Photo: Lotus
Lotus has racing in its blood, and it made a track-only version of one of the quickest cars it manufactures these days.
The Exige Sport 380 has been turned into the Exige Race 380, which has been designed to be faster than the old Exige Cup R. The car only weighs 998 kilograms dry, and Lotus says that nothing beats it in its class when the power-to-weight ratio is concerned (380 PS/1,000 kg).
On the company’s test track in Hethel, the new Exige Race 380 was 1.5 seconds faster than the old Exige Cup R, and that kind of difference is significant on a small track.
Since this car is made for the track, Lotus has fitted it with a full integrated roll cage, a carbon fiber driver’s seat that is compatible with the HANS system, and a six-point safety harness.
Its side windows are made from polycarbonate, and the vehicle has a competition-spec fire extinguishing system. There is also a battery isolator, and the front and the rear have motorsport-specific towing eyes.
Another improvement is changing the gauge cluster to a color TFT unit, which offers programmable screen configurations. It has a built-in GPS and data logger, so you will be able to monitor your performance on the track with the car’s hardware.
The first owners of these vehicles will receive delivery starting May 2017, so you can hope you will see one of these at a track day near you, but there’s a strong possibility that will not happen too soon.
Lotus' modifications did not stop here, as the Exige got a set of adjustable Ohlins dampers, along with a set of adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars. The Lotus Traction Control System lets drivers choose how much wheel-spin to allow before interfering, and its Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires are there to keep things in check when grip is needed.
The brakes come from AP Racing, which has provided a set of four-piston calipers and grooved two-piece disc brakes. The alloy wheels on this model are forged to be as lights as possible, and are 17-inch units on the front and 18-inch ones on the rear.
At its top speed of 170 mph (274 km/h), Lotus’ Exige Race 380 produces 240 kg of downforce. That value was achieved after numerous modifications and improvements to its body. Performance-wise, the car can sprint from 0 t0 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 3.2 seconds. A further 0.1 second is required to reach 62 mph (100 km/h).
The transmission is a six-speed sequential unit from the specialists at Xtrac, and the Exige Race 380 has a cassette-type plate limited slip differential. Customers can specify a titanium exhaust system that removes a further 10 kg (22 lbs) from beyond the rear axle.
On the company’s test track in Hethel, the new Exige Race 380 was 1.5 seconds faster than the old Exige Cup R, and that kind of difference is significant on a small track.
Since this car is made for the track, Lotus has fitted it with a full integrated roll cage, a carbon fiber driver’s seat that is compatible with the HANS system, and a six-point safety harness.
Its side windows are made from polycarbonate, and the vehicle has a competition-spec fire extinguishing system. There is also a battery isolator, and the front and the rear have motorsport-specific towing eyes.
Another improvement is changing the gauge cluster to a color TFT unit, which offers programmable screen configurations. It has a built-in GPS and data logger, so you will be able to monitor your performance on the track with the car’s hardware.
The first owners of these vehicles will receive delivery starting May 2017, so you can hope you will see one of these at a track day near you, but there’s a strong possibility that will not happen too soon.
Lotus' modifications did not stop here, as the Exige got a set of adjustable Ohlins dampers, along with a set of adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars. The Lotus Traction Control System lets drivers choose how much wheel-spin to allow before interfering, and its Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires are there to keep things in check when grip is needed.
The brakes come from AP Racing, which has provided a set of four-piston calipers and grooved two-piece disc brakes. The alloy wheels on this model are forged to be as lights as possible, and are 17-inch units on the front and 18-inch ones on the rear.
At its top speed of 170 mph (274 km/h), Lotus’ Exige Race 380 produces 240 kg of downforce. That value was achieved after numerous modifications and improvements to its body. Performance-wise, the car can sprint from 0 t0 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 3.2 seconds. A further 0.1 second is required to reach 62 mph (100 km/h).
The transmission is a six-speed sequential unit from the specialists at Xtrac, and the Exige Race 380 has a cassette-type plate limited slip differential. Customers can specify a titanium exhaust system that removes a further 10 kg (22 lbs) from beyond the rear axle.
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