LIGHTER, STRONGER, FASTER
The new Lotus Exige 430 Cup is lighter, more rigid and more powerful than ever – it’s the wildest Exige ever!
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 model sees the introduction of a high-performance engine installation mated to a new supercharger and charge cooler, 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.
With 430 hp, it offers 55 hp, or 15 per cent, more power than the limited production Exige Cup 380 mode and 220 kg of downforce.
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.
It does 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.
The Exige Cup 430’s 220 kg of downforce is developed through the careful management of airflow under and over the car.