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Posts Tagged “

Exige

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new cars

Lotus Remembers The Good Times With Lotus Exige Sprint

In our discussion of the all-time greatest liveries there were a lot of mentions of famous Lotus paint schemes (BRG & Yellow, Team Essex Blue & Red, JPS Black & Gold), but the Elan Sprint of the early 1970s didn't get a mention. This was an oversight on our part, because this limited run Elan was sprinting to 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds in 1971 (approximately the same as a new WRX). Lotus is paying homage to the Elan with 40 RHD Lotus Exige Sprints done up in the Solar Yellow (or Persian blue) and Alpine White paint scheme. This special Exige comes with lightweight forged alloy wheels and just about every modification Lotus offers, allowing the car to reach 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds with a top speed of 146 mph. Press release below the jump.

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11:00 AM on Wed Jan 23 2008
By Matt Hardigree
878 views, 11 comments

Latest by Number_Six: GXL, even. more »

sydney auto show

Lotus Exige Sport 240 to Debut at Sydney Show

Lotus Australia says it's producing a market-specific 'roo runner based on the supercharged Lotus Exige 240 Cup. It'll debut in October at the Australian International Motor Show. Powered by a now-familiar Toyota-sourced / Lotus tweaked 1.8-liter intercooled four, the Sport 240 produces 240 hp and will be the first production car in Australia to to get F1-style, driver-adjustable traction control, and launch control that lets the driver set revs as desired. All that hardware conspires to bring the Sport to 62 miles per hour from stop in 4.2 seconds. The Sport 240 will cost nearly $150,000 in Fosterbux, that's the equivalent of $124,629 in Buddollars. More »

8:23 AM on Mon Aug 27 2007
By Mike Spinelli
1,469 views, 8 comments

Latest by mathlabs: @ PILOTER Yamaha actually built the celica 2ZZ motors in japan. I believe that was the latest. The last time Lotus messed with toyota was in development of the AW11. more »

news

Geneva Showcase: Lotus Exige GT3

Lotus has lots up its sleeve here in Geneva. Last night, the company released info on the plug-in hybrid concept it's showing off. The green dealie is the product of a partnership between it and parent, Malaysia's Proton. But for sheer sexification, you can't do much better than its other, more sporting display-case bait. That is, the Exige GT3 concept road car. A product of Lotus Sport, Lotus's performance arm, the GT3 is a prototypical offshoot of the company's GT3 racing efforts. And it's not a bad idea to attract attention to your racing program by building a roadgoing model that uses many of its counterpart's, er, parts. That includes the powertrain, a supercharged 271-hp version of the Exige's 1.8-liter Toyota-sourced firebrand, with twin oil coolers. The GT3 also gets 10" rear wheels with 255 width tires. Zero to sixty happens in under four seconds and V-max is reached at 160 mph. Uprated brakes and a new aero kit complete the package. No word on production yet, but who could possibly bet against something like that? – Mike Spinelli More »

5:41 AM on Tue Mar 6 2007
By Mike Spinelli
5,216 views, 8 comments

Latest by CUL8R: I'm glad they got rid of the god awful inboard lights. The front end looks much cleaner. Wonder if it will trickle down to the non-strictly track versions. more »

clips

Classic Top Gear: Stig Can Fly Higher Than A Mosquito, In A Lotus He's The Wind Beneath Our Wings

A season or a few ago, Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson sought out what he termed a "great American car." One of the contenders to the throne was the high-po but not-quite-Shelby Roush Ford Mustang. To verify how worthwhile the modified 'stang truly was, Jezza dropped Danny McKeever into the FoMoCo driver's seat. And in the other corner — a plastic toaster from Norfolk piloted by the Stig — that's right, it's the Lotus Exige S. So who wins in the battle of the "mosquito" versus the "'merican eagle?" – Ray Wert More »

6:09 PM on Mon Dec 18 2006
By Ray Wert
870 views, 16 comments

Latest by SalsaShark: I think at least some of JC's America-bashing on Top Gear is pandering to his audience. The fact that he owns a GT (and yet is so clearly biased against US automakers) tells me that if he didn't have more »

custom cars/hot rods

I See It In Your Eyes, Take One Look and Die? The Bastard

Created by the folks at Sweden's unfortunately-named Street Xtreme magazine, this Vauxhall VX220/Opel Speedster apparently features a "grunty" 2.2L engine, and makes some pretty damn good noise while cutting a sinister swath. Its project name is "Bastard," which coincidentally, was Lemmy Kilmister's post-post Rockin' Vicars band's original moniker. Better known as Mot rhead, the group's classic "Ace of Spades" contributed the soundtrack to the ridiculously awesome "Clarkson in an Exige vs. Apache" segment on Top Gear a couple of years back, thus bringing the Elise-VX220/Speedster-Lemmy connection full circle. Somebody cue the Hawkwind, please. [Thanks to Claes for the tip.] – Davey G. Johnson More »

