Our spies have caught the latest iteration of the Lotus Exige, weeks ahead of a planned debut at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show.
This prototype is fitted with the Evora’s Toyota V6 in place of the previous Exige’s 1.8 in naturally aspirated and forced induction trim.
Sounds to us like this 3456cc V6 Exige is probably one of the two surprises lined up for the Frankfurt motor show.
Lotus: two surprises at Frankfurt?
Hethel overnight confirmed it will show ‘one of the quickest road cars Lotus has ever built and the other marks the return of Lotus to another adrenaline filled motorsport discipline.’
We’d wager the newly made over 2012 Lotus Exige V6 scooped here is the former, the latter is almost certainly a rally-spec Exige, scooped by CAR in June 2011.
Our new spy shots of the Exige V6 reveal a quick glimpse inside, which confirms the cabin is still very much of Elise DNA.
Anything else new from Lotus at Frankfurt?
You bet. The new Elise S replaces the SC supercharged model, harnessing a new 1.8 supercharged engine developing 217bhp and boasting better mpg and CO2 figures.
Lotus has also confirmed a roadgoing Evora GTE. Fettled and slimmed by a new carbonfibre diet, it’s 105kg lighter than a regular Evora.
It was originally a special edition for the Chinese market, but CEO Dany Bahar claims it sold out with 114 orders ‘within days’.