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 $115,900.
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: 0-100kph is dispatched in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 290kph 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.
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.’
This article originally appeared at evo.co.uk
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