Elise and Exige Used in Competition and Racing

Lotus Sport Exige

Lotus Sport Exige

The Lotus Sport Exige was started by a former employee of Lotus Sport and final development was completed by Lotus Sport. Rumor suggests that ten road going examples will be built to homogate the car for a specific race series.

The magazine Evo reviewed the car and provided additional pictures.

Lotus introduces the Lotus Sport Exige 240, a limited edition of the Exige with a supercharger.


Gran Turismo image

Gran Turismo

The Elise first appeared in Gran Turismo 3 in Series 1 form and then again in Gran Turismo 4 in 11S and even 11R form. It is fun to be able to race a simulation of the same car you own and comparisons are fun.

I am interested in how you set up your Elise in GT 4. My settings provide for a relatively neutral handling but the turn in is not crisp. Comments are appreciated.

setting front rear
springs 8.5 12.5
height 80 82
dampers bound 2 2
dampers rebound 8 8
camber 2.5 1.75
toe 0 0
stablizer 6 2



brake balance 2 2
limited slip initial 7
limited slip acceleration 26
limited slip deceleration 5



ASM (oversteer) 0 0
ASM (understeer) 0 0
TCS 0

(I have heard the spring rates are reversed front and rear)

I was disappointed in the performance of the Elise in Gran Turismo 3. For some reason it tended to dramatic oversteer, no matter how the setting were configured. Worse, a touch of the berm and the car would spin. I am a decent simulation driver, managing to get all golds in the license tests of GT3 and managing to finish the game. But driving the Elise was not a fun experience, not like driving the real thing.

I also provide a fix for the Driving Force steering wheel, where a hardware problem limits you to 75% braking ability. Initial comments about the new Driving Force Pro wheel, supported by GT4, suggest there are still problems.

Mark 1 Elise images from Gran Turismo
racing Elise

picture Steve Jones

Mark Phillips scored the Lotus Elise's first race win in the 750 Motor Club's HR Owen Roadsports series opner at Mallory Park on Sunday. Four Elises are now racing in the series and a proper one-make Lotus Series could still evolve given time

(source: AutoSport, March 26, 1998)

thanks to Randall Fehr Restoration