Well its been all of a year since Him Indoors has had a new car.. Its time to dump that lardy (if yet awesome sounding) big bum barge and get something that can go on track and not come back with a brake issue that Ford couldnt solve. The car had 2 or more sets of discs, padxs, hubs checked for run off and yet they still wobbled when it braked (from high speed)

Almost for as long as I've known him he's loved these things and after many many searches of Pistonheads and wishing he could have one he found a black Exige S, 220, ACU with sports pack, roll over and harness bar (harnesses should be along very quickly) and about 8,600 miles on a 58 plate.

So its bye bye Mountuned RS and hello small, revvy, stupidly quick Lotus Exige S












I test drove it when we went to see it last weekend and BOY does she shift. You think you are really wringing the neck out of it but you're nowhere near it! Its definitly a Jap engine (its a 1.8 supercharged engine from a Celica) and has 3 lights that tell you when to change gear (by the third light you really should be changing up) and that engine is just screaming inches away from the back of your head.

She's got no power steering but when you're out and about you really cant tell. My first two cars didnt have power steering so its certainly taken me back!!! LOL

Oh yeh and that "boot"? Pfft... boot.. that an insult to boots! A space where you can cram a few SMALL things is a better description hehehe. Oh and yeh I've gone from being ferried about in relative luxury, space and comfort to being so close if I'm not careful Him Indoors grabs a handful of thigh when he goes for the handbreak! Oooer!

(some of His Indoors pics)

Now that is a TRACK TOY

Much better suited than the Focus.

Is she on semi slicks???

I have driven one at Silverstone and my god they grip!!!

That's an awesome car

A real track toy

8k seems a lot of car for that money, how much one new and will it be as reliable as the Ford.
Looks great though.

Think its on A408s?

My parents have had 2 of them and they are abosulutely brilliant, if i could afford one I would do in a heart beat, and the boot is big enough, my dad and I packed up a tent etc and went to le man for the weekend

Nice purchase though, sounds a bit like myself always wanting something else, although sounds like hes been unlucky with cars with the megane having issues as well

Rob - they are Yokaham Advan A048 Lotus specific tyres and yes they are R888 like in their semi slickness!

Yeh really since his rally slag ST he's hankered after a much more track focused car and after being let down with another particular black car with harnesses and roll bars (*ahem*) this has been THE car to get really. She is an utter screamer. I like it!

Yeh Steve... sorry thats the mileage.. That cost as much as the RS new... Lotuses AINT cheap LOL

Adam - I had to sit with my bag between my legs and that nearly did me in!! lol I think we'll be sharing a bag from now on pfft

Just wait for a bill for those tyres, they were £260 for the rears last time my parents got them

Yes its not the most comfortable, saying that always found it more comfortable than the elise
Last time I looked S1 elises were 8k Steve and non supercharged exiges were 16k plus second/third/fourth hand

I can't read properly, still out of my tree.

Now that is what I call a car!

Very nice addition. I'd love one but tried sitting in one a few years ago and couldn't fit properly

ummm imo id never have a lotus i thought they were really unrelible, plus i would never get bored of a ford especially an rs lol, but still looks a cool little thing

Thanks Steph.

Yeh let's just say I'm a rather "snug fit" too! Here's me thinking the R26.R was a tight fit! That's nothing! lol Ah well gives me more reason to get to the gym

When my mum saw it today she was like "Wow! She's EVIL!"

Well in answer to that Goodyear there are good and bad points with every single manufacturer. There are people who would swear Ford are the worst, others who say (hard to believe but true) that Renaults are bad etc lol This one is 2 years old so you're kind of hoping that any issues would have reared their head by now. Oh and before you ask the previous owner only got rid of it for a Exige Roger Becker edition (with black styling pack). He's got a thing for black cars with black wheels lol

The RS drank fuel at an alarming rate and whilst it wasnt breaking his bank persay it wasnt great. We stuck £40 in for a full tank on the Lotus and that lasted almost twice as long. Yes there will be times when you'll miss that 5 pot 2.5 growl and those immense bangs from the exhaust and the way the dump valve chattered but when you're someone who loves (truly loves) going out on track, the RS isnt the car for you really. Plus it had a problem with the brakes that SCC Performance couldnt fix, Ford couldnt find etc so he just had no confidence it would ever be solved.

The right car (for him) came along at the right time, right spec and right price so he just went for it.

i didnt mean it in a pulling down way sorry if it came across as that, your right there are faults with all, it does look and i bet it is a really nice car its jusy my passion for fords again lol, just fitted a bailey dump valve to the focus st and it sound brilliant, ah i see i love black cars with black rims aswell because i love that stealth look, and yeah i see what you mean about the track car situation i dont think the rs is the lightest car to chuck around lol plus the lotus will stick to the track like glue so brilliant car for track use

New lotuses are pretty good reliability wise since they got rid of the K series rover engine in the old elise, think they are now toyota engines aren't they?