2013 Lotus Exige S

•First registered to Lotus Cars Ltd

•Very early example of the Exige S Roadster

•Extensive specification with Premium Pack

•345bhp, supercharged V6 engine

Lotus made its name with small, light, agile cars that excelled on road and track alike, and this Exige S perfectly embodies all of those qualities.

Presented in Ardent Red with an Ivory White leather interior, it is a very early example of the Series 3 Exige and was first registered on 11 July 2013 to Lotus Cars itself. Not until September 2014 was it sold to its first private owner – a Kidderminster-based enthusiast who must have revelled in his new Lotus because it was showing 14,597 miles by the time it was serviced by marque specialist Paul Matty the following year.

It has covered very few miles in recent years, having been acquired by another Lotusenthusiast and been maintained as part of his collection of road and race cars. It is still showing less than 17,000 miles from new, and offers sensational performance from its supercharged, 3456cc V6 engine.

It drives through a six-speed gearbox and – being the Roadster model – features a stiffer anti-roll bar than the fixed-head model, plus more negative camber at the rear and slightly less at the front. That fine-tuning of the suspension geometry ensures that it drives just as superblyas its coupé sibling over every type of road.

It also benefits from the optional Premium Pack, which means that the door panels and centre console are trimmed in leather, there’s more sound insulation, and the footwells are carpeted. Other factory-fitted extras include air-conditioning and heated seats.

This Lotus Exige is now being offered for sale as a low-mileage, well-specified example of this exhilarating driver’s car, which still has few peers when it comes to enjoying a spirited cross-country run.