Thursday 2nd November 2006

Lotus launches super-quick Exige

Hethel celebrates GT racing success

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Lotus has launched a special edition Exige to celebrate its 2006 success in GT3 racing. The season finished with the Lotus Sport Cadena Race Team being crowned British GT3 Team Champions, with one race still remaining from its inaugural season of competition.

The Lotus Exige S British GT Special Edition is based on the phenomenally quick standard-production Lotus Exige S, and pays homage to the GT3 racecar. But it's not cheap...

Each vehicle features a quad-stripe paint scheme and is individually identifiable by uniquely numbered 'British GT' badges, Lotus Sport Cadena supplier decals and silver 7 twin-spoke forged alloy wheels, along with unique sports seats, door trims and Lotus Sport floor carpets.

It's quicker than the standard car too. The Lotus Exige S British GT Special Edition is powered by a six-speed supercharged 1,796 cc engine using advanced VVTL-i technology, enabling the car to sprint to 60 mph in only 4.1 seconds -- that's 0.2 seconds up on the 218bhp Exige S -- and on to a top speed of 148 mph.

Add the optional GT Pack (a UK post-registration conversion) and the Lotus Exige S British GT Special Edition becomes one of the quickest cars at any price, anywhere in the world, reckons Lotus. The GT Pack has been designed specifically to enhance the car's performance for those drivers with even more extreme track day aspirations.

It adds another 25 hp (from 218 hp to 243 hp) and 15.4lb-ft of torque (from 158.6lb-ft to 174lb-ft) which drops the 930kg car's 0 to 60 mph sprint to under four seconds and increases the top speed to 155 mph. Of course, this higher performance has led to a requirement for uprated brakes (with 308 mm diameter two-piece front discs with four piston calipers, uprated brake pads and silicone brake fluid), two-way adjustable Öhlins dampers with uprated springs and an Accusump oil control system.

Lotus boss Mike Kimberley said: "We believe that the Lotus Exige S British GT Special Edition will provide a unique customer proposition, both emphasising the racing heritage of the Lotus Exige and enabling customers to get closer to the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 racecar than ever before. With fantastic value for money standard and optional equipment, exceptional performance and legendary Lotus handling, the Lotus Exige S British GT Special Edition becomes one of the greatest performance choices of the year."

Specifications

Track and sports focused equipment

• Uprated braided brake hoses
• Lotus Traction Control System (TCS)
• Factory fit Torsion type Limited Slip Differential
• 7 twin-spoke ultra lightweight forged alloy wheels (Silver)
• T45 Steel roll-hoop
• Leather ProBax sports seats in black/yellow featuring unique
• Lotus Sport Cadena trim
• Four-point harnesses
• Fully independent sports suspension utilising unequal length
• wishbones, Bilstein mono-tube gas dampers with uprated valving, uprated Eibach coaxial springs, front anti-roll bar
• Level 1 Sport exhaust

Exterior and interior equipment

• Lotus Sport Black metallic paint
• Lotus Sport Yellow and Arctic Silver stripes
• Unique British GT Championship decals featuring individual numbering
• Lotus Sport Cadena supplier decals on side sills
• Lotus Sport Cadena logos on front clamshell / wing
• British GT3 Championship Winners logo with unique build number
• Lotus Sport build plate
• Lotus Sport windscreen decal
• Manufacturers decals on side sills
• Leather door trim in black/yellow
• Polished aluminium gear-knob
• Polished aluminium handbrake sleeve
• Radio and single CD/RW player with 4 speakers

There are only two cost options:

Air-conditioning which cuts out when the driver uses more than nine-tenths throttle - very rarely does a driver use more that 95 per cent throttle for more than 10 seconds even on the quickest circuits.

GT pack

• Power upgrade to 243 bhp
• 2-way adjustible Öhlins dampers with uprated springs
• Accusump oil control system
• 308 mm 2-piece front discs with four piston calipers, uprated brake pads and silicone brake fluid
• 12-month/12,000 mile warranty

Price (incl. VAT) is £35,995.00. GT Pack is £4,995.00 and air-conditioning £1,295.00. An additional £950 is charged for on the road costs. These include delivery, PDI, first service, number plates, first registration fee, valet, 12 months Road Fund Licence and a full tank of fuel.

