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Lotus Exige Gallery
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| PERFORMANCE RATING: |
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Toyota's 1.8-litre VVT-i engine is a screamer, revving to 8,500rpm and with a real top-end kick at about 6,200 as the valve-timing changes. That transition is less marked in the Exige than in Toyota's Celica or Corolla T-Sport models, however. Lotus has knocked back the effect because the Exige is so light there's no need for an extra shove to make it feel like it's going quicker. The company fits its own air-box and stainless steel exhaust, and the power delivery is more linear than in the Toyota, plus more flexible than a highly-tuned K Series. You can leave it in fourth through villages, yet still get forceful acceleration when the road opens up again.
The engine's noise isn't quite as characterful as the growling K-Series; it's a bit more mechanical at lower revs but there's a proper spiteful brap at the top end. The gearbox is a six-speed unit, also taken straight from Toyota, though with specially picked gear ratios, and Lotus's own gear linkages. Shift quality is one of the weaker aspects of the car; the linkage's console wobbled a bit on our test car and the shift, although accurate, isn't quite as positive or slick as we'd like.
Stats say 0-60mph takes 4.9secs - though one Australian magazine has managed 4.7 - 0-100mph takes 13.2, and top whack is 147mph; the latter's down 3mph from the previous car but the S2 Exige generates proper downforce, explaining the difference. The Exige is Euro IV emissions compliant, produces 208g km of CO2 and, because it's a light car with a small engine, returns an impressive 32mpg over the combined cycle.
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