If there’s one auto manufacturer who has made an honest effort to stay true to its original ethos, it’s Lotus. To that end, Colin Chapman’s directive of “adding lightness” finds its way into the new Exige Sport 350. Now sitting at the top of the Exige range, the latest addition to the Lotus roster reaches near-supercar levels of quickness without resorting to excessive output to achieve it.
Lotus will not be creating any of the new models it had planned, with the Esprit the latest to be cancelled. Instead, it will focus on selling variants of current models—Elise, Exige, and Evora.
Lotus has announced a new track car, the Exige V6 Cup R. In addition to being an exciting new consumer model, it will be eligible for the one-make Lotus Cup race series.
Lotus has presented a convertible version of its hardcore, supercharged, V-6-powered Exige S at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. Fitted with a manual soft-top roof, the Exige S Roadster should deliver all the fun of the blown Exige while adding a healthy dose of fresh air.
Lotus will debut the Exige Matte Black Final Edition at Pebble Beach to mark the end of the Exige’s production. This car, limited to 25 units, will only be sold in North America.
Lotus has released another limited edition run of the Exige, this one to commemorate the Lotus Type 72 Formula 1 car, which won 20 Grand Prix victories in the first half of the 1970s. The Lotus Exige S Type 72 will be limited to 20 cars in the United Kingdom, 20 units in mainland Europe, and another limited run in Japan.
Our spy photographer caught this Lotus prototype out testing. Could it be a mule for a V-8 engine for the new Lotus Esprit?