groundhog

^^^^ the Lotus weighs ~1,150kgs...............................the GT3 weighs ~1,500kgs - a difference of about 700lbs

381 HP/tonne - Lotus
333 HP/tonne - GT3

The lotus is a lot more engaging car - the gear box is its weak point along with the dealership network (depending where you live).

wizee

Lotus likes to state dry weights to make their cars seem lighter than they are, while
Porsche usually uses DIN Kerb weights.

Lotus quotes an Exige Cup dry weight of 1056 kg after airbag delete. After re-adding fluids and airbags, about 1150 kg sounds right.

The DIN (wet) weight of a manual 991.2 GT3 (with PCCB and buckets I think) is 1413 kg.

1150/1413 = 0.81
430/(493*0.81) = 1.07

The Lotus has a 7% higher power to weight ratio than the GT3, and weighs about 19% less. Certainly lighter and more nimble, and a little bit faster in a straight line, but not drastically so.

groundhog

580lbs is still a big difference, one that you'll feel through every corner and every braking zone.

I was was lucky enough to drive one quite some time ago. I thought it was fantastic, completely engaging and captivating if you're a track guy. Completely analogue and very rewarding - as a driver there was and is nowhere to hide.

The current GT3 is a tour de force but, in my view, is also missing something that was present in earlier iterations.

The Lotus is a real drivers car, unashamedly so. 😀

The reality is "real" drivers cars don't sell - they are simply too focussed - hence Porsche is successful and Lotus struggles.

However, I can fully understand why someone would want a 430 Cup over a variety of Porsche sports cars including the GT3.

wizee

That’s fair. Another way to think of it is that the percentage weight difference between the Exige Cup 430 and GT3 is similar to the percentage difference between a 911 Turbo and a Dodge Demon. I don’t think anyone will doubt that the latter two are very different.

95spiderman

there is a youtube video of this Evora/gt3 comparison side by side on same track, driver, day in uk. gt3 pulls ahead on straights and wins overall. I believe the power/weight ratio is exaggerated by lotus and understated by Porsche. plus the Evora was more expensive than the gt3 too

I take gt3 over any Evora but exige and Evora over cayman gt4

groundhog

We're talking about the Exige 430 Cup not the Evora............

95spiderman

gt3 over any evora/exige.
evora/exige over any cayman/911

groundhog

Why? And it's entirely dependant on where they are being driven, the type of surface and the driver experience level.

95spiderman

of course its all subjective, but to me i prefer the gt3 for its motor and transmission over any lotus. the reverse is true when comparing lotus to any other type porsche. the lotus has more sense of occasion and has better motor than 4 cyl boxer in cayman. changes again if want pdk vs lotus auto which is weak link.....

groundhog

I'd look at it another way - the driver engagement factor in a manual 430 Cup is far higher than in a GT3 manual (or PDK). To get the max out of the Lotus you have to be a very good driver, however to get to 90% with the GT3 you don't have to be a particularly good driver. Obviously there are pros and cons to this. Some like to work for their reward, some don't.

So much depends on how and where you drive these cars and perhaps more importantly one size does not fit all e.g. the 430 Cup moved me in ways the 991.1.2 GT3 didn't. In Porsche land, and from my perspective, if you want focussed you pick up a RS and if you want GT you pick up a GTS - which for me, leaves the GT3 in a form of no mans land.

The logic to some degree further extends, when you start looking at RS models you cast around and inevitably end up looking at something like the 720S which is quicker still, more interesting from a technological perspective and yet more capable across the board - specifically the suspension feels and is light years more versatile than that found in/on the GT3/RS.

Long story short, there are lots of choices out there beyond Porsche and thats a good thing.