Being able to evangelise about how good some of our upgrades are, is one thing, but being able to let you experience them for yourself is definitely another. With this in mind, a few months ago, we were able to procure an Exige V6, with a view to creating a demo car to showcase some of our favourite upgrade products.
The base car is a 2014 Exige S Roadster – supplied to the previous owner from new, specified with the factory premium and race packs. The car already had the Komo-Tec EX390 upgrade kit installed a couple of years earlier, and whilst it had been used as these cars are intended, the car was well maintained (by us!), and performed as well as any example.
After a few months of developing the car, it currently has the following upgrades:
Komo-Tec EX460 chargecooled engine power upgrade
The ultimate proven and reliable power upgrade for the V6 has to be experienced to be believed. Perfectly docile in normal road driving as well as supercar-slaying on the track, the EX460 delivers a significant increase in useable power and torque from lower engine revs right through to the limiter. The stainless steel Komo-Tec manifolds and sports catalyst are specifically designed, providing optimised gas flow. The addition of the chargecooler system provides a significant reduction in inlet temperatures, allowing more power to be safely released from the engine by the ECU. This is a particular advantage on track, where the chargecooler allows the engine to deliver all of the power, all of the time.
JRZ one-way adjustable suspension
We have developed the JRZ dampers for Lotus applications over a number of years. Winning the Lotus Cup UK Championship in 2015 with the Elise Cup R, and their continued success that rivals struggle to match, has proven the track credentials of this upgrade. However, they are also able to deliver outstanding road manners, handling poor road surfaces with excellent levels of comfort, which is something that is rarely achieved at the entry-level of the aftermarket damper market. This is something that really has to be experienced first-hand, so was high up the list of things we wanted to do to this car.
With some additional work on our 4-wheel alignment rig to fine-tune the suspension setup, we now have a car which handles and drives in-line with our philosophies, both on the road and at the track.
Reverie carbon fibre aero and styling
We have been working closely with Reverie for over 15 years. The quality of their carbon fibre products is second-to-none, which is why they also produce sub-components for numerous high-end OEM vehicle manufacturers. Since the car started out as a roadster, it did not have either the factory front splitter or rear spoiler. We now have fitted the carbon fibre high downforce adjustable rear wing, which is mounted to the engine cover via colour-coded CNC aluminium swept wing mounts. The wing is complemented by the extended front splitter to balance the aerodynamics and finished with track-spec front canards to aid turn-in. The replacement side scoops carry the carbon fibre styling from front to the rear of the car.
Pagid RS-14 and Castrol SRF braking upgrade
The car was due for some replacement brakes, so we have retained OEM brake discs, but added the Pagid RS-14 uprated brake pads. With improved performance at higher temperatures, whilst still retaining good road usability, and longer life without excessive disc wear, the RS-14 provides a cost-effective first stage brake upgrade. In conjunction with Castrol SRF motorsport brake fluid, which is able to withstand significantly higher temperatures and superior resistance to the effects of absorbed water than a standard brake fluid, the consistency and reliability of the braking system is much improved. Moving forwards, the Komo-Tec KoBra brake upgrade would represent the next stage of this development, giving more heat dissipation and durability for hard-core road and track use.
As well as working as a demonstrator, we also use the car for new and existing product development, and as such already have a couple more upgrades coming to the car soon:
ECUmaster EMU Black programmable ECU
This exciting new product replaces the OEM ECU with a fully-featured programmable ECU. With a bespoke engine map, this will allow the engine to be tuned to perfectly match the upgrade parts that fitted. The additional advanced features of the ECU will ensure that the engine runs fully optimised whilst retaining engine safety. We will then be using this to setup bespoke tuned DPM stability and traction control modes, and configure full data-logging capabilities for the car.
Our own developed gearbox cooler kit helps the gear synchros to work more effectively at higher gearbox oil temperatures, specifically when on track. This improves the gear shift quality and speed, in turn reducing gearbox and clutch wear.
Signature SV Exhaust System
Currently in development, we have a new range of sound-tuned exhaust systems which are definitely not track friendly! The Signature SV Exhaust for the Exige V6 will be second in-line after the 2ZZ and 2ZR systems are completed in January. More news on this in the new year.
If you are considering upgrades for your car, such as the Komo-Tec packages for V6 cars, the JRZ suspension (all cars), Reverie carbon and would like to see or experience the car, please give us a call to discuss.
