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Lotus Lockdown: Future models put on hold
  When Proton announced they may sell Lotus to a large Malaysian industrial conglomerate (DRB-Hicom), everyone knew the future of the Esprit supercar would be in danger, and everyone was right. During a recent interview with British magazine, EVO, Lotus boss Dany Bahar announced that development of all future models, including the Esprit has been suspended. As a result of the sale, Lotus is taking an NBA type break with a three month "lockdown" - meaning that only normal trading activities could be continued. Translated, this means that the production of the current models will continue at a reduced level, but the development of the future models has been delayed. This decision obviously affects customers because the official market launch of the new Exige S and Evora GTE have been delayed, and we won’t get to see the production Esprit until early 2014. "This difficult period for Lotus finishes at the end of March and that’s when we will know then whether DRB-Hicom will want to continue with our business plan," said Bahar. "I really hope they will but I cannot call it at the moment, it’s still 50:50." 2012 Geneva Motor Show: The Sports Cars and Supercars
The Geneva Motor Show never disappoints. Every year, we bear witness to some of the most amazing auto debuts on this event, and this year, it’s no different. As far as sports cars and super cars are concerned, there were so many eye-popping debuts that literally made our heads spin. German sports cars, Italian super cars, special edition British super cars, and yes, there was even one exotic from Sweden that received an upgrade. In this section, we’re going to dive into the sports cars and super cars that made their debuts at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The list runs pretty long so we suggest that you start heading over after the jump to check out which of these established brands made quite an impression on us at Geneva. Find out more about the run-down of sports cars and super cars that made their debuts at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show after the jump. Full story 2013 Lotus Exige S Roadster
A few weeks before the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, Lotus announced they would "blow the top off" at the show. Back then, we all thought that we would see a Convertible version of the Evora, but we were so wrong. Lotus has decided to bring out the fastest roadster ever: the Exige S Roadster. Based off the new Exige S, the roadster model will be powered by the same supercharged 3.5 V6 engine that delivers a total of 345 HP. This engine sprints the car from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds and to 100 mph in 8.5 seconds. Being that this is a Roadster, safety precautions deem it necessary to lower the top speed from 170 mph to 145 mph. The Exige S Roadster weighs just 2,447 lbs and features the same design elements as the coupe, except of course for its factory-fitted soft top roof that makes the car look even more muscular than the coupe. Now for the bad news: the new Lotus Exige S Roadster won’t make it to the US market, as it will only be offered in markets like Europe and Asia. Hit the jump to read more about the Lotus Exige S Roadster. Full story 2012 Lotus Exige R-GT FIA Rally Race Car
Lotus’ involvement in auto racing has resulted in a storied Formula 1 resume that includes six Drivers’ and seven Constructors’ World Championships. But for all of its achievement in Formula 1, the British automaker also has a World Rally Championship under its belt. After a long absence in the world of rally racing, Lotus is returning to the dirt for the FIA European Rally Championship with a specially designed Exige R-GT. Dressed in its iconic black and gold color scheme, the Exige R-GT Rally Race Car will be powered by a 3.5-liter DOHC V6 VVI-i engine that produces 300 horsepower. Seeing as the car is being built for rally racing, Lotus made some tweaks to adhere to FIA regulations, particularly the reduction in output. According to Claudio Berro, Lotus’ racing director, the Exige R-GT FIA Rally Car will be the first GT car to be homologated by the FIA. "Lotus, of course, has been successful in rallying before, so in many ways we’re going back to our roots," he adds. The Exige R-GT will see its first testing action before heading over to the customary FIA homologation process. Should everything go according to plan, we can expect to see it make its debut at the Mille Miglia rally on April 19-21, 2012, leading to its participation in special rally stages at the FIA European Rally Championship. 2012 Lotus Exige S
Ladies and gentlemen, the wait is over! After months of speculation, Lotus has finally unveiled the new Exige S. This "ultimate lightweight high performance sportscar" comes bearing a new look inside and out, as well as a brand new engine that adds over 100 HP to the car’s output. The look of the 2012 Lotus Exige S still claims it as an Exige, but the add-ons provided smooth out the sports car’s look, while still adding a certain degree of aggression to the design. The Exige S now carries a new front splitter that reveals a cleaner line across the front of the car and a smaller rear spoiler, both of which still improve the vehicle’s aerodynamics. As for power, the Exige S is now working with a mid-mounted, transverse 3.5 liter DOHC V6 VVI-i engine that delivers a total of 345 HP, a far cry from the previously used 257 HP 1.8L Toyota supercharged I4. The reason for this massive upgrade is clear when the car’s weight gets introduced into the equation. The previous model claimed 2,077 lbs, while the new Exige S plumps up at 2,380 lbs. Once the added weight gets brought in, the Exige S’ 0-60 mph time is still better, coming in at 3.8 seconds (from a previous time of 4.0 seconds) and its top speed hikes up to 170 mph (up from a previous 145 mph). Lotus will also be offering a Lotus DPM (Dynamic Performance Management) switch that allows the driver to switch between three driving modes: Touring, Sport, and DPM off. An optional Race Pack also gets thrown in to add a fourth driving mode (Race) to the mix, for the ultimate Lotus Exige S experience. UPDATE 12/08/11: After having to yank the Exige and Elise from the US market due to airbag restrictions, Lotus is throwing the US market a bone by bringing the new Exige S over to our side of the pond as a track-only car. This race version will feature a full roll cage, racing seats and harness, and an electrical cut-off switch, in addition to all of the features found on the road car. Pricing will start between $85,000–$90,000. (duPont Registry) UPDATE 01/06/12: Lotus has unveiled a new video of the new Exige S with Lotus Renault F1 test driver Bruno Senna behind the wheel. In the video, Senna looks to be rather impressed with the sports car, but then again, who wouldn’t be? Hit the jump to read more about the new Lotus Exige S. Full story TopSpeed’s Best of 2011: Coupe of the Year
