Photo: Lotus
Before Colin Chapman chose Hethel to build the Lotus manufacturing plant, the British sports car company was based in Hornsey and Cheshunt. Hethel, East Anglia, became the home of Lotus in 1966, five decades ago. To mark the big Five-Oh, Lotus is rolling out a slew of limited-run go-faster models.
After the Evora 400 Hethel Edition and Elise 250 Special Edition, Lotus is chuffed to bits to present a more hardcore approach to performance. Named Exige 350 Special Edition, the car in the featured photo is the third model to get the honor to pay tribute to the Hethel factory. Lotus’ final anniversary model of the lot is, as the label reads, based on the track-focused Exige 350.
Packing a 3.5-liter V6 engine sourced from Toyota plus a supercharger for good measure, the Exige 350 Special Edition prides itself with 345 ponies and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque at 4,500 rpm. Only available with a 6-speeder manual, the aesthetically appealing machine boasts 314 hp/tonne thanks to a curb weight of just 1,099 kilograms. That’s 2,422 pounds, an amazing figure for this type of vehicle considering that the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata 2.0 SkyActiv-G MT tips the scales at 1,058 kilograms (2,332 pounds).
“This Exige 350 Special Edition joins the Evora and Elise editions that we have already produced to celebrate our half century in Hethel and our connection to Norfolk. Judging by the demand for the other models, I expect that the Lotus Exige 350 Special Edition will sell out quickly as it combines exclusiveness and limited production wrapped up in a great design,” declared Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Lotus. Considering that this thing hits 60 mph (96 km/h) in 3.7 seconds, Jean-Marc is spot on with his assertion.
Regarding customization, the two-seater sports car from Norfolk can be had in four colors: Dark Metallic Grey, Motorsport Black, Old English White, and Essex Blue. Regardless of finish, the contrasting racing stripes are mandatory. Unfortunately no, this car won’t be sold in the U.S. Instead, it’s available in Japan (¥11,690,000), Germany (€81,900), and the UK (£61,900).
Packing a 3.5-liter V6 engine sourced from Toyota plus a supercharger for good measure, the Exige 350 Special Edition prides itself with 345 ponies and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque at 4,500 rpm. Only available with a 6-speeder manual, the aesthetically appealing machine boasts 314 hp/tonne thanks to a curb weight of just 1,099 kilograms. That’s 2,422 pounds, an amazing figure for this type of vehicle considering that the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata 2.0 SkyActiv-G MT tips the scales at 1,058 kilograms (2,332 pounds).
“This Exige 350 Special Edition joins the Evora and Elise editions that we have already produced to celebrate our half century in Hethel and our connection to Norfolk. Judging by the demand for the other models, I expect that the Lotus Exige 350 Special Edition will sell out quickly as it combines exclusiveness and limited production wrapped up in a great design,” declared Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Lotus. Considering that this thing hits 60 mph (96 km/h) in 3.7 seconds, Jean-Marc is spot on with his assertion.
Regarding customization, the two-seater sports car from Norfolk can be had in four colors: Dark Metallic Grey, Motorsport Black, Old English White, and Essex Blue. Regardless of finish, the contrasting racing stripes are mandatory. Unfortunately no, this car won’t be sold in the U.S. Instead, it’s available in Japan (¥11,690,000), Germany (€81,900), and the UK (£61,900).
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