Auto Trader NZ
Published 3 September 2020
The Lotus Exige S, the supercar without the super price, has been joined by its open top brother, the Exige S Roadster which like its coupe counterpart offers an unrivalled combination of race-track orientated performance and on-road ability derived from the legendary sports car maker’s unique motorsport experience.
The new Lotus Exige S Roadster is the ultimate combination of compact size, low weight and big engine, in the form of a supercharged 3.5 litre V6 engine that punches out 257.5 kW and 400 Nm of torque with a weight of less than 1200 kg, which is lighter than some of the smallest hatchbacks.
The result is performance that can only described as shattering. The blast to 100 kmh is dispatched in four seconds and continues unabated, as shown by a zero to 160 kmh time of 8.5 seconds, to a top speed of 233 kmh.
Priced at a recommended retail price of $131,990 excluding dealer costs and delivery, this super car performance from the Lotus Exige S Roadster is available at a distinctly un-super car price.
None of the exhilarating performance of the phenomenal Exige is compromised, yet the driver is only ‘two clicks and a roll’ away from cruising in open-top style thanks to the lightweight, factory-fitted soft top. The Exige S Roadster is 10 kg lighter than the hardtop and modifications to the suspension – changes to the camber and a slightly thicker rear anti-roll bar, ensure that Exige Roadster maintains the benchmark standards set by the Exige S coupe.
The Lotus Exige S Roadster, along with the entire Lotus range, is available from Lotus Auckland. Positioned in the automotive heart of Auckland at 425 Broadway in Newmarket, Lotus Auckland has a team of experts who understand the needs and desires of motoring and racing enthusiasts. Personally selected by leading New Zealand businessman, Neville Crichton, for their expertise and passion for performance cars and driving, the Lotus Auckland team is based in a 768 square metres facility with the space to admire and inspect the latest Lotus models as well as providing the latest service facilities. As an official supplier, Lotus Auckland has a direct link to the Lotus factory for the latest training, information and updates on the Lotus range, past, present and future.
Of course power is nothing without control and, as would be expected from a company that built its legend on chassis design, the Lotus Exige S is as equally masterful in the corners as it is in a straight line.
Using the light, responsive steering to fling the Exige S and Exige S Roadster into a corner invites an instantaneous response that is both accurate and resolved in their ability to corner at speeds and with lateral loads that reveal its remarkable track performance. At the same time, recognising that not all roads and even some race tracks are smooth, the chassis offers remarkable levels of compliance to smooth out bumps and maintain the maximum tyre footprint contact with the road surface for the highest levels of adhesion.
The is achieved with the perfect blend of mechanical design and electronics that not only seamlessly combine to produce the ideal chassis response for changing road conditions but which also, through a Lotus DPM (Dynamic Performance Management) switch allows the driver to switch between three driving modes: Touring, Sport and DPM off, allows the driver to tailor the chassis to his specific requirements.
And if three dynamic settings are not enough, an additional Race Pack option is available which adds a fourth driving mode setting: Race. This setting provides the maximum possible traction out of corners. The Race Pack also features Launch Control and an optimised suspension setting making the car perfect for letting rip on the track.
Of course the Exige S and Exige S Roadster stop as well as they go with AP Racing four piston clippers clamping themselves to massive 350 mm ventilated and cross drilled disks at the front and 332 disks at the rear, all backed by the latest four channel ABS anti-lock system.
The interior is just as focussed as the chassis and drivetrain. Built around the driver, everything required to execute the performance falls naturally to hand and is perfectly positioned while the instruments are in the ideal line of sight. The seat grips in the right places and provides comfort where needed, all of which combines to allow the driver to extract with ease the maximum excitement from the Exige S and Roadster under all conditions.
Despite all of this, the Exige S and Exige S Roadster are not some sort of temperamental beasts that can monster a race track and be a pain on the road to and from the track. It is, when required, smooth, docile and easy to drive, allowing everyday driving while the driver knows that a flex of the right foot, a flick of the hand or a twist of a wrist will mean a supercar response.
“The new Exige S Roadster matches the raw supercar performance, agility, unparalleled ride and handling and mind blowing drive experience that took Lotus to a new level with the Exige S coupe and adds visceral exhilaration of open top motoring,” says Alastair Manihera, Brand Manager, Lotus Australia and New Zealand. “Anyone who has ever driven an Exige S on or off the track will tell you that it’s not for the faint-hearted and the Roadster is its equal and, as with all Lotus Sports cars, it comes at a remarkable price which is, indeed, the only thing that separates it from other supercars. Quite simply you can’t get more Lotus than the Exige S with or without the roof!”
