2008 Lotus Exige S Review

Bell & Ross make precision watches for professionals operating in extreme conditions. Similarly, the Lotus Exige S Performance Pack, is a precision instrument capable of extreme speeds across any paved terrain

Model tested: 2008 Lotus Exige S Performance Pack - $125,990 (RRP)

Options:

* Touring Pack: $8000
* Sport Pack: $6000

Note: 2008 Exige S with no Upgrade Option Packs: $114,990

plus.jpg Supercar looks, Supercar performance and Japanese reliability for a bargain price
The Upgrade Option Packs are still too expensive. The standard Exige S at $114,990 is the better buy

If you’re punting along in your Euro-express and suddenly notice an Exige S in the rear vision (and I guarantee you will recognise this car) best you move across a lane.

But when you hit anything that remotely resembles a bend in the road, you should pull over and let the Lotus do its thing. Whatever you do, don’t under any circumstances, try and go with it. You’ll lose or worse still, come a cropper.

If you stand back and fully appreciate what Lotus have achieved with the Exige S, you’ll be hard pressed finding any fault. This is truly, the performance ‘bang for buck’ king.
Even in standard guise, this is a seriously rapid car. By standard guise, I mean the 1.8-litre, supercharged, Toyota engine, putting out an unremarkable 163kW of power and 215Nm of torque.

Doesn’t sound like that much, I can hear you all muttering. Wrong! Power, and power alone, is not what Lotus is about. Power-to-weight, is infinitely more important and Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus, wrote the book on that.

Although heavier than the Elise at 935 kg, the Exige S can shred the 0-100 km/h dash, in 4.3 seconds. Just for the record, the power-to-weight ratio, is an astonishing 174kW per tonne.

But this isn’t the standard Exige S we have parked in the CarAdvice garage, no sir, this version is from the dark side. Something even more sinister. Say hello to the Exige S Performance Pack.

I’d rather Lotus called it by its proper name, the “Exige S Sport 240, the badge applied to the limited edition cars, which Lotus Australia previously prepared.

I’m not sure the Exige S needed to be any quicker, but I for one, am not complaining.