Lotus Exige V6 Cup Race Car Heading to America

Last year at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Lotus showed off its Exige S model featuring a supercharged V6 powerplant with 345-hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. But it’s a new year, which means the British automaker has something else to show off.

In comes a lighter, track-ready variant of the Exige S that will be heading to America for racers ready to compete on the track. The Exige V6 Cup Car will be 200 lbs lighter than the standard Exige S model, and can hit 62-mph in 0.2 seconds quicker. And since it’s powered by the same 3.5-liter supercharged V6 as the factory counterpart, the top speed will remain limited to 174-mph.

But like similar Cup Cars offered by other automakers, Lotus has not only lightened the load but has equipped the Exige V6 Cup Car with suspension goods, aerodynamic pieces, a full roll cage, four- or six-point harnesses, removable steering wheel, and a fire extinguisher. Traction mode options include Touring, Sport, and Race, all controlled by the automaker’s standard performance management system.

Price? Americans will have to shell out close to $100,000 for the bare-bones Cup Car, but a full competition-ready version is available for $118,000. Both those prices do not include a 20-percent VAT tax, which makes the cars closer to around $120,000 and $140,000 respectively.