Overview
Is this the car for you?
The Good
- Performance potential
- Handling potential
- Hard-to-miss styling
- Racing heritage
- Gas mileage
The Bad
- Ride comfort
- Cramped cockpit
- Sparse dashboard
What to Know
about the 2010 Lotus Exige S
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Restyled nose, larger rear wing
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Six-speed manual
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Intended for track driving
Our Take
from the Cars.com expert editorial team
Vehicle Overview
The Lotus Exige is a high-performance version of the Elise that's available only as a hardtop. The Exige lineup has two models: The S 240 and the higher-performance S 260. Both are marketed to high-performance enthusiasts and are intended mainly for the racetrack. The Exige competes with coupes like the Porsche Cayman S and Audi TTS, but with much more track prowess and less daily-driver friendliness.
New for 2010
The 2010 Exige gets a restyled front end, with larger air intakes to draw more air toward the radiator and oil coolers. Aerodynamic enhancements include a larger front air splitter that extends partially up the front fenders, as well as a larger rear spoiler.
Exterior
Even though the Exige looks similar to the soft-top Elise, the two sports cars use different sheet metal. Only the door panels are shared. Both are based on the same 150-pound aluminum chassis — featherweight by automotive standards.
Interior
As with the Elise, only two people fit inside the Exige S. The small steering wheel is barely more than a foot in diameter.
Under the Hood
Lotus says the Exige S 240 sc...
The Lotus Exige is a high-performance version of the Elise that's available only as a hardtop. The Exige lineup has two models: The S 240 and the higher-performance S 260. Both are marketed to high-performance enthusiasts and are intended mainly for the racetrack. The Exige competes with coupes like the Porsche Cayman S and Audi TTS, but with much more track prowess and less daily-driver friendliness.
New for 2010
The 2010 Exige gets a restyled front end, with larger air intakes to draw more air toward the radiator and oil coolers. Aerodynamic enhancements include a larger front air splitter that extends partially up the front fenders, as well as a larger rear spoiler.
Exterior
Even though the Exige looks similar to the soft-top Elise, the two sports cars use different sheet metal. Only the door panels are shared. Both are based on the same 150-pound aluminum chassis — featherweight by automotive standards.
- Body-colored rear wing
- Black ground effects aimed to increase down force
- Single exhaust pipe replaces twin pipes in the Elise
- Roof scoop channels air to the mid-mounted engine's intercooler
Interior
As with the Elise, only two people fit inside the Exige S. The small steering wheel is barely more than a foot in diameter.
- Composite sport seats come only in black
- LCD screen displays essential information
- Optional leather seats, additional sound insulation, iPod-compatible stereo system and full carpeting
Under the Hood
Lotus says the Exige S 240 sc...
Vehicle Overview
The Lotus Exige is a high-performance version of the Elise that's available only as a hardtop. The Exige lineup has two models: The S 240 and the higher-performance S 260. Both are marketed to high-performance enthusiasts and are intended mainly for the racetrack. The Exige competes with coupes like the Porsche Cayman S and Audi TTS, but with much more track prowess and less daily-driver friendliness.
New for 2010
The 2010 Exige gets a restyled front end, with larger air intakes to draw more air toward the radiator and oil coolers. Aerodynamic enhancements include a larger front air splitter that extends partially up the front fenders, as well as a larger rear spoiler.
Exterior
Even though the Exige looks similar to the soft-top Elise, the two sports cars use different sheet metal. Only the door panels are shared. Both are based on the same 150-pound aluminum chassis — featherweight by automotive standards.
Interior
As with the Elise, only two people fit inside the Exige S. The small steering wheel is barely more than a foot in diameter.
Under the Hood
Lotus says the Exige S 240 scoots from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and the S 260 makes it in 4.0 seconds. Combined gas mileage for both is in the low 20s, which is atypically high for a car this quick.
Safety
The Lotus Exige is a high-performance version of the Elise that's available only as a hardtop. The Exige lineup has two models: The S 240 and the higher-performance S 260. Both are marketed to high-performance enthusiasts and are intended mainly for the racetrack. The Exige competes with coupes like the Porsche Cayman S and Audi TTS, but with much more track prowess and less daily-driver friendliness.
New for 2010
The 2010 Exige gets a restyled front end, with larger air intakes to draw more air toward the radiator and oil coolers. Aerodynamic enhancements include a larger front air splitter that extends partially up the front fenders, as well as a larger rear spoiler.
Exterior
Even though the Exige looks similar to the soft-top Elise, the two sports cars use different sheet metal. Only the door panels are shared. Both are based on the same 150-pound aluminum chassis — featherweight by automotive standards.
- Body-colored rear wing
- Black ground effects aimed to increase down force
- Single exhaust pipe replaces twin pipes in the Elise
- Roof scoop channels air to the mid-mounted engine's intercooler
Interior
As with the Elise, only two people fit inside the Exige S. The small steering wheel is barely more than a foot in diameter.
- Composite sport seats come only in black
- LCD screen displays essential information
- Optional leather seats, additional sound insulation, iPod-compatible stereo system and full carpeting
Under the Hood
Lotus says the Exige S 240 scoots from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and the S 260 makes it in 4.0 seconds. Combined gas mileage for both is in the low 20s, which is atypically high for a car this quick.
- 1.8-liter, supercharged four-cylinder makes 240 horsepower and 170 pounds-feet of torque in the S 240 and 257 hp and 174 pounds-feet in the S 260
- Six-speed manual
- Optional torque-sensing limited-slip differential
- Bilstein shock absorbers and coil-spring suspension
- Launch control feature minimizes wheel spin and clutch wear
- Adjustable traction control can be fine-tuned to vary intervention between zero and 7 percent tire slip, or deactivated entirely
- Standard cross-drilled rotors and twin-piston Lotus/AP Racing brake calipers
- Optional adjustable suspension for shock compression and rebound
Safety
- Antilock braking system specially calibrated for delayed actuation, which allows competition-oriented drivers to perform "threshold" braking
- Standard traction control
Consumer Reviews
What drivers are saying
Best car ever!
Truly a rare beast of a car. Nothing else is out in the market that can compare. Wish they still made them so they could be more affordable Read full review
Overlooked
unlike some other reviewers I have owned one for the past 5 years! Can't beat a Porsched or Corvette....let me enlighten you it is not the car! It is the driver!! Car is pure fun on wheels! It is raw ... Read full review
Safety
Recalls and crash tests
Recalls
The 2010 Lotus Exige S currently has 1 recall
