Lotus Exige

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The Ultimate Guide To The Lotus Exige: Every Variant, Specs, Reviews, Performance & More

The Lotus Exige is essentially the coupé version of the Lotus Elise which has been in production since 2000. Currently the Exige has a variety of variants ranging from the 375 PS (276 kW; 370 hp) Sport 350 to the 430 PS (316 kW; 424 hp) Cup 430. All variants of the Exige feature the Supercharged Toyota DOHC V6 from the Lotus Evora.

The first Exige was based on the Elise and was known as the Exige Mk1. The philosophy behind the Exige was simple: more power, more grip and more downforce for those looking for a real track car. The basics of the Exige were figured out from Lotus' work on the 340R, a car that showed demand was there for a true race car. The Exige started out with the K-series-derived 1775 c.c. 16-valve engine. The chassis of the Exige has always been pure Elise, with tweaks like wider tracks for higher cornering limits. All Exige generations all got big front air dams, huge rear wings, composite roof and racing tech all-around.

If you ever want a true track car, any Exige is a great choice. Fun, playful and seriously quick, it will trouble almost any exotic you can find on a circuit. Below we go into everything you could ever want to know about this model. It has seen several upgrades since the initial launch, the biggest of which was in 2012 when the Mk3 Exige was launched with an all-new design and a supercharged V6 across the range. It was this update that took the Exige from a fun track car to a track car that is a legitimate competitor to something like a Porsche 911 GT3.

Lotus Exige Mk1 Guide

Years: 2000-2002 / Layout: Transverse mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive / Body style: 2-door coupe / Engine: 1.8 L Rover K-series I4 / Wheelbase: 2,300 mm (90.6 in) / Length: 3,785 mm (149 in) / Width: 1,719 mm (67.7 in) / Height: 1,143 mm (45 in) / Weight: 725 kg (1,598.4 lb) ~ 755 kg (1,664 lb)

There has always been a strong link between Lotus racecars and road cars, but with the launch of the Exige, Lotus made the connection even stronger. Throw on some race numbers and a set of slick tires, and the Exige would be virtually indistinguishable from the Lotus Sport Elise. Officially launched by Lotus at Brands Hatch at the first round of the Lotus Motor Sport Elise race series (9th April 2000), the Lotus Exige is a fixed roof coupe that had the same 170bhp engine as the 340R with option to upgrade to 190bhp. It features Lotus sport suspension, the close ratio gearbox and anthracite wheels. Large carbon rear wing similar to Esprit 350 Sport. Optional sports exhaust and 340R style seats are available. The Exige was basically a road-going replica of the Sport Elise racer, albeit with a few concessions to type approval regulations and the rigors of everyday road use. But in most respects the Exige is very much what it looks like - a racecar turned road legal.

The Exige uses the same sleek and aerodynamic bodyshell as the Sport Elise (with the addition of the roof of course). The front apron/splitter assembly has been raised and modified to improve the ramp approach angles. To balance the changes of the front-end aerodynamics and to comply with European homologation regulations the rear wing design has been resized and styled to match the rear of the car. The result is an aerodynamic package that remains faithful to that of the racer and Lotus philosophy, a highly stable combination of downforce and low drag. In fact, in wind tunnel tests the car generates 80 kilos of downforce at 100 miles per hour.

0-60mph in 4.7 seconds and it shares a lot of technology from the Motor Sport Elise car with several cooling intakes added including one on the roof. It also features a higher geared steering rack (2.3 turns lock to lock) than the standard Elise. The biggest update in the S1 was that as of October 2000, air-conditioning was made a standard on the Exige.

