How many more variations can there be? Lotus have pulled yet another Elise variant out of the bag today with the announcement of the new "Exige S".
Whilst another model is bound to confuse those not intimately familiar with the marque, this one does set itself apart with the claim of being the fastest accelerating Lotus ever to come off the production line.
Weighing in at a modest 935 kg (2057 lbs) the Exige S is powed by a supercharged engine producing 218bhp. That's enough poke to launch it to 60mph in just 4.1 seconds and power on to 148mph.
Clive Dopson, Managing Director of Lotus Cars said today, "The Exige S represents the ultimate "extreme" production Lotus, with performance that trumps other supercars costing twice or even three times as much. That it does so with the fuel economy of a family hatchback, stands as a testament to the Lotus concept of performance through light weight. Its an unbeatable package and an unbeatable drive."
The heart of the Exige S is a Roots-type supercharger and air to air intercooler bolted to the now familiar 4-cylinder, 1.8 litre 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i engine. Using a development of the supercharger and intercooler package developed first for the Lotus Sport Exige 240R, the Exige S achieves peak power at 7800 rpm. Torque peaks at 158.6 lb ft at 5500 rpm. Maximum engine speed is 8000 rpm (8500 rpm transient for up to 2 seconds).
A slightly redesigned air intake and roof scoop has been added to the Exige S to ensure that the air to air intercooler works as efficiently and effectively as possible. A single oval exhaust exits from the centre of the undertray.
The Lotus Exige S uses the same aerodynamic package as the standard Exige, however, the key body components of the rear wing, front splitter and side air intakes are body colour coded to differentiate it.
The car will be available as a fully homologated vehicle for the markets in which it is sold. It won't be available in the USA however.
UK pricing starts at £33,995 including VAT (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price), mainland Europe: 44,147 Euros excluding individual market taxes (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price). Japan: JYP 6,909,000 including tax.
The car will be available in the UK in March/April, Europe in April/May, Asia in May/June.
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