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Five new versions with enhanced specification to celebrate
end of production later this year
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Increases in power and performance, design upgrades and new
colours
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Read more about the unique legacy of the Lotus Elise on the
US LOT Blog
This year marks the end of an era for Lotus Cars. As the
business moves towards an exciting future as outlined in recent announcements,
time is being called on production of the iconic Elise and the genre-creating
Exige, after 25 and 21 years respectively.
In honour of these two legendary models, Lotus has announced a
range of five new Final Edition cars which have higher power, greater standard
specification and – in true Lotus style – light weight.
These cars are the ultimate versions of the Elise and Exige, and
mark the pinnacle of technical development to showcase more than two decades of
engineering excellence. To be built in limited numbers, each is a fitting
tribute to performance cars that are, almost uniquely, legends in their own
lifetime.
Five new variants – two Elise and three Exige – have been
created and Lotus is anticipating high demand from global markets as customers
rush to buy a slice of history. They are available with unique paint colours,
new exterior decals, new wheel finishes, new trim and Final Edition badging.
The improvements continue under the skin, a fact reflected in
new names which reveal higher power outputs on three of the five – the Elise
Sport 240, Elise Cup 250, Exige Sport 390, Exige Sport 420 and Exige Cup 430.
The Elise and Exige Final Edition cars are on sale now, with the
MSRP for selected markets listed below. For other markets please contact the
appropriate official Lotus Cars importer.
As revealed last month, the Lotus Evora has also entered its
final year of production. Further announcements about plans to celebrate this
model will be announced in due course.
The Lotus Elise Final Edition range in detail
The Elise is a truly iconic Lotus, with 2021 serving as the 25th and final year
of production. These two new Final Edition cars are a fitting tribute, and the
exclusivity and rarity will no doubt ensure high demand and guarantee future
classic status. They retain all the core values and features that have made the
Elise such an iconic car – a small, light and agile two-seater powered by a
supercharged and chargecooled 1.8-litre, four-cylinder mid-mounted engine.
As standard, both Final Edition cars receive the most extensive list of interior
and exterior features ever. The biggest change is the all-new TFT digital
dashboard with the choice of two screens, one with a conventional set of dials
and the other a race car-style with digital speed read-out and an engine speed
bar.
The steering wheel is of a new design and clad in leather and alcantara. It
features a flat base to create better leg clearance for taller drivers and to
aid ingress and egress. Every car comes with a Final Edition build plaque, plus
new seat trim and stitch patterns.
A new selection of colours has been introduced for both the Elise Sport 240 and
the Elise Cup 250, harking back to some of the iconic colour schemes from the
Elise and Lotus’ past. These include Azure Blue, the colour used in the first
production car images for media in 1996; Black, the brand colour of the
motorsport division when the company ran the successful Autobytel Lotus Elise
Championship race series; and Racing Green, an homage to the colour of the
original car unveiled at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition
The Elise Sport 240 Final Edition gains an extra 23bhp from a
revised calibration and so replaces the Sport 220. Delivering 240bhp and 244Nm
of torque, the engine has been tuned to provide stunning real-world performance
and class-leading efficiency. The 0-60mph sprint is completed in 4.1 seconds
thanks to a power-to-weight ratio of 260bhp per tonne. CO2 emissions of 177 g/km
are extremely low for the performance on offer.
The car comes with 10-spoke Anthracite lightweight forged alloy wheels as
standard (6J x 16” front and 8J x 17” rear). They’re 0.5kg lighter than the
wheels on the Elise Sport 220 and shod with Yokohama V105 tyres (195/50 R16
front and 225/45 R17 rear).
Further weight savings can be achieved with an extensive range of optional
carbon fibre panels, including sill covers and engine cover, lithium-ion battery
plus a lightweight polycarbonate rear window. With all the lightweight options
chosen, the mass of the Elise Sport 240 reduces further from 922kg to 898kg.
Lotus Elise Cup 250 Final Edition
Key to the Elise Cup 250’s performance are its aerodynamics and downforce linked
to its power and light weight. With aerodynamically optimised components such as
the front splitter, rear wing, rear diffuser and side floor extension, this
Final Edition car produces 66kg of downforce at 100mph and 155kg of downforce at
is maximum speed of 154mph.
The car is shod in new 10-spoke Diamond Cut ultra-lightweight M Sport forged
wheels (7J x 16” front and 8J x 17” rear) with Yokohama A052 tyres (195/50 R16
front and 225/45 R17 rear). The extensive list of standard equipment includes
Bilstein sport dampers and adjustable anti-roll bars, to help maximise the
aerodynamic downforce available and boost grip whilst maintaining the legendary
Elise handling. Also fitted as standard is a lightweight lithium-ion battery and
polycarbonate rear window.
Other lightweight carbon fibre options, as on the Elise Sport 240 Final Edition,
are available reducing the mass to an unladen weight of just 931kg.
The Lotus Exige Final Edition range in detail
The Exige range is celebrated in its final year of production with three new
models – the Exige Sport 390, Exige Sport 420 and Exige Cup 430.
Like the Elise, new equipment for this final year of production includes unique
paint choices, new decals and two new wheel finishes. All versions of the Exige
also come with the TFT digital dashboard, Final Edition build plaque, new
steering wheel, plus new seat trim and stitch patterns.
