the Chrome Yellow ones are as quick sellers??

 

[hoolio]

Oliie, you make me so jealous, i would so love one of these but i don't have the option of doing both and thinking about it i really don't think i could get rid of 307.

 

[oliie]

Offered a white Exige today via e-mail:

06/06 Exige S in Aspen White / Black Alcantara with the better options Touring Pack, Aircon, Level 2 Sports exhaust, Armorfend etc. 6500m one owner with minimal prep to wheels req'd. Could take the Trophy back

Not sure the Chrome Yellow ones are as quick sellers??

You're a very naughty man (so mumbles my wallet to me!).

Before I commit to anything as remotely crazy as an Exige, I will be paying a visit to the London Group to see if we could both manage with just the Exige in terms of being able to do the weekly shopping etc. Unfortunately I really can't justify having two cars while living in London.

From there I will then see if insurance is viable (no garage in London; ho-hum) and then start to investigate prices.

I'll let you know how we go and then I will ask you the price of the Exige (and get ready to fall off my chair!).

This is the one I am currently looking at ('06 spec in yellow, incase it wasn't bright enough to tell....); sports and touring packs, 8000 miles.

 

[oliie]

Just went out for dinner and took the Trophy.

Boy is it a great car to drive.

The Exige is double the price. I just can't see it being twice as good

Time will tell...

O.

 

[Audrey 286]

I kinda of liked the look but didn't really think much of it until I went round the Ring in one:




They are fast cars! and I do love them.

 

[Audrey 286]

At the motorshow in London (July 06)

 

[duffer987]

Getting lifts to and from lunch in a co-workers lotus I just couldn't see it 'working' as a daily drive. Maybe its my lack of flexibility, but climbing in and out of those things a few times a day would wear thing pretty quick (or maybe you get use to it :wink: ) Also (reminding me of an old thread) where would the golf clubs go?! :?
What you hit upon about the Trophy specifically (and hot hatches generally) is there capacity to be all things to all people. If you get an exige you might as well get a saloon or 535d estate as a main drive...or being London maybe a smart car :wink:

 

[hyb]

It's a weekend car, I guess you could live with it daily if you don't have much luggage or passengers. They sound amazing though, deffo something I'd be looking at after the S, which I still love to bits

 

[asim]

I've been driving an Exige for two years now (not mine). And recently an Exige S (also not mine).

I'll start from the beginning when I had a Civic Type R. When I used to get out of one and into the other, the Exige always felt not only far far superior but it also felt so 'right' that it made the Civic feel just plain 'wrong', but for someone who has never experienced an Exige/Elise, the CTR would be regarded as a proper drivers car. (How a car is supposed to drive).

To the present day and getting out of the Trophy and into the Exige S and vice versa, I do not lie when I say they feel similar. The biggest differences being the speeds (nothing a throttle body assembly can't fix), and the seat height (which sadly can't be fixed). I must also say that climbing into the Trophy after stepping out of an Exige really makes you feel like you’re sitting in a bus driver’s seat, holding a bus drivers steering wheel. :?

There is something really special about the Trophy as I never thought I would get that 'Elise feel' from a hatchback. The Lotus is again far superior but doesn't make the Trophy feel 'wrong’. If the Exige is a true drivers car then so is the Trophy. It’s basically an Exige and a daily car in one.

I’ve only ever wanted an Exige but could not live with the fact that I’ll need another daily Corsa or Golf or something. And you WILL need another car. This is the reason why I own a Trophy and not anything else, it’s a Lotus sub.
If you've experienced the Exige you would know there is nothing like them on the road. The roll in this car is trace! Absolutly zero roll (something to be experienced)! This is the closest you can get to a ‘race car’ feel on the road. (While still being in something stylish).
The standard Exige sounds so raw/angry/mean/loud, it’s out of this world. And the steering is more go-kart than car. The scariest passenger ride I've ever had. But you need to go for the supercharged one. Doesn't sound as great but there's no need to shift down as it pulls in any gear. And you reach 60 in just 15 or so yards! So amazingly fast at low speeds but the acceleration feels 'fake' due to it being forced induction.
In the S version the colors to go for are black, black, black, yellow or white. The rest don't suit the S but are fine for the standard one as it has a little more black on it to offset the color (imo).

It comes down to two things. Being able to live with two cars and really wanting one. If you can live with two cars and you really 'need' it then ditch the Trophy and go for the no compromise Exige S in black with Sport Pack, Touring Pack and A/C.

The Exige is double the price. I just can't see it being twice as good

The Lotus's limits would far exceed the Clios but you need to be a psychotic driver to exploit them. Which I'm not and so I can have just as much fun in the Trophy. And remember it’s twice the price and you'll still need another car too unless the passenger doesn’t mind the luggage in their lap. That’s how brilliant the Trophy is. 8)

Bottom line: The Trophy is a Lotus in a Clios body.


asim
Passionate about Lotus

 

[oliie]

Wow Asim... ^^^^^^^^^^^ fantastic post... thank-you x100.


I have done quite a bit of research and in the last couple of days I have talked to a few people who either own a Lotus and a Trophy or have sold the Trophy for a Lotus.

The general consensus is that you must have two cars as the Exige/Elise is not really a daily driver (there are some exceptions but not many).

Also those that have both a Trophy and a Lotus, or have access to both (like yourself) don't think there is enough to justify a complete swap in cars (although it is worth having both).

Your post has nailed my findings to a T. The Elise is a great car, but not a replacement for the Trophy because it is probably just 50% better, and only in the handling stakes. The 111S is not much quicker (if at all) but it handles better. Everything else does not seem to match the Trophy - practicality, reliability, daily use, running costs etc. The only other thing the Trophy loses out is in the stakes of the Badge.

So I will remain for the time being. I kind of knew this was going to be the case but thought I'd do proper research before making a commitment.

The only other car that I can see completely replacing the Trophy is (and I've said it before) a 993 or a 996.

Thanks again for all of the opinions.... greatly appreciated It's nice to know we've something special, if accidental (well in my case anyway!)

Cheers
O.

 

[artdealer]

Yesterday I saw in a showroom the perfect replacement for a Trophy. A 996 GT3 RS in white with the blue decals and blue wheels. All stripped out interior and roll cage. It would be about as practical as the Lotus though! But with a spare forty five grand would put a big smile on your face

ps; In turning out to be so much more than a run-out model I think the Trophy was an accident for Renault too!

 

[Cue]

Oliie, I've been thinking along similar lines to you for a couple of months now - what would I replace the Trophy with and would it mean going to two cars again.

I came to the conclusion that I will keep the Trophy till it becomes illegal to own petrol burners... As an all round package for the money I can not see it being bettered.

But as a second car it could be.... What combination would i go for......

Solution = Keep the Trophy and buy a 996/Noble/M5 something like that..

 

[richyboy123]

Yesterday I saw in a showroom the perfect replacement for a Trophy. A 996 GT3 RS in white with the blue decals and blue wheels. All stripped out interior and roll cage. It would be about as practical as the Lotus though! But with a spare forty five grand would put a big smile on your face

ps; In turning out to be so much more than a run-out model I think the Trophy was an accident for Renault too!

Please please tell me where you can get a 996 gt3rs for forty five grand

 

[artdealer]

It was a tad more when I checked, although I'm sure that was on the tag! Looks like it's sold now.

Nice though!

http://www.harbourcars.com/stock/detailU673.html

 

[Cue]

www.911virgin.com - i think that's the addresss. They get one or two from time to time.