Review of Lotus Exige 2007

Not only does it rush like a bat out of hell, but any Lotus draws attention like few other cars on the road. And the rare-seeing Exige is no exception.

CARSguide recently got their hands on the S-version, and it didn't take long to discover that it was impossible to sneak in this car without being seen.

Stopping at a traffic light on George Street, the tourists took out their cell phone cameras to take a quick picture. And refueling at the service station inevitably assumed a conversation about the Lotus.

S, which is about a second faster than the "regular" model, accelerates to 100 km/h from standstill in just 4.2 seconds. And you feel every track.

The asking price of around $115,000 is just one of the costs of driving a car like the Exige.

Since this car is designed for racing (and in the case of Lotus, this is not just a marketing line), it is deprived of almost all possible amenities.

It doesn't have a rear view at all. It's loud, harsh, rough, incredibly difficult to get in and out of, and one of the most uncomfortable cars we've ever driven.

It's also a hell of a lot of fun and, for a road car, one of the most exciting driving experiences one could hope for.

You sit so low to the ground that it feels like your rear end hits the road every time you hit a bump.

Even the Holden Barina towers over you as you pull up to a traffic light. In fact, with the doors open, it's not that hard to touch the asphalt from the driver's seat.

And you notice every bump, and the worst of them almost unsettles the driver and passenger.

Indeed, this is a car that is best suited for flat roads, which are quite difficult to find in New South Wales.

While stripped of most amenities, the Exige still comes with a reasonable safety package including driver and passenger airbags, an ABS braking system and a traction control program (which can of course be turned off at the touch of a button if the driver is in predicament). bold attitude).

Despite these security features, the Exige feels very insecure. Not only are you almost completely blind to what is happening behind you, but no one else seems to see you.

And for those who drive large XNUMXxXNUMXs and SUVs, that's probably an accurate estimate. They simply wouldn't know you were there if they didn't make a significant effort to look down.

So defensive driving is the order of the day at Lotus.

For everyday use, the lack of comfort and lack of visibility make the car quite demanding and, in some cases, downright stressful.

On the other hand, get into tight corners and the Exige will be as engaging as money can buy.

Toyota's small 1.8-liter supercharged four-cylinder engine (the regular Exige is naturally aspirated) sits right behind your head. So when you put your foot on the floor, you can barely hear your own thoughts. You can also feel the heat rising from the back as the engine actually starts to spin.

Steering (unassisted) is razor-sharp, throttle response is snappy, and handling is, as you'd expect, excellent from grippy semi-slick tires.

The trick to getting a fairly small Toyota engine to power the Lotus so quickly lies in the overall weight of the car, or, in fact, the lack of weight.

You see, the Exige is one of the lightest cars on the road at around 935kg. This gives it a huge power-to-weight ratio and explains the huge acceleration and stopping power.

A super-rigid chassis and a very low center of gravity combined with semi-slicks are the reasons why it handles corners so well.

If you're thinking about parking the Exige in your garage, just make sure these aren't your daily wheels. We had the car for a week or so and got really tired of its tough nature on the second or third day.

But it would be an absolute riot to drive on the highway or even on Sunday to ride on your favorite country road.

Forget about Lotus for everyday use - unless, of course, you're willing to suffer performance and you have a very good relationship with your chiropractor.

Fast Facts

Lotus Exige S

For sale: Now

Cost: $114,990

Body: Two-door sports coupe

Engine: 1.8-liter supercharged four-cylinder engine, 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i, 162 kW/215 Nm

Transmission: Six-speed mechanical

Fuel: From 7 to 9 liters per 100 km.

Safety: Driver and passenger airbags, traction control and ABS