While the Rover K-Series was an admirable engine powering one of Lotus' best vehicles, the Toyota motor packs its own special traits. It is true that the Rover motor featured VVC, Rover's version of variable valve timing, however the Toyota powerplant packs this trait (VVTL-i) as well, plus two camshafts. Between idle and 6,200 rpm, the car utilizes a normal cam, but as soon as this line is crossed all goes wild thanks to an aggressive cam setup that increases valve lift for extra engine breathing. Though the Exige will never reach the limit on its 10,000 rpm tachometer, enthusiasts will be impressed by the car's 8,500 rpm redline and 7,800 rpm peak power delivery.
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| The engine redlines at 8,500 rpm, which will be music to the ears of Lotus enthusiasts. (Photo: Lotus Cars Canada) |
Performance has always been a key factor to the Exige's success, and though it is true that the new model will be heavier by 90 kilograms, it has a 15-hp advantage over the old car. The new engine allows the 875 kilo (1,925 lb) coupe to reach 100 km/h in just 5.2 seconds, with a top speed of 237 km/h (147 mph).
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| Two other big benefits of the Toyota engine are the great gas mileage and impressively low emission ratings. (Photo: Lotus Cars Canada) |
Despite the ability to offer near infinite thrills, the Exige will return a remarkable 8.8 L/100 km (26.7 mpg) on the average mixed cycle, something that very few extreme sports cars can match. As mentioned before, the Exige can squeak past the Euro4 emissions regulations, a set of tests that has caught and smothered many high performance cars (or at least invoked them to change dramatically). The car is mated to a six-speed gearbox, and like all Lotus vehicles, features a performance exhaust system engineered in-house.