Lotus Exige VS Mercedes-Benz AMG GT
Lotus Exige
Likes
- Unassisted, unadulterated steering (at speed)
- Beautiful balance and stiff chassis
- Gearbox
Dislikes
- Sheer impracticality
- Heavy steering (at low speeds)
- Getting in and out of it
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT
Likes
- Superb dynamics
- Sexy looks
- Fast
Dislikes
- Small boot
- Short warranty
- Getting out on your hands and knees
Summary
Lotus Exige
Driving naked is ill-advised, and possibly illegal, but taking a spin in the Lotus Exige 350 Sport is as close as you'd ever want to get. It's not so much that you feel you've left your clothes at home, but that the car has shed its accoutrements, and indeed its very flesh, leaving you with a kind of skeletal vehicle; just bare bones and muscle.
What this punishingly hard and fiercely focused machine does to your bones and flesh is best described as extreme chiropractry - in particular the stress of ingress and egress - but fortunately it makes up for the moans, bangs and bruises by fizzing your adrenal glands in a big way.
The question is whether the fun is worth the suffering, and the  $138,782.85 price tag.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.5L |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 10.1L/100km |
| Seating | 2 seats |
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT
"A racing car with street legal approval". Those are the words Mercedes-AMG uses to describe its GT R Coupe.
And even though I'm a forty-something, professional motoring journalist who's well aware of marketing speak when he reads it, the 15-year old in me was jumping around whooping and shouting: "Key! Gimme key to race car" at the launch of the updated Mercedes-AMG GT coupe which also included time in the more sedate GT C.
Well, that's like calling a Tiger Shark more sedate than a Great White, because the GT C still packs more than 400kW (550hp).
As will be the case with most buyers, my time in the Mercedes-AMG GT was spent entirely on the road, the closest we came to a racetrack was driving through Kilmore, and that one was for horses.
This was perfectly fine because you'll want to know just what these beasts are like to pilot on regular roads... roads where surfaces are far from perfect and the posted limits are hundreds of kilometres below the top speeds of these cars.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 4.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 11.4L/100km |
| Seating | 2 seats |
Verdict
Lotus Exige6.5/10
To say the Lotus Exige 350 Sport exists at the very pointy end of motoring is a sharp understatement. It is, in essence, a track car that you’re somehow allowed to drive on the road, which means it's hugely compromised in various ways as a vehicle for day-to-day use, yet it's not really fair to criticise it for those failings, because commuting was never its intended purpose.
While it would obviously shine in its natural environment of a race circuit, the fact is you could also enjoy it enormously between track days if you pointed it at a suitably smooth and winding bit of country blacktop.
The performance, handling, steering and stopping are all fantastic, in the right conditions, and you can see how someone might justify it to themselves as a far cheaper version of a ($327,100) Porsche 911 GT3. The difference being that a Porsche doesn't make you fold yourself up like a pocket knife every time you get in.
The Lotus, then, is a car for the extreme enthusiast, only. And possibly for nudists, too.
Would you put up with the Lotus's hard edges for the thrill rides? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT8.1/10
The AMG GT is better than a race car for the road because it offers all the comfort and luxury that is completely absent in a track car, yet retains superb dynamic ability – particularly the GT R.
As for the sweet spot, that's easy. The C Coupe offers the best of the S and R from a comfort and handling perspective, while being super quick for less money that the top grade R.
If you could have any of them, which Mercedes-AMG GT in the line-up would you pick? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Design
Lotus Exige8/10
The Lotus philosophy is summed by this slightly absurd mission statement: "Simplify, then add lightness". In the words of the great Barnaby Joyce "you don’t have to be Sigmund Freud" to work out that lightness is not something you can 'add', but you get the idea.
Everything about a Lotus is focused on the power-to-weight ratio, and this 350 Sport version takes the Exige to the ultimate degree, weighing in a full 51kg lighter than the S version, at just 1125kg, and with its hefty 3.5-litre supercharged V6 it is capable of lapping the company’s Hethel, UK test circuit a full 2.5 seconds faster.
Lap times, rather than road manners, are what this car is all about, and as such there are no creature comforts of any kind.
The Exige is an eye-catching beast, though, looking a bit like Darth Vader's helmet strapped to a skateboard. Everything about it is a statement of intent, and while the interior is as bare as Barnaby's brain, the gear lever, with its exposed workings and shiny silver knob, is a thing of strange beauty.
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT10/10
There is nothing not interesting about the design of the AMG GT with its long bonnet and low, wide stance. The look is not as dramatic as the SLS AMG, which went into retirement five years ago, nor does it have that supercar's 'gullwing' doors. But there's a clear family resemblance to it and also the iconic 300SL beauty from 1954.
