Never thought a V6 can spoil the eardrums like that
At Lotus, engineers focus on the balance between a couple of key ingredients: low weight, smart aerodynamics and just the right amount of power. These, combined, have helped Lotus build a name for themselves through models like the Exige.
Why are we telling you this? Well, you’re about to experience the wilder side of Lotus’ Exige S V6 in the video below. But before we get to that, a little background on the car.
We’ve seen it for the first time at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, where it displayed its new engine: supercharged 3.5-liter V6, Toyota-sourced, rated at 257 kW (345 hp, 350 PS). It came to replace the also-supercharged 1.8-liter four-pot introduced by the Exige S back in 2006.
Given the video caption is accurate, the Exige S V6 in discussion here makes 450 hp courtesy of a Harrop supercharger put to good use during Time Attack Italia on the Franciacorta circuit.
Sure, as you’ll see in the opening seconds of the video, this is not a stock Exige S V6 anymore, as it’s been stripped out for weight-saving purposes and fitted with new aero bits including a surfboard-sized rear wing – yeah, that one, it’s quite impossible to miss.
The video’s available below, but don’t hesitate to check out the Exige Cup 430 and Exige Sport 380 go-fast machines while you’re at it.