Looks like a streetable supercharged US Exige is coming

[Aurora40]

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Vehicle ... 11507.html

Not as much power as this year's "cup" version or whatever it was called. But then that one wasn't road legal in the US.

[Dave M]

In black please...

[WillB]

I've got a Chrome Orange Exige S and they go like stink!

Hope you get them over there soon!

[Doc Fizzix]

BRG with two yellow stripes down the hood

[Doug]

I've got a Chrome Orange Exige S

YUMMY !!

I may pop over for a test drive . . .

[Ekapol]

For those who find it a challenge to slip into a conventional sedan, don't even consider the Exige S. You're going to spend too much time driving over to your chiropractor.

Lotus actually found room to engineer into the Exige a modest four cubic feet of trunk space.

Elise's variable cam timing system resulted in a notable notch in mid-range acceleration.

Sweet ..

[Aurora40]

^--- Heheh... Yeah the cars definitely seem like track-day cars, not daily drivers.

Every car is a compromise of sorts, it seems like the Elise/Exige is a way to have fast performance and decent fuel economy. And that's just about it. Considering the small size and the rather common small engine, it's not overly affordable.

I do admire the Lotus "add lightness" thing, but the thing is, while power to weight is about weight, it's also about power. Just being light won't cut it. For example a 1994 Geo Metro weighs in at a mere 1620lbs. With 190hp in the base/US model Elise/Exige, there are many cars that beat the power to weight ratio for less money and more utility. A car that weighs 3,000lbs would only need 285hp to retain the power/weight ratio. Finding one well under $50,000 isn't hard. Especially as a track-day car where you could take a car in the 3,200-3,400 range and gut it down to 3,000lbs or less easily.

With the blower, it pushes the power/weight ratio further for sure, but also pushed the price closer to $60,000. A 3,000lbs car would only need 330hp to retain the same power-to-weight ratio.

Of course, I'm sure the Elise/Exige is about the experience. I bet it feels like it is faster and handles better than anything out there, even if the actual results don't indicate that. And on the road, that's really what matters is that you have fun. They seem like neat cars for sure. I think it would be neat to own one. But I can't say I'd ever spend the money they cost for one. It's not my kind of compromises.

[charliex]

The Exige S has been on sale in the USA for a while now, i got in late and ordered my black S a few weeks ago, theres a couple on lot though.

The 2007 model only has a couple of small changes..

Its possible to mod it to the Cup car specs engine wise pretty easily, pulley and an ecu reflash basically.

The exige i'm helping work on has a 12lbs pulley and we've gotten around 260HP at the wheels, we're aiming for 300 RWHP.

[Jeff]

...and it looks like they are already offering discounts on it.

[charliex]

its kinda overpriced i think, so the discounts should bring it into line with the market.