2012 Lotus Exige

After months of speculation, Lotus has finally unveiled the new Exige S. This "ultimate lightweight high performance sportscar" comes bearing a new look inside and out, as well as a brand new engine that adds over 100 HP to the car’s output. 

The 2012 Lotus Exige S’ new design brings forth a cleaner and smoother look, eliminating the choppiness from its predecessor’s overall design. That being said, it is being described as more aggressive, giving off an aura of extreme sportiness. This mixture provides a perfect combination for what the Exige S is all about. 

The interior for the 2012 Lotus Exige S doesn’t get a whole lot of changes, but it does get two package options: Premium and Premium Sport. The Premium Pack is said to add comfort and style, while the Premium Sport option focuses on creating an internal space optimized for ultimate driver involvement. 

The biggest change for the new Lotus Exige S is the new mid-mounted, transverse 3.5 liter DOHC V6 VVI-i engine mated to an EA60 6 speed transverse Sports Ratios manual gearbox with open differential. This new engine delivers a total of 345 HP, which should translate into better performance times, except the Exige has also gained some weight during its refresher. The previous model claimed 2,077 lbs, while the new Exige S plumps up at 2,380 lbs. These modifications allow the Lotus Exige S to deliver a 0-60 mph sprint time of 3.8 seconds (from a previous time of 4.0 seconds) and its top speed hikes up to 170 mph (up from a previous 145 mph). That being said, these figures have yet to be witness tested so Lotus will be officially announcing them when that takes place. 

The Exige S now bears a new front splitter that eliminates the broken lines found on the previous model, as does the lone vent sweeping across the model’s hood. The headlights have also been combined into one piece, showing off two triangular lights as opposed to the four oblong lights from the previous model. The exaggerated roof scoop from last year also gets its walking papers for a continuation of the clean design. Last, but not least, the 2012 Lotus Exige S also gets a new, smaller rear spoiler that sinks in a little deeper to the rear of the Exige, aiding in the car’s aerodynamics.