Top Gear viewers might recognise this Lotus Exige
Its also believed to be the very first S2 Exige ever to be made – hand built by the special vehicle team before the actual production run started.
Anyway, for a car that did 9000 miles of demonstrations, suspension development and press use, it was in remarkably good condition, having been pampered like a first born child by Lotus staff at their HQ in Hethel, Norfolk.
Arriving at the customer’s house, weather obviously wasn’t on side. One minute baking hot, the next pouring with rain. The customer was in the process of finishing his new garage, so work could continue under shelter, but sadly it meant photographs were difficult during the day, so time was spent concentrating on the job in hand.
At the start, generally grubby and covered in cat paw prints, sand, brake dust and recent track day rubber!
In order to remove the gritty mud and sand, the first approach was to pre soak the car with a special foam detergent several times, each application of foam being left to dwell for 5 minutes before very gentle rinsing with low pressure water.
This removed the loose dirt that might have otherwise caused further scratches, leaving a normal handwash using a lambswool mitt to finish the job properly. The wheels required particular attention, needing quite an aggressive approach to remove the thick build up of brake dust, and a variety of brushes to reach the inner rims. Once clean, the paint was clayed to remove bonded contaminants, then washed once again before being rinsed and dried. At this point, the wheels were covered with Chemical Guys Wheel Guard to give it maximum curing time.
Happy with this, the whole car was treated in the same way.
Unfortunately, that’s all the correction photographs taken. Once the polishing stage was finished, Chemical Guys products were used to finish. Firstly, a layer of EZ Creme Glaze was applied to add depth to the paint and enhance the wet look. Next, two layers of Jetseal 109 sealant, known for its beautiful glossy finish and great durable protection. Finally, a layer of 50/50 Connoisseur paste wax was applied as the finishing touch. The glass was cleaned, door shuts and panels gaps cleared of dust and wax residue, trim & tyres dressed using New Look Trim Gel at which point the car was moved out into the sunshine for some finished shots.
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