Lotus has arrived at Frankfurt with a new Exige S. They’re not quite making the same splash they did in Paris last year, but check the raw performance numbers: 1080kg and 350PS (260kW). Nice!
The power is provided by the same supercharged 3.5 litre V6 found in the Evora S; placed right behind your ears it’s sure to sound as fast as it goes.
You’ll be at the 100km/h speed limit in around 3.8 seconds and the old ton (100mph) will take you just 7.9 seconds. Maximum torque of 400Nm is achieved at 4500rpm on the way to a 7000rpm redline. Perhaps a little peaky for a supercharged engine, but sure to be quick enough all the same.
Mind, with a tiny 40 litre fuel tank quick sprints are about all you’ll be able to achieve in this car. Forget long haul highway blasts.
Dany Bahar, Group Lotus CEO, also reckons you’ll need to be on your toes to handle this “mind blowing drive experience”.
“Anyone who has ever driven an Exige will tell you that it’s not for the faint-hearted,” he said. ” The new Exige S skips a few rungs on the ladder to give the driver the ultimate Lotus experience. Quite simply you can’t get more Lotus than the Exige S.”
Group Lotus unveil the next generation Exige at Frankfurt
1080kg Lightweight Exige Chassis
+ 350 PS 3.5l V6 Supercharged Evora S Engine
= The all NEW Exige S
Raw performance, agility, unparalleled ride and handling and mind blowing drive experience, these attributes are what people have come to expect from Lotus. And we don’t like to disappoint. After months of media speculation Group Lotus is proud to announce the latest addition to the family: the extraordinary new Exige S, the ultimate lightweight high performance sportscar.
Alongside the staggering power to weight ratio, the Exige S has a completely new exterior and interior look and feel. The dramatic styling overhaul sees a completely new look for the Exige including a new front splitter and rear spoiler giving it a strong and aerodynamic profile.
There are two new interior package options available: Premium and Premium Sport. The Premium Pack provides added comfort and style where as the Premium Sport option focuses on creating an internal space optimised for ultimate driver involvement.
Built for the adrenalin hungry sportscar aficionado, the Exige S features high performance bespoke tyre package with Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tyres as standard. A Lotus DPM (Dynamic Performance Management) switch allows the driver to switch between three driving modes: Touring, Sport and DPM off.
And if three dynamic settings are not enough, an additional Race Pack option is available which adds a fourth driving mode setting: Race. This setting provides the maximum possible traction out of corners. The Race Pack also features Launch Control and an optimised suspension setting making the car perfect for letting rip on the track.
Commenting on the Exige S, Group Lotus Chief Executive Officer Dany Bahar said: “Anyone who has ever driven an Exige will tell you that it’s not for the faint-hearted. The new Exige S skips a few rungs on the ladder to give the driver the ultimate Lotus experience. Quite simply you can’t get more Lotus than the Exige S.â€
Please note: At time of going to print (September 2011) the fuel economy, CO2 and performance figures have not been witness tested. Group Lotus plc will publish these figures as soon as they become available on the lotuscars.com website.
Download
- Lotus Exige S tech specs (85kb Word doc)