The Lotus Elise and Exige have been used as the basis for the original Hennessey Venom GT and, more recently, the Radford Type 62-2. Down in South Africa, there is one particularly impressive Exige that was recently featured in a video from Cars.co.za.
This particular Exige has been custom-built by an enthusiast and while it still sports Lotus badges, it has been so extensively modified that it could almost be considered as an entirely new vehicle.
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The most remarkable thing about this Lotus is the fact that it is no longer powered by a Toyota-sourced engine and instead has the V8 of a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. In this video, the owner reveals he imported the engine from the Netherlands and that with a full Motec engine management system, it pumps out 570 hp and 523 lb-ft (710 Nm) of torque at the wheels and at altitude. At sea level, it should have closer to 650 hp. He says he elected to use this engine because it has independent throttle bodies and a dry sump lubrication system.
In order to accommodate the 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V8, an all-new carbon fiber/Kevlar bodywork had to be created, meaning this Exige is now much wider and longer than a standard model.
The interior is also completely bespoke and created from a mixture of carbon fiber and Kevlar. It includes bespoke seats, a custom dash, and a digital instrument cluster. Making the car all the more impressive is the fact that it weighs just 1,150 kg (2,535 lbs) with the owner in the driver’s seat, providing this Lotus with a power-to-weight ratio that’s far superior to the standard model.