Lotus Exige V6 Automatic

[Andy G]

The PDK in the new GT3 is stunning - as much as I loved the old 997's manual.

The shift is non-existent - fabulously appointed.

Exige S Automatic - hardly sounds in keeping with sportcars, racy or indeed in anyway dynamic. Not really the pinacle of motorsport.\

Saw this on PH - maybe not as bad as feared?


UPDATE: Lotus got in touch to say that the engineering changes to the gearbox are sufficiently significant they want to put clear ground between the Exige S Automatic and Evora IPS, hence the rebranding. Although still a torque converter automatic transmission the engineers have been "back to the drawing board" when it comes to the calibration and operating characteristics and we're promised an auto that is entirely in keeping with the Exige's track focused ethos. Proof, as ever, will be in the driving!

[ryallm]

Hmmm -that 'Lotus got in touch' spiel sounds like marketing twaddle. No amount of messing with the ECU is going to change the fact that it is an old fashioned torque converter 6 speed which was designed for large Toyota saloon cars. In technology it is more akin to the pre-PDK 996 era tiptronic boxes. Torque converter boxes can off course be very good, like the latest 8 speed ZF in BMWs, but to me even the even the best slush box would be out of place in a hardcore driving machine like the Exige. A PDK style box is another matter.

Still, if it helps Lotus garner much needed sales in overseas markets, maybe no bad thing...

[SAJ]

It's an option, and I think a good move by Lotus as it will sell the cars to people that don't want a manual. For the hardcore out their the manual still exists so nothing wrong in this move.

People forget that not everyone that buys these cars are looking for the same thing. It's smart to widen the audience in this manner.

[twisted2fit]

I think it might work in the exige roadster:-) they need to sell them with the autobox option and no-supercharger for about 42k:-) I think there would be a market for them:-)