Lotus Exige V6

The third-generation Exige was a different kind of car. Lotus lengthened the wheelbase, widened the track and fitted the supercharged 3.5-litre Toyota V6 from the Evora, giving 345 bhp in a car weighing under 1,200 kg. A roadster version followed.

Over the next nine years it gained power and lost weight through the Sport 350, Sport 380, Cup 380, Sport 410 and Cup 430, the last with 430 bhp and enough aero to produce 220 kg of downforce. The exposed manual gear linkage introduced in 2015 transformed the shift quality.

The Final Edition cars of 2021 were the Sport 390, Sport 420 and Cup 430. Lotus built 10,497 Exiges of all series.

Variants

Variant	Years	Notes
Exige S	2012–2015	345 bhp, coupé or roadster.
Sport 350	2015–2021	Lighter, with the exposed gear linkage.
Sport 380 / Cup 380	2016–2018	375 bhp, carbon aero.
Sport 410 / Cup 430	2018–2021	410–430 bhp, charge-cooled.
Final Edition 390 / 420 / Cup 430	2021	Run-out models.

On a road trip

The V6 has effortless torque and a superb exhaust note, and it covers long distances more comfortably than any four-cylinder car here. It is wider and heavier, which you notice on a single-track road. It was never sold as a road car in the United States, where it was offered only for track use.