Produced from 2013 to 2016, the Lotus Exige V6 Cup R was a special, track-only version of the Exige V6 Cup sports car, which in itself was a track-oriented version of the Exige S. Offered for sale in Europe, the Cup R is a brute of a car, with massive V6 power and an insane aero package.
Lotus only built a handful of them, making them one of the rarest forms of the Exige ever produced. Power came from a Toyota V6 engine, plus a supercharger, and all of that grunt was sent through a six-speed manual transmission.
Watching one of these hurl itself around the race track is an amazing sight. Luckily for us, YouTuber NM2255 Raw Car Sounds was able to capture some footage of a Cup R flying around a racetrack, complete with a widebody kit and a crazy aerodynamic package added to the Lotus.
There is no commentary in the video, which was filmed in Italy. Instead, we have pure noise from the Lotus, both trackside and onboard, which allows us to get a real feel for just how brutal this car is. It is a wild, exciting, and lairy ride, and one that makes us very jealous of the driver behind the wheel.
What Sits Under the Hood of the Exige V6 Cup R?
Under the hood of the Lotus is a 3.5-liter Toyota DOHC V6 VVT-i 24-valve V6 engine. Added to that is a Harrop HTV 1320 supercharger, giving the Exige 361hp and 305lb-ft of torque. That allows the car to sprint from 0- 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds, and it gives the sports car a top speed of 170mph.
Lotus also gave the suspension a reworking, giving the car double wishbone suspension, with anti-roll bars at the front and the rear. With a six-speed manual close-ratio transmission handling the power, the Exige Cup R is a true driver’s machine. An automatic transmission might be quicker, but nothing beats the feel of a manual when you are giving the car the beans.
The car shown off in the YouTuber’s video is finished in bright yellow, with British Racing Green stripes running from the hood and all the way across the center of the Lotus. These are iconic Lotus colors, and it looks sensational as it blasts around the racetrack. Looking at this model and other examples of the Cup R, it’s clear that this has had some serious modifications.
This Lotus Exige V6 Cup R Has Had a Few Upgrades
Perhaps the most obvious upgrade is to the front of the Lotus. It has had a serious addition in the form of a front splitter, a large one too, held on by vertical stakes at the front. A little later in the video, the car is seen again, this time at the Imola racetrack with an upgraded splitter that tidies the front-end up. The car in question is run by Team Santrilli and was built for the Time Attack series.
Aside from the front splitter, the Lotus has gained a widebody kit, with massive wheel arches at the front and rear. At the back, there is an equally massive diffuser to ensure the car remains planted firmly on the ground. The upgraded version has large side flares as well, and the green stripes have been replaced by menacing black ones too.
We Get To See This Car in Its Full Glory
As well as the onboard footage, the car is also seen in its full glory from external cameras. Thanks to extra tuning and a Harrop TVS1900 supercharger, this particular example of the Exige now makes 550hp, and the slick tires it is running will massively improve its performance on the racetrack.