It seems like the boys out in Hethel, UK have finally gotten the memo. In a world of global warming concerns, polar bears wearing sunscreen, and glaciers melting, we still are smack dab in the middle of a horsepower war. The war that is on now makes the 60′s horsepower war look like a schoolyard brawl, and Lotus finally is jumping on the horsepower bandwagon. While we were not able to secure the new Exige S260 at press time, the S240 is a great example of what happens when you add gobs of power to a tiny car.

Colin Chapman’s mantra has always been a simple one: performance through lightweight. Whether we are talking Elans or Esprits, ground up Lotus designs have always been as basic and spartan as they can be to ensure no extra pounds are lugged around. While Lotus has had a history of pumping large amounts of power into their cars as seen in the Esprit V8′s and the sadly overweight Carlton (a heavily modified Vauxhall sedan), there has been no better blend of horsepower in a bantamweight chassis.

Exterior
While based largely on the shape of the Elise, the Exige has it’s own specific touches. The nose of the car is slightly different,and sports a splitter to reduce front end lift at higher speeds. While the splitter does tend to drag on most inclines you come across, it’s thankfully an easy to replace part. Coming up the nose of the car, the Exige differentiates itself from the Elise further. Black painted metal mesh covers both the front grill, and also the vents on top of the radiator. There isn’t a real functional difference between the Elise and Exige in this regard, rather it is done for visual distinction.

Low and mean, without excess.

While standing next to the car, look down at the roof (correct, look down!) and you’ll see the Cup roof that made an appearance in 2008. The cup roof extends the intake for the intercooler all the way to the front of the hood. While the 2006 and 2007 Exiges had a smaller, more astecially pleasing intake, the newer Cup roof feeds more air, keeping the intake charge much cooler. Heat soaking the intercooler should no longer be an issue.

Around back, the Exige carries the same wing from the prior years. Claimed to make up to 80lbs of downforce at speed, you’ll notice the Exige being a fair bit more planted through high speed corners, especially when applying power. Couple that wing with a rear diffuser to complete the under car aerodynamics, and you can see this car has spent quite some time in a wind tunnel.

I’ve personally always liked the clamshells on the Exige against the Elise. The Elises clams are produced in high pressure molds, where as the Exige has hand laid fiberglass. While hand laying the fiberglass causes it to weigh slightly more, it is not only stronger, but the body creases are a bit more rounded, giving the car a slightly less angular look.

Overall, the Exige still has the angry and muscular edge that I’ve loved from day one. Suffice to say, you will not mistake this car for anything else on the road.

Interior
How well does my 6’2” frame fit in the Exige? Suprisingly well! When I first came across an Exige, I was convinced it was going to be the best drivers car, but that I would never find out since I didn’t think I would fit. Once you learn how to get in, it isn’t as bad as you might think.

Bare and basic, with all controls in reach.

Sliding into the car, you’ll notice the seats are Exige specific (except for the rare California Elise, which shared the seats), and support the driver a bit better. Like the Elise, the seat back angle is fixed, and the only seat adjustment is forward and back. Setting the seat all the way back, everything falls to hand perfectly.

You can see some small concessions to comfort in this tiny car. While Lotus strains to shave every pound off the car, it still has air conditioning, power windows and locks, and even iPod integration into the Alpine headunit (though it is crude). The car is narrow enough that it is possible to reach over and use the passenger side power window switch, which is a good thing since the drivers door doesn’t have a control for the passenger side. I do recommend rolling the windows down; while the AC works better than you’d expect, the compressor sends vibrations through the car at idle, and who wants to rob any power away from the engine?

Quality of materials on the inside wont embarass you for the price you are paying, but the inside of this car lets you know it’s purpose. Spartan, a word that would be an insult to other cars, is just a basic compliment to how perfectly functional the interior is. The only misstep is in the footwell. While there isn’t much room to deal with, and the pedals are spaced well for heel and toeing, there is no true dead pedal, which means with the cornering forces this car can muster, a 5 point harness might not be a had idea.

Chassis and Drivetrain
Derived from the Elise, the Exige debuted with the same naturally aspirated engine back in 2006. The 2006 Exige didn’t add anything in a straightline, rather it tightened up what is arguably the worlds best handling car. Carrying on with the Elise’s Toyota sourced, 190HP 2ZZ-GE 4 cylinder, the Exige was quick, but straightaways between corners did have a way of seeming longer than they actually were, even with a close ratio 6 speed to keep the engine in the powerband.

