Exige Challenge

Hi guys and gals.

The series is up and you will need to download the cars.

Lotus Exige Download

I just did a few laps and the only setup I configured was tires. I set them to soft slick and did 0:48's. So I figure I can get to 0:45's no problem\

NOTE:
These cars seem to be very low to the ground. I almost got hung up on a curb once.

CG in these cars is very low, but they have plenty of ride height -- I wouldn't take too much into how these cars are depicted in GTR2...grain of salt is your best bet.

The real GT3 car that should have been emulated in GTR2 (circa 2005)

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=202756&F=N

It was designed to go up against the Porsche RSR. And has output of 400 bhp (considerably different than what is in GTR2 - 200 bhp).

Back in 1997 they had a GT1 car, that for the most part wasn't very successful (using a chevy V8).

I'm honestly not sure where this GT4 car came from that is being represented in GTR2?

The GT4 Euro Cup:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GT4_European_Cup

These are the real GT4 lights class cars:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_2-Eleven
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Exige

Not that I have any interest in these cars ;) My street 07 Exige S is modified and runs close to the GT3 spec (about 280 bhp) @ 1950 lbs -- it will do about 172 mph according to my GPS -- :)

Probably more than you wanted to know about the Lotus, but heck this is the Lotus Exige Challenge :)

Not that I actually expect it to feel realistic... but compared to your car, how do these cars feel rob?

Anywhere close?

I'm guessing these were loosely based on the non-supercharged version of the street car (Elise 1.8 and Exige 1.8 - 190 bhp - 200 bhp). If that is the case, then yes you do need to rev the piss out of them to make power.

BUT in any version of the Lotus (Elise, Exige, Exige S, Exige 240S, Exige GT3, 111, Exige 265 BioFuel) they do NOT push like they do in GTR2. The Lotus factory alignment specs (-0.5 to -0.7 camber) and you might get some push (understeer). But everyone I know that has a Lotus and tracks it, runs at least -1.0 to -2.0 front camber ($80 modification one has to make). From that point on it's a matter of controlling oversteer. You can point these cars where you want them to go and they will go there. No power steering, no rubber bushings, no slop in driver input with a tremendous sense of being connected to the road/track surface.

As for my modified Exige S, it is still street/smog legal just putting out more power currently 280 bhp, soon to be 300 bhp. For street driving, you drive it like a motorcycle, short squirts of throttle in any gear gets you moving. Acceleration off the line is neck snapping, if you hit it right and don't smoke the tires or clutch -- very low rpm launch 4K max shift around 8-8.5K. These motors will handle 10K rpm before exploding, several have hit 9.5K on downshifts (aka mistakes) without harm. They are actually designed by Yamaha for Toyota and the sent to Lotus where they make some modifications also. But any of the supercharged version, you really don't need to rev the piss out of it, there is more than enough torque for the car's weight.

Now, I just need to figure out how to drive these abortions of a Lotus in GTR2.

I'll be on track in August at Thunderhill (with NASA) and maybe ButtonWillow (with Lotus Challenge Event), video to follow. If you happen to be in California, I'd be happy to give you or anyone a ride.

All sounds good Rob.
Not going to be able to make it out for california yet... price of gas is too expensive for that kind of trip.
I'll wait until I get a proper car for that kind of thing.

Every time I read about a lotus I ask myself "why wouldn't you want this car?"... sure it may not be the easiest to manage as far as maintenance, but really it's great in all areas. The fact that it weighs nothing adds to the performance. Great machines they are.

Most don't want the Lotus because it's pretty hardcore for a street car and it's small interior. No rubber anything on this car, so you get a lot of road and engine noise.

Having said that, I went from SF/Bay Area to LA in about 4 hours without any ride comfort issues, but my tolerance level is pretty high.

Price wise, it isn't too bad -- still think Lotus are getting big profit margins. My out the door with tax license, etc. was only 75K, I've dropped about 15K into it. Still comes out faster and cheaper than a bone stock GT3 or Lambo or Ferrari and gets about the same attention level if not a little more, oh and gets fantastic mpg for the level of performance.

Another alternative was to go with Elise for 50K and drop 30K into the motor and come out with 380 bhp -- but that combo is not street legal and will not pass smog. But to be honest the chassis would need work to go beyond 300 bhp. So I went the slightly more expensive route, but it's street legal and is at the max limit for the chassis/tranny.

As far as maintenance, not that big of an issue since they use the Toyota engine and the brakes are not ceramic based -- removing the undertray can add some work to simple items like oil changes, but not too big a deal.

But it's light weight also helps keep it from wearing out parts quickly (such as brake rotors and pads, wheel bearings, etc.).

But like I said, it's small and it's hardcore, definitely NOT for everyone.

Sure Rob,
but then again, if your a hard-core driver then you don't mind a bit of sweat and discomfort at the expense of a fantastic drive.
Curiously... would anyone technically notice if you were to have upgraded the elise? I mean sure its not street legal, but would they actually have you put it through tests? surely police men wouldn't notice.

Or is it buying the parts combination, and then getting the BMV to let you put a plate on it the problem?

My intro to Lotus was back in 1972, i had dropped out of college in boston and found a job south of town in a garage (would you believe "The Pit Stop"?) where they were fixing fiats and mgbs and racing a brabham bt8 in scca and they were all driving lotus elans. within the first 6 months i had my own '65 elan s-2, and the boys proceeded to take me out on the cloverleafs of the nearby interstate, and taught me what i had. it was a memorable time and a wonderful car. the cars had the classic twin cam ford with dcoe 40 webers, very lively and a great sound. and so tough that after we scattered the cosworth v8 that powered the brabham (a spark plug wire hung up the throttle on the main straight at limerock, it hit redline exactly and blew 2 laps later) my boss adapted his own elan's motor to bolt up to the bell and tranny and that car campaigned on, albiet with considerably less power. sorry guys, i was rambling, good memories. see you all on the track.

It's nice to hear about those memories though Mark.
Whatever happened to the elan? Eventually get scrapped?