If anything, the AMG GT is a meaner and sharper looking beastie, but still dripping in exotic styling with the hungry looking 'Panamericana' grille flanked by hornet eye headlights and enormous wheel guards that push up into the bonnet to form pontoons over which the driver peers.
It's hard to tell from the images if the AMG GT is big or small, but the dimensions don't lie. The AMG GT is 4551mm end-to-end, 2007mm wide for the GT R and GT C but 1939mm for the GT S (and between 1260mm and 1288mm tall depending on the grade, making it fairly long, wide and short in stature.
There are three grades to choose from - the GTS, GT C and GT R – which all come as coupes, while only the GTC is available as a soft-top roadster, as well.
I can't think of a convertible which doesn't look better with the roof down than with it up and the GT C is no exception to this rule. The open top suits this cruiser's look perfectly.
Telling the three grades apart is easy if you know what to look for: the GT S is a 'narrow body', the GT C has wider rear guards and the GT R has wide rear and front guards.
From behind there's a smoother rear treatment to the S with no wide black vent between the tail-lights, while the GT C has vents behind the rear wheels and the GT R has the most aggro look with the giant diffuser and a central tailpipe.
Exterior styling has stayed the same save for the new LED headlights, wheels and paint colours, but it's the cabin where most of the design changes have taken place.
There's the new steering wheel with drive mode dials and a redesigned centre console with buttons configured in a V-shape which according to Mercedes-AMG is a nod to the V8 engine.
I'm not convinced by the restyling of the console, which didn't suit me ergonomically. It seems to centre around the two cupholders, places the shifter awkwardly rearwards of the media controller and puts the traction control button directly under the driver's elbow. The black piano plastic in the GT R also became smudged with fingerprints quickly.
Practicality
Lotus Exige3/10
Both the words 'practical' and 'space' have no place in a road test of this Lotus, so shall we just move on?
Oh, all right. There is no shoulder room to speak of and to change gears you have to fondle your passenger's leg. You're also in danger of breathing into each other’s mouths accidentally, you’re sitting that close.
Speaking of impractical, the door apertures are so small, and the whole car so low, that getting in or out is about as much fun as attempting to hide in a child's suitcase.
Cupholders? Forget it, nor is there anywhere to put your phone. There are two tiny oddment storage holes just near each well-hidden door handle, and a kind of slidey, slick shelf where a glove box might be, on which it’s not safe to leave anything.
Put things on the floor and they will slide under the super low seats and never be seen again.
The Lotus people pointed out a parcel shelf behind the seats, but I think they imagined it, and there is a tiny boot at the rear, behind the engine, which is smaller than some actual boots.
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT6/10
All AMG GT Coupes and Roadsters have two doors and two seats. If you need seating for more there's the AMG GT 4-door which can fit five adults (well, four comfortably) and competes with the Porsche Panamera.
So, if it's just you and a significant other you'll be happy to know the AMG GT cockpit is spacious and even at 191cm tall and with the same wingspan I had more than enough head, shoulder, elbow and legroom.
Cabin storage is limited to a pair of cupholders, a small centre console bin and door pockets just wide enough for a small bottle of water.
Boot space in the Coupe is 175 litres and 165 litres in the Roadster. That was just enough room for the two airline overhead luggage-sized wheelie bags belonging to myself and co-pilot.
As for charging and power on board there are three USB ports and one 12-volt outlet.
Price and features
Lotus Exige6/10
The question of 'value' is a tricky one when you’re looking at a $138,782.85 car that’s about as useful in day-to-day life as a matchbox-sized handbag. But you have to consider what people buy a Lotus for, and the answer has absolutely nothing to do with practicality.
A car like this Exige 350 Sport is purely purchased as a toy, a track-day special that you can, in theory, drive to the circuit via public roads. Franky, if I was rich enough to have one I’d still transport it there on the back of a truck.
Relatively speaking, you could have a far more practical and infinitely more comfortable Porsche Cayman for $30K less, but the Lotus is $30K cheaper than the similarly track-focused and brutal ($169,990) KTM X-Bow.
In terms of features, you get four wheels, an engine, a steering wheel, some seats, and that’s about it. You can buy a circa 1993 removable-face two-speaker stereo, which you can't really hear over the engine and road noise, for $1199. Oh, and they do throw in air conditioning, which is also noisy.
Our slick-looking metallic black paint was also $1999, the 'full carpets' another $1099 (expensive floor mats, basically), the Alcantara trim pack $4499, cruise control (really?) $299 and the hilarious optional 'Sound Insulation' $1499 (I think they actually forgot to fit it). All up, our press car’s price climbed to $157,846, which, I have to say, is no one’s idea of good value.
On the plus side, the local Lotus people - Simply Sports Cars - do offer features a buyer would love, like regular Lotus Only Track Days, a chance to take part in the Phillip Island 6 Hour and the Targa High Country event, and various other racy experiences.
