Exige S IPS

[NedaSay]

Yup we knew it was coming as the car has been announced a while ago, Exige S is  finally getting the Evora 6 speed autobox unit more info here

 

 

I have to say I'm a bit disappointed with this one, the IPS has been on the Evora for a few years and it's taken quite a long time to get the thing thing fitted to the Exige S when the engine bay is the same size as the Evora. The cabin layout is much different though and the paddles are fixed on the steering column so maybe that explains the delay... Yet I hoped for a more up to date gearbox (the new AISIN 8 speed). Still this gearbox should help selling even more Exige S in slushbox friendly markets and that should help with Lotus bottom line so cheers to that. 3.9sec from 0 to 62mp/h these numbers are more than decent I'd say.

Edited October 23, 2014 by NedaSay

[TBD]

I guess it must have been an easy, low cost fit. We all saw the test car video from the Nürburgring.

 

But does it make sense? Will potential buyers who are too lazy to shift be agile enough to get over the sills and into the car? After all, the Exige has never been for posers.

 

Kind of like putting a roof rack or a trailer hitch on the car.

[The Pits]

A very fair point.

 

But there are some markets that just don't drive manuals. It makes sense to offer a paddle shift for those that want it but I agree it would have been nice to see something a bit more cutting edge for the Exige. This is just Lotus doing the best with what they've got. 

[Jokke Vlo]

I am with TBD. 

 

I don't find this a good signal

 

It is an "old fashioned" gearbox. Why putting old technology in a car that wants to compete Porsches and other top brands.

[The Pits]

I'm sure Lotus would rather be fitting a DSG box but it's just not an option right now. It would be a bad business decision to make the vast investment needed to source and fit a DSG box. It would run up huge debts that wouldn't be recovered with current sales levels, especially with the Exige not able to be sold in the US.

 

Besides, I think those that really want an auto would rather have an 'old' auto to a manual. 

 

Driving around in 'D', as most PDK cars do most of time, a torque converter auto is usually better anyway. 

[Stirling_Villeneuve]

The IPS is a good box, maybe it's more suited to the Evora in terms of GT type usage but it's fast, efficient and at the very least takes the pain out of those tedious, stuck in traffic, in town type of journeys. 

 

I'll be interested to see what Lotus come up with in the next year or so, this is probably as good an indication as any of the type of development we can expect, i.e. not a lot!  

[Brandon]

An update from PH's article:

 

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!

[Stirling_Villeneuve]

That's good to hear but surely they need to think about using the name 'Automatic'? They can't be serious, can they? 

[The Pits]

The name would surely be a turn-off for the UK market, it sounds very pipe and slippers. I can only imagine it makes more sense in other manual phobic countries. Either that or the dealers got fed up of explaining what IPS stands for.

 

Exige SA?

[LF1]

I think this is a great thing if it helps sell cars to people that were deterred in the past. As long as there is still the choice for people everyone should be happy... however I am actually glad this option was not available a few months ago when we ordered, I have a horrible suspicion I may of gone for it, even with the knowledge it would have been the wrong decision... just been watching back some track vids - so glad,,,

[NedaSay]

An update from PH's article:

 

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!

???

 

In my opinion rebranding it something that dull is even worse. There's nothing sporty or racy about the term automatic, Intelligent Precision Shifting said something better IMO ... They should have come with something like IPS 2 or new IPS.

[Trevsked]

I think it's a a good move and look forward to trying one and think it may well work very well in the lighter car. I'm pretty sure I would still choose a manual but can see a perfect case for it in the Roadster for example.

 

Trevor.

[auRouge]

http://blog.caranddriver.com/lotus-exige-gets-automatic-transmission-option-for-people-who-love-sports-cars-but-not-driving-them/

Oh dear. Torque converter in an Exige... Hmmm, did Lotus think it would be welcomed?

We live in a Double-Clutch world now at £50k... Even a Clio RS has one!!

Must try harder!

