2009 Lotus Exige Cup 260

Lotus Cars Ltd, has unveiled the MY2009 Exige Cup 260. A direct development of the 2008 Exige Cup Car, this years car uses advanced light weight components and carbon fibre body material, to reduce the overall weight by 38 kg to a total mass less than 900 kg. Maximum power output of 257 hp (260 PS), remains the same as the 2008 car, but with careful attention to weight reduction detail, the 2009 Model Year Exige Cup 260 provides a more agile and dynamic track focused drive and is more than capable of taming Europe's most challenging race circuits.

Unusually for such a focused track and road machine, the 2009 Model Year Exige Cup 260 is fully homologated for road use in Europe and key markets in Asia - a must have for many race competition programmes where a road legal car has to be entered. The Lotus Exige Cup 260 is also eligible to compete in the newly announced 2009 Lotus Cup Europe race series organised and run by LoTRDC.

Lotus Exige Cup 260 2009The Exige Cup 260 exploits the Lotus philosophy of using weight reduction to increase performance and reduce emissions. Mike Kimberley, Chief Executive of Group Lotus commented, "Lotus is now recognised globally as one of the leaders in the green automotive revolution." Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus is attributed as saying, "Adding power makes you faster on the straights; adding lightness makes you faster everywhere and this statement is more relevant today than it ever has been, as decreasing weight increases the cars performance and most importantly efficiency."

The Exige Cup 260 follows this philosophy closely - the weight saving programme has looked at all areas of the car where components can be replaced with a lighter version (without pushing the costs beyond the reach of the serious track day driver or clubman racer) or where components can be removed completely without detracting from the purity of the driving experience.

Technical Specifications
Engine: 1.8 litre four-cylinder
Aspiration: Supercharged
Maximum Power: 257 hp (192 kW) @ 8000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 174 lb-ft (236 Nm) @ 6000 rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Drivetrain: Rear-wheel drive

Source: Lotus Press Releases