Lotus Exige Cup 380

[TLF News]

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[NedaSay]

uh much nicer launch pics than the Sport 380 and 1057kg dry(mentionned in the article while the website states 1075kg!!!! Launching a car outside NY and Shanghai guarantees very little coverage in specialized media. Thus I wonder how the PR and marketing have done their math yet again. Not that it should have a big impact on sale as the production is limited to a 60 car run, with a price tag of 105,000 euros. I am assuming it is 60 cars until the end of life of the current exige  which should happen by 2021 or 2022  or something. That will not piss off people with Sport 380 on order and the happy owners of the Cup 380 will be able to claim the bragging rights. 

 

The positive the car looks even more aggressive than the Sport 380 thanks to the black paintjob up front, the louvres do work some magic too. Lotus is screaming motorsport on that one, and really the only thing they need to go with that claim is a factory or factory supported race program. GT4 is the place to go right now so they should get cosy with a team and get the car racing. 

 

Edited April 20, 2017 by NedaSay

[Gashead1105]

It looks lovely, that rear wing is fab but it doesn't make me want to change that's for sure. And it's 83k plus options so I can't afford it anyway even on 50:50... 

[vd9]

Though it does look like a good value vs Sport 380... Is it just as loud so the whole #trackandback fuss is mainly for those lucky enough not having to bother about the noise tests or sofa racers? 

[550superfast]

http://www.lotuscars.com/exige-cup-380

OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Automatic transmission	Option
Full carpets	Option
Floor mats	Option
Alcantara sill covers	Option
Air conditioning	Option
Kill switch & fire extinguisher	Option
4 point harness with A-frame & no air bag	Option
Stereo plus two front mounted speakers	Option
Sound insulation	Option
Cruise control	Option
Titanium exhaust	Option
Standard battery	Option
OPTIONAL PACKS
Leather trim pack	Option
Tartan trim pack	Option
Exterior Colour Pack:A selection of five paint options. Wheel choice of red, black or silver. Wheel colour selected dictates mirror cap and spoiler upright colour to match. Pin-striping on splitter, bargeboards, bumper fin and diffuser are available to match.	Option
Track Pack: Nitron two-way adjustable dampers, Eibach front and rear adjustable anti-roll bars	Option
PAINT OPTIONS
Signature paint	Option
Metallic paint	Option

[RedViper]

I guess that puts an end to the "how big of a wing can you mount on the boot and not onto chassis" debate

[alias23]

So how wide do we think that wing is? If the width of a V6 is 1800mm and the CupR wing is 1600mm, what do we reckon 1350mm/1400mm or bigger?

The pic below compares the new Cup 380, with a V6 with a similar wing but with a width of 1400mm. Looks around the same size?



To be fair it looks a very nice package. However the cost to switch is just too high..... 

[nerobi]

Quote

inclusion of new wind tunnel

Anyone knows anything about this wind tunnel?

[Jokke Vlo]

When ordering my 380 , I explitely asked this would come. "Never" was the answer. You can say I am super angry ! 

[Mark030358]

Saw it, rang dealer, confirmed my original 380 order, however looks lovely...but will be expensive after options.

 

[NedaSay]

1 minute ago, Jokke Vlo said:

When ordering my 380 , I explitely asked this would come. "Never" was the answer. You can say I am super angry ! 

Totally understandable. Now the question is, are these mods worth the staying angry for long?

[Swiss380Cup]

Well.... a little disappointed.... same car, different options and a few tweeks which didn't cost much, like the variable spin effect......take a 380, add the options and you have a Cup 380..... But this also shows clearly that they've now reached the absolute limit of weight reduction without cutting off some bone......

Edited April 20, 2017 by Swiss360Cup

[Waky]

Another special edition of the same car. Fancy colors and some new stickers. 

Only thing I really like about it is the rear wing I guess, but it never justifies the extra £ compared to my cup.  

And fuck you Lotus I don't need lap times around hethel, go to a real track like Spa or Nordschleife damnit. 

Now let's wait for the sport/cup 400. 

 

[NedaSay]

3 minutes ago, Waky said:

 

 

And fuck you Lotus I don't need lap times around hethel, go to a real track like Spa or Nordschleife damnit. 

Now let's wait for the sport/cup 400. 

 

Uh  pretty sure that it will not come... Not Ever.

[Swiss380Cup]

MY CONCLUSION : order the 3-11....