[TBD]

When you look at the gear ratios on the IPS you know its not going to make sense. The IPS has much higher gearing than the manual and Lotus won't be able to change that on the Exige S. 

 

So it will definitively not be as quick, though mileage will be better, but who cares about that in an Exige?

[Advantage]

Although, those who designed and built it think differently:

 

"The automatic, which retains the same 346bhp 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine found in manual versions, has so far proven as fast as its three-pedal counterpart around the Hethel test track.

It has also completed the 0-62mph sprint in 3.9sec, which is 0.1sec quicker than the manual Exige S."

[gregs24]

F Type has a torque convertor auto (ZF 8HP) which is used in a lot of >£50k cars.

[TBD]

 

Although, those who designed and built it think differently:

 

"The automatic, which retains the same 346bhp 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine found in manual versions, has so far proven as fast as its three-pedal counterpart around the Hethel test track.

It has also completed the 0-62mph sprint in 3.9sec, which is 0.1sec quicker than the manual Exige S."

 

True, 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear are about the same, but from then on things diverge. If its just as fast as the manual around Hetehl it really is time to improve the gearchange mechanisms!

 

Or, just imagine how much faster it would be with a dual clutch gearbox.

[NedaSay]

Except that Lotus is not getting a DCT gearbox anytime soon cause Toyota/AISIN AW don't have one! And there are very few high torque Transaxle available outside Audi.  

 

I still have hopes for a newer gearbox in the upcoming Evora 400/R as I seriously wonder how this TF-80SC will cope with the extra torque of the new engine? I wonder how much AISIN AW is charging for the AW8FU35 that is going to feature on pretty much any V6 Lexus from 2015 onward.

Edited October 27, 2014 by NedaSay

[chylld]

F Type has a torque convertor auto (ZF 8HP) which is used in a lot of >£50k cars.

 

I have the ZF 8-speed in my 4-series daily driver... easily the best auto I've ever driven (including VW/Audi's double clutch boxes.)

 

But at the end of the day, it's still an auto.

[LF1]

We were considering the 335d x-drive not so long ago. I could not believe when I asked the dealer that it did not have a double clutch. He assured me I would not notice. He was right, really impressive, just a shame the suspension made my wife and I feel ill. Ended up with a DSG Golf

[chylld]

We were considering the 335d x-drive ... just a shame the suspension made my wife and I feel ill. Ended up with a DSG Golf

 

Really!? I thought I was imagining things as my 428i's suspension also makes me feel queasy. Have gotten more used to it, but never had the same issue with my previous car (a mk6 Golf R).

 

I'll just have to drive the Evora everywhere then!

 

/offtopic

[LF1]

Really!? I thought I was imagining things as my 428i's suspension also makes me feel queasy. Have gotten more used to it, but never had the same issue with my previous car (a mk6 Golf R).

 

I'll just have to drive the Evora everywhere then!

 

/offtopic

 

Yes, I think the xDrive makes it worse because it raises the height further, and I could not get a demo with the active suspension. We were fine in the MK7 R, so went for that.

[Snoopy1969]

tastes are different of course.....but: paddles are for canoeing........

[NedaSay]

We were considering the 335d x-drive not so long ago. I could not believe when I asked the dealer that it did not have a double clutch. He assured me I would not notice. He was right, really impressive, just a shame the suspension made my wife and I feel ill. Ended up with a DSG Golf

 

BMW is using the new AISIN AW 8 speed which they developed and tuned to their liking it's a very nicely executed dare i say sporty automatic gearbox with a lot more gears so ratio are much closer together and have a much better spread. BMW is only keeping the DSG for their M cars.

 

I recently tried both the FIAT 6 speed DCT and a Getrag 8 speed on very pedestrian cars and I enjoyed the 8 speed much more as it did not jerk me a around as much, However there was a case of the gearbox not knowing which gear it needed to use at one point. But that should be easily fix by tuning. The Fiat DCT felt meeehhh ut then again in a rental FIAT 500L I should not expect too much...

Edited October 28, 2014 by NedaSay