I have to admit with great shame that this was my first chance to drive a Lotus. I use the word shame because I am a great admirer of the golden age of Formula 1, when Jimmy Clark was competing for the Lotus team, then headed by Colin Chapman.
It all started with a casual, friendly invitation to visit the offices of Lotus USA in Atlanta. It was an honor to be in an environment steeped in pride and melancholy for the legendary history of Lotus.
Once inside the offices are on display a Lotus Exige Club Racer, Elise and the highly anticipated new Lotus Evora. Grata was my surprise when I was informed that were available an Exige S-240 and Evora (European version) for evaluation.
2010 Lotus Exige S-240 brings a few changes to the 2009 version. Mechanism is the same, and the only differences are the interior color choices.
The Lotus Exige coupe is a high-performance of only two seats. This year is only offered in a version as the Exige S-260 was discontinued.
As standard equipment found forged alloy wheels 16 "front and 17" rear tires, high performance Yokohama Advan, AP Racing and Brembo brakes with vented and perforated discs diagonally, Eibach springs and Bilstein shock absorbers, air conditioning, electric windows and latches, sport seats, leather-wrapped Momo steering wheel, Alpine sound system with 4 speakers, and launch control and traction control adjustable.
The base price of the Lotus Exige S-240 is $ 65.990. The color of our test unit had a special color "Burnt Orange" ($ 3,300) and two optional packages, the Touring Package ($ 1,600) and the Track Pack ($ 1,650). The first includes noise insulation, cup holders, to secure network objects, carpets and leather seats, door panels and emergency brake lever, the second option only offers the option to manually adjust the suspension. Other options include plastic lamination to protect the paint, limited slip differential and exterior colors.
The Lotus Exige central charges 4-cylinder engine and 1.8-liter supercharged developed by Yamaha. This produces 240 horsepower, 165 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission conventional. The Exige accelerates from 0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds impressive. As for fuel consumption, an EPA registered 20 mpg in the city and 26 on the road.
One of the attributes that differentiates the Lotus cars its closest competitors (if any) is its low weight. For the particular case of the Exige S, this is one of the main reasons for its excellent performance, weighs only 2.077 lbs.
The interior is crude and simple (like me what the doctor ordered). The seats offer excellent lateral support commensurate with their ability to cross high-speed turns. Obviously the Exige is a car that has been developed not for the average driver, but for those enthusiasts who prefer sporty handling and not the details of comfort and aesthetics.
I must warn you enter / exit the cabin can be a little uncomfortable and may even require a little flexibility. Forget about carrying suitcases or anything else in the trunk, as space is very limited and hot.
The latter becomes secondary once you start your engine and meets the vehicle's actual talent. The system is manual steering, the brakes are hard and very stiff suspension ... the perfect recipe for establishing a direct communication channel between the track, the vehicle and driver. The performance and effectiveness of the braking system is impressive thanks to its lines of metal, large calipers and discs.
Personally I was very impressed with the Lotus Exige S-240. It offers everything a fan as I search: NO BULLSHIT, only what you need to bring the car to its full capacity with the necessary technological confidence.
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