Tuesday 29th December 2009

Lotus Exige S Type 72

Special edition Exige marks brand's return to F1

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Lotus is to offer a 'Type 72' limited edition version of the Exige S. The Elise got a Type 72 edition back in 2002, and now its hard-top sibling gets a similar makeover designed to remind us of the iconic John Player Special formula one car.

The Type 72 gets black paintwork with matching gloss black alloys complete with gold rims, and black and gold 'Type 72' livery in various places inside and out.

The Sport Pack is thrown in as standard, bringing black micro fibre ProBax sports seats with gold stitching, Bilstein dampers, a roll hoop, traction control, twin oil coolers and an adjustable front anti-roll bar. Each car also gets a special plate marking its build number.

There is an optional Performance Pack available which boosts power from 218bhp to nearly 240bhp, and adds launch control, variable traction control, AP Racing brakes and a bigger roof scoop. Quite significant upgrades, with a three grand price tag to match.

Just 20 Exige S Type 72s will be sold in the UK, to mark the 20 Grand Prix victories that the F1 car achieved. Each car will set buyers back £36,945 on-the-road, with no delivery date confirmed as yet.

The release of the special edition has been timed to celebrate the return of the Lotus brand to Formula One (even if it's not the Hethel boys themselves), by evoking one of the original Lotus F1's finest hours. Perhaps it hopes that some of the 72 magic will rub off on the new Malaysian team...

[PiB]

Okay. Lotusphiles are there any significant differences here in kit compared to other Exige 2s or 240s?

[kambites]

PiB said:

Okay. Lotusphiles are there any significant differences here in kit compared to other Exige 2s or 240s?

Nope. Just the colours. Daft isn't it.

Still we should hopefully see an S3 Elise next year some time.

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 29th December 08:04

[John the Blind]

Spec on this car doesn't matter, it's all about the feelings it invokes.

One of the original Esprit JPS cars was owned by someone who lived down the road from us when we were kids. Regardless of how it is thought of now, at the time it was the coolest car we had ever seen up close and in the flesh.

And so it would not matter if it had bicycle peddles for performance, as soon as I saw that colour scheme, great fond memories came flooding back. I am sure that there are 20 thirty/forty somethings like me who would snap one up

[Silver993tt]

so why not just offer the new paint scheme and interior bits as an option to every new buyer since there's no fundamental change in the car?

[W111AAM]

There's been one of these in my local Lotus showroom for a month or so now. Looks very nice, but I'm not a fan of the alloys. Prefere the standard Exige ones.

[PompeyM3]

I would have one. I remember having the Lotus Elite and F1 car on a trailer set made by corgi as a kid in the 70's. Ah Memories.......

[Belfast Boy]

Hey , these are such good cars!

Has anyone thought about doing a few Limited Edition ones?

[kambites]

I do quite like my "special edition" Elise. OK I wouldn't have paid significantly more for it than for a standard car, but there is definitely something slightly special about knowing exactly how many cars like your own there are.

[teen_cerbera]

W111AAM said:

There's been one of these in my local Lotus showroom for a month or so now. Looks very nice, but I'm not a fan of the alloys. Prefere the standard Exige ones.

I agree, I think multi spoke alloys and maybe a little bit bigger may improve the look no end...

[Furyous]

Another day, another ltd edition Elige.....

[Fire99]

Does type 72 stand for the number of 'special' editions that have been done of the Exige / Elise stable?

Honestly.. Great cars but the whole 'variant of the same theme' is wearing a bit thin no me. They seem to have been taking lessons from Subaru on the number of different variants of the same car they can do.

[R66STU]

nice car, if i had the dosh i would use it as a daily run around,

all it needs is a the JPS logo airbrushed on the side

[kambites]

teen_cerbera said:

I think multi spoke alloys and maybe a little bit bigger may improve the look no end...

Yes but that would probably ruin the handling. Lotus are one of the new remaining companies who seem to actually pick their wheels for handling rather than looks.

[Daniel1]

im too fat to get in and out of it

[mylesmcd]

W111AAM said:

There's been one of these in my local Lotus showroom for a month or so now. Looks very nice, but I'm not a fan of the alloys. Prefere the standard Exige ones.

here here

[GingerWizard]

Daniel1 said:

im too fat to get in and out of it

i would'nt say i was to fat, just generally too big.... all over...

i would like one for track days if i was minted....

[kambites]

GingerWizard said:

i would'nt say i was to fat, just generally too big.... all over...

I assume you've tried? There are plenty of people who are 6'3-6'4 who use them as daily drivers without any problems and I know of a few who are taller.

[jimjim150]

Beautiful, subtle yet evocative...

[Daniel1]

kambites said:

GingerWizard said:

i would'nt say i was to fat, just generally too big.... all over...

I assume you've tried? There are plenty of people who are 6'3-6'4 who use them as daily drivers without any problems and I know of a few who are taller.

clarkson got in one, im just too big around the buttocks

[chevronb37]

Saw one being built in the factory a few weeks ago. Looked good, although they were also displaying a green Lotus Sport MY10 Exige with those wheels which looked amazing.