Lotus Exige S

Detailed item info Model OverviewThe Lotus Exige was introduced in 2006 as a hard-top version of Elise. It carries many of the best features of the Elise. such as the all-aluminum chassis. and the feather-light design. Weighing in at 2. 77 lbs. the Exige is one of the lightest closed cars available. Besides fixing the roof. Lotus stiffened the suspension and made subtle changes to the sheet metal. The Exige features a unique engine cover and rear wing. as well as a front fascia that helps provide additional downforce over the Elise. For 2007. Lotus wanted to improve engine performance. so they added a supercharger to the 1. 8L Toyota-sourced engine. This boosted output to 220 horsepower and torque to 165 ft-lbs. all while increasing efficiency to 23 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. But what has not changed is how dedicated Lotus is to making the Exige the ultimate driver's car. The seats are specially shaped to embrace the driver. but the thin padding means that every nuance of the road is transmitted to his or her hips. The car sits extraordinarily low at 45 inches tall. The steering is not power-assisted. but the ratio is quick and communication with the road is razor sharp. The only transmission available is a six-speed manual. The Lotus also features only four cubic feet of cargo space--1. 3 cubic feet less than a Mazda MX-5. But that's the cost of the Exige's blistering performance. Lotus claims a zero to sixty time of 4. 1 seconds. The Exige's mid-engine design. racing-style anti-lock brakes. and Eibach/Bilstein suspension mean this is a serious sports car. Lotus didn't want to dilute the essence of the car. but they did spare a few popular comfort items. Among them. air conditioning. remote keyless entry. cloth seats with leather inserts. and a Blaupunkt CD player. The Exige is available in several configurations to suit the ways different people intend to use it. The Touring Package adds full leather seats. power windows. and sound insulation. The Track Package adds adjustable shocks and a five-way adjustable stabilizer bar. as well as mounting points for racing harness and roll bars. A limited-slip differential with traction control is available. and deleting the air conditioning is an option for those wanting to save 22 pounds in weight.