Can you daily drive a Lotus Exige?
Not as easy as it sounds...
Not as easy as it sounds...
First things first, one might ask itself what a Lotus Exige is. The British company manufactures some of the best sports cars in the world. Actually, most of their creations are highly focused vehicles that are closer to race cars than road-going automobiles. Some time ago, I was offered the opportunity to drive an Exige, the hardcore version of the small Elise. I've already driven an Elise Cup 250, and found it to be quite extreme. The Elise goes back to the roots of what a sports car should be thanks to its lightness, raw power, and lack of driving assistance.
Now, it was time to drive the big brother. Gone is the Elise's 1.8-litres inline-4, our Exige is a 2016 Series 3 "S" equipped with a supercharged V6 that develops 350 PS for just 1’251 KG. This seems like the ultimate track toy goes from 0-100 km/h in only 3.8 seconds and will reach a top speed of 277 km/h. With no power steering and a manual gearbox, the Exige is one of the purest driver’s car on the market.
Now, it was time to drive the big brother. Gone is the Elise's 1.8-litres inline-4, our Exige is a 2016 Series 3 "S" equipped with centrally-mounted supercharged 3.5-litres V6 that develops 350 PS for just 1’251 KG. This allows the Exige to go from 0-100 km/h in only 3.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 277 km/h. And just by looking at it, the Lotus seems like the ultimate track toy with its huge rear spoiler and massive air intakes. Honestly, I was starting to be a little bit nervous.
The Exige promises to be one of the purest driver’s car on the market, and with no power steering and a manual gearbox, you better be a focused driver if you dare to exploit the car's full potential. I take a look inside, and there is not much in there. The car comes with the optional air-conditioning system and convenience pack that comprises of a USB port and a cupholder. Yes, you don’t want too much stuff in an Exige anyway. If you manage to get in there (Yes, I'm 189cm tall, so it wasn't that easy) it's actually quite a nice place to sit in. The Alcantara bucket seats hold you like your mamma, and since the car is so compact, everything is at reach.
Jonathan Yardenyou don’t want too much stuff in an Exige anyway.
Yeah, I realized it might be a bit difficult to live with the Exige on a daily basis the moment I had to get in it. Then, there is the storage compartment. Inexistent. There is a boot behind the engine that seems bigger than the Elise and the "GT" Evora. But, honestly, you can maybe fit a medium size suitcase in there. You might end up using the passenger seat for your groceries. But if you are the kind of person that is always alone your car, you may be able to live with it. Nonetheless, remember when I said that the Exige is like a race car for the road? Well, I wasn't joking. The car is everything but comfortable and it is so low that speed bumps will become your worst nightmares. Also, the Exige is not the quiet type so, if you're ready to make your neighbors your worst enemies, the Exige is for you. Additionally, I hate being the bearer of bad news, but your bank account will also despise you because the Exige is not a very economical car. Mileage is quite terrible at around 10l/100km, and the price for a new Lotus Exige is around £70K.
On the bright side, the Exige is one of the most exciting cars you will ever drive. If you choose it as a daily, you might never experience a boring commute ever again. Thanks to all the articles I've written, I had the opportunity to drive a lot of different cars, and I can tell you that the Exige is up there with the all-time greats. Would I buy one? I don't know, I think £70K is a whole lot of money for a car that I see as a toy. The Lotus is a very potent track car, but for that kind of money, I'd maybe go for a used Porsche 911 GT3. The GT3 is more practical, usable, and you could even take it on a weekend trip. But if you don't want to be like everyone else, don't buy a Porsche, and get yourself a Lotus Elise Cup, a car that is less expensive, cheaper to run, and as much fun as the Exige.
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Lotus Exige S
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Perego Cars, situated in Switzerland, for giving me the opportunity to review and shoot this car. It is currently on sale on their website. Website: www.peregocars.com/en Facebook: www.facebook.com/peregocars/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/peregocars/
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Comments (20)
If I had no kids, and no plans for them in the next 3-5 years this would be a great idea. For the guys that live in busy cities and use public transport to work, there’s even less reason not to own one. So much more interesting an exotic than a Porsche, imo. As a generalisation, the guy buys a Porsche for the image and prestige, the guy buys the Lotus as he loves to drive.
Yes I agree. The Lotus is less of a statement, it’s a true driver’s car
If I were shorter, I would love to give it a go...
That was my problem, I got cramps from just trying to get in it
Ok, I'm 2.06 with extremely long legs- it's safe to say then that I wouldn't be able to squeeze myself in :-)
Such an underrated car ! Not sure how much it would cost to maintain it here in Switzerland but definitely an eye-catcher
Yeah I don’t think costs are so important
When I hear no power steering I imagine cranking the wheel in a parking lot like im opening a giant water valve or something,
id love to give it a try though
Hahah that’s about it! It’s not that terrible actually since the car is so light, but on a daily basis it might be a bit annoying
I'm just around 5ft8 and still have a very hard time getting in and out of any Elise or Exige. Lovely cars to drive, but certainly cannot daily these models. Evora on the other hand, can just about work!
Yes, the Evora fills the “GT” gap perfectly I think :)