Cars / Cars and Bikes

Lotus Exige Cup 380: A limited edition track car for the streets

A fan of the fast and furious? With this new Lotus, you can now drive a real race-car on the roads

Apr 26, 2017 | By Teri Chong

Lotus is going through a phase of taking its standard Elise and Exige models and making them even lighter and into vicious track cars for well-heeled gentleman racers. Right after the unveiling of their Lotus Elise Sprint last month, the brand brings an even speedier edition to its Exige collection — the Lotus Exige Cup 380. The limited edition sports car — of which only 60 are up for grabs — is road legal, unlike its counterparts. Fit for both the track and the streets, the Lotus Exige Cup 380 is a level up from the previous Lotus Exige Sport 380.

Well, how fast is it? The Cup 380 can cover the 0-100km/h dashes in 3.6 seconds and will comfortably hit 175mph (280 km/h) before all of the 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine’s 375hp and 410Nm of torque are spent. Additional weight saving components make the Cup 380 extremely light, increasing the total aerodynamic downforce on this car to 200kg. The Cup 380 weighs a feather-light 117 pounds, compared to the 2,477-pound Exige Sport 380. This is thanks to the obsessive attention to wind tunnel detailing, meaning that the car could potentially take a bend at 175mph and not lose traction.

Because it is a genuine track car as well as a road car, it comes with adjustable damping and cup tires as standard. As usual, this Lotus is driver friendly, equipped with two-way adjustable shocks and anti-roll bars that can be adjusted to its driver’s needs. Rounding it up is a T45 steel roll-over bar and towing hooks, meaning it can be legally entered into a race. The interior sees handmade visible weave sections, including detailed carbon race seats and door sills as standard. Retaining its aesthetic, the Cup 380 comes in five finishes: Essex Blue, Metallic White, Metallic Silver, Metallic Grey and Metallic Black. For an extra touch, its front panel comes with two unique bold red highlights to define its shape.

For those who want an even more exclusive vehicle, the Lotus Exige Cup 380 can be personalised through the Lotus Exclusive programme. The service offers a variety of customizations up for your choosing. Priced at around $106,000, this Lotus will only be made available in Europe— exclusive in its own right.

“This is something that really can drive to a track, set the fastest lap and take the win, before heading home. It’s supremely usable, yet outrageously fast,” said company CEO Jean-Marc Gales. “Developing the Cup 380 has allowed us to indulge our motorsport ambitions on a car that can be used and enjoyed every single day. This is an Exige that’s not just unbeatable point-to-point but also capable of winning highly competitive races.”

For more information, visit Lotus.


 
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