New Exige Sport 350

[The Pits]

Yes there was talk about some changes to the exhaust but it's not a big difference in terms of sound, either inside or out.

[The Pits]

Now in 1440HD. Looks much better for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5lOPXus1FI

[Top cat]

On 12 December 2015 at 11:34, Bibs said:

There are pics of those areas in our review

 

Hi Bibs, please excuse my ignorance but i cant find any pictures of the updated air-con buttons in your review. ? could you post them in this thread for me please. 

[The Pits]

I preferred the aluminium toggle for the DPM and am not big into starter buttons but the new AC buttons are very brightly backlit now (blue from memory).

[RedViper]

On 9 December 2015 at 14:59, Gashead1105 said:

What I want to know is whether the new gear linkage mechanism is the same as the Evora 400's and, if it is, whether it can be retrofitted to my S (I don't want to have the exposed linkage though, I've already lost my phone down behind the seats a few times!)

Hi

 

i wondered the same thing about retrofitting to existing V6S but got the reply back. 

 

I have discussed the issue of retro fitting the new improved gear change to your Exige but unfortunately they are not compatible. This is due to some bonding and chassis changes needed to accommodate the gear shift unit.
Also the switch gear is different and will need extensive modifications to your exciting harness.

 

so that is a shame. Also they don't have an after sales price for the louvred boot lid yet either. 

?

[The Pits]

OK but give them a chance, the 350 Sport isn't even out until next Spring!

The bill would be horrific if it was possible to fit the linkage, the car would have to be virtually rebuilt. If you're not happy with your current shift, there is a quite a lot of adjustment that can be done and it can make a big difference. Much the better avenue to pursue.

[Top cat]

Thanks Jonny, for the pictures. Do we know if it that little pod of buttons can be easily retro fitted. I know it is a small point but it really irks me that Lotus sold me a car without anyone checking whether the buttons placed their were fit for purpose.  

[The Pits]

Unlike the gearbox it's got to be a pretty simple swap over I'd have thought. No doubt cheekily priced though!

[Bibs]

17 minutes ago, RedViper said:

Also the switch gear is different and will need extensive modifications to your exciting harness.

Is that not what's being alluded to here?

[RedViper]

23 minutes ago, The Pits said:

Unlike the gearbox it's got to be a pretty simple swap over I'd have thought. No doubt cheekily priced though!

Yeah. That's what I thought. Should be fairly simple. Less weight, better cooling of engine bay and to me the car looks a bit meaner so would be a nice little mod. 

 

[The Pits]

I take it you mean the louvred engine cover? I shall put one on my car if they'll let me. But just trying to get the lightweight battery has been quite a job so far. Still haven't got one on my car.

[Stubox]

Does it still do that annoying little rev up when you start it up from warm?

[V6Cup]

I also have an enquiry in with Lotus as to whether the entire gear shift (including the exposed mechanism) can be transplanted into my car, but they haven't come back yet.

It will be somewhat annoying if it can't, my shift is not the sweetest - particularly going into 5th and has already been looked at by Lotus Motorsport who say it is within normal tolerances.

The air-con lights/indicator clicks/poor headlights I can live with as none of them get used much (although I too wonder how these things got 'signed off' as acceptable) but the gearshift is a key part of the interaction with the car and it could certainly be improved.

 

   

[Kalli]

Me likely those air con buttons. Part of me does prefer the starter button section, but only to be in keeping with the theme. One of my pet hates with Lotus is how they CONSTANTLY change their standardisation. 

"Oooh this switch looks cool. Lets put it here". 

"Oooh this one also looks good too. Lets put it elsewhere in the car, and as we haven't planned ahead, we'll change the other button later to match"

"Ok - the matching button has been changed. But i'm bored of it. LETS CHANGE IT AGAIN!"

[The Pits]

Being 'within normal tolerances' is not the same as being painstakingly set-up to be the best it can be. Without doubt that's what needs to be thoroughly explored before any serious thoughts of having the car rebuilt from the gearbox up. You'll see for yourself when you try the new car but the new gear linkage is an improvement but it's not the be all and end all needed to justify the huge cost. A well set-up Exige S gearbox has more slack but it feels slicker, requires less effort and swaps cogs just as fast. Try the new linkage first. No doubt there will be further improvements to come, just as there was with the Exige S when they used low-friction motorsport cables. I don't know but I wouldn't be surprised if the new gearbox has reverted to less exotic cables. If that is the case the ultimate version of the new linkage would use them as I like the fast, slick action that my car has.

[Gashead1105]

10 hours ago, The Pits said:

OK but give them a chance, the 350 Sport isn't even out until next Spring!

The bill would be horrific if it was possible to fit the linkage, the car would have to be virtually rebuilt. If you're not happy with your current shift, there is a quite a lot of adjustment that can be done and it can make a big difference. Much the better avenue to pursue.

