New Lotus Exige Sport 410 revealed
The Lotus Exige Sport 410 benefits from a raft of upgrades courtesy of the Exige 430 Cup.
Lotus has unveiled the new Exige Sport 410 to augment the current Exige lineup. It will bridge the gap between the track-focused Exige Cup 430 and road-biased Exige Sport 350. As a result, it shares much of is running gear with former, however the settings have been dialled back to establish a suitable character for both road and track driving. The Sport 410 is available in coupe and roadster bodystyles, prices start from £79,900.
Mid-mounted is the 430 Cup’s, supercharged 3.5-litre V6 engine. However, it’s been detuned to develop 410bhp and 310lb ft of torque. It drives the rear wheels through a close-ratio, six-speed manual gearbox with the linkage exposed in the cabin.
Performance is suitably impressive: 0-62mph is dispatched in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 180mph is possible.
Away from the oily bits, the Exige Sport 410 is fitted with a new front end, which will be applied across the Exige range. It features enlarged air intakes and new air curtains, which improve cooling efficiency and reduce drag respectively. Further aero-based addenda, including the front splitter, rear-wing and aluminum diffuser combine to generate 150kg of downforce.
True to Lotus form, little carbonfibre has been spared to build the Exige Sport 410, so it weighs-in as the lightest V6 Exige to date at 1054kg (dry). Keeping the mass in check is the same suspension setup from the 430 Cup, comprising three-way adjustable nitron dampers and Eibach anti-rolls bars, at both ends.
Continuing to ‘add lightness’ is the staggered arrangement of lightweight forged alloys shod with Michelin’s track-focused, Pilot Sport Cup tyres, measuring 285/30 ZR18 at the rear and 215/45 ZR17 at the front. The Exige 410 Sport can call on impressive stopping power too, courtesy of four-piston caliper AP Racing brakes.
Lower yourself into the carbonfibre, alcantara and leather seats and you’re acquainted with a sparceley appointed cabin, although contrasting stitching supplies some colour. Air conditioning, a stereo and sound insulation are optional extras. Talking of which, there’s a long list, ranging from an FIA specification roll cage, to a (full) titanium exhaust system and exclusive paint finishes.
Speaking about the model’s brief, Jean-Marc Gales, CEO, Group Lotus plc said: ‘We have taken the Exige Cup 430, the ultimate track-centric Exige, and developed it into the perfect road orientated sports car, ensuring that we stay ahead of rivals when it comes to cars that deliver a truly engaging analogue driving experience.’
