1995 Lotus Esprit S4 Coupe 2-door 2.2l on 2040-cars

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Lotus introduces Exclusive customization program

Lotus doesn't sell much beyond the Evora 400 in the US, but the announcement of a new personalization program won't be limited to just that model. The Lotus Exclusive program will be applicable to every model that Lotus makes, including the Elise and Exige in all their many iterations, the new 3-Eleven, and the Evora – which remains, for the time being, the only model currently certified for use on American roads. The company will even apply its new range of customization options to pre-owned models. Hethel is currently rolling out the Lotus Exclusive program in Europe, but plans to expand its availability later this year. Buyers will be able to pick from an expanded range of exterior colors – or have a custom hue mixed up specially – in matte, gloss, metallic, or pearlescent finishes. Custom graphics can be applied to the roof and mirror caps, and various exterior components (from spoilers to add-on decals) can be ordered in one of four colors, as can the three available styles of racing stripes. The interior will be available to order with five colors of leather and four colors of stitching thread to give the cockpit a unique touch. Of course Lotus isn't the first manufacturer to offer such a personalization service, which is fast becoming standard fare among exotic and luxury automakers – particularly in Europe. In the UK alone you'll find McLaren Special Operations, Q by Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce Bespoke, and Bentley's Mulliner division. Other examples include Ferrari Tailor Made, Lamborghini Ad Personam, and Porsche Exclusive. Dodge even offers the "1 of 1" program for the Viper GTC. At the very pinnacle of the exotic supercar market, however, manufacturers like Bugatti, Pagani, and Koenigsegg build every one of their supercars to order, according to the customer's specifications, so personalization comes part and parcel with the bragging rights. Related Video: X MAKE YOUR MARK WITH LOTUS EXCLUSIVE - Tailor made Lotus cars to individual customer requirements - Created by the Lotus Design team & available for both new and pre-owned cars - Exciting interior and exterior options, from subtle details to extensive personalisation Letting Lotus owners set the tone, the new personalisation service Lotus Exclusive offers sports car fans a unique ownership proposition.

Lotus pumps Exige up to 430 horsepower

It seems that every few months or so Lotus has yet another lighter, faster version of one of its cars, usually with an emphasis on the lighter part. This time, the latest, fastest Lotus gets a big bump in power. It's the Lotus Exige Cup 430, and it shares its supercharged V6 with the recently launched Evora GT430. That means it makes 430 horsepower, an impressive 55 more than the 375-horsepower Exige Cup 380. It also produces 325 pound-feet of torque. That engine is impressive enough in the Evora GT430, but it becomes pretty breathtaking in the Exige, which weighs about 2,410 pounds. Though that's slightly heavier than the Cup 380, the overall power-to-weight ratio has improved, and Lotus says the 430 can fly to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds from a standstill. It also boasts a higher top speed than the 380, at 180 mph, which is 5 mph more than the 380. Perhaps more impressive is the fact the Exige Cup 430 is the fastest road car Lotus has tested at its Hethel race track, beating the track-oriented 3-Eleven road car by 1.2 seconds. Among the other interesting features of the Exige Cup 430 are the three-way adjustable shocks as well as adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars. More of the car's total downforce, 45 percent to be precise, acts on the front now, compared with 36 percent on the Cup 380. Four-piston brake calipers are used at each corner. It also comes with a number of weight-saving features as standard, including the lithium-ion battery and titanium exhaust. It can also be optioned to be a legitimate race car with an FIA-legal roll bar and airbag delete. But just the stock car isn't cheap. It has three different price tags depending on whether you purchase it in the U.K., Germany, or France. But the cheapest price in dollars comes from the U.K. where it retails for GBP99,800, or just shy of $131,000 at current exchange rates. Related Video: Featured Gallery Lotus Exige Cup 430 View 9 Photos Image Credit: Lotus Lotus Coupe Lightweight Vehicles Performance

Lotus 3-Eleven may be the quickest track weapon you can buy

Germany's Sport Auto magazine routinely takes world-beating supercars around the short circuit at the Hockenheimring: Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis... the works. But the top of the leaderboard has now been claimed by something altogether smaller and less powerful in the form of the new Lotus 3-Eleven. The most extreme expression of the Elise/Exige platform to date, the 3-Eleven is a track-focused machine of the highest caliber. At its heart sits a relatively humble 3.5-liter supercharged V6, tuned to produce 460 horsepower. But with composite body panels and a low curb weight, it rockets to 60 in under 3.0 seconds flat, and more poignantly laps the company's own test track ten seconds ahead of the Evora 400. Now it's clocked a lap around Hockenheim – sometimes host of the German Grand Prix – in just 1:06.2, just edging out the previous record held by a Porsche 918 Spyder. It also bests the Gumpert Apollo, and the similarly track-focused Radical SR3 SL... not to mention everything else Sport Auto has ever taken to the track. What's even more impressive is that the magazine's road test editor Christian Gebhardt completed the lap on stock rubber and on a cold track that didn't get any warmer than 46 degrees Fahrenheit. Just imagine what it'd do on even semi-slicks and a warm track surface. Related Video: 'HYPERCAR-KILLING' LOTUS 3-ELEVEN SETS HOCKENHEIMRING LAP RECORD - Lotus 3-Eleven raises the bar by establishing a new "sport auto" production car lap record around Hockenheimring - Lotus 3-Eleven now heads the lap time list which features exotic hyper cars and track-focused supercars from some of the world's most prestigious manufacturers - Lap record set by "sport auto" magazine's top road tester Christian Gebhardt The Lotus 3-Eleven, the quickest series production car to come from Lotus' Hethel Headquarters, has set the fastest lap time ever recorded by the leading and highly-respected German car magazine, "sport auto". Driven by Christian Gebhardt, a highly accomplished driver and Road Test Editor for "sport auto", the Lotus 3-Eleven lapped the Hockenheimring short Circuit in an incredible 1 minute 06.2 seconds. This time was even more impressive considering that the 3-Eleven was on standard road tyres and the fastest lap was completed in less than perfect weather, where temperatures did not get higher than 8 degrees Celsius. Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus plc said, "Christian set a fabulous lap in less than ideal conditions.