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THE EXIGE S GETS EVEN RACIER We are turning up the temperature at this weekend’s Lotus Festival at Brands Hatch with the official launch of a new track-focused model: The Exige V6 Cup. There are two variants: a Track Day version priced at £62,995 and a full-on Competition-spec car starting at £74,995 (Prices include VAT @ 20%). Performance hits 274km/h, 0-100 in 3.8 seconds, and 346hp kicked out from the 3.5 litre supercharged V6 behind the drivers’ seat. The Exige V6 Cup weighs in at 1080kg, and comes with Lotus Dynamic Performance Management, so you can switch the engine and traction settings between Touring, Sport and Race; Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo tyres; aerodynamically optimized front splitter, rear diffuser and wing; multi-adjustable suspension; and race-ready kit such as a heavy-duty roll cage, 4 or 6-point harnesses, isolator switches, FIA-approved fire extinguisher, tow eyes, removable steering wheel and HANS-compliant race seats. In addition to hitting circuits in various track days events, the Exige V6 Cup is intended for new and current Lotus Cup series including Lotus Cup UK, Lotus Cup Europe, Lotus Cup Eastern Europe, Lotus Cup Italy, Lotus Cup Japan, and the Lotus Ladies Cup (Hungary). There will be a version for the USA which will be on display at Brands Hatch this weekend.
Big question remains over where the weight loss is coming from. Ok airbags and sound deadening are worth a few kgs but surely that's undone by the cage and extinguisher? Stereo and speakers are presumably deleted as per Cup 260? But 1176kg standard and 1080kg cup weights are both without aircon.
All this stuff is available for the standard car: 'and comes with Lotus Dynamic Performance Management, so you can switch the engine and traction settings between Touring, Sport and Race; Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo tyres; aerodynamically optimized front splitter, rear diffuser and wing'.
Personally thrilled by the removable steering wheel option!
Either way if the new weight figure is realised, it's great that the car can now be ordered at it's original target weight of 1080kg, which also does wonders for the power/weight ratio.
Much looking forward to seeing it tomorrow.
Big question remains over where the weight loss is coming from. Ok airbags and sound deadening are worth a few kgs but surely that's undone by the cage and extinguisher? Stereo and speakers are presumably deleted as per Cup 260? But 1176kg standard and 1080kg cup weights are both without aircon.
All this stuff is available for the standard car: 'and comes with Lotus Dynamic Performance Management, so you can switch the engine and traction settings between Touring, Sport and Race; Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo tyres; aerodynamically optimized front splitter, rear diffuser and wing'.
Personally thrilled by the removable steering wheel option!
Either way if the new weight figure is realised, it's great that the car can now be ordered at it's original target weight of 1080kg, which also does wonders for the power/weight ratio.
Much looking forward to seeing it tomorrow.
'polycarbonate rear bulkhead window' is an option.
As is 70 litre tank.
Clearly the standard wheels are pretty light because that's the first thing I'd have expected them to change for the cup version.
http://Evorainfo.net/FileStore/PDFs/Brochures/Lotu...
As is 70 litre tank.
Clearly the standard wheels are pretty light because that's the first thing I'd have expected them to change for the cup version.
http://Evorainfo.net/FileStore/PDFs/Brochures/Lotu...
Had a very interesting chat with someone very helpful and knowledgeable at Lotus Motorsport.
Apparently a good chunk of the weight loss is the removal of all the sound deadening. Seats are lighter, airbags deleted along with stereo and speakers.
He was kind enough to let me sit in the green Exige cup and while I have no problem with entry procedure for exiges (all racing cars are hard to get in and out of, it adds to the sense of occasion) the cage adds a whole new level of difficulty to getting in and out. Fortunately the 'trackday' cup cars can be ordered without the full cage. It would have been a deal breaker for me for road use. You still get the harness bar and a-frame cage behind the seats.
It's very stripped out inside but the details are very nice, similar to the Cup 260 in that regard. The seats in particular are pretty much dream spec and lashings of alcantara abound. The wheel felt very good but the beauty of the removable non-airbag route is that you could fit pretty much anything you wanted. Black or red suede momo for me.