Last year’s picks for the coupe of the year raged a war between the Chevrolet Camaro and the Ford Mustang, but this year things are a bit different. In fact, neither one of these muscle cars made the list, simply because the new Camaro ZL1 isn’t available for purchase just yet. With the two major muscle cars out of the running, we were still left with a ton of vehicles worthy of some time in the spotlight. Our choices for the top coupes of 2011 are kind of all over the place. From the Audi TT-RS’ return to the States to the Lotus Exige S and its road-going capabilities on the other side of the pond, there’s pretty much a flavor for anybody. In fact, if we’ve missed one of your favorites, make sure to hit us up. Hit the jump for our picks for the 2011 Coupe of the Year, in alphabetical order. Full story 2012 Lotus Exige R-GT
Hiding behind the shadow of the bigger and better 2012 Lotus Exige S at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show is Lotus’ brand new Exige R-GT. This new racer marks the brand’s return to the rally world, 30 years after their World Rally Championship victory in the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus. The Exige R-GT will participate in the newly formed FIA GT category of the FIA Rally Championship on asphalt in Monte Carlo, Tour de Corse, and San Remo. The new Exige R-GT shares the new Exige S model’s mid-mounted, transverse 3.5 liter DOHC V6 VVI-i engine, but power has been brought down to 300 HP because of the 34mm air restrictor required for racing. The Exige R-GT will also have to pack on ballast weight to meet FIA requirements of 1200 kg (2645 lbs). "With the new R-GT rules in rally, it’s a very interesting time for us to return to the sport. Naturally our approach this time around will be different to when we won the championship with Talbot three decades ago but I think our philosophy is definitely the same, we want to compete and ultimately we want to win. Our new rally car, the Exige R-GT is a dream come true for those who are passionate about GT racing – this will be their car," said Group Lotus’ Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro. UPDATE 12/28/2011: After its official debut in Frankfurt, the Exige R-GT headed to the Dallara’s headquarters in Varano Melegari, Palma on December 22, 2011 for its first track test under the watchful eye of Group Lotus Director of Motorsport, Claudio Berro, and technicians from the team. According to Lotus, the results were delightful and the team will continue to test the car until the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship season where the Exige will contend in the FIA GT category on asphalt at events in Monte Carlo, Tour de Corse, and San Remo. We have also added new images from the testing days. Enjoy! Spy Shots: 2013 Lotus Exige shows off new rear wing behind that psychedelic camouflage
 It was just a few weeks ago that our spy photographers were able to catch the new Exige testing with some ugly zebra-like camouflage and now the brand’s engineers are at it again with some swirly and hypnotizing wraps on the 2013 Exige. Thankfully, this new camouflage isn’t distracting enough to cover up all of the sports car’s new features, providing us with ample opportunity to learn more about the future model before it debuts at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The 2013 Lotus Exige will adopt a new design language borrowed from the bigger Evora which will include a redesigned front and a longer back end. That new rear will also be accessorized with a new rear wing leading up to a modified roofline. These spy shots also reveal a slightly wider Exige with bigger brakes. As far as power is concerned, rumors state the new Exige will be pulling from the same engine found in the current model: a 3.5 liter V6 producing 280 HP in the normal version and 350 HP in the S version.
2013 Lotus Exige
Lotus called it a night for the current generation Exige by unveiling two special edition models - the Exige S260 Final Edition and Matte Black Final Edition - but that doesn’t mean the brand’s engineers are getting a break. Just last month, the next generation sports car was caught testing covered in questionable camouflage and now our spy photographers have captured new images of the Lotus Exige with more mind-numbing coverups. We can’t wait for the 2013 Lotus Exige to be unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show just so our heads stop spinning from these psychedelic wraps. These new spy images reveal a little more of the Exige’s future design language, like the new front and back of the vehicle. The future model will also benefit from a new rear wing on the elongated back end, a tidbit many of us anticipated when we heard that the new Exige would be borrowing elements from the Evora. The roofline also looks different from the current Exige. As previously reported, the 2013 Exige will be powered by the same V6 engine as also found in the bigger Evora. So expect to see a 3.5 liter V6 producing 280 HP in the normal version and 350 HP in the S version. This engine will be combined with bigger brakes that, of course, suggest improved performance numbers. 2011 Lotus Exige Matte Black Final Edition
The second special edition Lotus has announced as a celebration of the end of production for renowned North American bound Elise and Exige models is called the Exige Matte Black Final Edition. This model will be limited to only 25 units, and will have a price of $69,900. It will make its first appearance on the US market within the Lotus exhibit on Peter Hay Hill in Pebble Beach. As its name suggests, the 2011 Exige Matte Black Final Edition will be offered in an exclusive matte black paint finish combined with black Alacantara sport seats. It will be powered by a supercharged and intercooled 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine that delivers a total of 275 HP. Coincidentally, this engine is the very reason why the Exige model will be discontinued. According to Lotus, the 1.8-liter 4-cylinder Toyota 2ZZ engine that powers all North American Elise and Exige models is continually unavailable. Therefore, the production of this model will cease for North America by the end of August 2011. UPDATE 08/18/11: The Lotus Exige Matte Black Final Edition that will be exclusively sold in North America officially broke cover at Monterey, showing off its stealthy matte black finish for all the crowd to see. Much of the information we’ve already detailed about the car appears to spot on, but we did add some new information on what to expect when you place an order for any one of the 25 units that’s going to be sold. Hit the jump for details on the 2011 Exige Matte Black Final Edition. Full story | featured reviews:Lotus Exige latest reviews: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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