Lotus Exige V6 Cup Arrives in America
The most exciting car in the Lotus lineup isn’t available in America. Or at least it’s not available if you plan to drive it on the street.
On display at the Lotus stand at the LA Auto Show, the Exige V6 Cup car is a track day special designed as a purpose built racecar. The unique package is essentially the front two-thirds of an older Elise/Exige chassis mated to the back one-third of an Evora.
Powered by a 3.5-liter V6 supercharged engine it boasts 345 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.
SEE ALSO: 2013 LA Auto Show Coverage
Weighing in at a scant 2,447 lbs depending on the spec, the interior is pretty much gutted out as a race car should be. What you’ll get for $100,450 (including destination) is a lightweight bonded aluminum structure reinforced by an FIA approved roll cage. Outfitted with a fully independent suspension, Lotus ups the ante with a set of Eibach springs and Nitron two-way adjustable dampers. Braking performance comes courtesy of four-piston calipers with two-piece aluminum bell discs while you’ll be competing on a set of Pirelli Trofeo tires.
Interestingly enough, you can also pony up an extra $1,800 to nab yourself air conditioning if that’s your cup of tea. Diamond cut wheels in a 17- and 18-inch staggered sizing is available for $550 extra while the flashy motorsport paint will run you another $3,200. And considering that the paint investment isn’t cheap, an extra $550 will get you StarShield paint protection.
The Lotus Exige V6 Cup is eligible to race in the Lotus Cup Series in the USA, Europe, UK, Italy and Thailand.
GALLERY: Lotus Exige V6 Cup
Discuss this story at our Lotus forum.
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Nice Car! How bout a street legal version please?!