Trackday car still has open diff but full race version is going to have a mechanical LSD. Given the electronics effectively do the job of a diff I don't think it matters too much in this instance.
Now here's where it gets really exciting....
The list of options goes well beyond what's on the pdf previously posted.
Trackday car comes with Nitron adjustable dampers but Ohlins are available at extra cost. Polycarbonate rear window is available (might be a nice way to offset the weight of the essential, imo, aircon.
But get this: full race sequential box with paddleshift is available. Normally it's £25,000 (seriously pukka kit!) but if you order one from new you get the money for your manual back and it can be done for around £14k. Lots of money of course but for what you get I for one would be quite tempted. Apparently Lotus are encouraging owners to go this route because this box can easily take the future planned power increases...
On that subject more power is also available if you ask really nicely... and it's comfortably north of 400bhp...! Ok you're looking at £80k for an Exige in this sort of spec now but you're also talking about a road legal track weapon of astonishing proportions and don't forget the 4.0 GT3 RS was only a few pence change from £140k! £80k is still bargain basement for the new 911, new GT3 must be north of £120k basic. And what was the 211 GT4? Darn close to £80k.
The downside to the power upgrade is you lose the warranty. But the Cup cars have a reduced warranty anyway as they are intended for track use (6 months from memory). And after all the beauty of using Toyota oily bits is you don't need one anyway!
For anyone who thinks this is sheer madness the standard car is looking like a bargain for what is probably the better road car. Either way its great work from Lotus. They really mean business with this new Exige. It's actually several leagues above the four pot Exige, fabulous sportscar that it is. The V6 may still be small inside and out but it's a proper supercar.
Apparently a good chunk of the weight loss is the removal of all the sound deadening. Seats are lighter, airbags deleted along with stereo and speakers.
He was kind enough to let me sit in the green Exige cup and while I have no problem with entry procedure for exiges (all racing cars are hard to get in and out of, it adds to the sense of occasion) the cage adds a whole new level of difficulty to getting in and out. Fortunately the 'trackday' cup cars can be ordered without the full cage. It would have been a deal breaker for me for road use. You still get the harness bar and a-frame cage behind the seats.
It's very stripped out inside but the details are very nice, similar to the Cup 260 in that regard. The seats in particular are pretty much dream spec and lashings of alcantara abound. The wheel felt very good but the beauty of the removable non-airbag route is that you could fit pretty much anything you wanted. Black or red suede momo for me.
Trackday car still has open diff but full race version is going to have a mechanical LSD. Given the electronics effectively do the job of a diff I don't think it matters too much in this instance.
Now here's where it gets really exciting....
The list of options goes well beyond what's on the pdf previously posted.
Trackday car comes with Nitron adjustable dampers but Ohlins are available at extra cost. Polycarbonate rear window is available (might be a nice way to offset the weight of the essential, imo, aircon.
But get this: full race sequential box with paddleshift is available. Normally it's £25,000 (seriously pukka kit!) but if you order one from new you get the money for your manual back and it can be done for around £14k. Lots of money of course but for what you get I for one would be quite tempted. Apparently Lotus are encouraging owners to go this route because this box can easily take the future planned power increases...
On that subject more power is also available if you ask really nicely... and it's comfortably north of 400bhp...! Ok you're looking at £80k for an Exige in this sort of spec now but you're also talking about a road legal track weapon of astonishing proportions and don't forget the 4.0 GT3 RS was only a few pence change from £140k! £80k is still bargain basement for the new 911, new GT3 must be north of £120k basic. And what was the 211 GT4? Darn close to £80k.
The downside to the power upgrade is you lose the warranty. But the Cup cars have a reduced warranty anyway as they are intended for track use (6 months from memory). And after all the beauty of using Toyota oily bits is you don't need one anyway!
For anyone who thinks this is sheer madness the standard car is looking like a bargain for what is probably the better road car. Either way its great work from Lotus. They really mean business with this new Exige. It's actually several leagues above the four pot Exige, fabulous sportscar that it is. The V6 may still be small inside and out but it's a proper supercar.
Just posted some more shots up on Facebook.
Lotus press shots: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.403848889...
