Lotus Sport, the race car performance arm of Lotus Cars Ltd, unveiled the Lotus Exige GT3 concept road vehicle. With its debut at the 77th annual Geneva International Motor Show, the 271-bhp Exige GT3 is a bold, no-holds-barred, lap record-breaking, breathtaking performance machine that embraces all that is expected of a race-bred Lotus.
Building on the Lotus racing pedigree, this concept car can deliver more grin-factor than ever before; there are no intended compromises and no limits except those that are self imposed by the driver.
This is one concept that commands your full attention.
Said Mike Kimberley, Chief Executive Officer for Group Lotus plc: “The Exige GT3 concept road car is a fantastic showcase product from our race car performance division, Lotus Sport. The car’s racing background becomes immediately obvious from its aggressive stance, extreme width of rear track and innovative threedimensional rear wing. The foundation of all Lotus products is phenomenal handling and ride characteristics, but the Exige GT3 takes these into another dimension altogether where supreme road holding and outrageous acceleration come evenly matched with sensational stopping ability.”
The Exige GT3’s pure bred racing brother will be again competing in the GT race arena in 2007, taking over the mantle from the hugely successful 2006 British GT3 Championship winning car. On road or track the Lotus Exige GT3 winning pedigree will continue in time honored Lotus racing tradition.
A new one-piece front clam-shell with fully masked front wheels and wheel arch venting leads the aerodynamically cleaned silhouette of this car. A menacing stance is enhanced by the aggressively flared rear wheel arches and aero-efficient three-dimensional rear wing and blended end-plates. The visual message is clear; this vehicle means business and the squat wide hindquarters symbolize the latent power harnessed within.
That power is provided by the same charge-cooled supercharged engine that the GT3 race car employs, producing 271 bhp and driven through ten inch rear wheels with 255 width tires making the final connection to the road. Top speed of 160 mph and peak torque have been electronically limited but acceleration is left untouched and unimpaired. The up-rated front brakes and brake pads all round ensure that on road or track this car’s stopping ability is more than capable of harnessing its acceleration performance.
The end-plate mounted three-dimensional rear wing is highly efficient and fully complements the widened and flattened rear deck shape in reducing the overall drag as well as maintaining front to rear downforce balance. The performance of this car will amaze and reward all drivers with incredible road holding (developed with the help of its 2-way Ohlins adjustable dampers together with Lotus Sport adjustable front stabilizer bar and rear suspension double-shear track control arms) and stunning acceleration.
Simply put, the Lotus Exige GT3 will redefine your concept of a road car by re-affirming that unique proposition that is, above all else, a Lotus.
It is intended that the Lotus Exige GT3 concept road vehicle will be further developed into a full production car for limited markets, to go on sale in late 2007 with an estimated price tag of between £50,000 and £60,000.
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