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Feann Torr21 Feb 2014
REVIEW

Lotus Exige S Roadster 2014 Review

A Japanese engine, Australian supercharger and British chassis? Meet the Lotus Exige S Roadster

Lotus Exige S Roadster


Lightweight, uncompromising and intensely quick, Lotus cars have always had a special aura about them -- the Exige S Roadster is no different. Compared to the Coupe it's got a slightly softer ride, no rear wing and a cloth roof, but is just as fast to 100km/h and pumps out the same 258kW/400Nm from its supercharged V6. Priced at $126,990, it's not cheap, but few cars this fierce are.

The new Lotus Exige S Roadster has arrived in Australia and after driving it on the racetrack in torrential rain, I'm convinced of one thing -- it's brilliant. Sure, the roof leaked slightly, it was awkward to clamber in and out of, and comfort levels left something to be desired, but even in stormy conditions I didn't want to stop driving.

What's interesting about the Lotus Exige S Roadster is that it not only has identical 0-100km/h acceleration times to its Coupe sibling, thanks to its sweet shifting six-speed manual gearbox and 3.5-litre supercharged Toyota-sourced V6 engine, it's also the same price.

Convertible versions of sports cars usually command a premium over their tin-topped relatives, but pegged at $126,990 it matches the Coupe dollar for dollar.

The Roadster is not quite as sharp as the Coupe, due to changes to the suspension, including recalibrated damping and rebound shock absorber rates and a 0.5mm larger diameter rear stabiliser bar. On the track, the differences between the Coupe and Roadster are noticeable but not glaringly so... If anything the added obedience of the Roadster made it a more palatable experience.

Riding on Pirelli P Zero Corsa shod 17-inch alloy wheels at the front and wider 18-inchers at the rear, the Lotus Roadster generates prodigious mid-corner grip. Yet after a few laps under thundering skies and possibly the wettest road conditions I've ever experienced, the car felt incredibly planted.

Many rear-wheel drive cars with explosive acceleration would have felt downright scary, but the Exige S just tipped into corners, unerringly held its line and was happy for the driver to fire relatively hard out of corners.

Balance is one thing in a mid-engined sports car, but what made the Lotus epic in the conditions was the level of feedback available -- both through the wheel and the seat of one's pants.

Heading into a tight hairpin at our test track, the front tyres bit readily and the car happily held its line. Next time around I punched the throttle on the exit, and it easily transitioned from neutral into a predictable powerslide. The steering was so crisp one could just look down the road and 'feel' one's way through the slide.

For what it's worth, the Roadster felt more inclined to wag its tail than the Coupe, too.

Several corners later, a new river of water had appeared after the apex and the front end ploughed through the water inducing chronic understeer, but the communication through the chassis was so clear, with every nuance telegraphed to the driver almost instantly, it was easy to back off, wait for grip to return and right the car's trajectory.

Although ride quality is best described as stiff, it's something I'd happily live with, given the performance threshold of the car. Few cars are so articulate.

The Exige S Roadster also benefits from much-improved stability control systems, dubbed Lotus Dynamic Performance Management (DPM). Three road settings are available, Touring, Sport and DPM off, controlled via rotary dial. Even in the tamest mode (Touring) the car allows the driver a bit of leeway before reining things in.

There's also a fourth mode, Race, which is bundled with a launch control system and exhaust bypass valve override toggle as part of the optional $5400 Race Pack. It's a lot of dosh, but well worth it as the Race mode was so subtle but helpful in its intervention, it made me look like Mark Webber carving through the maelstrom.

The tiny steering wheel, ultra-low seating position and bold instrument panel made the car feel like a go kart, and though the unassisted steering is impossibly heavy and lifeless at pedestrian pace, it feels amazing at speed.

Big four-piston AP-Racing calipers bite hard into 350mm front and 332mm diameter rear ventilated and cross-drilled disc brakes, delivering massive stopping power, even on sodden surfaces.

The car weighs 1166kg which is light by modern sports car standards but not by Lotus' own. That said, it's 10kg lighter than the Coupe due to the omission of the large rear spoiler and front splitter. This also means top speed is limited to 233km/h, down from the Coupe's 274km/h.

The car charges forward with a fierce intensity few other cars offer and touching its 7200rpm redline was a real thrill.

The Lotus' Australian-developed Harrop supercharger provides a subtle but ever-present soundtrack just behind your head. More importantly, it delivers a powerful mid-range kick which means you can be lazy and fast!

The 0-100km/h dash takes precisely 3.96 seconds says Lotus. This is quick enough to bloody the noses of more expensive rivals, such as the Porsche Boxster S ($126,500) and Audi S5 Cabriolet ($146,000). Peak power is 258kW at 7000rpm and 400Nm at 4600rpm.

Lotus reckons the V6 drinks fuel at a rate of 10.1L/100km, though on the racetrack expect that figure to double. At least...

Standard features on Lotus's fastest-ever drop-top include luxuries such as seats, a steering wheel and doors. Electric windows, air-conditioning and a four speaker CD stereo with USB port are gratis, but if you want a hand-made alloy and leather cup holder, cruise control and a billet trinket tray, you'll have to fork out $950 for the Convenience Pack.

Some of the not-so-polished aspects of the car include the centrally mounted single windscreen wiper, which struggled to deal with our launch day’s bucketing rain. The roof system takes a while to get on and off and it leaked above the windscreen too - a couple of drips every minute.

It's also a loud, raw vehicle (with precious little in the way of comfort or convenience features) and is diabolical to get in and out of due to extra wide side sills and ultra low seats.

It's basically a go-kart with a supercharger, but for all its drawbacks it's utterly compelling to drive, and slightly easier on one's spine than the Coupe.

One of the most compelling Roadsters I've ever driven, the Lotus Exige S is certainly worth the price of admission - financially and physically. It looks amazing, feels brilliant and affects all with its special aura. And what's not to like about its Australian connection? Blown away.

Lotus Exige S Roadster pricing and specifications:
Price: $126,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.5-litre six-cylinder supercharged petrol (or petrol or turbo-petrol)
Output: 258kW/400Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 10.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 236g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: N/A

What we liked:
>> Steering, grip, feedback
>> Supercharged punch
>> Chassis balance

Not so much:
>> Roof leaks
>> Rough ride quality
>> Contortionist ingress

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Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Expert rating
81/100
Engine, Drivetrain & Chassis
19/20
Price, Packaging & Practicality
10/20
Safety & Technology
15/20
Behind the Wheel
19/20
X-Factor
18/20
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