Lotus Exige S 2013 Review

What we liked:
>> Progressive power delivery
>> Grip levels... to a point
>> Supercharged V6 soundtrack

Not so much:
>> Build quality niggles
>> Cheap, dated interior
>> Difficult entry and egress

If we’re going to be completely honest, we’d say most modern sportscars are a little soft. Not because they’re slow or that their thirst for corners isn’t unrelenting, just because they’re usually the ambit of big soft guys with big soft egos and big soft wallets -- hardly the type would feel at home in a Lotus Exige S.

Why? Well for starters there’s minimal padding here. The seats are designed to hold their occupants in place, not pad their behinds. But also because the Lotus Exige S’ technological treats extend to little more than launch control, a radio, air-con and cruise control -- you’ll need it. There’s not even power steering!

Oh, and you’ll need to wear loose fitting clothing and remember to limber up before trying to climb inside. It’s a touch tricky. And forget your luggage; 115 litres of boot space means you’ve enough room for your helmet and a change of underwear -- you’ll need that, too.

Like its big sister, the Evora S, the Lotus Exige S draws motivation from a mid-mounted Toyota-sourced 2GR-FZE 3456cc V6 engine. It is force-fed by an intercooled Harrop HTV 1320 supercharger to develop 257.5kW at 7000rpm and 400Nm at 4500rpm which, in an aluminium tub that tips the scale at just 1166 kilos, produces devastatingly quick results.

Nought to 100km/h is dealt with in just four seconds, meaning the Exige S can out-accelerate some pretty big names, including the Aston Martin V8 Vantage S (4.5 seconds) and Porsche 911 (4.8 seconds).

Cogs are swapped manually via a close-ratio EA60 six-speed transmission, which Lotus says will wind the Exige S out to a top whack of 233km/h -- we’ll take the company’s word for it.

The double-wishbone suspension, again forged from aluminium, rides on Eibach springs and is pushed earthward via Bilstein shocks. Stopping power comes from four-pot callipers grabbing AP ventilated discs measuring 350mm up front and 332mm up back.

Lotus says the Exige S will consume 10.1L/100km of PULP on the combined cycle, meaning you’ll have a theoretical range of 396 kilometres. Good luck with that! The seductive mélange of a howling supercharger and genuine push-in-the-back acceleration means saving dead dinosaurs will be the last thing on your mind. For the record, we achieved an average of 14.3L/100km on test.

Climbing (or should I say falling) into the Exige S reminds us not only how snug the “pure and driver-focussed” Lotus cockpit is, but also how basic. Sure, that’s part of its charm, but considering the price tag the ambience is one of aftermarket oddity and overt penny-pinching.

But it is, in its own way, practical. Comfort aside, the ergonomics allow easy reach of the primary controls which are themselves responsive and, pleasantly, mechanical of action. The switchgear, familiar to late 1990s GM/Opel vehicles, leaves little to get excited about, but is obvious and functional, which is all that really matters I guess...

Though just how many enthusiasts will care for pomp and splendour is largely irrelevant. The exterior looks rightly draw their own attention -- and enough of it -- while the note from the centrally mounted exhaust outlet leaves no-one wondering as to the intent of the diminutive coupe (its roof measures just 1129mm from the ground!).

Accelerating from standstill with any sort of pace means you’ll need to forget mechanical empathy. Slip the clutch and give it a bit of throttle and the Exige S will have no trouble matching its manufacturer’s 0-100km/h claim -- and avoid turning the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo tyres into smoke. Get it right and you’re rewarded with a getaway -- quick enough to leave most wondering which way you went.

Like most supercharged engines power delivery is progressive and rapid, meaning you don’t have to wait for the turbo to spool up or cam to kick in, just feed on the power and watch the horizon approach. And if the horizon is filling your windscreen a little too rapidly, you’ll be reassured by the fact that the stoppers are absolutely unrelenting -- a good thing when you consider the gearshift down to second can get a little cranky when warm.

Though it’s not like you’ll need to back off for the turns. In the dry, the Exige S offers sharp, sudden turn in with a level of grip certain to see your passenger grabbing for the non-existent Jesus bar. The car hangs onto turns like Velcro, but comes unstuck just as quickly thanks in part to a 35:65 front-to-rear weight bias. Feed on too much power, or get a tyre on the white line, and the rear-end steps out of line quicker than a schoolboy on muck-up day.

If you’re awake, it’s pretty easy to get back. The steering leaves absolutely no second guessing, clearly instructing its intentions to the finger tips to allow instant rectification. The throttle response is just as timely. It’s a recipe that means the car will react as quickly as you do to adhesive indiscretions... as accidental or otherwise as these might be.

So if you have a spare $120K, a full 12 points on your licence and are looking for a car that scores a 9.5-out-of-10 on the fun scale, the Lotus Exige S is almost without rival, especially if you’re in search of matchless track day thrills.