In response to claims that the Exige didn’t have the power to match it’s handling, Lotus added a supercharger to the Exige in 2007 bumping the output to 220HP. Realizing that there was still horsepower reliably left in the engine, and capability in the chassis, Lotus again upped the ante in 2008 with another 20hp increase, to give the car it’s namesake 240HP. 2009 is going to bring yet another 20hp increase, and create the S260.

To keep you glued to the road, the Exige rides on adjustable Bilstein dampers with remote resevoirs, so you can dial the suspension to fit your driving style. The only downside to this setup is that your dental insurance premiums should be paid on time. One good pothole, and chipping a tooth or knocking a filling loose isn’t out of the question. On really bumpy roads, I highly recomend a boxers mouth guard. While it is possible to order an Exige without the adjustable dampers, the handling edge they provide is well worth the money, and ride penalty (unless you don’t mind cranking them to soft then back to hard depending on your mood). The basic but effective wishbone suspension is mated to the aluminum chassis that is shared with the Elise.

Performance
What is it like to put kick the spurs in an Exige? In a word, frightening. From the second you get past 2,000 RPMs, you know you aren’t in a mere mortals car. Unlike the NA Exige of three years ago, which needs 6,000+ RPMs to get going, the S240 is explosive at even a low RPM, owing to the torque increase from the supercharger. Keep the fun pedal down past 6,000 RPM where the VVTL-i switches to the aggressive cam profile, and you’ll know what it feels like to be sacked by a 300 lb. defensive lineman. If you haven’t driven a car that can rip off sub 4 sec 0-60 runs, chances are you’ll bury the engine into the rev limiter in first gear before you realize the sequenced upshift lights are flashing in earnest at you. Upshift through the next few gears (don’t hit the blind gate when shifting into 3rd!), and you’ll pass the 100mph mark well before 10 seconds has elapsed.

While the car has the performance to outrun your friends favorite muscle car, that isn’t the beauty of the added power. All of a sudden, the straightaways between corners are no longer a long waiting zone, it’s a frenzied flurry of gearchanges, braking, and serves to only increase your heart rate rather than lower it. Modifying your line mid corner with the throttle is a lot easier due to the added HP and torque, and metering the power into the sticky Yokohama Advans is still a breeze. Also, with the added low end grunt, you don’t have to worry about falling off the cam, and losing your corner exit speed. Finally, an engine to match the potential of the chassis. I do have a slight complaint with the supercharger though; the NA engine is very responsive, but the supercharger dulled that edge somewhat. Throttle inputs have to be a little more deliberate, and you have to expect a minuscule delay. Small price to pay for the pleasure.

The Exige S240 maintains all that we have loved about the Elise and Exige since day one. The telepathic steering (you think it, and it just goes where you want it to), the nimble as a gnat chassis motions, and a directness in all of the controls that is unmatched. The ability to throw the car into a corner at a speed which will scare most professionals isn’t something that you don’t come across daily, nor is the face distorting acceleration. Just don’t sharply lift midcorner, as you might end up seeing where you just came from in a big hurry. If you overcook it, try lifting your toes off the bottom of your right shoe.

The Verdict
If you demand perfection, this car will deliver in more ways than you could ever have imagined. Whether driven at 7/10ths or 10/10ths, the Exige is easy to control in every regard. Nothing in automotive history has combined the brutal nature of this car’s scorching performance with such ease of use.

If I had a magic wand though, I would clean up the slightly ropey shift linkage, as it’s too easy to hit the blind gates between the gears until you get used to making deliberate motions. Visibility out of the rear is comical at best, owing to the center rearview mirror that looks right at the intercooler. Backing out of a parking spot, especially with $5,000 worth of fiberglass just past the tiny rear bumper is nerve-racking to say the least.

But with perfection, there comes a price, and I highly doubt anyone would pass on this piece of excellence for these small gripes. When a company that is known for handling adds more power to the equation, you end up with the best all around performance car that money can buy.

Price
MSRP: $65,690
Recommended options:
Starshield (Clear Bra): $995
Touring Pack: $1,600
Track Pack: $1,650

-KF