LotusExige

Tokyo 2009: Lotus Exige Stealth is Black You Can Feel

This year's Tokyo didn't have much in the way of luxurious items, but the three it did have -- the Lexus LF-A, Alpina B7 Bi-Turbo Long Wheelbase, and this, the Lotus Exige Stealth (Exige Scura in Europe) -- were all worthy of our attention. The limited-edition Lotus, of which just 35 will be made, even added to its luxe quotient with a feel-good factor: its paint isn't just matte black, it's got texture.

Matte cars are fabulous to behold until they leave the showroom, then it takes nothing more than an errant piece of lint to scratch the bejeezus out of them. To combat that, Lotus painted the Stealth in the shiny black stuff that comprises the stripes, then blocked those off and painted the car again in a proprietary, rubberized matte paint that spoils your fingers with a soft, fuzzy feel.

Lotus claims it is up to five times more resistant to marking and peeling than other finishes. But wait, there's more: Lotus is only making 35 Stealths, so if you've been looking for a kinder, gentler black on the outside to go with carbon fiber and 260 horsepower inside, then you'll want to place a call to Bruce Chapman's company.

Gallery: Lotus Exige Stealth

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Tags: exige, exige scura, exige stealth, ExigeScura, ExigeStealth, lotus, lotus exige, lotus exige stealth, LotusExige, LotusExigeStealth, scura, wheels

Lotus Welcomes new CEO with new Special Editions

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Lotus is making a comeback. Following its early success in Formula One and the James Bond years with sports cars that put the company on the map, the British automaker changed management and ownership a few times, its once legendary product line dwindled down to one as the engineering powerhouse tried to carve out a niche for itself. But with the new Evora joining to Elise/Exige line on the market and a successor to the iconic Esprit on the way, Lotus is experiencing a renaissance. The company has been under reliable Malaysian ownership now for several years, is reportedly considering getting back into Formula One, and has just announced the hiring of a promising new chief executive.

After having engineered the success of beverage giant Red Bull, Dany Bahar moved to Ferrari just a couple of years ago, taking a new seat at the head of the company's newly created branding and marketing division. But following the resignation this past July of outgoing Lotus CEO Michael Kimberley, Bahar has been announced as the company's new chief. And as if to welcome their new director, Lotus has announced two new special editions of its core products.

Based on the new supercharged Exige S, the Exige Cup 260 takes advantage of weight-saving technologies to tip the scales at less than two thousand pounds. Following Lotus founder Colin Chapman's less-is-more mantra, the Exige Cup 260 needs only a tiny 1.8-liter 260hp supercharged Toyota inline-four engine to reach sixty in four seconds flat, and promises to lap the race track faster than machines with twice as much power. Following a similar ethos, the new Club Racer is based on the less extreme Elise model and goes back to the company's roots with throwback color options, special interior trimmings and new lightweight wheels with specially-made tires, selling in Europe for about €34k. But whether you can get your hands on one of these special editions or not, it's clear that Lotus is back to stay.

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