151 replies to this topic

[smiley]

Current V6 lump is warrantied by Toyota upto 410bhp.

 

 

Interesting. So 410 is the max, which is exactly what the current special editions have.

 

To bad they have a bunch of geniuses in Lotus Development to come up with cool stuff, yet the financial risk is just to big.

 

Then again, the 410 edition get's them pretty close to 458 teritory, and that is a much more expensive car.

 

Ferrari 458 = 1.565 kg / 570 bhp  = 364 bhp per ton S3 Exige V6 = 1.180 kg / 345 bhp  = 292 bhp per ton S3 Exige V6 410 =  1.180 kg / 410 bhp  = 347 bhp per ton

 

Keeping in mind that Toyota will also have a safety margin, tuning them to 450/470 will still be safe

Edited by smiley, 04 November 2016 - 11:50 AM.

[PaulCP]

Current V6 lump is warrantied by Toyota upto 410bhp.  Any more than that and I assume Lotus would take on warranty responsibility.

This^ it's all about risk sharing   

I seem to recall that using the launch control invalidates your warranty.

  So they fit something and then tell you that using it invalidates warranty. It is probably down to interpretation just as the track use clause is in the warranty. Only invalidates warranty if used in race conditions.  

The v6 isn't much different to a wrung out stg2 SC in a straight line - .

The big advantage of the VX is that they have become so easily tuneable that in terms of raw power and handling they can better anything that Lotus has to offer off the shelf. One day we may even get the jealous crowd on SELOC to acknowledge this. However, that wouldn't be true if the comparison was against "off the shelf" VXs.

[fiveoclock]

Ok grandad. If you need someone to help you with your slippers just give us a shout

You know better than that

[Luke84]

 

Current V6 lump is warrantied by Toyota upto 410bhp.

 

 

Interesting. So 410 is the max, which is exactly what the current special editions have.

 

To bad they have a bunch of geniuses in Lotus Development to come up with cool stuff, yet the financial risk is just to big.

 

Then again, the 410 edition get's them pretty close to 458 teritory, and that is a much more expensive car.

 

Ferrari 458 = 1.565 kg / 570 bhp  = 364 bhp per ton S3 Exige V6 = 1.180 kg / 345 bhp  = 292 bhp per ton S3 Exige V6 410 =  1.180 kg / 410 bhp  = 347 bhp per ton

 

Keeping in mind that Toyota will also have a safety margin, tuning them to 450/470 will still be safe

 

 

410 is charge cooled and in the Evora which is a heavier car- 1325kg from memory. Exige V6S is 1180kg ish,

350 sport as low as 1125kg with forged wheels and 2pc discs which is where i went but then added air con to weight it back up again!

New 350 SE 1100kg

 

An Exige with the 410 lump in it would be very interesting, but your back to the problem of then needing charge cooling adding weight and cost so the benefit is minimal.  Current best option if your chasing power is switching to a TVS charger or going for one of the Komotec offerings of upto 450 which seem to be fairly reliable.

 

 

 

[rob999]

I agree with some of others who wish Lotus could swap to a different engine. Take the Ford Ecoboost lump for example. Weight is still an issue for me, I know it's all relative but 1100kgs still seems a lot in Lotus/VX thinking.

[denno]

If you are looking its worth shopping about on a new one. I've heard of staggering amounts of discount off new cars. A chap I know got a Cup for a figure I wouldnt have believed if I didnt know him. I've literally seen used ones advertised more. A lot of the dealers have overstock depending on the deal they have with Lotus. We are out of peak sales season. Bills still roll in during the winter so I'm sure there will be some motivated sales managers out there.  

Are you talking big discounts off cars built to order or supposedly 'new' cars with a few hundred miles on the clock that have been sat at a dealers for 6 months?

[denno]

So is the performance levels of the v6 similar to a supercharged vx as been suggested? Which is I'd imagine similar performance to a 240 bhp s2 Exige which someone else had said is much slower than the v6? Personally I'd have have thought it was a fair bit quicker than both no?

Edited by denno, 04 November 2016 - 01:18 PM.

[Captain Vimes]

So is the performance levels of the v6 similar to a supercharged vx as been suggested? Which is I'd imagine similar performance to a 240 bhp s2 Exige which someone else had said is much slower than the v6? Personally I'd have have thought it was a fair bit quicker than both no?

 

 

CapVimes followed me down the slip road from the National ( I did have air-con on  ) and up to 120 there was nothing in it really, I guess with a longer straight the V6 would pull but it was nothing amazing, would be perfect with 100bhp more to cover the weight the v6 has gained and stiffer shocks for tracking.. good job mine is now just a road car 

 

So 250bhp SC Vx weight  Vs  A Std V6 345bhp weight. = about the same performance

 

 

The one time I had a direct comparison with MBes, there wasn't much in it. Above 120mph I suspect the v6 would walk away though.

 

In my experience, the 240bhp elige's aren't quite as quick as a basic stg2 SC VX. While the headline bhp is similar they're only a 1.8 so lack the torque of a 2.2 SC.

 

For comparison to a supercharger Cup elise, go to 1:00 in this video and watch what happens when accelerating to 135mph (also funny to watch the caterhams hit a brick wall at 120mph):

 

The only v6 I've met on track is at the start of this one while I was 2 up. At about 0:45 we both floor it - not a great comparison as he stamps on the brakes shortly after but you get the idea:

Edited by Captain Vimes, 04 November 2016 - 02:23 PM.

