The 145mph Lotus Exige S roadster, the fastest drop top the manufacturer has ever built, has been confirmed in a new video. The new model will go on sale this summer.
It will be the first Exige model to be offered with a factory-fitted soft-top roof and shares the same 3.5-litre V6 engine as the Exige S coupe.
The unit produces 345bhp at 7000rpm and 295lb ft at 4500rpm, meaning the Exige S roadster — which weighs 10kg less than the coupe — is capable of 0-60mph in 3.8sec and reaches 100mph from a standing start in 8.5sec. Its top speed has been reduced from the coupe's 170mph to 145mph.
A six-speed manual gearbox will be offered as standard, but the Exige S is available with the Norfolk-based firm’s Serial Precision Shift (SPS) paddle-operated automated manual transmission. Fuel economy for the manual gearbox variant is a claimed 28mpg, with CO2 emissions of 236g/km.
As with the £52,900 hard-top Exige S, an optional race pack is available and adds track-optimised suspension settings and launch control. There are also two cabin options: one more comfort-oriented and the other more stripped down and sporty.
