Lotus has just announced that its 'urge-overkill' version of Exige S is on sale in Australia. The new car is the Lotus Exige Cup 260, which can be registered for the road, but is primarily intended for the track.
Propelled by the most powerful four-cylinder engine in the sports-car manufacturer's production-car history, the new Exige variant will reach 100km/h from a standing start in 4.1 seconds, according to factory estimates. Top speed is around 245km/h but the fuel consumption is relatively low at 9.1L/100km.
Displacing 1.8 litres and featuring variable valve timing, the engine develops a maximum power of 192kW at 8000rpm and peak torque of 236Nm at 6000 rpm.
The Eaton M62-supercharged 192kW engine sits at one end of the performance beam, balanced by carbonfibre panels and other weight-saving measures on the kerb mass side. Lotus claims that the Exige Cup 260 weighs as little as 890kg, a 45kg reduction from the kerb mass of the Exige S.
Of the 45kg, a 12kg shaving resulted from the use of lightweight body panels and a further 22kg reduction was found by fitting trimmed battery, rear subframe, special alloy wheels, flywheel, a carbonfibre bulkhead in lieu of the rear window and special U-bend pipes for the supercharger.
The wheels alone account for a weight saving of 10kg. Lotus has also removed comfort and convenience features such as carpets, mudflaps and sunvisors to further the slimming program -- not that the Exige S is a car you'd call the biggest loser anyway!
The Exige Cup 260 is specified with a long list of features, many of which are competition-specific. There's a 'torsen' limited-slip differential and launch control to ensure that the Lotus gets away cleanly from a standing start. Standard safety equipment for competition purposes includes HANS-compatible racing seats constructed from carbonfibre and trimmed in microfiber. A 2kg fire extinguisher and master safety switches for the battery (inside and outside) fill out the safety feature specifications. Buyers can readily install an FIA-approved front roll cage to complement the integrated roll cage in the rear body structure.
Fitted with Yokohama A048 LTS tyres, Eibach springs, one way adjustable Bilstein dampers and a stiffened and adjustable front anti-roll bar, the Exige Cup 260 improves on the standard Exige's cornering power.
Brakes comprise cross-drilled and ventilated rotors for all four wheels, measuring 308mm width at the front and 282mm at the rear. Pagid RS14 are applied to the rotors by AP Racing four-piston calipers at the front and Brembos at the rear. Hydraulic pressure for the braking system runs through braided hoses and the whole shebang is monitored and controlled by a four-channel ABS system.
The importer has released the car for sale in Australia, priced at $139,990. There's a two-year warranty covering mechanical failures, although that's restricted to on-road use, not the motor sport competition for which it was designed.
"Lotus has always had a strong link to motorsport that reaches back to the 1960s when it was a force in Formula 1," says Jonathan Stretton, General Manager for sales and marketing at Lotus Cars Australia.
"The line between road and race has been diminishing over the years and in the Cup 260 we have an all-purpose car that continues the tradition of light weight, outstanding performance and versatility.
"The Cup 260 will satisfy a range of users who want the utmost from a performance car in regard to speed, power and useability. A number of our customers have suggested they wanted a car that could be used on road, on the track and, with minimal amendments, in Australian Motorsport events too. The Cup 260 provides the answer."
Lotus anticipates the new Exige variant could play a high-profile role in tarmac rallies or bitumen speed events such as the Australian GT Championship.