In what has become a semi-annual event, Lotus has just announced another limited edition Lotus Elise and Lotus Exige. But these special editions are a little different, the Lotus Elise SC Final Edition and Lotus Exige marks the end of the line for what Lotus calls "two of the greatest, purest drivers' cars ever offered for sale in North America -- the Elise and Exige."
And when Lotus says limited editions, they mean limited. There will be only 15 of the 2011 Lotus Elise SC Final Editions produced. The SC FE gets matte black paint on the rear transom panel, roll hoop cover, hardtop and door mirror housings; a rear diffuser; black leather steering wheel; polished aluminum gear knob and handbrake lever; driver and passenger airbags; AC; CD/MP3 player with four speakers; padded leather door panels; leather door inserts; leather trimmed center console; black carpeted floormats with embroidered logo; sound insulation; iPod connectivity; a limited slip diff and Lotus Traction Control. It is available in red, white gray and orange at a base price of $57,500.
Next up is the Exige which gets two packages....
In comparison with th Elise SC FE, the Exige Matte Black Final Edition is a relative production vehicle with a run of 25 vehicles.
The Exige MB FE comes with a supercharged 257 horsepower supercharged engine and will have a base price of $69,900. It gets: Matte Black finish; three-piece anodized black diffuser; body-colored rear wing, front splitter side scoops and roof scoop; double shear track control arm brace; black leather steering wheel; polished aluminum gear knob; driver and passenger front airbags, AC and three upgrade options included in the base price. The first is the Sport Pack which gets Lotus Traction Control System, BS4 T45 steel roll-over hoop and struts, adjustable front anti-roll bar and ProBax sport seats in Alcantara. Then there's the Touring Pack which has Alcantara door panels, door inserts, center console and handbrake lever gaiter, black carpeted floormats, sound dampening material, iPod stereo connectivity, extruded aluminum storage tray and billet aluminum cup holder. Finally, there's the Track Pack which is track suspension with adjustable dampers and adjustable ride height.
Last but not least is the 2011 Exige S260 Final Edition it has the same list of goodies as the Matte Black Final Edition, but is available in the full range of Lotus exterior colors and will be produced in a run of 30. The price is $67,500.
In a totally predictable sign of the times, Lotus' last versions of the Elise / Exige will be the most well-equipped yet.
stovt001 says:
03:35 PM, 08/ 4/11
That you are forced to have AC and electronic nannies on the last good cars from this formerly great brand shows you exactly what went wrong.
imag1 says:
05:16 PM, 08/ 4/11
Uh, stov, the last few special editions just got lighter and more raceworthy. There were plenty of chances to buy. People wouldn't even buy the 50 Cup cars they made. It's pretty tough to make a business selling cars in that kind of volume.
That said, it is a sad day to lose the Exige. I just wish Lotus had been able to put in the Camry V6 stock. These folks have shown it's pretty straightforward: http://www.monkeywrenchracing.com/extra_info_pages.php?pages_id=5
It might have been an issue with that old crash test certification they've been using. One thing people have to understand is that Lotus couldn't certify the Elise or Exige today as they are. They have only been able to keep selling them because they were grandfathered in. The NHTSA rules are the primary reason for heavier cars, not just the mfrs.
I just hope Alfa can show a new way with the 4C. That could be a beauty.
stovt001 says:
10:01 AM, 08/ 5/11
Poor sales doesn't mean the car is bad. The Pontiac G8 didn't sell but it was a brilliant car. Just as ditching the G8 and bringing in the G3 didn't save Pontiac, neither will ditching true Lotus models and replacing them with bloated luxo yachts with no real competitive advantage in the extremely crowded high-end GT market save Lotus, I predict.