3:00 PM on Mon Dec 4 2006
By Davey G. Johnson
105 views, 5 comments

Latest by Downtown Joe: Any reason to post that Top Gear segment should be reason enough for anyone. more »

news

LA Auto Show Preview: Lotus Sport Exige Cup

The lightness-loving beings at Lotus revealed their latest US model, a club racer based on the Exige coupe. The Lotus Sport Exige Cup is a track-day-only model, with a boost to 252-hp via a Roots-type, Eaton M62 supercharger and some hacks to the Lotus engine management system. The company says the 1,800-lb sled can get from zero to 60 in 3.9 seconds (and to 100 mph in 9.8 seconds), and has a top speed of 160 mph. Not street legal, the Sport Exige Cup is a turnkey racer, with SCCA-compliant roll cage, FIA approved Recaro / Lotus sport seats, six-point driver's harness and Yokohama slicks. A 70-liter fuel cell is a $3095 option, as is limited-slip diff ($1,595), traction control ($495) and — sin of sins — air conditioning, at $2495. – Mike Spinelli More »

11:26 AM on Wed Nov 29 2006
By Mike Spinelli
7,531 views, 6 comments

Latest by speedfreak: Wow, love this paint scheme too. What an awesome car...I need one. more »

news

Classic Top Gear: Tiny Cars That Suck In Corners

Yes, we know the Prius and Smart are both fuel efficient little buggers, but seriously — as driving machines, they really suck ass. And what's the point in driving if you aren't going to have fun when you do it. If the experience is gonna suck, you might as well take the bus or something because at least you'll be able to do the crossword puzzle. – Ray Wert More »

11:58 AM on Mon Oct 16 2006
By Ray Wert
447 views, 13 comments

news

Supercharged Lotus Exige S Coming to the US

Finally. Lotus is sending its top-shelf hooch to the US, in the form of a superchargerd Exige S. The company anounced today that the near-supercar Exige is coming to the states in the form of a 220-hp version (a 16-percent lift from the base model). The coupe, which weighs in at 2,077 pounds, can get from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds (nearly a second faster than the base model) and to 100 mph in 11 seconds, under the command of a six-speed tranny. Top speed is 148 mph. The model also gets variable-revs cam switching, by way of its T4e engine control system. For you? $56,990. Operators are standing by. More »

5:45 PM on Tue Sep 26 2006
By Mike Spinelli
1,589 views, 16 comments

Latest by Al Navarro: This here is why I'm glad I ended up in a Seven. There's no real upgrade temptation factor (I don't like the new CSR...it's SV-wide and the lines don't work for me). I guess I could upgrade more »

news

Pass the Cider, Mate: The Bio-Ethanol Lotus Exige 265E

Lotus is bringing a new connotation to the term British racing green. The sons of Chapman have turned out an Exige coupe, the 265E, that can run on E85 bio-ethanol. It's no sacrifice, however, as the 265-hp track-day favorite shares the same figures with its monofuel counterpart: zero to 60 mph in 3.88 seconds, 0-100 mph in 9.2 seconds and a top speed of 158 mph. The company's preserved the car's performance mainly by enlarging the existing four fuel injectors and by adding two additional ports at the supercharger inlet to increase the volume of fuel fed to the engine. Unfortunately, greenies with a jones for more correct racing options will have to stick to the Roller Derby; the 265E is for research purposes only. More »

9:31 AM on Thu Aug 24 2006
By Mike Spinelli
188 views, 1 comment

Latest by Miscellanea: Me wants to be a researcher. more »

news

Lotus Recalls 300 Cars in Japan

Sometimes, when you add lightness, things get a little delicate. Such, apparently was the case with shifters installed in 311 Elises and Exiges sold in Japan and built between February 2004 and 2005 April of 2005. In two cases, the shifter bent, and in a third, it broke. If we had more caffeine in us, we'd make a joke about about a shiftless Japanese hoon, but we don't, so we won't. More »

1:51 PM on Fri Mar 10 2006
By Davey G. Johnson
146 views, Comment

news

Lotus Launches New, High-Performance Exige S

Holy mother of Malcolm Muggeridge! Lotus is launching a new, high-performance edition of its Exige coupe, which can do the zero to 60 in just 4.1 seconds. The car's near weightlessness (it's just 2,057 lbs) is owed to the company's continuance of Lotus Seven creator Colin Chapman's "Speed through lightness" philosophy. The quickest Lotus production vehicle ever built, the Exige S is not a limited edition, but a full production model built at Lotus's Hethel, Norfolk (UK) plant. The company touts the S as a car for both day-to-day and track or circuit driving. It costs 33,995 in the UK, but you can just forget the currency conversion; the company has no plans to bring it to the states. We'll likely have to wait for the next-gen model. [Thanks to Zerin for the tip.] More »

10:55 AM on Fri Feb 10 2006
By Mike Spinelli
380 views, 13 comments

Latest by skierpage: Lotus has got to fix the underlying fussy ugly design, from the fenders on back. Even rich people want to look good in a car as well as different. Like every other British sports car but the wacky Atom, this more »

news: racing

Lotus Launches Sport Exige GT3 Racer

Lotus fans planning to eyeball the FIA Championship's new GT3 series next year will have a new Exige to cheer on (or put a hex on from afar). Lotus Sport's Exige GT3 race car (pictured) has passed preliminary shakedown testing, part of a process to qualify for the series, which requires a power-to-weight ratio of 380hp per metric ton (2,204 lbs). In the case of the Exige, the power part comes in the form of the familiar 1.8 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i engine, breathing through a Roots type supercharger and air to air intercooler, controlled by the Lotus T4e ECU, which conspire to produce 285 hp at 7,800 rpm. As for weight, the Exige tips the scales at 1,653lbs via typical Lotus weight-watching. A six-speed sequential transmission handles the cog swapping. The single-seat prototype has also been fitted with five-spoke forged alloys, carbon body panels and a high-downforce aerodynamic package incorporating a race front splitter and adjustable carbon fiber rear wing, plus FIA-required kit including six-point roll cage, ignition kill switches, and track-ready braking and suspension systems. Availability, full specs, and price of the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 will be available in early 2006. Press release after the jump. More »

7:30 AM on Mon Dec 19 2005
By Mike Spinelli
14,760 views, 3 comments

Latest by thlaylira: The exige is by far topping my must-own list... now we get the S? Sex... fell out more »

custom cars/hot rods: tuners

New Lotus Exige Club Racer Launched

Lotus Sport, Lotus's motorsport division, has prepared two track-ready versions of the 2006 Exige — factory conversions of production cars, to be specific — the Lotus Exige Cup and the Lotus Exige Cup 240. While the Cup model gets the base 190hp, Toyota-sourced 2ZZ VVTL-i engine, the more potent Cup 240 gets the Exige 240R's 243hp version, reducing zero-to-60-mph times to under 4.5 seconds. The Cup models also get limited-slip diff, traction control and a bunch of race-prep upgrades, including clutch, brakes, oil coolers, suspension mods and safety upgrades. Yes, please. More »

7:42 AM on Thu Dec 1 2005
By Mike Spinelli
523 views, 1 comment

Latest by Ayrton Senna: Dear Santa: I would like one of the above vehicles in 240 trim. If you could please paint it BRG with a single, off-center yellow stripe running the length of the car, and some matching yellow wheels that would be swell. more »

news

Lotus Teams with Tailor for Spy-Theme Exige

The most nattily dressed of Lotus fans (or those who sweat their pinstriped gabardine) will bust a seam over this one-off Exige coupe, created with a Savile Row tailor, Gieves and Hawkes. Built as a promotional vehicle for Harrods' "Truly British" show, the Lotus Exige Espionage features a navy-blue exterior and an interior fitted with pinstripe wool cloth — seat upholstery, door inserts and dashboard — silk for the backs of the seats and tailor-made leather floormats that mimic James Bond's shoes. Alas, poison darts and slinky ingenue have been left off the options list. The car will be available for sale after the show for $70,000. More »

10:19 AM on Mon Oct 3 2005
By Mike Spinelli
208 views

news

Lotus Releases Details on US-bound Exige

Lotus released details on its US-spec Exige coupe, which will sell for a few shillings less than what had been estimated earlier this year. It's a bit of enthusiast bait for US buyers who've been clamoring for the fixed-roof, rigid-body version of Lotus's Elise roadster (as if a roadgoing Elise needed better handling) that Europeans have enjoyed on many a track day. The States will recieve a mere hatful of the hardtops, beginning in early 2006, of between 300 and 350 cars. The MSRP will be a sprightly $50,990, not including such options as traction control for $495 ($1790 with torque-sensing limited-slip differential); air conditioning delete (saves 22 lbs.) at $250 and "lifestyle paint" (read: dayglo) at $1200. More »

1:56 PM on Thu Sep 1 2005
By Mike Spinelli
93 views