The most extraordinary thing about the Lotus race testing facility is that the Lotus cars on the track are in most cases, the Lotus cars on sale. The following account of our experiences on the track therefore should not be seen as a separate experience from that on the road, its just that if I was honest about that, I’d need OJ’s lawyer.
Having adorned a helmet sized extra large, an uncommon condition for a man towering 5’5½” I was duly winched into a Lotus Exige 270E Tri-Fuel, which we had seen the week before at the Green Car Show. My first impression was as all of the Lotus cars I’ve driven one of comfort and driving ease, unexpected for a car of this power. The controls are amenable and can be driven leisurely by either of the sexes if desired. A leisurely driving style in a Lotus however, is not a long term proposition. Opening her up out of the last bend and going wide into the long straight will soon cure the driver of anything leisurely.
The hairpin reminds me of the Grand National ride at the loath-ed Pleasure Beech. Having long since run out of track, or so it seemed, the rider is encouraged to hold tightly for an abrupt, postponed cornering experience which causes the intestines to rise. Glynn, my Lotus co-driver, is a necessary additon and

should feature as an option on the Touring version Elise SC which I was kindly loaned. He calmly urges me to defer turning into the hairpin until the sun comes over the yard arms, or it felt as long anyway. This is followed by further urges to ‘lean in to it’ and ‘more’, more speed, more lean… more panic. Whereas what I really needed Glynn, was more bottle. Not even as a second rate fall back have I ever leaned into anything the way I’ve leaned into a Lotus steering wheel – on the track of course. I mean I suppose you could lean into the steering wheel that way when road driving, but I wouldn’t know of course. I just wouldn’t know.
Taking the Lotus through long curves is a dream, over in the blink of an eye and followed by work. Upshifting for the straights is not necessary however. Lotus’ are both manual and automatic as they can be left in third. Alastair Florance left his in sixth during half of the lengthy road trial in the States. These cars make up for all your failings and then constitute an Almighty one. The Lotus Exige 270E Tri-Fuel had the special tyres which Glynn then attempted to shred; 70 through the Chicanes, 130 down the straights.