Lotus Exige V6 Cup: Spotted

Just in case that Porsche isn't quite the ticket for your new track toy...

Even before reading anything about how the Porsche Cayman GT4 drives, everyone sort of knows it will be pretty special. A Cayman with a judicious sprinkling of GT3 components and Porsche Motorsport know-how will make a very talented car.

Can we get rid of the Union Jacks please?

But there are issues. That £64,451 entry price is very tempting but, as it the Porsche way, options will soon see that spiral. Clubsport pack? £2,670 sir, and only possible with the £1,970 bucket seats. A digital radio is £324, but to facilitate that you must add Porsche Communication Management (£2,141) and the Sound Package Plus at £396. And who knows when (indeed if) you will be able to get one?

Don't get me wrong - I'm sure the Cayman will be excellent and I'd love one. But when considering a sports car only for track, what about a Lotus?

Exige Cup versus Cayman GT4 sounds like an enthralling track comparison. A place where everyday usability can go hang, not speccing PCM won't seem so ridiculous and both will remind you why mid-engined cars (and manual gearboxes) are so right.

It will be interesting to see how GT4 buyers use their cars, whether they are regularly used as intended or kept tucked away. As an occasional track plaything rather than a normal sports car the balance surely swings in the Lotus's favour. Those compromises that hamper it as a day-to-day prospect become less important.

When was the last time you drove a car without power steering? Yes, the Exige will be hard work at low speeds but imagine the joy of steering it once up to speed. Porsche electric power steering is very good as those systems go but Lotus still has a knack of making the old methods work exceptionally well.

Well obviously it's pretty bare in here

The Exige is 200kg lighter than the Porsche too, not an insignificant number when considering track dynamics. Oh sure, as an overall proposition the Cayman is probably the one to have but purely for driving thrills it would surely be far, far closer. Hopefully that's a question we can answer soon.

Anyway, to the Exige Cup in question. Handily given the story opened with how expensive the Cayman can be, this Cup is £10K less than its £62,994 list price after 5,500 miles. The catch? This looks to be old press car, just in case that fire needed stoking a little more. The advert describes it as a Lotus Cars 'demonstrator vehicle' but there can't be too many white Exige Cups around, particularly registered two years ago. There is however this Pewter Grey Cup at £56,979 if the press car thing is a real concern. Looks fantastic in grey actually.

There will understandably huge demand for the Cayman GT4, and a huge amount of buyer satisfaction too. But a little thinking outside of the box plus a little bit (alright, probably quite a lot) of compromise could result in something even more enjoyable still. In the right situations. Decisions, decisions!

LOTUS EXIGE V6 CUP
Engine: 3,456cc V6, supercharged
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 350@7,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 295@4,500rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: March 2013
Recorded mileage: 5,500
Price new: £62,994 (basic price inc. VAT, fully road legal and with limited warranty)
Yours for: £52,950