Spied: Lotus Exige V6

MOTORLOON1993

MOTORLOON1993

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Autocar http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/250045/
Lotus is working on a fresh revisions to the Elise and Exige ? and they could include a V6 powerplant, judging by the exhaust note of this test hack spied close to the firm?s Norfolk base.

This Exige has widened wheel arches and increased cooling. Our spies reported that its engine sounded the same as those of nearby Evoras, suggesting that it has six cylinders.

The Evora?s Toyota-sourced V6 powerplant would add bulk to the Exige, potentially raising its weight beyond the 1000kg level. But it would also offer more power and torque than the car?s current four-cylinder powerplant. Even the hardcore Exige S has 257bhp and 174lb ft; in the Evora the V6 produces 276bhp and 258lb ft.

The Exige V6 was first mooted late last autumn, but management changes at Lotus are said to have put the project on hold until a fresh, more comprehensive business plan for the model could be compiled. The fact that this car has been seen in the last fortnight appear to indicate that development has now been signed off.

This test car also shows that Lotus is considering chassis tweaks to the Exige; the wheelarches have allowed a modest increase in track, and the rear wheels appear to be sitting slightly further back in the chassis, suggesting a longer wheelbase.
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anyone else thinks that the more versions of the elise they produce, the uglier it becomes?

time for a major overhaul if you ask me...
 
I very much like the idea of a V6 Exige, but I also agree that they are currently a bit ugly.
 
Lotus_Elise_GT1_Type_115_488f66a57632c.jpg
 
It looks ugly, since it seems to have too small tyres on, atleast width wise. But paint it black, touch of screaming orange and I'd kill for one =)
 
i actually was thinking about this very thing maybe 3 nights ago while doing research on V6 swaps into the SW20 and AW11 chassis. I am honestly surprised someone hasn't already swapped an MZ into the lotus chassis somewhere along the line.
 
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SchumacherM said:
It looks ugly, since it seems to have too small tyres on, atleast width wise. But paint it black, touch of screaming orange and I'd kill for one =)
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Lotus understands that putting too big of a tire on a car hurts performance and handling, even if it may mean traction in first gear and in some low-speed turns may be slightly worse with a smaller tire.
 
The_Finn said:
i actually was thinking about this very thing maybe 3 nights ago while doing research on V6 swaps into the SW20 and AW11 chassis. I am honestly surprised someone hasn't already swapped an MZ into the lotus chassis somewhere along the line.
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Sadly there's more fab work required to put an MZ or a GR into a place where a ZZ used to be, as opposed to an S or A; same reason there are fewer V6 swaps into MR2 Spyders, not to mention the weight issues that Elise people are fanatical about. That and most MR2 V6 swaps were done into cars with blown turbo engines, and fewer people have blown up the ZZs in their Elises. Not to mention that on paper at least, a 190HP 1MZ doesn't look that much better than a 190HP 2ZZ in the Elise, even if the torque curve is superior, and the 3MZs have to deal with drive-by-wire throttles.
 
Arctor said:
Lotus understands that putting too big of a tire on a car hurts performance and handling, even if it may mean traction in first gear and in some low-speed turns may be slightly worse with a smaller tire.
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Oh...then we have a problem here...wider track then, redesigned chassis, because with the same tyres and this bodywork it looks funny :D
 
Lotus should really make an entry-level car (One that almost anyone could get) front engined to complete with the MX5 market. They invented it FFS!
 
The back does look wierd. Also, is it just me or do the first and last pic look as if someone was just messing around with the new content aware fill function?
 
does this have the new front fascia? i hope so, because it's a massive improvement. also, once the wide track fenders are finalized they won't look so tacked on.
 
I approve a V6 Elise, but that wheel arches look ghastly.
 
I'd like an Elan revision too actually - sort of light weight, brilliant handling but powerful drop top. Or premium MX-5 not for hairdressers type car.
 
I would hope that the v6 version would not mean you got stuck with a body kit riveted on.
 
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