2010 Lotus Exige Stealth at 2009 Tokyo Auto Show

One man's 2010 Lotus Exige Scura is another man's 2010 Lotus Exige Stealth, particularly if that man lives in Japan. Yep, this is the matte-black Lotus Scura we wrote about earlier this week, except in Japan another manufacturer holds the trademark to "Scura" so it's the Stealth here.

You really can't know just how compelling the matte-black finish is on this car until you walk up and touch it -- and it gives a little. Yes, the the Exige Stealth is soft-touch, because the matte-black is not actual paint. It's rubberized material based on the stuff Lotus normally uses for dash material. The black racing "stripes" are the actual paint, i.e., the car gets painted glossy black at the factory and then the matte material is applied.

"It's five times more resilient to chip than normal paint," Roger Becker, engineering director for Lotus Cars, told us, adding that the star shield appliques applied to the lower bodywork of most U.S.-bound Exiges aren't necessary on the Scura/Stealth.

We reported earlier that Lotus would build only 35 Exige Scura/Stealths (all of them pre-sold), but Becker said demand for the car will necessitate a larger production run. He also told us the U.S. arm of Lotus has taken the opinion that the Exige Scura wouldn't have much appeal to Americans. The car won't be shown at the L.A. auto show in December.

"I totally disagree," Becker told us. "If it was my choice, I would have shown the car in L.A."

So is Becker right to take up the case of the Exige Scura/Stealth? Bear in mind that this Exige 260 Cup-based car could conceivably cost over $10,000 more than the U.S.-spec Exige S 260 ($75K).

More pictures after the jump.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor