[AshSimmonds]

for some reason i had it in my head that the Exige was strictly a hardtop car, as opposed to the Elise being a targa.

then i was reading this ad, and it goes "hardtop included", i was like "well, duh!" but then i saw the pics and this car is a convertible...

---> http://carpoint.com.au/used-car/LOTUS/EXIGE/Queensland/csn1469584.aspx

was there a version of the Exige that was convertible, or are they all and i just mistakenly thought they were only released as coupes?

[jim501]

Well well well, A year or so back a friend of mine called me and said that she had been in a Lotus. I asked questions and she said it was an exige then a few minutes later mentioned it was a convertible, to which I said must have been an Elise then if it was a convertiable but she was really sure it was an Exige and showed me pics of it with the roof on. She said he friend had since sold the car so I left it at that. But there you go.

[AshSimmonds]

still doesn't explain it.  i've heard of folks putting on Exige-like bodypanels on their Elise, but never heard of a full conversion.

in the ad he says it originally cost $120k or whatever like it would have as an Exige... foncusing 

[andecorp]

Lotus never released an open top Exige. It must be a chop job.

[AshSimmonds]

Lotus never released an open top Exige. It must be a chop job.

that's what i thought, but as it turns out we're wrong.

from ---> http://www.aussieelises.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7303

The roof can be taken off on all S2 Exige's although the models with superchargers so the Exige S, CUP 240, the new Sport 240 e.t.c it is not technically recommened by Lotus as it distorts the clean airflow to the roof scoop which feeds the intercooler Lotus say.

The Exige roof isn't a 30 second removel job like the Elise though, you need an Allen key and 5-10 minutes of your time and somewhere to store it, unlike the Elise it cant be rolled up and taken with you in the boot obviously as its a hard top.

so there it is.

[andecorp]

that's what i thought, but as it turns out we're wrong.

from ---> http://www.aussieelises.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7303

so there it is.

never knew that! Totally puts the Exige in a different light now.

[AshSimmonds]

never knew that! Totally puts the Exige in a different light now.

how so for you?

for me it makes it "softer"...  a few years back i would have killed for an Elise, but the last couple years they haven't interested me, i've looked at them as something my gf would drive and have been happy to focus on my love of wedges. 

the Exige has always been a red-hot item for me, in a way i kind of like the bit where he said it takes several minutes and precision with an allen key to get the roof off... much less like a hairdresser car. 

[mhh]

never knew that! Totally puts the Exige in a different light now.

News to me too.  I agree it adds to the appeal - not that you would do it that often I guess.

[Jamezilla]

Sorry to drag up an old thread - but I did this to my Lotus on Monday.
7x torx bolts, and about 5 mins (with 2 of us) - and ta da, Exige S Targa!

The roof has to stay behind, but the car is great fun like this.

[AshSimmonds]

Me like targa.