Who's serious about buying 311?

[Trevsked]

I hear the dealers and Lotus talking good numbers of orders but don't know of anyone who has deposited. Anyone on this forum or heard on other forums about real customers having coughed up with a deposit? Looking at the 311 picture thread and having seen the car a few times I'm pretty sure I want one but not as yet got off the fence as the Cup is such a cracking car and has the advantage of a roof for when I travel to track days. I also get the feeling that a lot of the deposits are perhaps for track cars not the road car. So does anyone care to tell?

 

Trevor.

[Bibs]

A friend of mine placed an order for number one on the first day at Goodwood. Promised me a loan for a TLF test too  

[Trevsked]

Didn't know you knew anyone that stupid, apart from me :-)

 

Trevor.

[Bibs]

He owns an F40, 2 x 458 GT3's, 2-Eleven, Exige 240s, Exige GT3 etc etc. He'll not even notice another car in the garage but I must admit he was properly, properly excited about the 3-Eleven!! 

Saying that, I've not done an Exige Cup test yet. Where are the keys?  

 

[Trevsked]

Really! You not even driven a Cup?

 

Trevor.

[LF1]

The problem for us is the lack of roof, it rules out most of our track days as we like to combine with a bit of a social over a weekend or longer, usually in Europe.

Plus I don't think we get the most out of the V6, so more car ability would be lost.

[alias23]

Well until the 'exige400' cup comes around

[LF1]

Obviously, all reasoning goes out the window at that point  

[Trevsked]

I 100% agree Tom but the lure of all that capability may tip the balance for me.

 

Trevor.

[The Pits]

I'm serious about wanting one. It's track ability is beyond any doubt but it would also be hilarious for occasional blasts on the road. I used to run my Caterham with aeroscreen (no windscreen) on the road and it was incredible, something nearer a motorcycle experience than a car. I also drove it to Le Mans like that too and I think the 311 will be more comfortable and a bit more spacious (!) than a series 3 Caterham. The reality from my Caterham experience was the rain wasn't so bad as long as you had the right gear on and kept moving, also that anything much above 40mph means earplugs and a full face helmet. You can do woolly hat and shades but it soon wears a bit thin.

So I'm sure a 311 could be used as a 'drive to the track and back' car. For those who've always wanted a bike but felt they were too dangerous I think this could be just the thing and much safer than a Caterham too. On an empty track I have no doubt that it would offer an unparalleled V6 platform experience. On a busy track I'm sure there would be an element of frustration when you're up to speed. It was that which led me to racing my Caterham really. All this overtaking on the left stuff gets a bit much especially when no-one is pulling over to let you pass.

I'd have a 311 as well as the Exige in a heartbeat if I could. Back in the real world I would have to part-ex my V6 Cup. The problem is that the Exige package does offer some advantages. My official line is to wait to see the new Exige and then make up my mind but I'm not ruling the 311 out yet.

 

[LF1]

I'd have a 311 as well as the Exige in a heartbeat if I could. Back in the real world I would have to part-ex my V6 Cup. The problem is that the Exige package does offer some advantages. My official line is to wait to see the new Exige and then make up my mind but I'm not ruling the 311 out yet.

 

I expect there are a lot of people hanging back knowing this is on the horizon, wonder if it is impacting sales of the 3-11?

[Trevsked]

I think we are on the same page as usual but I have to say that with the Cup mostly used as an occasional road car and track car it is purely leisure so the sense of occasion with a 311 would be hightened in those cirumstances. Let's be honest, does anyone ever look at a 211 at a meet and think, I wouldn't want to be in that right now? Even in the pooring rain at MBW last year I was thinking what a great way to feel alive!

 

Trevor.

[Bibs]

Really! You not even driven a Cup?

 

Trevor.

Don't think I've even sat in one! 

[The Pits]

I'm sure it's because we ride bikes Trevor but a 311 doesn't look like great hardship to me. It winds me up when the journalists write off the Exige as an extreme track toy but I guess if you're used to driving a Range Rover it would seem like that!

My main concern with the 311 is not actually the road part but the likely frustration on the track. I'd want the race version too which isn't helping. I suppose that being held up by McLaren P1s and La Ferraris would have its own appeal on the few times that you might meet one on the track but you're kind of expected to beat everything in a 311. I think there's more satisfaction to be gained by keeping £250k+ exotics honest in an Exige.

 

[LF1]

At what price does a car cease to be an exotic? I think at £115k for the race version you may be well on the way there with the 3-11

[The Pits]

Oh I consider the Exige to be an exotic now it has a V6 in it, just a smaller, lighter, more reasonably priced one!

 

 

[jbs]

I've placed my order today for one. Now the long wait...

[Trevsked]

That's brilliant news, congratulations. Have you thought about colours yet?

 

Trevor.

[jbs]

Thanks Trevor. I'm excited 

I would wish to pick Starlight Black for a colour, if it's going to be available at launch that is. I don't fancy those coloured and striped paint schemes like they introduced with the 2-11. All of my previous Loti have been flat black 

 

[The Pits]

Congrats. It will be an absolute weapon. I think it will shock the journalists when they drive them.

[Stubox]

I've placed my order today for one. Now the long wait...

most envious !  I think they look aggressively single purposed and I think you'll love destroying more exotic stuff at track days., and in black it'll be just nasty ?

Way too much car for me though, I'll stick to an Exige ? ......slightly smaller target on my back when on track...

[Bravo73]

I wasn't sure where to post this but...

 

...if anybody is interested, there is currently a lot of 3-Eleven testing going on around the Hethel track at the moment.

[Arun_D]

Damn it, the track was virtually silent when I was there yesterday seeing my Cup.

[Waky]

Not conviced by its looks and lack of roof, but the specs got my head spinning  
Hope to test drive one someday..  

 

[Trevsked]

Lots of testing sounds like its getting closer which is good. Looking forward to seeing a production car and finding out if I could live with the lack of roof, can certainly live with the performance envelope :-)

 

Trevor.