It’s been twenty years since the Exige roared into our hearts, so Lotus is celebrating.
For a 20th wedding anniversary you give platinum, but for the 20th anniversary of an Exige Lotus is giving consumers the opportunity to buy one of just 150 special edition models.
The Exige Sport 410 20th Anniversary is priced at $169,990 before on-road costs. That’s the same price as a regular Sport 410, though Lotus says it’s included $11,545 worth of extra kit.
Exterior touches include a body-coloured roof, side air intakes and rear wing as well as a black shark-fin stone chip protector ahead of the rear wheels, all of which featured on the 2000 Exige Series 1.
We’re all far too young to be calling something from 2000 “retro” – wasn’t that just a few years ago? – but Lotus touts the 20th Anniversary model’s “retro-inspired colours [that] pay tribute to the original Exige Series 1”.
These colours include Chrome Orange and Calypso Red, both of which were featured on the Series 1. Less, ahem, retro colours include Saffron Yellow, Motorsport Black and Arctic Silver.
The vivid Laser Blue, also borrowed from the Series 1, will have you wanting to put on Eiffel 65’s hit single, already on our airwaves when the Exige first launched.
All 20th Anniversary models include a special logo that features a silhouette of the original 2000 Exige. It’s embroidered on the seat backs and also included on the dashboard build plaque.
The interior is swathed in Alcantara with the upholstery matching the body colour, while the exterior is resplendent with carbon fibre. It’s used on the front splitter, bonnet and tailgate.
Some of the Sport 410’s regular options are fitted as standard to the special edition. These include DAB digital radio, cruise control, carbon fibre seats, sound insulation and carpeted footwells.
Other options remain available, including carbon fibre sills, a lithium-ion battery, and a lightweight, titanium exhaust.
Under the bonnet is the same supercharged 3.5-litre V6 engine as the Sport 410, producing 306kW of power and 410Nm of torque. It’s mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission. Lotus claims a 0-100km/h time of just 3.4 seconds.
All 20th Anniversary cars include as standard Nitron three-way adjustable dampers with variable bump and rebound settings.
Lotus hasn’t announced exactly how many of the 150 cars will come to Australia, though it promises some will reach our shores by November.
The 20th Anniversary follows the recently revealed Elise Classic Heritage Edition, of which just 100 were produced.
If the Exige were a person, it’d be old enough to vote and buy booze, while the platform it’s based on is old enough to be putting a deposit down on its first house. It’s lost none of its charm, however, despite its advanced age.
Future Lotus models will reportedly use a new, rivet-bonded platform alloy-core platform and most likely electric drivetrains. Before these models appear, however, Lotus will introduce a new, entry-level model with an internal combustion engine based on the Evora platform which, in human terms, is still in primary school.