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT8/10
The entry point into the three model range is the GT S Coupe with its $311,142 list price.
Stepping up to the GT C will cost $329,843 for the Coupe and $355,242 for the Roadster, while the GT R king of the castle commands a list price of $361,042.
Standard features on the S include nappa leather upholstery, heated and power-adjustable seats, AMG Performance steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, 10-speaker Burmester sound system, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 'Mercedes Me' connect system, a 12.3-inch virtual instrument cluster, LED headlights, plus alloy wheels (staggered 19-inch at the front and 20-inch at the rear) with a matt black finish.
You'll see all these S features on the GT C along with more in the form of AMG Performance seats, AMG Performance steering wheel clad in 'Dinamica' microfibre, heated and ventilated seats and staggered 19-/20-inch alloys in titanium grey.
The GT C Roadster has identical features but adds a neck heater, which works surprisingly well.
The GT R comes with the GT C's features and brings its own in the form of the AMG 'Interior Night' package, a carbon-fibre roof, static rear wing and yellow brake calipers.
Porsche's 911 GT3 is a good rival for the AMG GT R, but undercuts it by about $35K, while a Jaguar F-Type SVR is $297,242 and Audi's R8 tops out at $425,500 for the Spyder.
So, is the AMG GT good value? Sure is, when you consider what you're getting relative to what the competitors are offering.
Under the bonnet
Lotus Exige8/10
In the past, Lotus engineers were satisfied with the power they got from tiny four-cylinder Toyota engines, but this Exige 350 Sport is a Very Serious Car and thus has a relatively whopping 3.5-litre, supercharged V6 shoehorned into its backside, which makes 258kW and 400Nm, and that's enough to fire this tiny machine from 0-100km/h in just 3.9 seconds, although it feels, and sounds, a lot faster.
The six-speed gearbox feels like it's been stolen from an old racing car and is an absolute joy to snick shift at speed.
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT9/10
All AMG GTs have a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with three states of tune: in the S it makes 384kW/670Nm; in the C it produces 410kW/680Nm; while the output in R is 430kW/700Nm.
A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is used in all three grades.
All three grades have top speeds of more than 300km/h (318 in the R Coupe; 317km/h in the C Coupe; 316km/h in the C Roadster and 310km/h in the S Coupe) and 0-100km/h times of less than four seconds (R -3.6s, C - 3.7s, S - 3.8s).
Before you start wondering why the R costs $30K more to go one kilometre per hour faster than the C we need to talk about the hardware under the cars that makes the top-grade AMG GT worth the extra money in the section below.
Efficiency
Lotus Exige7/10
Lotus claims a combined fuel economy figure of 10.1L/100km. We don't believe that would be easy to achieve, because the temptation to rev the hell out of it and hear it roar would be too great, and too constant.
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT7/10
This might surprise you, but the official combined fuel consumption of the AMG GT S is 9.5L/100km, while the GT R's is 11.4L/100km, and the GT C's is 11.5L/100km.
The best combination of driving over motorways and country roads for me on this launch was in the GT R, and after a couple of hundred kilometres the trip computer told me the car was using an average of 12.9L/100km.
Driving
Lotus Exige8/10
It's rare to find a car that is such an improbable mix of furious fun and infuriating annoyance. The Lotus is rattly, noisy, hugely firm to the point of punishing, with seats that offer encouragement but not support.
It is the opposite of comfortable and so hard to see out of that driving it around town, in any sort of traffic, feels borderline dangerous. There’s also the distinct sensation that you’re so low and so little that all those people in their SUVs won't see you.
Throw in the fact that it's so painfully, stupidly difficult to get in and out of and it's definitely not the sort of car you take if you're heading to the shops. I got so sick of its hard-edged annoyances at one stage that I became too grumpy to even take people for joy rides in it. I just couldn’t be bothered with the hassle, but then an inner-city suburb with high kerbs and even higher speed humps is not the Exige's natural environment.
Making it even more of a challenge around town, at low speeds or in parking situations is the steering, which isn't so much heavy as wilfully obtuse. Doing a three-point turn is the equivalent of 20 minutes of bench pressing your own body weight. At least.
Out on a winding bit of country road, however, the steering becomes one of the best things about the car, because its pure, unassisted weighting feels so alive in your hands. There’s a sense of actually wrestling, or finessing it around corners that makes you feel a bit Ayrton Senna.
Indeed, the whole car comes alive, and starts to make some kind of sense, once you're on a smooth, perfect piece of tarmac. It is fast, noisy, thrilling, utterly and overtly involving, stiff of chassis and firm of ride, with brakes capable of pulling you up with indecent haste. It’s also, thanks to its low centre of gravity and mid-engined layout, beautifully balanced.
