Since its launch at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show,->ke235 the Series 3 Lotus Exige S has become a fan favorite among sports car->ke506 enthusiasts who wanted a go-go sports car->ke506 that could take its rivals to the cleaners. The car’s popularity became evident off the bat, which explains why it only took Lotus->ke49 two years to hit four digits on the Exige S’s production tally.

Yes, the 1,000th Exige S recently rolled off of Lotus production, a monumental achievement for the reinvigorated company and a testament to the popularity the V6-powered Exige S has cultivated since arriving on the sports car scene two years ago.

Ironically, Lotus isn’t sending the 1,000th Exige S to the waiting arms of an eager customer. Lotus has a special plan for the car, so it’s sending it to its Test and Development team where it will be used as a sign-off model for the new automatic gearbox the company announced in October 2014.

So instead of splashing on some graphics and selling it as an expensive special-edition model, Lotus is using the 1,000th Exige S to make the lineup even better. That's a sign of a company that knows what it has on its hands and is determined to make it even better.

Congratulations on the milestone, Lotus!

Click past the jump to read more about the Lotus Exige S.

Why it matters

Hitting 1,000 models for a car like the Honda Civic isn't a big deal. But for a company that has had well-documented financial struggles, it's a great achievement. I don't mean that in a derogatory kind of way because I want Lotus to turn things around and be successful again.

Things are looking up because Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales said that the company has posted its strongest October sales since 2009. That's a good start that can hopefully help build some momentum for stronger sales and more success in the future.

Lotus Exige S

The Series 3 Lotus Exige S made its debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show with the promise of being the “ultimate lightweight high-performance sports car." It has delivered mightily on that regard, bestowing upon Exige S groupies a raw road racer that came with cleaner looks, a more powerful V-6 engine that delivers a hefty 345 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and unmatched handling dynamics.

The Series 3 Exige S did tip the scales at a heavier weight of 2,380 pounds compared to the 2,077 pounds the previous model checked in at. But the bigger engine more than made up for it because the Exige S can still cover naught to 62 in four seconds to go with a top speed of 170 mph.

Then came the latest major announcement, which happened on October 23, 2014. The Lotus Exige S is getting an automatic transmission. It’s a cause for celebration for drivers who have sworn off having three pedals inside their sports cars. More importantly, it also allows the Exige S to post quicker acceleration times while maintaining the same top speed as its manual counterpart.

In fact, a recent test around Lotus’ Hethel track revealed that the Exige S automatic was able to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds, shaving a tenth-of-a-second off of the manual’s time.

The Series 3 Lotus Exige S is not available in the US, but it is priced from £62,495 ($77,480 as of 11/7/2014) in Great Britain with buyers having to pay an extra £2,000 ($3,217 as of 11/7/14) to receive the auto transmission.