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Carsales Staff5 Feb 2015
NEWS

Lotus hikes Exige pricing

Hard-core British sports car now $6000 more expensive, but Exige S scores more equipment and a quicker automatic version

Pricing for the most potent model in the Lotus sports car line-up has been increased by $6000 in Australia, but the importer says the price rise has been ameliorated by the standard fitment of the Race Equipment Pack, which was previously a $5400 option.

The entry-level Lotus Exige S Coupe and Roadster with six-speed manual used to be priced at $126,990, but are now both pegged at $132,990, while the recently-added (and faster) automatic versions add $5000.

What do you get for your almost $140,000? The answer is one of the fastest rear-drive six-cylinder sports cars in Australia.

Powered by a 3.5-litre Lotus-tuned Toyota-sourced V6, which is supercharged for good measure, the Exige S manual versions rockets to 100km/h in four seconds flat, while the six-speed auto variants are even quicker, dispatching the acceleration benchmark in 3.9 seconds.

Peak power for the Exige S is 258kW at 7000rpm and 400Nm of torque hits the skids at 4600rpm. The base Exige S weighs 1176kg.

All versions of the sports car have mid-mounted engines, residing behind the front occupants. This means there's no back seat and very little boot space too, but the payoff is an improved centre of gravity and sharper handling dynamics.

The aforementioned race pack adds the Lotus Dynamic Performance Management which features four settings to suit different driving scenarios, from a dry racetrack to a drenched public road. Launch control, an exhaust bypass valve and revised suspension tailored to the optional Pirelli Trofeo tyres round out the race pack extras.

"The standard fitment of the race pack to the Exige S for 2015 is a clear indication of what the owners want from the Exige S," says Glen Sealey, Lotus Australia and New Zealand general manager.

"They want a car that is the closest a road car is able to be to a racing car and, when taken on the racetrack, can be finely tuned like a racing car for optimum performance under all conditions."

Lotus vehicles sell in very small numbers in Australia, with a total of just 61 sold in 2014 — down from 71 in 2013. The Exige S was its most popular model in 2014, with 29 vehicles finding homes, while 23 Elises and 9 Evoras were registered.

Sealey says the recent addition of an automatic transmission will also improve the appeal of the new model, without harming performance.

"Indeed, it [the six-speed auto] enhances performance by reducing acceleration times and enabling the driver to have full control of the gearbox without having to take a hand off the steering wheel to change gear," he said of the steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters.

"In short, the Exige S is the epitome of what Lotus has always provided: Extraordinary performance, a road car that responds like a racing car and, like a racing car, the ability to be tuned to the driver's desires.

"And the ability to do all of this at fraction of the price of rivals that struggle to even come close to the abilities of the Exige S," said Sealey.

  • 2015 Lotus Exige S pricing (plus ORCs):

  • Exige S manual — $132,990

  • Exige S automatic — $137,990

  • Exige S Roadster manual — $132,990

  • Exige S Roadster automatic — $137,990

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Written byCarsales Staff
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