CSL > Exige

[KPNUTZ]

CSL > Exige. Anyone done this or is anyone lucky enough to own both? It was a toss up between the CSL or an Exige 240/260, the CSL won but I still find myself drawn to the Exige.

[Mike R]

CSL > Exige. Anyone done this or is anyone lucky enough to own both? It was a toss up between the CSL or an Exige 240/260, the CSL won but I still find myself drawn to the Exige.

A mate has one and I have driven it loads of times (but only on track) - it's great fun, but the CSL is easier to control on the limit (not sure if this is down to the open diff or mid-engined lay-out of the Exige).

The Exige is one of my all time favourite cars - but I still bought the CSL instead ;).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0703/MikeR/Trackdays/Bedford28-Aug-2011048.jpg

[alexk]

but the CSL is easier to control on the limit

Hi Mike, going to tease you now :)
Did you already took the CSL on it's limit ? :blalalala:

[Barry C]

I go to the track with a lot of Exige/Elise owners. They are great cars, particularly on tight circuits and for me it really depends on what type of driving you want to do.

If you want to drive the car often on the road, the Exige would be a pain in the ass to be climbing in and out of all the time.

The Elise/Exige don't have enough top end grunt for the Nurburgring, I found they get blown in to the weeds at anything over 100 mph.

If you go to the track a lot, you'll find it way cheaper to run an exige. Tyres and consumables are way cheaper.

A couple of guys I know have put K20 Honda engines in them and they really fly!:smokin:

[KPNUTZ]

Cheers chaps, as I suspected really and a couple of reasons why I opted for the mighty CSL. The low rent interior really put me off as I use the car some days to commute.

Love the look of them though and they seem to be more precise with regard to steering but the lack of top end grunt would be an issue.

[gingernuts]

I test drove a few before I bought the CSL, and would still have if i have a second car to use. Drive beautifully but any sort of commuting in it would become tiresome. The fourpot engine for me sounded a bit boring too even with a stage 2 exhaust. And having to take a running jump to try and slide into it everytime would also get a bit old fast I think.

[Mike R]

Hi Mike, going to tease you now :)
Did you already took the CSL on it's limit ? :blalalala:

Its only got Michelin Pilot Super Sports on, so it's very easy to provoke and it LOVES to slide :blalalala:.

I used to have a 1275kg / 515bhp / 420ftlb Sapphire Cosworth with just 235 tyres on the back, that would leave 11s EVERYWHERE up to 90mph. So 1385 kg / 360bhp / 273lbft feels like someone has stolen a few cylinders :blalalala:.

Suffice to say that the CSL 100% needs the Turner Motorsport rear trailing arm limiter kit, as it feels a bit wayward. Does that answer adequately ;)?

[glendog74]

I've always liked them too but i would not consider chopping the CSL for one... :119:

[Mike R]

In Cup spec, the gearboxes are known to be fragile,the intercooling on them is horrendous as well, with charge temps high enough to cook with LOL (hence why they have to run so rich).

[EVLXGE]

I had a 220 Exige S from new in 2007. Did 18,000 miles in 18 months. :-D

Brilliant fun and as said cheap as chips to run, only things mine had other than normal services, tyres and a set of pads. Where rear toe links under warranty and the Alpine head unit cd player packed in. Not bad for 18k hard road and track use.

They are perfect for small twisty tracks and probably the right amount of power for the road. You could actually use the performance.
As Barry said though on the ring you feel like your going backwards sometimes, im sure my clio 200 was quicker :-D

I only sold mine as I wanted something with a 'proper' engine and more grunt hence the move to a CSL.

For the money though, the performance (below 100) is fantastic and for sense of occasion theres not a lot out there to compete.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/purdy84/IMGP9786.jpg (http://s91.photobucket.com/user/purdy84/media/IMGP9786.jpg.html)

[Craig]

I too went from Exige S to a CSL, and in fact Ian (EVLEXG) didn't believe me for a long time when I used to say the CSL was a far better car, then he got one and agreed! :D

I loved my Exige S but the two downsides for me were;

1. The 4-pot engine it was good and still nippy but the looks of the car should have been backed up by a proper engine, the new Exige V6 has just this but a price tag to match too.

2. I'm 6ft3 and getting in and out of the car often during long trips or eurohoons did get tiresome, in fact I'm not very flexible at the best of times and it was getting damn right painful.

I do miss my Exige, bang for buck it was cheap to run, reliable, looked fantastic and did handle but it was more twitchy on the edge than the CSL but you expect this because its mid engined, quicker rack, etc.

Would I have another one, yes and no... I'd have another one in a heart beat, but after a few months I'd be missing a 6 or an 8 cylinder engine note, but on the flip side when I had the CSL I missed the looks of the Exige. One car that has taken my fancy recently is the Evora Sports Racer its black accents seem to give the dull look of the normal Evora a bit of life and IMO looks much better, its easier to get in and out of and it has a V6.

I just need to test drive one to see how good they really are, otherwise I'm going to bust a gut and hold out for a Gallardo (probably wont drive near as well as any of the above, but look and sounds awesome) or get a 997.1 GT3RS as to me these are perfection.

http://www.autoweek.com/storyimage/CW/20121220/CARNEWS/121229970/AR/0/Lotus-Evora-Sports-Racer.jpg

[Olive]

I kept my Exige during 3 years and bought the CSL just after.
The Exige is an incredible car. Fun, great handling, looks nice, perfect on racetrack.
The fact is the CSL is an other world in term of engineering, sensation, noise.

[KPNUTZ]

Cheers guys, some good feedback here. I think I will have to scratch the itch one day, perhaps buy one and keep it especially for track days as im sure the running costs will be minuscule compared to tracking the CSL that and I would be far too cautious if I took the CSL on track.