Tuesday 9th August 2011

Lotus's Revamped Range Includes V6 For Exige

Big power for small coupe as Lotus sharpens up its existing products

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Not the new Lotus Exige

The Lotus Exige is to be treated to a V6 powerplant for 2012, as Lotus focuses on keeping it range fresh while it readies its five-car 'new world order'.

The Exige has been absent from European price lists since its 1.8-litre Toyota-sourced motor was forcibly put out to pasture by Euro5 emissions regs in December, so Lotus has been hard at work getting the 3.5-litre Toyota V6 it also uses in the Evora to fit into the Exige.

Most media attention is focused on the 'new-era' Lotuses, which will be kicked off by the Esprit in 2013, but Hethel is keen to keep things ticking over until then, and a V6 for the Exige (which will be available in both 276bhp naturally aspirated and 345bhp supercharged forms) is just the start.

As well as a new engine, the Exige is due to get a significant styling revamp. This has been necessitated partly by the new engines (which, from the looks of the spy shots you can see published by Autocar, has meant an overhaul of the Elise-based coupe from the B-pillars back), but also by design boss Donato Coco's desire to make the Lotus range less visually 'weak'.

Thus the Exige will also get sharper front-end styling, as will the Evora and Elise, and will soldier on refreshed while the new models begin to creep ever closer to the showroom.

[Aizle]

I haven't driven any modern Lotus but I imagine the V6 is a lot more suited to the GT/everyday Evora.

I can't see how they will make the V6 as inviting to thrash as any variant of the 1.8.

I'm sure I will be proved wrong and it will be brilliant, here's hoping.

[CocoUK]

345 Ponies to push along an extra 100kg(?) to the tune of a charged V6 - not a bad mix. I believe this will be officially shown at the Frankfurt Motorshow 13th September.

I hope Lotus make a couple of special editions...

[ZOLLAR]

Nice

[MagicalTrevor]

CocoUK said:

I hope Lotus make a couple of special editions...

I'm sure we can rely on that

[Roberty]

CocoUK said:

I hope Lotus make a couple of special editions...

[Howard1650]

Looks like a nice idea, just keep the price down !

[Oddball RS]

I only have two questions, no three..........

What will it weigh? not a lot less than an Evora?

What will it cost? how much over £40k?

If you are having a wee bit of a redesign, any chance you can make it accomdate someone who is 6'2" a little easier?

[kambites]

Judging by Lotus' recent pricing strategy, I'd guess it'll start slightly below the Cayman. It would be lunacy to price it above the Cayman (not that Lotus are beyond the occasional bout of lunacy).

[Rawwr]

kambites said:

It would be lunacy to price it above the Cayman.

Then that's what Lotus will do

[RTH]

The spending they keep on doing is staggering. Sales remain tiny.

[kambites]

RTH said:

The spending they keep on doing is staggering. Sales remain tiny.

To some extent I agree, I doubt this is that expensive to develop. I'm not sure whether it's using the Elise chassis or a VVA derived one, but one already exists and the other is extremely cheap to design; it's got a new rear subframe, which isn't very complicated; an engine they've used before, so no difficulties there; there's a new rear clam, but I believe the Exige's body has always been hand-laid anyway so that will require minimal retooling;... if anything I'd say this is a relatively cheap way to eek a few more sales out of the rather ancient Elise/Exige platform.

I've no idea whether anyone will buy it though, with the new cars already announced.

[G0ldfysh]

Oddball RS said:

If you are having a wee bit of a redesign, any chance you can make it accomdate someone who is 6'2" a little easier?

Just take up Yoga :-)

[Boggy]

I was told that they would only be selling a S/C model, how stupid do I look as I kept telling everyone

Boggy

[Fire99]

I have a feeling the dynamics of the Exige will change somewhat from the lithe, sharp bullet that it once was.

[Nigel_O]

If an Exige is "visually weak", I can't wait to see a "visually strong" Lotus...

Also, I can't help but think that shoe-horning a 3.5-litre V6 into the back of an Exige/Elise is not really in keeping with Chapman's original mantra of "add lightness"

Surely a forced induction lightweight lump is more appropriate?

Edited by Nigel_O on Tuesday 9th August 09:50

[kambites]

Nigel_O said:

If an Exige is "visually weak", I can't wait to see a "visually strong" Lotus...

Also, I can't help but think that shoe-horning a 3.5-litre V6 into the back of an Exige/Elise is not really in keeping with Chapman's original mantra of "add lightness"

Surely a forced induction lightweight lump is more appropriate?

Lotus seem to have lost all interest in that mantra a while ago; which is slightly odd when you consider that other manufacturers seem to have just started to adopt it to greater or lesser degrees.

[thewheelman]

Personally i'd go for a 2 year old Evora & wait for the new Elise/Exige.

[Monkey boy 1]

Why are the "so called" Lotus fans of PH so blinkered in their posts on PH ?
Nearly every post there is some reference to, How much will it weigh?, Why isn't it cheaper? or Oh dear another "special eddition"

I've been to many Lotus events & festivals and you rarely hear these comments from the actual owners of the cars, You only seem to get it from the wannabe armchair critic who is jealous because they can only afford a chavved up Corsa.

PH members seem to be Lotus bashing for the sake of Lotus bashing.

[thewheelman]

Monkey boy 1 said:

Why are the "so called" Lotus fans of PH so blinkered in their posts on PH ?
Nearly every post there is some reference to, How much will it weigh?, Why isn't it cheaper? or Oh dear another "special eddition"

I've been to many Lotus events & festivals and you rarely hear these comments from the actual owners of the cars, You only seem to get it from the wannabe armchair critic who is jealous because they can only afford a chavved up Corsa.

PH members seem to be Lotus bashing for the sake of Lotus bashing.

I don't see any Lotus bashing here, yeah the odd sarcastic special edition comment. The topic of weight is due to the old Lotus quote of add lightness.

[JonRB]

Good to see a decent V6 in the Lotus rather than a farty 4-pot. It was about time there was an official 6-cylinder Exige.

Although this unofficial one with the Golf R32's VR6 lump in it is rather yums (ok, it's an Elise but never mind)


Elise R32 V6 by JonRB, on Flickr


Elise R32 V6 by JonRB, on Flickr