The new Lotus Exige Cup 430: Unlimited Edition

• Full-production model is most extreme Exige ever conceived
• New engine installation, delivering 430 hp and 440 Nm
• New design generating 220 kg of downforce
• 407 hp per tonne provides unrivalled performance
• 0-60 mph in 3.2 secs, dry weight from 1,056 kg

Unlimited in every sense, the new series production Exige Cup 430 is Lotus’ wildest incarnation of its fire-breathing, point-to-point two-seater sports car.

New to the Exige, the Cup 430 sees the introduction of a savage, high-performance engine installation, mated to a new supercharger and chargecooler, designed specifically for the unique demands of this vehicle.  A development of the powertrain recently used on the phenomenal Lotus Evora GT430, it’s perfectly paired with a newly-designed body, which delivers enhanced aerodynamic performance to reveal the model’s true potential. The result is a strikingly different beast of pure performance, that’s not for the faint of heart.

With 55 hp, or 13%, more power than the limited production Exige Cup 380 model it succeeds, and 220 kg of downforce, it’s a monster of a car. Compared to the Exige Sport 350, it has 24% more power and generates the same downforce at 100 mph as the Exige Sport 350 does at its maximum speed of 170 mph.

Lotus’ expertise in lightweight design has played its part in reducing the overall dry weight by 12 kg to 1,059 kg, with the vehicle down to 1,056 kg in its lightest configuration. This, combined with the dramatic jump in raw power, raises the Cup’s power to weight from 355 hp / tonne (Cup 380) to 407 hp / tonne.

With 430 hp at 7,000 rpm and 440 Nm (325 lbft) of torque from 4,000 rpm, 0-60mph is dispatched in 3.2 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.3 seconds) with a top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h). Helping to harness all that power, the Cup 430 benefits from a comprehensive range of new aero elements. A new ultra-lightweight front clam with unique carbon fibre ducts has wider radiator apertures and a new mesh pattern grille to provide a more combative aspect and to allow for a new front splitter and air curtain mechanism to reduce drag. The lightweight rear clam panel supports the larger, straight motorsport wing to increase downforce without impacting upon the car’s overall drag coefficient. The new design front and rear clam panels are 6.8 kg lighter than those on any other Exige.

Focused fairly and squarely on aggressive track performance and point-to-point supremacy, the new Lotus Exige Cup 430 is capable of covering the Hethel circuit in 1 minute 24.8 seconds – the fastest production car to lap the famous circuit – 1.2 seconds faster than the Lotus 3-Eleven (Road).

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO, Group Lotus plc said, “This is the car that we have always wanted to build, and I am sure that all Lotus enthusiasts will be delighted with the end product. As well as a significant power hike, the Cup 430 has benefited from extensive development in areas essential to Lotus’ DNA, in order to ensure that the full potential of the Exige’s incredible chassis can be exploited. This car has no rivals – inside or outside of its price bracket - and it’s no exaggeration when we say that nothing can keep up with this Exige on the road or track.”

Lotus Exige Cup 430 – carbon based light form

Lotus’ most extreme Exige packs the company’s most potent powertrain into its smaller vehicle architecture to provide a level of performance that is a step beyond what most drivers can exploit. The car’s distinctive and aggressive new styling perfectly matches the character of the new Exige Cup 430. 

Signaling the most motorsport focused models in Lotus’ range, the Cup variants are centered on only the essential. Extending this philosophy to its limit, the new Cup 430 is at the apex of the Exige line-up – with only a track-only racer capable of exceeding the car’s abilities.

With the Exige already regarded as the standard for purity of purpose, Lotus’ engineers have built upon this benchmark, ensuring that the application of more power is complemented by a class-leading handling balance, characterised by precision and tactility.

At the heart of the car lies Lotus’ most formidable engine, a 3.5-litre supercharged and charge cooled V6 producing 430 hp and 440 Nm.

The Exige Cup 430 is available as a series production car and can be ordered now, priced £99,800 including VAT (UK) and €127,500 (Germany) and €128,600 (France).