As you know next year Lotus will be back in Formula 1 racing after some years of absence. Now to celebrate this, and also honoring the most successful F1 car ever, the Lotus Type 72 Formula One car which won 20 Grand Prix between 1970 and 1975, the Norfolk based company unveiled a special editoin based on the Exige S.
The Lotus Exige S Type 72 features a similar black and gold paint job like the livery of Type 72 racer. It is finished by the same sign writer who painted racing cars for Team Lotus. This 935 kg car is powered by a supercharged and intercooled mid-mounted engine which enables the car to hit the 100 km/h form standing still within in 4.7 seconds and achieve a top speed of 233 km/h or 145 mph. This engine has average fuel economy of 6.5 liters/100 km (43.5 mpg) while emitting 199 g/km of CO2.
The Exige S Type 72 comes with the Sport Pack as standard. It includes a bespoke high quality interior, including black micro fibre ProBax sports seats with gold stitching, a T45 steel main roll hoop, Lotus Traction Control, twin oil coolers and an adjustable front anti-roll bar. The car is fitted with unique black and gold light weight wheels and has also has hand-painted gold Type 72 and Exige S logos. Each car comes with a special build plate commemorating one of the F1 car’s 20 Grand Prix victories.
Luke Bennett, Operations Director for Lotus Cars Limited stated, “The Lotus Exige S Type 72 is an evocative sportscar, combining cutting edge handling and performance with the iconic Type 72 colour scheme, one of the most famous racing liveries of all time. The Exige provides an intense driving experience either on road or track and this limited edition is a worthy car to celebrate such a legendary racing car.”
Clive Chapman, Director of Classic Team Lotus said, “The Type 72 was a very significant car for Team Lotus and indeed for the world of F1. It was a revolutionary design that pioneered the use of side mounted radiators to achieve its distinctive ’wedge’ profile, which delivered a significant aerodynamic advantage. Furthermore, by minimising unsprung weight and using a torsion bar, rising rate suspension, tyre performance was excellent. The Lotus Type 72 design was so advanced that it was competitive for an extraordinary six years.”
Pricing on the Lotus Exige S Type 72 special editoin is as follows:
- UK Price: £35,995 MRSP, excluding on the road costs of £950
- Euro zone price: €40,332, including delivery and other on the road costs, excluding local country tax.
