Lotus is ready to launch the automatic version of the Exige in order to widen its customer base.
Like it or not, Lotus claims that the automatic Exige has lost nothing of its hardcore character, lapping Hethel in the same time with the manual version.
The sprint from 0 to 60mph (96km/h) takes 3.9 seconds, shaving one tenth from the manual’s time. The scales tip at 1,182kg (2,605 lbs), a mere 6 kg (7 lbs) more than the three-pedaled version but the top speed for the coupe is now 162mph instead of 170. Top speed for the Roadster remains at 145mph.
The 345hp, 3-5-litre supercharged V6 engine is the same, bearing no changes. The automatic gearbox unit is a toque-converter one, unlike the double-clutch solutions of the competition. Lotus promises though an “even more focused driving experience.”
Upshifts take 240 milliseconds while the downshifts are accompanied by a throttle-blip, provided the driver has engaged the Sport mode of the gearbox. Buttons for Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive are integrated neatly into the centre console of the cockpit while the manual shifting paddles behind the steering wheel are crafted from forged aluminium.
Jean-Marc Gales, CEO Group Lotus plc, stated: “Expanding the Exige range, with a new automatic gearbox, opens up a new market for those who prefer using a paddle shift with the alternative of an automatic gearshift. We expect that the Exige S Automatic will account for over a third of the total global sales for the Exige S range as many drivers will appreciate the involvement of a manual paddle-shift and the convenience of an automatic.”
CO2 emissions dropped from 235g/km to 222g/km while the economy scores 29.4mpg against 28 of the manual version. The cost for ticking the box of the optional six-speed automatic transmission is currently set at £2,000 for the UK market.
By Michael Karkafiris
Photo Gallery
