Lotus · 2000–2021

Lotus Exige

The Lotus Exige is a sports car made by the British company Lotus Cars from 2000 until 2021. Originally a coupé version of the Lotus Elise roadster, since the Series 3 the Exige has been the larger-engined model of the family, featuring a V6 engine in place of the Elise's straight-four. Convertible versions of both models are available. Exige is French and means "demand"/"require".

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

All Lotus Exige data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

Series 1

The original Exige was launched in 2000 with a naturally aspirated 1.8 L Rover K Series Inline-four engine in VHPD (Very High Performance Derivative) tune. It is rated at 177 hp (132 kW; 179 PS) at 7,800 rpm in standard form. There was also a "track spec" version with 190 hp (142 kW; 193 PS) available. The car has a five-speed manual gearbox, and a claimed top speed of 219 km/h (136 mph). 0–97 km/h (60 mph) was achieved in 4.7 seconds and 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds. The first generation Exige bodywork was based on that of the Series 1 Elise, which was produced from 1996–2000, although the Elise was updated soon after the introduction of the Exige. The Exige added a non-removable hardtop, "fastback", kamm-tail style rear bodywork with a tinted transparent engine cover and a pylon-mounted rear wing. Front air intakes (blanked on the road cars) and a front splitter were added. Both front and rear bodywork clamshells were widened to accept a wider wheel track. The Series 1 was built until 2001. 604 examples in total were made and the car was not replaced until the Series 2 of 2004.

Series 2

=== Exige (2004–2006) === In 2004, the Series 2 Exige was introduced. It features a naturally aspirated 1.8 L 16-valve DOHC Toyota/Yamaha engine that is rated at 190 hp (142 kW; 193 PS) with the Toyota engine designation of 2ZZ-GE. Compared to the Series 2 Elise, it has a front splitter, a fiberglass hardtop roof with roof scoop, a rear engine cover, and rear spoiler. The sole purpose of these aerodynamic additions to the base Elise is to create more downforce (almost 45 kg (100 lb) of downforce at 161 km/h (100 mph) in the Exige versus 5.9 kg (13 lb) at 161 km/h (100 mph) in the Elise). In February 2005, Lotus announced a limited production run of 50 Exiges, using the Toyota engine with a supercharger. This increased the power output to 243 hp (181 kW; 246 PS). These models were only available in yellow or black, representing the colours of Lotus Sport, and are badged 240R. They have a projected 0–97 km/h (60 mph) time of 3.9 seconds and 0–161 km/h (100 mph) time of 9.9 seconds, with a top speed of 249 km/h (155 mph). The North American Exige was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 2006. According to Lotus, the standard Exige Series 2 model weighs 2,016 lb (914 kg) and has the following specifications: Engine Toyota supplied, 1,796 cc (1.8 L; 109.6 cu in) I4, DOHC with VVTL-i (variable valve timing with lift intelligence) - Designed by Yamaha - Engine Code: 2ZZ-GE Bore/stroke 82 mm × 85 mm (3.23 in × 3.35 in) 190 hp (142 kW; 193 PS) at 7,800 rpm 138 lb⋅ft (187 N⋅m) at 6,800 rpm Compression ratio: 11.5:1 Transmission 6-speed manual built by Aisin AI, close-ratio with single-plate dry clutch Performance 0-97 km/h (60 mph): 4.7 seconds 0-161 km/h (100 mph): 12.9 seconds Top speed: 237 km/h (147 mph) Fuel consumption: 24 mpg‑imp (12 L/100 km; 20 mpg‑US) ci

Series 3

=== Exige S V6 (2012–2015), Exige S V6 Roadster (2013–2016) === At the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, the 2012 version of the Exige S was announced. It features a supercharged 3.5 litre V6 engine (from the Evora S) rated at 345 hp (257 kW; 350 PS). In 2013, a roadster version was introduced with only minor changes to the design for the removable top. The engine and performance were virtually unchanged from the coupe. Specifications. Powerplant: 3,456 cc (3.5 L; 210.9 cu in) Toyota 2GR-FE Supercharged non-intercooled V6 engine Max. power: 345 hp (350 PS; 257 kW) at 7,000 rpm Max. torque: 400 N⋅m (295 lb⋅ft) at 4,500 rpm. Gearbox: 6-speed Toyota EA60 manual transmission; automatic transmission available as an option. Weight: 1,176 kg (2,593 lb). Acceleration: 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.8 seconds; 3.9 seconds for automatic version. Top speed: 172 mph (277 km/h) Tyres: Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres included as standard with optional £800 Pirelli Trofeo R tyres. To accommodate the V6 engine, the new model is approximately 25 cm (9.8 inches) longer and 5 cm (2.0 in) wider (exterior bodywise) than the model with the inline-four engine, being 4,052 mm (159.5 inches) long, 1,802 mm (70.9 in) wide (not counting the mirrors) and 1,130 mm (44.5 in) tall. The drag coefficient is 0.433. Exige V6 Cup, Exige V6 Cup R (2013–2016). The Exige V6 Cup is a track oriented version of the Exige S while the Exige Cup R is the track-only version of Exige V6 Cup. The Exige V6 Cup is offered for sale in the United States as a track only car. If purchased, US Lotus Dealers will only provide a bill of sale instead of a title. The vehicles were unveiled at the 2013 Autosport International motor show. Specifications. Exige V6 Cup According to Lotus, the Exige Cup has the following specifications: Engine: 3.5

Racing

Several Exiges have been used in the SCCA Pro Racing World Challenge. An Exige GT3 and some CUP Exige have raced in the Supercar Challenge. An Exige participated in the GT300 class of the 2005 Super GT Series season. Simply Sports Cars in Australia ran an Exige Cup R in endurance racing during 2014 and 2015 at the Bathurst 12 Hour, with class wins on both occasions.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

sp: uk
name: Lotus Exige
Manufacturer: Lotus Cars
Production: 2000–2021, 10,497 produced
Assembly: United Kingdom: Hethel, Norfolk
Class: Sports car (S)
Layout: Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive
Platform: Lotus Elise
Body style: 2-door coupé
Kerb weight: 2015 lb, 2593 lb
Successor: Lotus Emira
Related: Lotus Elise, Vauxhall VX220, Rinspeed sQuba, Tesla Roadster, Hennessey Venom GT, Detroit Electric SP.01

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1141769CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_ExigeCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1375670868 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lotus_Exige_15.jpgCC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Calreyn88 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.