Will you be switching to 'Lotustalk.com' when used Exige's are $25k?
 

Fictional website, have no idea what the Lotus board is.

So many people here seem to be into Porsches for the driving experience (yeah baby!) and i just wonder how many folks will be grabbing Exiges when the used cars are on the market for cheap (relatively speaking of course).

Wonder how much the typical wear components on those cars cost vs. 911's....

Light and nimble. I may be there some day, if they prove themselves to be more reliable than past Loti.

The are fun cars - drove my first one in anger a few weeks ago - but they are still pretty small.

I was excited when I first heard of and then saw one. But after seeing more, they really seem to be overgrown Mazda Miatas. To my taste they need about 50 percent more power and about 25 percent more size. I think they would look great being a little bigger and longer; they seem a little goofy being as small as they are. But for being a light, small car that can be described as a modern go-cart on roller skates, I admit it can't be beat.

I just got back from whipping my 17 year old car around the track for 3 days. The car needed nothing but gas and performed flawlessly. If an Elise or Exige can to this with 75k on the clock, I would be impressed. (Or maybe amazed!). I guess will just have to wait and see.

With the Toyota engine it probably will do that at 200K miles.

...and cost a LOT less when it needs rebuilding (or replacing)!

Took the words out of my mouth...Toyota engine....reliable and I would guess about 1/2 the cost of the 911 engine. IMHO if I had a choice of building an early 911 race car for 50k or buying the Exige, no contest it would be the Exige....:eek:

Styling got goofy for the federalized Elise/Exige, but when they get that low I'll be in line.

There is a cal company that makes a turbo kit for the engine, and you have to believe there is a ton of stuff in the ricer aftermarket for the engine.

Re: Will you be switching to 'Lotustalk.com' when used Exige's are $25k?
 

Yeah I use to be into Lotus for the driving experience, even brought a Lotus 61 formula fords for Driving events.

Now I drive the Porsche because I can take the entire family out on a sunday cruise, with the top down and the a/c on.

Yeah, that's my thing too. I think they're dang fugly.

What was it, Car and Driver, that recently did a side-by-side with the Cayman v Elise? They chose the Cayman. I would imagine the Exige wouldn't do much better than the Elise, and they would still choose the Cayman...not to mention, I understand people regularly run them over, literally, as they are so small. I suppose they don't see them as they back up and ride right up like a ramp.

The EXIGE is pretty hardcore. I spent a very enjoyable couple of hours in a bright blue one on the B roads round Henley on Thames a few years back. Lots of carbon, lite weight shells, pedals, harnesses, R rubber, no radio, no carpet, no power anything, no nuffink. (although aircon- in a stripper, in the UK! Huh.)

You have to climb in over the intrusion bars, theres no room even for a breifcase if you have two up.

God, I'd have one in a blink.

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/...07001129625150

Pros: Light. Lots of fun to drive. Should go easy on consumables.

Cons: Styling makes your eyes hurt. No power.

I don't think they'll age as gracefully as the 911, but I'm glad to see the car getting made.

There were about five Elises at my last track day. Don't be fooled; they're very fast cars.

But another fast car is the last edition of the MR2 Spyder.

And the Miata is almost legend.

All I'm saying is there are alternatives. There have to be, because there's no way the (production limited) Elise will fall as low as $25K.

They're ugly, but a purposeful kind of ugly. Don't know if I'd pass up a Cayman or 911 for one, but I'm glad they were built. If I could afford a pure track toy, it would probably be my first stop. We need more "back to basics" sports cars.

I only wish Porsche would build the equivelent. With the current rush to retro, could there be a market for a totally elemental Porsche? No power anything, no radio, no electronic gizmos, nadda. A 2000lb or under car, with a 2.0 liter - maybe even air cooled again. Shoot for the same $40-$50K bracket and I bet they couldn't build them fast enough.

I do like the Lotus. The move to Toyota power was one of the best things they have ever done. That wonderful, reliable motor is still, however, wrapped in a British car. Has anybody even seen one with a lot of miles on it? I don't think they get driven much. It will be interesting to see one ten years down the road with 100K on the clock. If it's anything like any other British machine (car or bike) on the planet, it will be quite thoroughly used up by then. The Celica and MR2 guys will have another source for low-miles motors.

They are a little tight for me. Nice and nimble but a tad underpowered (have not driven the Exige though).

Would I replace the 911 for it? Never... for me just the IDEA of driving an aircooled 911 on the track is satisfying.

It's Elisetalk.com, and yes :)

Till a car with half the HP hands you your arse on a plate.

I couldnt catch an MR2 with that engine in my 3.2 (in my defence said MR2 being driven by a pro). Let alone a well piloted Lotus on R rubber. Lotus know a thing or two about chassis.

A buddy of mine just bought an Elise and I drove it last weekend. This is the type of low-frills lightweight car that Porsche should be making.

The interior is austere, but a little cheap at the same time. They were going for the bare-bones "aluminum panel" race look, but executed it with plastic which will probably be showing it's age in a couple of years.

It doesn't have a lot of torque, and the power doesn't come on until 6k, but it's very light and well set up out of the box. They even come stock with R-compound tires.

OTOH, it's a PITA to get in and out of, and apparently the A-pillars and windshield frame are a weak spot. Every time you try to get out, the owner is going to scream "DON'T GRAB ONTO THE WINDDSHIELD!!!!"

