The Exige V6 Cup R is the full race version
of the Exige V6 Cup road car. The most obvious difference between them is the
R's higher-downforce aero package, but there are countless detail changes that
make it fit for racing. All its key areas have been uprated to increase
performance, durability and safety or to reduce weight. So there's a dry-sump
oil system, FIA-approved catalytic converters, motorsport driveshafts and wiring
loom, improved cooling and a full T45 cage. Wheels, tyres, brakes and bodywork
are also different between the $107,000 Cup and $127,385 Cup R.
It is unquestionably a very serious and
highly desirable evolution of the Exige S, but despite extensive and very
obvious alterations, it still looks tantalisingly close to the road car. Will
Lotus sell you one as a road car? No. Could you buy one and make it road-legal?
Not officially or easily - but the manner with which our hosts chuckle, pause
and then quickly change the subject suggests it wouldn't be beyond the wit of a
determined customer to do so.
The Exige V6 Cup R
is the full race version of the Exige V6 Cup
Stripped of sound deadening and sporting
some lightweight body panels, the Cup R's unladen weight drops to 1,040kg, 70kg
less than the Cup and 136kg down on the standard Exige S. Peak output from the
supercharged 3.5-litre V6 lifts by 16bhp over the Sand Cup to 361bhp and by
10lb ft to 305lb ft, while a set of Ohlins TTX race dampers delivers more
control and set-up adjustment. There's also the option of the Evora GT4's Xtrac
sequential paddle-shift'box to replace the standard Cup's H-pattern close-ratio
manual. At $40,765, it's a big commitment, but if you're serious about racing,
the improvement in lap times will make it well worth the expense.
The car we're testing has all the options,
including the trick transmission. Like the road car it doesn't have a
limited-slip differential, but once the Pirelli Corsa F tyres are hot you would
hardly describe the way the R punches out of corners as traction-limited. The
steering is unassisted and consequently heavy, which combined with the grip
levels and phenomenal braking performance of the race-tuned Bosch ABS system
makes the Cup R really aggressive and surprisingly physical to drive.
Interior makes
standard car's look luxurious
It's also blisteringly quick. In tricky
track conditions the brakes are immensely capable and far easier to nail than
the non-ABS brakes of the Evora GT4. The sequential gearbox is super-quick, but
the shift paddles are rather awkward and uncomfortable to operate compared to
the better-located ones of the GT4 car.
In terms of outright pace, an Exige Cup R
laps Hethel barely 2sec slower than the Evora GT4. Put another way, the Cup R
is a full 7sec faster than the standard Exige S, itself a pretty mighty track
performer. That's hugely impressive for a car that's still pretty close to road
specification. It requires a lot more hustling to make it go quickly, which
actually makes for a more exciting driving experience and suits the more
intense sprint racing in the Lotus Cup series, but it's also more physical and
more conventionally challenging.
Twin
pipes exit centrally from the rear diffuser
As a race or serious track-day car, the Cup
R is a mighty machine, and dangerously addictive too, but the really exciting
thing is that Lotus Racing's range of options is growing all the time. Many of
the components can be fitted to the Cup or regular Exige S road cars, so you
can upgrade and uprate your race car or road car in stages as and when budget
allows. This concept sits at the heart of the Cup and Cup R's appeal, and is
what Lotus has always done best.
With the new Elise Cup and Cup R waiting in
the wings, it's good to see Lotus is back on track, both literally and
metaphorically.