All models are powered by a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 with a baffled sump,
mounted in a lightweight and rigid chassis that provides thrilling acceleration
and instant response. Pure unassisted steering offers exquisite feedback and
vivid communication at all speeds. The Exige benefits from a bespoke version of
Lotus’ pioneering bonded aluminium chassis, a unique rear subframe and forged
aluminium double wishbone suspension at the rear.
Like the Elise Final Edition range, the Exige is also available in a selection
of new colours representing significant cars in its history. These include
Metallic White, from the unveiling of the V6 Exige at the Frankfurt Motor Show
in 2011, and Metallic Orange, which was used on the first press fleet car in
2000 and the and the Exige GT3 concept from the Geneva Motor Show 2007.
Lotus Exige Sport 390
The new Exige Sport 390 replaces the outgoing Exige Sport 350.
The power increase of 47bhp comes from a revised calibration linked to the
Edelbrock supercharger with chargecooling, to produce 397bhp and 420Nm. Linked
to a light weight of 1,138kg, the Exige Sport 390 accelerates to 60mph in just
3.7 seconds before reaching a top speed of 172mph.
The advanced aerodynamics are carefully balanced, generating 70kg of downforce
at the rear and 45kg up front for a total of 115kg at top speed. To put this
power on to the road, the Exige Sport 390 has 10-spoke silver lightweight forged
alloy wheels (7.5J x 17” front and 10J x 18” rear) and Michelin PS4 tyres
(205/45 ZR17 front and 265/35 ZR18 rear).
Lotus Exige Sport 420 Final Edition
The Exige Sport 420 Final Edition gains an extra 10bhp and
replaces the outgoing Sport 410. It is the fastest Exige available, topping out
at 180mph, with 0-60mph completed in 3.3 seconds. With its light weight of
1,110kg and 420bhp (giving a power to weight of 378bhp per tonne) and 427Nm from
the supercharged and chargecooled V6 engine, coupled with a flat torque curve
and maximum power available to maximum revs, the Exige is regarded as the most
complete driving car of its class.
The list of standard equipment is impressive. Front and rear Eibach anti-roll
bars are adjustable and the three-way adjustable Nitron dampers allow for
different high and low speed compression settings. The car rides on 10-spoke
Anthracite lightweight forged alloy wheels (7.5J x 17” front, 10J x 18” rear)
with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (215/45 ZR17 front and 285/30 ZR18 rear).
Stopping power comes from AP Racing brakes with forged, four-piston calipers and
two-piece J-hook brake discs. With a higher thermal capacity and improved bite,
these discs offer improved debris clearance and reduced vibration for more
consistent pedal feel and greater, fade-free performance.
Lotus Exige Cup 430 Final Edition
The Cup 430 remains the range-topping Exige. Already legendary in its short
lifetime, it is regarded as being one of the world’s quickest real-world sports
car. It is not just suited to its driver’s favourite road, but also at home on a
challenging circuit.
Chargecooled for a consistent 430bhp and capable of generating 171kg of
downforce, this is the road and track car to rule them all. The radical aero
package is not for show; the Exige Cup 430 generates as much downforce at 100mph
as the Exige Sport 390 does at 170mph. Weighing just 1,110kg the power-to-weight
ratio hits a staggering 387bhp per tonne. With 440Nm of torque from 2,600rpm,
0-60mph is completed in 3.2 seconds on the way to a top speed of 174mph.
Downforce is balanced at all speeds, with the car generating 76kg at the front
and a further 95kg at the rear, giving a total of 171kg.
Everything about the Exige Cup 430 is focused upon performance whether that’s
driving on the road or track. Every car comes with motorsport-grade carbon fibre
panels include the front splitter, front access panel, roof, diffuser surround,
enlarged air-intake side pods, one-piece tailgate and race-derived rear wing. In
addition to revised steering arm geometry to increase bump steer, handling
characteristics can be altered via the Nitron three-way adjustable dampers (high
and low speed compression plus rebound adjustment) and Eibach adjustable front
and rear anti-roll bars, both as standard. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres
(215/45 ZR17 front and 285/30 ZR18 rear) are fitted to ultra-lightweight 10
spoke diamond cut lightweight forged alloy wheels (7.5J x 17” front, 10J x 18”
rear).
Braking comes via forged, four-piston AP Racing brake calipers and higher
thermal capacity two-piece J-hook brake discs front and rear. The system is
designed to give improved bite and reduced vibration, delivering consistent
pedal feel and fade-free stopping power lap after lap.
With a high-flow titanium exhaust system as standard, the Cup 430 sounds like no
other supercar at speed. Motorsport-derived variable traction control linked
directly to the ECU helps maximise traction on corner exit by managing the giant
surge of torque. It’s controlled via a six-position rotary switch located on the
steering column. Only active with the ESP stability control switched off, the
five pre-set traction levels are displayed on the instrument cluster.
When production of the Lotus Elise, Exige and Evora end later this year, the
final combined production total will be in the region of 55,000 cars. Together
they account for more than half of Lotus’ total road car production since the
first Lotus in 1948.
Technical Specifications
Images and text copyright Group Lotus PLC
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