RE: Lotus Exige 350 Special Edition

RE: Lotus Exige 350 Special Edition

Wednesday 5th October 2016

Lotus Exige 350 Special Edition

Third Hethel 50th anniversary special announced as lighter, faster Exige 350



The formula to create a Lotus special edition is a familiar one, if also guaranteed to create an exceptional sports car. Take the current range flagship, remove some weight, offer it in fancy colours and the job's sorted - see the Elise 250 SE and Evora Hethel.


The third car has now been announced as part of the 50 years of Hethel celebrations, the Exige 350 Special Edition. As can probably be surmised, it's based on the fantastic Sport 350 we so enjoyed a little while back. To that package it adds the lithium-ion battery, forged wheels, carbon seats and lighter brakes (all optional on Sport 350) to trim 26kg from the car; in fact a kerbweight of 1,099kg is 77kg lighter than a standard Exige.

This of course means improved performance too, the 350 Special Edition recording a 1:29.8 lap at Hethel and a 3.7-second sprint to 60mph. According to Jean-Marc Gales, the car is a "real beast that needs taming but it won't bite back."

Further identifying the 350 Special Edition are four special liveries - Essex Blue, Old English White, Dark Metallic Grey and Motorsport Black - with contrasting race stripes. Inside it's marked out by standard - standard! - floor mats and cruise control.

There will be 50 of these Exiges available. They're available to order now, priced at £61,900. Finally, if you fancy a Sport 350 and can go without the limited edition adornments, there are a few cars already available secondhand; this yellow one (with the tartan) is £52K.



Author
Discussion

Hitch

Original Poster:

6,100 posts

193 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
I prefer it sans wing but what a stunning car the Exige has become.

Dafuq

371 posts

169 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Yowzers, now THATS a cool looking car.

£100k garage?, one and a half of these please! wink

Edited by Dafuq on Wednesday 5th October 12:29

Dave Hedgehog

14,541 posts

203 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
variant number 764

i wonder if they have a tank of manatee picking out options at random

DonkeyApple

54,918 posts

168 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Hitch said:
I prefer it sans wing but what a stunning car the Exige has become.
It's a cracker isn't it. Very good look car and a serious bit of kit. Very hard not to like it.

Tickle

4,879 posts

203 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Absolute dream car for me one of these, I thought they would offer it in Lotus Racing Green though confused


dunc_sx

1,607 posts

196 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
"real beast that needs taming but it won't bite back."

confused

Nice car though smokin

Speed_Demon

2,662 posts

187 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Getting in before the "Another special edition?!" and "How much?!".

Think it looks absolutely brilliant and worth every penny. Definitely have this over its Porsche equivalent.

Europa1

10,923 posts

187 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Speed_Demon said:
Getting in before the "Another special edition?!" and "How much?!".

Think it looks absolutely brilliant and worth every penny. Definitely have this over its Porsche equivalent.
3 posts too late, I'm afraid.

smilo996

2,754 posts

169 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
At the top of its game that car.

Lotus really are doing good work at the moment. Bright future hopefully.

Gandahar

9,600 posts

127 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Hitch said:
I prefer it sans wing but what a stunning car the Exige has become.
Got to agree, when this version came out with those headlights I thought it looked pants compared to the version before.

Sad and apologetic. Now it really looks quite mean.

I hope the low value of the £ means these are going abroad more and more and supporting one of our great UK sport car enterprises.


jet_noise

5,630 posts

181 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Tickle said:
Absolute dream car for me one of these, I thought they would offer it in Lotus Racing Green though confused
Me too but then...

SteveO...

465 posts

224 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Bought an Exige V6 Club Racer earlier this year. Absolutely stunning driver's car. These new ones are likely to be that little bit better still.

If anyone is considering an Exige, get out and drive one. IMHO they are rather special. Also, unlike Porsche (GT3RS/GT4) Lotus will be more than happy to sell you one.

Edited by SteveO... on Wednesday 5th October 15:06

Guvernator

13,103 posts

164 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
So much want for the Exige V6 right now.

