Lotus celebrated the public premiere of the Elise Cup 250 and Exige Sport 350 at the 86th Geneva Motor Show.
Its fastest street-legal Elise yet has undergone a diet, during which it lost 21 kg (46 lbs), tipping the scale at 931 kg (2,052 lbs) or 912 kg (2,011 lbs) with the Carbon Aero Pack. With an extra 26 horses in the stable from the 1.8-liter 4-pot, the new Cup variant can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.9 seconds.
The improved performance of the car hasn’t affected its comfort features, as it sports full Alcantara interior, available in red or black, while a Leather Pack comes at an extra cost. Prospective buyers will get to select between ten exterior colors.
The lightest incarnation of any Exige offered on sale today is called the Sport 350 Roadster. It weighs just 1,085 kg (2,392 lbs), meaning 40 kg (88 lbs) less than the coupe, achieved with the removal of the fixed roof and the usage of carbon fiber elements, forged alloy wheels and improved braking system.
Powering the car is the same 3.5-liter supercharged V6, which continues to make 340 HP and 400 Nm (295lb-ft) maximum torque, allowing the sports car to hit sixty in 3.7 seconds. Keep pressing the accelerator pedal and the needle will eventually indicate 170 mph (274 km/h).
The first Elise Cup 250 units will reach their owners in April, while the Exige Sport 350 was launched in Europe in February and will arrive in the North American market this month.
Joining both models in Switzerland are the 3-Eleven and the Evora Sport 410.