The gearbox is a thrill a minute, as is the engine, particularly once you explore the upper rev ranges, at which point the scenery really does become a scary blur out the ridiculously small windscreen.
Sure, you can't see anything behind you other than the engine, but what a lovely sight that is, and nothing is going to catch you anyway.
It does feel edgy, of course, and sharp, and it’s not as easy or refined to drive as some cheaper sports cars; an MX-5 makes for a far more pleasant companion. But this is an extreme Exige, a machine built by and for genuine enthusiasts.
And, above all, for the sort of people who will take it to a race track, which is where it both looks and feels completely at home.
Unfortunately, on public roads, it would be annoying more often than it would be thrilling, but the truly hardcore Lotus aficionados would never admit such a thing.
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT9/10
The only grade missing at the launch of the updated AMG GT was the S Coupe. So, while I'm sure it's darn good, I can really only comment about the driving experience of the R Coupe and the C in Coupe and Roadster forms in which we devoured hundreds of kilometres.
First, the R and C both have unique characters that go beyond just differences in horsepower.
The GT C uses the front axle set-up of the GT S with its aluminium double wishbone suspension, anti-dive, coil springs and stablisier bar offering a more supple and cushioned ride, and combines this with the rear axle of the GT R with its rear-axle steering and more pinned down dynamic focus.
The GT R's front axle is also aluminum double-wishbone but comes with braking torque support, mechanically stepless adjustable coil springs, adaptive dampers and an anti-roll bar.
So, while the GT C and GT R feel different to pilot, it's not night-and-day different... more early summer morning sunrise, and midday sun beating down different, if you know what I mean.
See, while the GT C feels just as quick, it's a far more comfortable and easier car to drive on course-chip bitumen and pock-marked Australian roads. The ride while rolling on 265/35 R19 rubber at the front and 305/30 R 20s at the rear is surprisingly pleasant.
Country road corners beckoned on our journey out of Melbourne and the GT C Roadster I set out in responded superbly. That front end felt light, soft and but pointable. What was immediately apparent was how wide the car is, and it felt like the GT C needed every millimetre of the narrow Aussie lanes.
Top down there was almost zero air turbulence in the cabin and while I kept an eye out for the scuttle shake that can come with a convertible, I barely noticed anything along those lines with those short thick A-Pillars holding firm.
Also holding firm was the GT C's rear end which squatted and held tight in the corners even with getting on the gas the roadster stayed composed.
Roof up, most road noise was shut out, well it was hard to hear anything over the bellow of that V8.
The GT C Coupe would be my pick of the AMG GT family and not just because of that smidge of extra boot space. The hardtop just bolsters the overall rigidity of the car and made it feel tauter.
The GT R is a step up in price, grunt and dynamic ability, but it's asking for a higher level of commitment in terms of livability.
The ride on its firmer suspension and 275/35 R19 rear tyres and 325/30 R 20 front rubber makes the GT R more brutal than most people would be happy to live with, I think.
But in return you are getting close to that "racing car with street legal approval" positioning, because the GT R is astounding in its balance, handling, grip and the connection it offers with the driver.
Truly engaging and almost wasted on a regular road, but why it's not quite a race car is that the cabin is dripping in luxury from the beautiful and supportive standard seats, to the leather upholstery and digital instrument cluster.
Safety
Lotus Exige5/10
Unsurprisingly, considering it will sell fewer than 100 cars in Australia, Lotus has not had the Exige ADR crash tested, so there's no star rating. You do get two airbags, passenger and driver, as well as ABS, 'Hydraulic Brake Assist', 'Lotus Dynamic Performance Management', driver-selectable ESP with three modes, cornering brake control and EBD.
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT9/10
Coming standard on all AMG GTs is AEB, blind spot warning, lane keeping assistance, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control.
All cars in the line-up come fortified with airbags, including a knee bag for the driver, side bags for the driver and passenger (combined thorax/pelvis bag), front airbags and window bags (Coupe only).
Front and rear cameras and auto parking make life easy, and while there's no spare wheel there is an inflation kit for temporary puncture repair.
A two-seater car the AMG GT doesn't have anchor points for child seats.
The AMG GT has not been assessed by ANCAP or Euro NCAP for its crash safety performance.
Ownership
Lotus Exige7/10
Your Lotus comes with a three-year unlimited kilometre warranty and three years of roadside assist. A service costs $295, plus parts.
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Mercedes-Benz AMG GT7/10
The AMG GT has a three-year unlimited/kilometre warranty and along with BMW and Audi it's short compared to the coverage offered by more affordable brands.
Servicing is recommended at 20,000km/12-month intervals. Mercedes-AMG offers a three-year plan which costs $3750 up front or you can pay as you go with capped price servicing at $800, $1000 and $2950 for each respective year.