The new Lotus Exige Race 380 is the track-only sibling of the recently launched Sport 380 and one of the fastest race cars the British company has offered so far.
The first cars will be delivered to customers this May, with Lotus claiming that their new race car will prove to be class-leading in the worldwide Lotus-Cup series and a number of other clubman championships in the 2017/2018 season.
Compared to its road-legal sibling, the new Exige Race 380 has a modified suspension, electrical systems and aerodynamics, as well as an XTrac six-speed sequential gearbox, an oil cooler and a cassette-type plate limited-slip differential.
The supercharged 3.5-litre V6 makes 375hp 410 Nm (302 lbft) of torque at 5,000 rpm while the weight has been kept under the 1000kg mark, tipping the scales at 998kg (2,200lbs) dry.
“By setting its weight below 1000kg, its power to weight is unsurpassed in its class,” said Jean-Marc Gales, Lotus CEO. “When lapping Hethel, it’s a phenomenal 1.5 seconds faster than the previous Exige Cup R – a massive performance gain. It’s an unparalleled race car that follows the philosophy of Colin Chapman and we can’t wait for customers to experience its capabilities.”
The new aero agenda provides the body with 240kg of downforce at 170mph, with vents now incorporated into the front bodywork and rear bumper to reduce pressure around the wheels.
Lotus has opened the order books for the new Exige Race 380 which costs £99,500 ($122k in current exchange rates) excluding VAT.
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