First Class In Competition - The New Lotus Exige Race 380

The critically acclaimed Exige Sport 380 before race-bred engineering to a Exige Race 380. Image Credit: Jarowan Power - Lotus Cars

First Class In Competition - The New Lotus Exige Race 380 

Unapologetic, uncompromising and built to win, Lotus has announced the development of the mighty Exige Race 380 - the track-only sibling of what has been hailed as one of the marque’s most significant and sensational cars, the critically acclaimed Exige Sport 380.

One may first notice the new expanded rear wing for additional downforce. Exige Race 380. Image Credit: Lotus Cars

375 hp and 410 Nm

Weight cut to just 998 kg dry

0-60 mph in just 3.2 secs

Laps Hethel 1.5 seconds quicker than Exige Cup R

Aerodynamic downforce boosted to 240 kg

Image Credit: Lotus Cars

Combining Lotus’ vehicle development skills with its motorsport pedigree, the class-leading competition car will set the pace when the first production cars reach owners in May 2017. As part of the current Exige’s development cycle, the Race 380 will become the race car of choice for teams as well as privateers for the 2017 / 2018 season.

Taking one of the world’s best supercars, the Exige Sport 380, the new model provides the ultimate in race-bred engineering and comes with a host of competition-focused components as standard.

Gearbox, suspension, aerodynamics and electrical systems are among the items that have been modified to reflect the car’s role but, despite the fact that the new Race model is not available in a road-legal specification, the majority of the original car’s configuration is retained, thanks to the Exige Sport 380’s highly advanced development.

Image Credit: Lotus Cars

Unveiled late last year, the Lotus Exige Sport 380 has proved to be one of Lotus’ most successful new models in recent years, with orders for the next four months’ production already allocated.

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus plc, commented: “The Lotus Exige Sport 380 is a real giant slayer on the road, and one of the quickest A to B supercars around. It gave us the ideal platform from which to develop the new Exige Race 380 - a peerless competition car designed to beat the best. By setting its weight below 1000kg, its power to weight is unsurpassed in its class. When lapping Hethel, it’s a phenomenal 1.5 seconds faster than the previous Exige Cup R - a massive performance gain. It’s an unparalleled race car that follows the philosophy of Colin Chapman and we can’t wait for customers to experience its capabilities.”

The Lotus Exige Race 380 in more detail

In keeping with its name, the new Exige Race 380 includes a wide range of competition-orientated options as standard, covering everything from drivetrain to driver information system – all designed to increase the car’s capabilities. Developed to be eligible for the world-wide Lotus Cup series and a number of clubman championships, this race car is every inch a winner.

Retaining the race-proven 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine, the Exige Race 380 boasts 375 hp at 6,700 rpm and 410 Nm (302 lbft) of torque at 5,000 rpm. However, in order to extract every ounce of performance, the car comes with an Xtrac 6-speed sequential transmission, oil cooler, and cassette-type plate limited slip differential, and is operated by carbon paddles located behind the steering wheel. Opting for the full exhaust system in titanium removes a further 10 kg from beyond the rear axle. Extremely quick off the line, the Exige Race 380 sprints from 0-60 in just 3.2 secs, and laps the Hethel track in an outstanding 1 minute 23.5 seconds - the fastest ever for an Exige.

Generating even more downforce from the car’s aerodynamics, the Race 380 produces a phenomenal 240 kg at 170 mph, thanks to some careful revisions. Vents are incorporated into the front bodywork and rear bumper to reduce pressure around the wheels and increase downforce; and a grille mounted at the rear aids air circulation through the engine bay. A new front splitter reduces pressure beneath the Exige, whilst the rear diffuser and larger and a straight-cut motorsport rear wing mounted to the bodywork helps modify airflow at the rear of the car.

Image Credit: Lotus Cars

Helping the Exige exploit its performance, the Race 380 employs Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres as standard (wider 215/45 ZR17 at the front; 265/35 ZR18 at the rear), renowned for their predictable handling and high grip, which are complemented by the car’s ultra-lightweight forged alloy wheels. The same attention to detail has been applied to the brakes, with AP Racing forged, four-piston calipers and grooved two-piece brake disc providing the stopping power.

The Exige has long set the benchmark for handling and, to ensure it remains perfectly poised and agile, the Race 380 uses a revised suspension configuration, incorporating 2-way adjustable Öhlins dampers and adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars. This, together with the Lotus Traction Control System, where the amount of wheel slip can be adjusted by the driver from the cockpit, allows owners to fine tune the vehicle’s handling characteristics.

The Exige Race 380 features a full, integrated roll cage, lightweight FIA Carbon driver seat (HANS compatible) and a six-point harness, as well as ultra-lightweight polycarbonate side windows, competition specification fire extinguisher, battery isolator and front and rear motorsport towing eyes. An ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber motorsport specific louvered tailgate panel is fitted over the engine and carbon-fiber air intake pods are fitted to either side of the car forward of the rear wheels. As with other race cars in the Lotus range, headlamps are replaced by matte black covers and airbags are not included in the specification.

Helping the driver stay on pace, the new Exige Race 380’s color TFT instrument cluster offers numerous user customize-able and programmable screen configurations. Incorporating a track data logger and GPS unit, owners have the opportunity to upgrade this logger with professional data analysis software.

As well as being designed to win, the Exige Race 380 looks exceptional and retains many of the hand-made carbon-fiber components from the Exige Sport 380 including the front inspection cover, hard top and diffuser surround.

The Exige Race 380 is available to order now, priced £99,500 excluding VAT ($122,723.30).
(ht: Lotus Cars)

... notes from The EDJE


TAGS: Lotus, Lotus Cars, Exige Race 380, Exige Sport 380, AP Racing, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, Öhlins dampers, Lotus Traction Control System, Lotus Cup, The EDJE