SELOC pictures of the cars at Brands Hatch: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.403851173...
Lotus press shots: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.403848889...
SELOC pictures of the cars at Brands Hatch: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.403851173...
very nice, but what I do not understand is that Lotus still uses that dangerous cage, look in the upper corner you see on both sides the open iron pipe stick out...
you could damage your head seriously when/if it bangs against it.
the first cup exige's also had that sticking out open pipe next to were your head is.
you could damage your head seriously when/if it bangs against it.
the first cup exige's also had that sticking out open pipe next to were your head is.
Pits as I understand it the cut off of 350 ponies available for the road car in Europe is all down to the gearbox issues. They havent homologated a gearbox to take the extra power available in Europe yet. They offered the GTE out East because nobody gives a f
k out there!
When I spoke to Lotus, again - this is as I understand it - the homologation process was ongoing. Where the company sale/hiatus has placed all that I dont know.
Agreed entirely though re: £80k for a 400ponied Exige Cup is a bargain compared to £140k 911.
k out there!When I spoke to Lotus, again - this is as I understand it - the homologation process was ongoing. Where the company sale/hiatus has placed all that I dont know.
Agreed entirely though re: £80k for a 400ponied Exige Cup is a bargain compared to £140k 911.
DJRC said:
Pits as I understand it the cut off of 350 ponies available for the road car in Europe is all down to the gearbox issues. They havent homologated a gearbox to take the extra power available in Europe yet. They offered the GTE out East because nobody gives a fk out there!
GTE is still the EA60 box with the Sports ratio set, just with hydraulic automation.k out there!Scuffers said:
here we go again 
OK, when Lotus homologate it for GT3 (NOT soft-target GT4) and go head to head with the 911, then you might be able to make such sweeping statments.
the only broken record round here is you Scuffers.OK, when Lotus homologate it for GT3 (NOT soft-target GT4) and go head to head with the 911, then you might be able to make such sweeping statments.
I for one would love to see Lotus taken on GT3 but you'd probably moan that they're wasting their money on another expensive vanity project!
Besides that your comment is ridiculous. The £140k porsche being referred to is the road going GT3, against which I have every confidence that a 440bhp, 1080kg xtrac sequential equipped Exige with race brakes and all the rest will compare very favourably.
Since when did the 911 that competes in GT3 (as in the race series, not the faux racer 911 marketing wheeze) cost £140k?
Talk about missing the point!
Edited by The Pits on Tuesday 21st August 08:47
The Pits said:
Scuffers said:
here we go again
OK, when Lotus homologate it for GT3 (NOT soft-target GT4) and go head to head with the 911, then you might be able to make such sweeping statments.
the only broken record round here is you Scuffers.OK, when Lotus homologate it for GT3 (NOT soft-target GT4) and go head to head with the 911, then you might be able to make such sweeping statments.
I for one would love to see Lotus taken on GT3 but you'd probably moan that they're wasting their money on another expensive vanity project!
Besides that your comment is ridiculous. The £140k porsche being referred to is the road going GT3, against which I have every confidence that a 440bhp, 1080kg xtrac sequential equipped Exige with race brakes and all the rest will compare very favourably.
Since when did the 911 that competes in GT3 (as in the race series, not the faux racer 911 marketing wheeze) cost £140k?
Talk about missing the point!
No Scuffers the Exige V6 Cup is much like the outgoing Cup 260. The version we have all been discussing is the 'trackday' version. Completely road legal. Simply a lighter version of the road car with some mods to tip the compromise a little more towards the track, such as adjustable dampers, harness bar, hans compliant seats (again all as per Cup 260) and so on. All of this has already been said above.
There is a planned proper race car version but there are few details on that yet. All we know at the moment is that it's likely to have a mechanical LSD, full cage {and presumably uprated brakes, suspension optimised for slicks?) and cost quite a bit more than the £60k price of the 'trackday' version.
There is a planned proper race car version but there are few details on that yet. All we know at the moment is that it's likely to have a mechanical LSD, full cage {and presumably uprated brakes, suspension optimised for slicks?) and cost quite a bit more than the £60k price of the 'trackday' version.
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