FORECOURT
LOTUS EXIGE SPORT 390 FINAL EDITION
Power
A 3.5-litre V6 gives the Exioge 397bhp and punches the car to 60mph in 3.7 seconds.
Lotus’s hugely popular sports car is bowing out with the Final Edition. Jack Evans discovers if it truly is the ultimate version.
THE KNOWLEDGE Lotus Exige Sport Final Edition Price: £82,675 Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6 Power: 397bhp Torque: 420Nm Max speed: 172mph O-60mph: 3.7 seconds MPG (combined): 27.7 Emissions: 230g/km CO2
WHAT IS IT? Lotus has a fine tradition of creating special-edition models but this one – the Exige Sport 390 Final Edition – really is the last of the line. WHAT’S NEW? First released in 2000, the Exige became synonymous with the blossoming track dayfocused scene. This Final Edition car shows what the Exige really can do, with more power, more aggressive aerodynamics and a series of interior modifications. WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? The engine sends its power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and boasts more punch than the outgoing Sport 350, with an extra 47bhp coming from revised calibration related to the supercharger. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? Slot in behind the Exige’s beautifully well-positioned steering wheel and you’re immediately aware that this is a car geared up towards making the most of driving. Move off and you’re met by a clutch that isn’t too heavy or difficult to get used to and an open-gate gearbox with an action as close to perfection as you’ll get from a road car. That 3.5-litre V6 grumbles away behind you, but build the revs and it quickly transforms into a kicking, screaming animal of an engine. It’s accompanied by a change of pace that is genuinely intoxicating, with the torque allowing you to simply lean on the throttle and very quickly gather some serious pace. But it’s that unassisted steering that’s the star here, delivering genuine feedback and allowing you to use cambers to its advantage – the Exige seems to dive into undulations and slingshot itself forward in quite impressive fashion. HOW DOES IT LOOK? If you want an example of how a small car can have presence, take a look at the Exige. Of course, a huge rear wing and widened body kit will inevitably have an effect on how a car is perceived, but the way the Exige turns heads is impressive, to say the least. Our car, in bright orange, looked particularly stand-out, while the contrasting black sections on the bonnet, roof and diffuser only pushed the flamboyance further. But it’s what you expect from a Lotus Exige. It’s never been a car to fly under the radar
30 | CarDealerMag.co.uk