I want to drive the 350 Sport to see if the shift makes that much of a difference. I am going to ask to have the cables adjusted at the next service in April, my shift is ok but it's a bit balky when cold in particular - doesn't like going into first and the shift to second is also not as good as it could be. 

For the rest of the changes though, while I appreciate what has been done they aren't enough to make me want to swap my car in at the end of the finance term (which to be fair is not until April 2017, who knows what will be available at that time...). I like having a heated rear screen that I can actually see out of, I don't have any major problem with the backlighting of the A/C buttons, they are clear enough for me, I prefer the toggle switch for the DPM, don't care about a lighter battery and it looks like you can't now have cruise control fitted out of the factory either, which is annoying. I really like having it on my car, it makes pootling back from a trackday so much less effort and is really helpful at keeping within the speed limit... 

[Kalli]

I'd imagine the Exige 350 comes with cruise control as standard. To my knowledge, there's nothing specific to each car outside of the Cruise Control buttons and the ECU programming, so I can't see them removing it on their most spec'd model yet. And in the days of self-driving cars, if they HAVE removed it, they're stupid. 

[V6Cup]

Makes sense what you say Jonny. I had the Motorsport cables on my Cup 260 (with uprated engine mounts) and the shift on that was lovely, slick but precise. I had hoped something similar would be out by now on the V6.  

I will get Lotus to have another look at my shift, perhaps at the same time get a drive out in the 350 to feel what the new linkeage is like.

LOVE the look of it though as much as anything and think it would really add to the cabin of a Cup car. 

 

[C8RKH]

1 hour ago, Kalli said:

Me likely those air con buttons. Part of me does prefer the starter button section, but only to be in keeping with the theme. One of my pet hates with Lotus is how they CONSTANTLY change their standardisation. 

"Oooh this switch looks cool. Lets put it here". 

"Oooh this one also looks good too. Lets put it elsewhere in the car, and as we haven't planned ahead, we'll change the other button later to match"

"Ok - the matching button has been changed. But i'm bored of it. LETS CHANGE IT AGAIN!"

It's funny but those aircon buttons are just like my series one Evora - smooth metal - which is great until you want to turn them as no grip, especially when they are cold or fingers are slightly cold/wet. Some form of knurling or shaping would have been a drastic improvement and I hate them so much I've even thought about commissioning some aftermarket ones in CNC'd metal. It's the only aspect of my Evora's controls that causes me any thought! Impossible to work with gloves on too.

[Neal H]

12 hours ago, The Pits said:

 

 

Hmmmm..... Not exactly inspiring is it.

It may have better back lighting than the previous version, but the previous version was a whole lot prettier!

In an impractical, fun, sports car - style over substance rules for me. I'm happier with what I have.

[C8RKH]

I'm sorry but that looks like something off a cheap toy steering wheel set-up for a Playstation or XBox.  I know, I know, function over form but a bit of metal suround, or CF, or something, would it really cost that much more and if so, stick an extra £100 on the asking price to cover it. When the exterior looks as good as it does, when the noise sounds as good as it is, when the drive is as faultless as it is....

[Arun_D]

12 minutes ago, Neal H said:

Hmmmm..... Not exactly inspiring is it.

It may have better back lighting than the previous version, but the previous version was a whole lot prettier!

In an impractical, fun, sports car - style over substance rules for me. I'm happier with what I have.

 

 

I dunno, the 2015 DPM switch with cheapo plastic rocker is a step back from the original with 'Tour', 'sport' and flag symbol, in my opinion.

But...the new Sport 350 does need at least some sort of contrasting flourish, I do agree. A bit of aluminium maybe.

 

[V6Cup]

I agree, looks nasty.

[The Pits]

That pic makes it look huge of course, which it isn't. You can see on the video it's a much more dainty affair. It works well but I prefer the toggle switch to look at and consider a starter button a bit daft when you already have to put the key in the ignition. Much simpler just to give it a turn! None of this of course has any bearing on how the car drives. Despite the obvious driver focus with the Exige, it's funny how so many of us owners can get preoccupied with interior minutiae. I wasted quite a bit of time obsessing about getting red alcantara trim on the inside of my dash pod. Haven't thought much about it since. Once behind the wheel all that stuff pales in comparison.

[C8RKH]

I agree Jonny but isn't it this sort of "detail" that constantly gets trotted out as to why Loti are not "better" than Porsche and just provides easy food to lazy journo's to mark Lotus down? To flourish and keep on producing great cars Lotus needs to sell cars and sometimes I think these are the details that lose them customers at the magazine research stage.  I think they should take a lesson from David Brailsford and look at small, incremental marginal gains that don't necessarily cost the earth. I mean, as you point out, why go to the cost of a "start" button when you still have to put the key in when that cost could have been used to create a nicer DPM suround/switch using the previous metal one?  Just seams one step in one direction then turn, one step in another - not necessarily just forwards and backwards, but more random....

We know they meet to look at parts for function and weight, maybe they need a separate team looking at aesthetics - I mean, they already had the metal DPM switch right, so why commission a new one in plastic etc etc?