As far as styling, they're a light year away from the homogenized Bangle-ization going on today, so they attract a lot of attention. Japanese look-alike arriving in 4... 3... 2...

What I found interesting was the ECU prinout he got with the most recent service. I'm not up-to-date on car electronics, but this report showed the top n speed runs, with top speed, TPS and water temps; it also showed the most recent n times he's hit the rev limiter. I have to wonder how this will be used to invalidate warranties, and how long until somene comes up with ECU-sanitizing s/w.

The Exige is the pretty Elise's ugly brother. Its a coupe. Different track, different engine, wider rubber, big rear ricer wing, no frills.

Theyve been around since about 2000- no JPN imitator yet, AFAIK.

Stuart

I am not a professional and I don't car for being the fastest guy out there. I do it for fun. For me driving a 911 with all the challenges that an old 911 presents is part of the fun.

If my goal was to set the fastest lap I'd be driving a Radical or an Ariel Atom, not a 911 and certainly not an Elise.

Ofcourse, Matteo. No offence intended. I think that why we all do it. Just pointing out the (non HP) strength of the Lotus.

No offense taken. I agree with you. I lived in England and lusted after a Catheram 500 (240hp in a 1,300lbs car) for a while...

The Elise is a little more refined (thus not so focussed) but a fantastic proposition all the same.

I was just answering to the question posed by the title of the thread...
It's more of an emotional thing.

I would love to test-drive a Noble M400... That is a GT3 killer...

it may be un-pretty but the pic posted by "rtoms" sums up its existence very nicely. it's a track car... coupe is better, wider rubber is better, ricer wing is ricey, but so are the ones stuck onto serious track-oriented 911's... i thought most here were in agreement that 'no frills' is a good thing...

as for a japanese imitator... don't think they need to... they've had their own version of one for a while now too... at least since the 90's.... unless you've played gran turismo, you may not be aware of it, but it's a real company w/ a real car built in the same spirit as elise/exige. Tommy Kaira...

http://www.allcarpictures.com/pictures/tomita/tommy-kaira-zz/tomita-tommy-kaira-zz.jpg

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sdsefi.com/features/tommy6.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.sdsefi.com/features/dec02tommy.htm&h=275&w=500&sz=31&tbnid=uDAsyvf4b3U PdM:&tbnh=69&tbnw=127&hl=en&ei=20ljRJr3JsbkadWqgLE I&sig2=1X4XM6xKov8dUtrEaqc2uw&start=5&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtommy%2Bkaira%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den% 26lr%3D%26sa%3DN


http://www.autodidactu.ro/cars/images/tommykaira/tommykairaa1.GIF

[QUOTE]Originally posted by }{arlequin
[B]it may be un-pretty but the pic posted by "rtoms" sums up its existence very nicely. it's a track car... coupe is better, wider rubber is better, ricer wing is ricey, but so are the ones stuck onto serious track-oriented 911's... i thought most here were in agreement that 'no frills' is a good thing...

as for a japanese imitator... don't think they need to... they've had their own version of one for a while now too... at least since the 90's.... unless you've played gran turismo, you may not be aware of it, but it's a real company w/ a real car built in the same spirit as elise/exige. Tommy Kaira...

QUOTE]

My remarks re the Exige were hardly meant as critisism. You must have missed the bit where I said I drove one in the UK a few years back and Id have one in a blink?

yes, i must have. sorry about that. you're very lucky then. i'm jealous.

No worries.

English backroads, bright blue pocket rocket, R rubber, 5 point harness and racing shells, little four potter snarling away.

Pretty much the most fun you can have sitting down....

And this is why I drive a 30-yr. old smog exempt car with no electronics at all.

I could deal with the host of ergonomic deficencies of the Elise; and I like revving for the hp much more than cheating with low-end torque. But having a black box as Big Brother frightens me.

What I wonder about is this is touted as a trackday car; it'd be a waste if someone owned one and did not take it to the track. So, if Lotus states the Elise's feasibility on the track via its design and intent, how could they void the warranty? It seems disingenuous to a high performance manufacturer like Lotus.

The lotus arrive and drive day I went to - which included trashing one on a mini autocross course - the organizers - one of which was from Lotus USA - touted the engine - mentioned that someone had mechanical overrev (to 12,300 rpms) and floated the valves - and that Lotus replaced the engine under warranty. I was a litle suprised - said from the black box - he achived 138 mph - did a 5 to 3rd downshift and weeeeeee clunk.

90% of the guys that attended were guys that tracked their cars -

Yes, but did any of them hide their license plates with tape like the Mitsu Evo guys? :D

The ones that I knew from PCA events either drove P-cars (two 911's one 944 and a boxster) or a s-2000 - one had a viper. nobody that I know tapes their lic plate.

Why not an S2000 then? Power comes on at the same time as the Elise at about 6k right? Better build quality, race bred, cheap to buy and own. Just have to put up with the young ricers.

The Elise/Exige may be ugly, but not as ugly as the 996/997/Boxter/Cayman/Pfefferwagen.

:D :D

Not as controllable at the limit or beyond the limit of traction. Very plain. Not as quick (before mods). All seem to be silver.

Edit: Here's that turbo link: http://www.forcedfed.com/elise.html

That will never happen!

http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22747

It looks like the guys on the Lotus board have mentioned the car I posted about in the off topic section here yesterday.

http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22659


Link to the car company. www.borncars.com