[bob_defly]

So £43K then.... mmmm ....

Well done to the GT team though!

[Boggy]

I want one but can't afford it! Mrs Boggy said I can have it but it's just not the right time

Boggy

[GTRene]

Ofcorse I like it over the Exige S its a bit more sporty in hp and style/looks though its also a bit more expensive...In the color as in the pictures I love to see it
Its as special as a 240cup and 240R and probebly one of their latest special products in this carros S2??? just guessing tho
GTRene

[scoobiewrx]

What can you get for £43K these days with all the add on's thats as quick as that!!
That's a nice piece of kit, well done Lotus.

[funkyol]

scoobiewrx said:

What can you get for £43K these days with all the add on's thats as quick as that!!

The Litchfield Type 25...........

[S Works]

I see they've finally conceded that the brakes on the 240Cup (and lets face it, that's all this is but with some viper stripes), are crap and not up to the job.

I still think it's a joke. Too expensive and I note that they aren't making anything of the fact that if you ask for the extra measly ponies that they slash your warranty to 12 months. Must be really confident in the product eh!?

[david@mediacopy]

The one at the back looks more like it. Better stickers.

[andyinpembs]

Nice car, but I wish they made the name a bit longer.
Its currently too snappy for my liking

[loach]

david@mediacopy said:

The one at the back looks more like it. Better stickers.

Yup. I'd buy that for a Dollar.

[law_kenuk]

I don't care what anyone else says!

AS long as you don't measure real ability by top speed, this new version is all the proformance car you will ever need adn at £43k is cheaper than anything on the road with that much ability. If you do measure ability by top speed......you don't understand a fast cars.

LAW

[law_kenuk]

PS

Are Lotus still alive and kicking in the UK??

[Dr S]

The car is fantastic. The Lotus marketing department is cr*p: The name is utter rubbish. Why not add "Sport 16V Ultra" to it... Also they quote - again - highly optimistic performance figures that no human being will ever see materialising (0-60). Just DON'T DO IT. People will buy it anyway...

[Boggy]

It's a fantastic bit of kit and I personally think its worth every penny, I said in an earlier post that I thought it was a little expensive but when you look at the complete package it's hard to beat, Limiting it to just 25 Car's is stupid this should be a production car. (I'm saying that as I'd buy one on a couple of years time).

Boggy

[jackal]

hmmm... still slower than a basic 160bhp caterham then

[Phil-CH]

I agree with DrS. Also, I would prefer the colour combination of the real GT3 version, not just the two stribes in the Lotus Sport colours.

[GTRene]

Boggy said:

It's a fantastic bit of kit and I personally think its worth every penny, I said in an earlier post that I thought it was a little expensive but when you look at the complete package it's hard to beat, Limiting it to just 25 Car's is stupid this should be a production car. (I'm saying that as I'd buy one on a couple of years time).

Boggy

You also liked the 240R cup road I believe? there is one on sale...

www.pistonheads.com/sales/110768.htm

and here a nice black one;

www.pistonheads.com/sales/108133.htm

and here another red one;

www.pistonheads.com/sales/103061.htm

GTRene

Edited by GTRene on Thursday 2nd November 16:25

[richyboy]

GTRene said:

Boggy said:

It's a fantastic bit of kit and I personally think its worth every penny, I said in an earlier post that I thought it was a little expensive but when you look at the complete package it's hard to beat, Limiting it to just 25 Car's is stupid this should be a production car. (I'm saying that as I'd buy one on a couple of years time).

Boggy

You also liked the 240R cup road I believe? there is one on sale...

www.pistonheads.com/sales/110768.htm

GTRene

That car had loads of mods the last time I viewed it. I wonder if it still have the ap brakes.

[richyboy]

Why is the warranty so crap on it?

[GTRene]

hmmm someone wants to make a big profit see my last and first 240 link...same car only one is about 3K more expensive...
GTRene

[Maxymillion]

Anyone know how much the one in the background is? Want that one! Or how much that chap in Japan paid for the V6 one Lotus Sport made for him? God that was sexual.