2010 Lotus Exige S 260 Sport

In the eclectic world of British cottage car makers, Lotus stands apart with its nearly 60 year heritage of building many of the fastest sports and racing cars in the world. Much of their recent success has been built around the two-seat Exige Coupe, with each year bringing forth a more formidable version than before.  So, why should this year be any different? This is the Exige S260. Prepare to be impressed…again!

Now even lighter and more powerful, the Lotus Exige S 260 Sport bows with all its comic book superhero appeal intact. This fantastical track star, with its toy-like proportions, still touts a sharply V-ed racecar front-end, almost nonexistent overhangs, a top-mounted air snorkel that looks more like a shortened Mohawk, and a steeply-sloped rear wing for maxing out on downforce.

This time around, the already ultra-lightweight Exige went on a carbon fiber diet, with much of its aerodynamic bodywork replaced by lighter panels, shedding about 50 pounds off the S 240.

But the 2,020-pound S 260 Sport isn’t just trimmer. Spinning the rear wheels is an up-rated supercharged and intercooled 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 257 horses – a bump of 17 over the S 240 – and 174 pound feet of torque.  Power-to-weight ratio is an ultra-low 7.8 pounds per horsepower, and energy is mapped by a six-speed manual transaxle.

At the drag strip, we timed the 0 to 60 dash in a brief 4.5 seconds.  The S 260 Sport flew through the quarter mile in 13 seconds flat at 109 miles per hour. That’s about a half second quicker than the Exige S we tested in 2007.  Launch Control is a little complicated to initiate, but it certainly helps.  First and second gears go by quick, and a big bang comes in at around 6000 rpm. The clutch and shifter are well connected—less clunky than before.

But this car is all about reflexes. On a day spent at West Virginia’s Summit Point Raceway, a natural habitat for a mini-beast like this, the Exige puts its unequal length wishbones, adjustable front anti-sway bar, adjustable Bilstein dampers, and tons of grip from its 16-inch front and 17-inch rear competition tires to maximum good use. In addition, traction control and a limited slip differential are standard.

This Exige is more of a track weapon than ever. It’s so responsive, it literally does whatever the driver thinks. Just make sure it’s the right things.

The super stiff suspension garners gobs of feedback. The steering is extremely tactile, giving the driver a full sense of control. Overall, this Exige shows near-perfect balance.

Stopping power comes from four-wheel cross-drilled discs with ABS, with four-piston calipers up front, sliding Brembos at the rear.  Halts averaged 120 feet from 60 to zero.  Not overly impressive, but still very stable and consistent.

The Exige manages to perform well on normal streets, too. But with a very rigid ride and near zero rear-visibility it’s a hard sell as a daily driver.

However, if you do choose to spin it around town, take comfort in its Government Fuel Economy of 20 city/26 highway on premium gas. We achieved 22.2 miles per gallon in real-world driving.

Our only bother is the unrefined exhaust note. It sounds more like a mid-‘50s MG rather than a 21st century sports car.

The tight Exige cockpit is a challenge to climb into. Not even James Bond would look graceful getting in and out of this two-seater.

The racing seats, dash, steering wheel - it’s all minimalist. The only up level feature is an Alpine CD stereo.

Foot pedals are tightly spaced, but there is actually a decent amount of legroom and enough headroom for six-footers.

The Exige’s tiny trunk is a foxhole next to the mid-engine compartment.

And base pricing is a lofty $74,995. But that’s still cheap for anything this exotic, and if you have a track membership, it’s worth every penny.

The impressive Lotus Exige S 260 Sport takes a proven formula and drives it to the next level. And it’s still one of the most exciting and organic street-legal track cars of all times.