1) Out-handles nearly everything else on the road - check
2) While at the same time offering flying carpet ride quality - check
3) Fast - check
4) Large capacity V6 N\A engine that sounds lovely (no silly small capacity turbo downsizing for this car) - check
5) Available as a manual - check
6) Supercar looks - check
7) Lightweight - check
8) British - check
9) Highly capable on a track day as well as the road - check
10) Relatively affordable - check

Really, is this the ultimate PH car right now?

I WILL have one in my garage at some point in the foreseeable future. She will be mine, oh yes she will be mine!

Gandahar

9,600 posts

127 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
I think Dan and crew need to do a Lotus Exige test v Porsche GT4 v one you can buy Porsche Carrera turbo at roughly same price, ie bog stock. and then give us the results.

That would not be a hard days work I'm guessing. Dan, over to you.

DonkeyApple

54,918 posts

168 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Gandahar said:
I think Dan and crew need to do a Lotus Exige test v Porsche GT4 v one you can buy Porsche Carrera turbo at roughly same price, ie bog stock. and then give us the results.

That would not be a hard days work I'm guessing. Dan, over to you.
Let's see it stuck up against something less utility like a Maclaren. It's boring continually seeing a brand like Lotus compared to an accountant's utility transport. smile

tuffer

8,849 posts

266 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Guvernator said:
So much want for the Exige V6 right now.

1) Out-handles nearly everything else on the road - check
2) While at the same time offering flying carpet ride quality - check
3) Fast - check
4) Large capacity V6 N\A engine that sounds lovely (no silly small capacity turbo downsizing for this car) - check
5) Available as a manual - check
6) Supercar looks - check
7) Lightweight - check
8) British - check
9) Highly capable on a track day as well as the road - check
10) Relatively affordable - check

Really, is this the ultimate PH car right now?

I WILL have one in my garage at some point in the foreseeable future. She will be mine, oh yes she will be mine!
Agreed, this really is rather appealing.

Matt Bird

1,450 posts

204 months

PH Reportery Lad

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Gandahar said:
I think Dan and crew need to do a Lotus Exige test v Porsche GT4 v one you can buy Porsche Carrera turbo at roughly same price, ie bog stock. and then give us the results.

That would not be a hard days work I'm guessing. Dan, over to you.
How did you miss this one? wink Quite a few comments...

http://www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-features/po...

GroundEffect

13,815 posts

155 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Guvernator said:
So much want for the Exige V6 right now.

1) Out-handles nearly everything else on the road - check
2) While at the same time offering flying carpet ride quality - check
3) Fast - check
4) Large capacity V6 N\A engine that sounds lovely (no silly small capacity turbo downsizing for this car) - check
5) Available as a manual - check
6) Supercar looks - check
7) Lightweight - check
8) British - check
9) Highly capable on a track day as well as the road - check
10) Relatively affordable - check

Really, is this the ultimate PH car right now?

I WILL have one in my garage at some point in the foreseeable future. She will be mine, oh yes she will be mine!
It's supercharged....

foxsasha

1,416 posts

134 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
Guvernator said:
So much want for the Exige V6 right now.

1) Out-handles nearly everything else on the road - check
2) While at the same time offering flying carpet ride quality - check
3) Fast - check
4) Large capacity V6 N\A engine that sounds lovely (no silly small capacity turbo downsizing for this car) - check
5) Available as a manual - check
6) Supercar looks - check
7) Lightweight - check
8) British - check
9) Highly capable on a track day as well as the road - check
10) Relatively affordable - check

Really, is this the ultimate PH car right now?

I WILL have one in my garage at some point in the foreseeable future. She will be mine, oh yes she will be mine!
They're forced induction and their ride quality is far from magic carpet.

But they are amazing beer


Guvernator

13,103 posts

164 months

Wednesday 5th October 2016
quotequote all
GroundEffect said:
It's supercharged....
I knew as soon as I posted, some pedant wouldn't be able to resist posting that, you know what I mean.