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Lotus Sport, the performance division of Lotus Cars, and Cadena
announce the signing of a two-year agreement for the supply of a
minimum of 2 Lotus Sport Exige GT3 race cars to be campaigned
initially in the British GT Championship in 2006 with an expectation
of also entering FIA European GT3 Championship in 2007.
The team will be branded Lotus Sport Cadena.
The Lotus Sport Exige GT3 entrant has been developed by Lotus
Sport and is a derivative of the new Lotus Exige S coupe model.
Weighing in at approximately 750 kg, it stays true to the
"performance through light weight" core Lotus philosophy. The car
uses a race prepared 1.8 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i engine with a Roots type
supercharger and air-to-air intercooler which utilises the Lotus T4e
Engine Control Unit to produce 285 hp (289 PS) at 7,800 rpm. This
gives an impressive power to weight ratio of 380 hp / tonne or 2.6
kg / PS.
Drivers are yet to be confirmed for the two chassis.
Chris Arnold, General Manager for Lotus Sport is looking forward
to the championship: "We see this as the essential next stage in the
development of the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 race car. The British GT
Series is a very competitive championship and features some very
exciting racing as well as some fine cars, drivers and teams.
Although this is not a full factory team, we are working closely
together to build the Lotus Sport brand in GT racing for global
success in the future. Lotus has a fine tradition in GT sportscar
racing over more than 50 years, and I am delighted to see Lotus
Sport Cadena on the grid for 2006."
For Cadena, Paul Whight stated "2006 will be a year of discovery
for Lotus Sport Cadena. We expect to sign 4 drivers very shortly,
and look forward to working very closely with Lotus Sport to develop
both the team and the cars during the 2006 season. Looking beyond
2006, we have our sights on the FIA European GT3 Championship in
2007 so we will view this year as one of development for the future."
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