Lotus Exige Mk1 Model Variants

Lotus Exige (Series 1) Models: In Depth

Lotus Exige Mk2 Guide

Years: 2004-2011 / Layout: Transverse mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive / Body style: 2-door coupe / Engine: 1,796 cc Toyota 2ZZ-GE Inline 4, 1,796 cc Toyota 2ZZ-GE Supercharged I4 / Wheelbase: 2,300 mm (90.6 in) / Length: 3,795 mm (149.5 in) / Width: 1,727 mm (68 in) / Height: 1,163 mm (45.8 in) / Weight: 930 kg (2,050 lb)

The Exige was udpated to the Series 2 in 2004, in line with the Mk 2 Elise model upgrades. Based on the same mechanicals as Elise 111R, the Mk 2 Exige got the the 192hp Toyota Celica engine and 6-speed gearbox as well as a more aggressive look than the Mk1 cars. It gets a composite roof and fastback engine cover designed to reduce air turbulence and lift. A rear lip spoiler and big wing spoiler help the Exige generate 19kg and 21kg downforce front and rear respectively at 100mph. Engine cooling is also enhanced by larger side intakes and an additional air scoop at the roof.

As for chassis, the Mk 2 Exige rides on 10% stiffer suspension setting than the Elise 111R. But most significant is the adoption of Yokohama A048 semi-slick tires, helping the new Exige corner quicker and flatter than the Elise. It wasn't just track driving that improved, with the Mk 2 Exige cars being more comfortable and smooth on regular roads too. In many ways, the second generation Exige was less different than its donor Elise. The first generation Exige had wider tracks and better engine, whereas the second generation of the Exige is basically just the Elise with a roof. As expected several updates were made during the second generation Exige, including for the first time over a dozen special edition and limited edition cars.

Lotus Exige Mk2 Model Variants

Lotus Exige (Series 2) Models: In Depth

Limited, Special Edition Series 2 Exige Cars

Lotus Exige Mk3 Guide

Years: 2012-Present / Layout: Transverse mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive / Body style: 2-door coupe / Engine: 3.5 L Toyota 2GR-FE Supercharged V6 / Wheelbase: 2,300 mm (90.6 in) / Length: 3,797 mm (149.5 in) / Width: 1,727 mm (68 in) / Height: 1,158 mm (45.6 in) / Weight: 914 kg (2,015 lb) ~ 1,176 kg (2,593 lb)

The Mk 3 Exige was a big change from the prior generation both in looks and performance. Gone was the supercharged inline 4 and in was a supercharged Toyota V6 and a big jump in power, now up to 345 bhp @ 7000 rpm and torque was a mighty 295 ft lbs @ 4500 rpm, enough to propel a 2015 lbs car from standstill to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. As we know, the Exige is about more than straight line speed. 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 optimized suspension setting making the car perfect for letting rip on the track.

Alongside the strong fundamental performance package, the Exige S got 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 were 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 optimized for ultimate driver involvement.

Since the launch of the first Mk 3 Exige in 2012, there were several updates. The Exige Sport 380 added more power and had less weight. Its 3.5-liter supercharged V6 got a revised pulley to speed up the supercharger, and give the Exige another 30 horsepower, hence the name Sport 380. The peak torque arrives at 500 rpm higher the rev, but the torque curve is actually improved, sustaining longer thus you can push the car harder. To cope with the increased boost, the ECU, fuel pump and exhaust were also modified. There were no changes made to the chassis or suspensions, but the front tires got 10 mm wider to enhance front end grip, and the rubbers went from Pirelli P Zero Corsa to Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2.

For track lovers it is worth talking about the Exige Cup 430. Its power-to-weight ratio is 400hp per ton, (more than the 911 GT3). Its prominent aero set up produced 440 lbs of downforce at 180 mph. It has true track hardware, with Nitron dampers that are 3-way adjustable (rebound, low-speed compression and high-speed compression), same for the anti-roll bars too. Brakes were upgraded to new AP brake discs with J-groove patterns. The results? It can lap Hethel’s own track in 1:24.8, some 3.2 seconds faster than the Exige Sport 380.

We are currently waiting to see what Lotus does with the Exige. Rumors are that a new update is coming soon, but you never know with a company like Lotus. We bet we will continue to see one-off and limited edition specials continue to trickle our for the next few years at least.

Lotus Exige Mk3 Model Variants

Lotus Exige (Series 3) Models: In Depth

Limited & Special Edition Series 3 Exige Cars