[SteveA]

also funny to watch the caterhams hit a brick wall at 120mph

 

In my car Fifth gear is essentially useless on track. It will do circa 110 in fourth before I hit the limiter, In fifth I'd be lucky to eek another 5 mph on 90% of tracks.

 

Not so funny when you are devilishly quick in the corners but can't pass untill the straights and then Mr 'insert powerfull car name here' floors it on the stright.  

Edited by SteveA, 04 November 2016 - 02:34 PM.

[hughcam]

 

So is the performance levels of the v6 similar to a supercharged vx as been suggested? Which is I'd imagine similar performance to a 240 bhp s2 Exige which someone else had said is much slower than the v6? Personally I'd have have thought it was a fair bit quicker than both no?

 

 

CapVimes followed me down the slip road from the National ( I did have air-con on  ) and up to 120 there was nothing in it really, I guess with a longer straight the V6 would pull but it was nothing amazing, would be perfect with 100bhp more to cover the weight the v6 has gained and stiffer shocks for tracking.. good job mine is now just a road car 

 

So 250bhp SC Vx weight  Vs  A Std V6 345bhp weight. = about the same performance

 

 

The one time I had a direct comparison with MBes, there wasn't much in it. Above 120mph I suspect the v6 would walk away though.

 

In my experience, the 240bhp elige's aren't quite as quick as a basic stg2 SC VX. While the headline bhp is similar they're only a 1.8 so lack the torque of a 2.2 SC.

 

For comparison to a supercharger Cup elise, go to 1:00 in this video and watch what happens when accelerating to 135mph (also funny to watch the caterhams hit a brick wall at 120mph):

 

The only v6 I've met on track is at the start of this one while I was 2 up. At about 0:45 we both floor it - not a great comparison as he stamps on the brakes shortly after but you get the idea:

 

 

In fairness watching those clips above you look to have a lot more exit speed against the 220 Elise S and also the Exige V6 looks to pull a half a car length on the short straight on Brands Indy. 

 

I think the fact you are a better driver than both Lotus drivers masks the difference in perceived acceleration.

 

I would expect that an exige v6 would be quite a bit quicker in an actual proper roll on test. 

 

The vx however is rapid in stage 2 form cant wait to finish my S/C conversion tomorrow morning. 

[JG]

My VX is quicker than my Exige on track.

 

It's partly the way I drive them, partly the confidence I have in the VX after 20+ track days, partly that the exige is on road rubber and the vx on 48s.

 

The exige is nice and comfortable and oem, 350 factory powers are worth more than 350 tuned ones (they just are). it's quiet(ish), its refined, and so on and so on.

[JG]

and indeed CV would be incredibly quick in a v6.

[denno]

Ha fair play, you took out just about every Lotus variant in the same track day !

[james_ly]

 

So is the performance levels of the v6 similar to a supercharged vx as been suggested? Which is I'd imagine similar performance to a 240 bhp s2 Exige which someone else had said is much slower than the v6? Personally I'd have have thought it was a fair bit quicker than both no?

 

 

CapVimes followed me down the slip road from the National ( I did have air-con on  ) and up to 120 there was nothing in it really, I guess with a longer straight the V6 would pull but it was nothing amazing, would be perfect with 100bhp more to cover the weight the v6 has gained and stiffer shocks for tracking.. good job mine is now just a road car 

 

So 250bhp SC Vx weight  Vs  A Std V6 345bhp weight. = about the same performance

 

 

The one time I had a direct comparison with MBes, there wasn't much in it. Above 120mph I suspect the v6 would walk away though.

 

In my experience, the 240bhp elige's aren't quite as quick as a basic stg2 SC VX. While the headline bhp is similar they're only a 1.8 so lack the torque of a 2.2 SC.

 

I suspect this is due to the leisurely LoT Exige drivers, in the wrong gear and late on the power... on paper there should be almost nothing in it.

[Zoobeef]

Just get an NA and then spend your spare time rolling on the floor in the piles of cash you save 😆

[mbes2]

Just get an NA and then spend your spare time rolling on the floor in the piles of cash you save 😆

 

If its that, buy a MGTF160 and then spend your spare time rolling on the floor in even more piles of cash you save.. 

[tibby]

Exige's v6 are slow comparable to a (tuned) VX/speedster. Even a Seat Leon cupra is faster in a 'straigth' line...... I had a Lotus, bougth it new, dropped it back with the dealer afther 1000km..... Lots of trouble with it (and yes, serious) LOTUS! Bougth myself back an old speedster turbo...... So...................................My next car.......... will be an Exige v6! :-) They're just beautiful,nice sound,i bit 'bigger' comparable to a vx,a grown up engine (love that V6 sound!) These cars are not cars, it's more like a very good feeling... It's like a woman, you love it one day and hate it the other one... (but i will keep my turbo, nothing can beat that 'feeling') grtz

[MartinS]

Can I come and roll in both your piles of cash?

 

Martin S

 

[Zoobeef]

Always room here for cash rolling martin!

[jonnyboy]

New. Dropped off from the factory in numbers the dealer is tied into. Stuck in an overflow field until they can find a buyer. 

 

If you are looking its worth shopping about on a new one. I've heard of staggering amounts of discount off new cars. A chap I know got a Cup for a figure I wouldnt have believed if I didnt know him. I've literally seen used ones advertised more. A lot of the dealers have overstock depending on the deal they have with Lotus. We are out of peak sales season. Bills still roll in during the winter so I'm sure there will be some motivated sales managers out there.  

Are you talking big discounts off cars built to order or supposedly 'new' cars with a few hundred miles on the clock that have been sat at a dealers for 6 months?