[Cain-it]

With such a big price gap between the Sport 350 Vs the Cup 380, wouldn't it be better to get a good deal on a dealer stocked 350, then modify as you want ?

[Swiss380Cup]

CONCLUSION Nr 2: if you want a real track weapon, buy a 2nd hand / no options 350....go to Komo-Tec and come out with the EX460 Water Cooled, big brakes, Ohlins, close ratio and sport's clutch....and you'll have a faster car for less money.....

Edited April 20, 2017 by Swiss360Cup

[Cain-it]

:-)

 

[The Pits]

Looks mean as hell!

Driver adjustable traction control is a nice and surprise addition. But no mention of baffled sump which the old Cup cars had as standard. With more downforce and wider rear tyres you'd think it would be more necessary?

Don't think the instrument pod is any kind of improvement, I was hoping for the 311 TFT screen.

Only 0.5 secs quicker than the Sport 380 around Hethel is disappointing, the car looks like it should be a lot faster. Shouldn't the aero and wider rears be worth more than half a second?

I have to get over the list of options which includes so many things that shouldn't even be optional on a Cup car. At least they are only options and not stuff I have to have! The bit that troubles me is having to pay extra for stuff like the harness bar, harnesses, airbag delete, quick release steering wheel, fire extinguisher which were all standard last time.

So, 

much likey:

wing vents

rear exit vents

big rear wing

big rear tyres

standard carbon

driver adjust TC

downforce

 

no likey:

price (higher basic price than the Evora Sport 410!)

6800rpm cut out

no intercooler

no baffled sump

new dials

gap under doorcards (fixed with the carbon door cards hopefully?)

harness, extinguisher, QR steering wheel should be standard

price

 

[alias23]

Has it still got the 6800rpm cut out? The new graphics on the dash suggest a 9k rev limit... haha nice spin Lotus nice spin...

 

[Swiss380Cup]

4 minutes ago, The Pits said:

Looks mean as hell!

Driver adjustable traction control is a nice and surprise addition. But no mention of baffled sump which the old Cup cars had as standard. With more downforce and wider rear tyres you'd think it would be more necessary?

Don't think the instrument pod is any kind of improvement, I was hoping for the 311 TFT screen.

Only 0.5 secs quicker than the Sport 380 around Hethel is disappointing, the car looks like it should be a lot faster. Shouldn't the aero and wider rears be worth more than half a second?

I have to get over the list of options which includes so many things that shouldn't even be optional on a Cup car. At least they are only options and not stuff I have to have! The bit that troubles me is having to pay extra for stuff like the harness bar, harnesses, airbag delete, quick release steering wheel, fire extinguisher which were all standard last time.

So, 

much likey:

wing vents

rear exit vents

big rear wing

big rear tyres

standard carbon

driver adjust TC

downforce

 

no likey:

price (higher basic price than the Evora Sport 410!)

6800rpm cut out

no intercooler

no baffled sump

new dials

gap under doorcards (fixed with the carbon door cards hopefully?)

harness, extinguisher, QR steering wheel should be standard

price

 

The press release is in contradiction with the option list on the Lotus site.......which one is the actual we'll find out on the dealer's price list....

[vd9]

Those may be no cost options. ;-) Nobody seems to be bothered that it is not welcome to pretty much all the track days in the UK, which makes it fancy, but a bit useless... :-(

[NedaSay]

18 minutes ago, The Pits said:

 

Only 0.5 secs quicker than the Sport 380 around Hethel is disappointing, the car looks like it should be a lot faster. Shouldn't the aero and wider rears be worth more than half a second?

 

The gearing will make sure it cannot happen, close ratios plus 6800 rpm max to protect the gearbox will make sure of that.

Lotus hasn't reached the very end of the chassis ability to cope with speed but some mechanical bits are being pushed to their very limits.    

 

Lotus was a bit unwise while going the Cup 380 road. Actually after the 360 was released they lost it a bit in terms of product mapping.  A 'base' 350, a Sport 360 and a Cup 380 would have made more sense and given clear distinctive indication of what you were getting into.  

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2017 by NedaSay

[MartynB]

Interestingly, at least the LH side front grille is blocked off

[AdamK]

Echoing what others have said, the wing and other body aero bits look great. I'm not sure what it would offer the driver over a 380 sport other than an emptier wallet? 

They must have found 60 left over 2-Eleven adjustable TC dials in a drawer and thought "we can build a new Exige cup around them!"