By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

Wow. This Exige is sporting a supercharger and a turbo charger, and it’s apparently making 500HP. Oh, and it tips the scales at a scant 2150lbs with full fuel and driver. Just wow. There are pics after the jump, but you have to watch this video. The engine note makes Beethoven sound like a toddler banging on pots and pans. via VWVortex

Continue reading "Start the Insanity: Totally Sick Widebody Exige" »

By Ben Schaffer

The Real JDM

Josh Cloud just sent me a great rendering he recently completed of a Gran Turismo 5 inspired Lotus Exige GT1. I thought you’d all enjoy his rendering, so here it is!

By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

When I saw the styling of the 2010 Lotus Evora, I wasn’t thrilled. In fact, I was nauseated. Since the Elise and the Exige are such magnificently sexy cars, I was expecting the new 2+2 to be hotter than Hell in August. And the Evora is not. Even though my head nearly sticks out the top of the track-ready Elise, I’d happily drive one every day. Maybe I’m just turned off by the idea of a “civilized” Lotus? In my opinion, they should be small and sparse and not have radios—what’s the point of adding leather and another two seats? But you know what they say about opinions… Watch this first drive and form yours.

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

And could you get back out? This video reminds me of watching Mr. Angry try to squeeze himself into a Pontiac Solstice when we were at the New York Auto Show last year. But the hardtop on the little Lotus is the real killer.

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Talk about scary fast. Italian tuning company UK Garage is offering an Exige with a 647 hp LS9 from the Corvette ZR1. The chassis has been stretched by 20 cm and widened to fit bigger tires. Of course, these are gonna weigh a tad more than a stock Exige, but still… Kind of makes my head spin just thinking about it. More at Lotus Enthusiast

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

I’m sure that the Stormtrooper was quite proud of himself, driving an Exige and all. But I think we can now safely conclude that Darth Vader is faster. See the Exige after the jump! Via VWVortex

Continue reading "Stormtrooper Gets Owned by Darth Vader" »

After some homecoming-bound teenagers in Chicago got busted trying to smuggle booze on to a party bus, the driver called the cops. Now, I think this whole situation is kind of silly, but I was struck by the stupidity of the kid who thought he could get away with bringing a paper bag with a bottle inside on board no questions asked. Dude, why didn’t you have one of the ladies stick it in her purse? Duh! Anyway, here’s the news:

• The new 370 has been spotted testing at the ‘Ring, and the big news is the rear diffuser. It’s easily the biggest one we’ve seen, and it makes the one on the Renault Megane Trophy look downright puny. Just kidding. Jalopnik
• A new Exige is on the way, and the carbon-rich, 257 horsepower Cup 260 is more proof that Lotus is one of the few manufacturers which can release a new model that’s actually lighter than the previous generation. Why the hell is this so hard? World Car Fans
• Wired has described the Escape from Berkley rally as a cross between Mad Max and the Cannonball Run, and I think the description is so accurate, I don’t even want to try to come up with my own. Thanks a bunch, gents! Wired
• The National Automobile Dealers Association is predicting that 700 dealerships will fail this year. Yikes. Right now the organization is counting on the bailout plan to pull the industry out of its current death-spiral. Cross your fingers… Detroit News
• This has been a long time coming, but Porsche is gunning for VW, and is apparently planning to gain control of the company by the end of November. Do think consumers will even notice anything? Automotive News

I first saw this car a couple of years back in a full feature spread placed in UK’s Evo Magazine (easily the worlds best car magazine written in English). When I first saw it I was extremely impressed but it appeared that it was just a concept car designed to show off Lotus race prep capabilities. It was meant to be their vision of a GT racer using the Exige chassis, but they didnt seem to have any further plans for it. They ultimately called it the Exige 300R. At the time it looked to me that the car would do the show circuit as a fancy Lotus concept car and that’d be the end of it. A damn shame that would have been if my thoughts were correct. Here are some of the specs:

1580 LBS
Full dry carbon widebody
400hp DTM spec 3.0L V6
Hewland sequential transmission
Motec M8, Ohlins custom suspension, AP brakes, etc.

Now, a high revving 400hp 6cyl and a sequential transmission in a 1580 package–that just sounds like an insane death machine. How insane you ask? Continue reading…

Continue reading "The Car That Beat HKS’s Carbon Time Attack Evo: A Lotus" »

This one was closer than a few we’ve had recently, but the Lotus still beat the Porsche by a 2-to-1 margin in our latest Showroom Showdown. People seem to like the no-compromise nature of this car, and then there’s the fact that it looks hot.

According to Lotus, the Europa SE is designed for folks who find it’s brethren—the Elise, and the Exige—a little too "uncompromising" for use as a daily driver. Of course, even though I’m five inches too tall and 30lbs too heavy for one of the little racers, I’d happily have one as my only car. I just love their bare-bones, straight-from-the-track feel, so I can’t say I completely understand the appeal of a more civilized version. But with 222 ponies to play with, it’s not like the car will feel like a Taurus, and hey, different strokes for different folks. Right? More pics after the jump.

via Jalopnik