Lotus Exige S Roadster launched – from RM457k

lotus-exige-s-roadster 099

It’s a week of launches – this afternoon’s the turn of the Lotus Exige S Roadster, which receives its official launch in Malaysia at Lotus’ flagship showroom in Sg Penchala, PJ.

When it opened last year, the showroom hosted the introductions of the fixed-roof Elise S and Exige S models – today we see the version of the Exige S with infinite headroom finally landing on our shores, after having gone on sale last year.

This is Hethel’s fastest convertible yet – behind the driver sits a Toyota-sourced 3.5 litre V6 with a Harrop HTV 1320 supercharger strapped on to it. The result is 345 hp at 7,000 rpm and 400 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm. Gearbox is a six-speed close-ratio manual.

Remarkably, the Lotus Exige S Roadster is 10 kg lighter than the coupe at 1,166 kg; its bonded aluminium chassis proving strong enough to not need extra bracing. 0-100 km/h is dealt with in four seconds. Top speed is limited to 233 km/h, down from the coupe’s 272 km/h.

The vehicle sits on 205/45 R17 alloys up front and 265/35 R18 alloys out back, both wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero Corsa rubber. Peeking through them are silver-painted four-piston AP Racing callipers that grip ventilated and cross-drilled cast-iron discs.

There’re fully independent double wishbones and anti-roll bars all round, plus Bilstein-damped Eibach coaxial coil springs. Standard are the Premium and Convenience Packs, while options include Premium Pack Sport (RM3,790), Race Pack (RM15,200), high-performance disc brakes (RM12,800), Trofeo tyres (RM5,000), a hard top (RM8,330) and motorsport paint (RM4,620).

The Lotus Exige S Roadster is priced from RM457,012, OTR without insurance. A three-year/100,000 km warranty is included. We drove the car in the UK last year – read our impressions here.

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Jonathan James Tan

While most dream of the future, Jonathan Tan dreams of the past, although he's never been there. Fantasises much too often about cruising down Treacher Road (Jalan Sultan Ismail) in a Triumph Stag that actually works, and hopes this stint here will snap him back to present reality.

 

Comments

  • Finally some news for the pride of Malaysia

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 20
    • Same Lor Ori on Mar 26, 2014 at 4:32 pm

      Pride of Malaysia? Do you smell anything from this car which is made in/from Malaysia? Unfortunately nothing! They even use Toyota 3.5 V6.

      Right now the Proton fanboys will try their best to link their J class to this nice but overpriced sport car (not junk!).

      Come on Brada, 10% downpayment of this Exige S Roadster is more expensive than your “tapao machine” the almighty saga.

      If any part of this car is Proton made, the price will instantly drop 75%.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 41
  • spongewai on Mar 26, 2014 at 3:20 pm

    to see the car at the showroom can but snap pic is not allow

    some car showroom allow to snap

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • kslee on Mar 26, 2014 at 3:24 pm

    rather recond m3 e92 or nissan gtr

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 8
    • Green on Mar 26, 2014 at 4:55 pm

      This is a Reliable Yet Powerful Lotus.

      It has got Toyota Engine.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 2
  • Steve Jobs on Mar 26, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    remind me of Tengku Tan Sri Dr. Mahaleel bin Tengku Ariff that so fond of Lotus design,that they incorporated the dashboard design in Saga and Gen 2 design -_-“

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 3
  • KoreanCAR on Mar 26, 2014 at 3:43 pm

    if compare sport car and the price~~
    i will choose Porsche Boxster ~~
    maybe the 0-100 is slow than the Lotus ~ but looks the quality is better than this lotus and the brand is nice also~~

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 18 Thumb down 8
  • Chris (Member) on Mar 26, 2014 at 3:44 pm

    Hmmm.. passenger side dashboard reminds me of Nissan Almera at first glance…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 3
  • Obama on Mar 26, 2014 at 3:55 pm

    With Proton Savvy interior design. Yes, love it!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 7
  • ThePowerOfDream on Mar 26, 2014 at 4:41 pm

    Is that Preve S Roadster?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 8
  • wow this car is really hot! unfortunately the price is too high n the brand is not that popular.. but i still hope that Lotus will succeed.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 2
    • Anonymous on Aug 14, 2016 at 4:05 am

      Lotus car so expensive because…this car hand build..barang racing std…sebab tu mahal…std la kete lotus..barang racing std..barang mahal..sebab tu mahal

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Black Dog on Mar 26, 2014 at 5:02 pm

    Almost half mil for this thing? No wonder so few on the road. A recond Porsche or GTR is easily a better buy.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • even cronies wont buy this junk.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 17
  • Kangkung goreng MAS on Mar 26, 2014 at 5:43 pm

    Hello, GTR Recond 2012 at only RM450k+/-,who want tis fugly cacat mid super car???doubt me

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 21
    • blackbox on Mar 26, 2014 at 6:32 pm

      You compare recond car with new car? Otak cacat kah? Mid engine rear wheel drive is more fun than your front engine 4WD car.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 22 Thumb down 14
      • Blackbox with Cacat badan on Mar 27, 2014 at 9:54 am

        apparently u are sitting in a wheel chair rather than supercar, ppl who wrote tis comment never own supercar before.only super wheel chair own before. I believe ur mind cacat after GTR smoke ur wheel chair and exiga in above. Happy wheel chair life!! blacky box cacat otak!

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 12
    • spongebob on Mar 27, 2014 at 7:47 am

      orang bodoh macam lu ni kangkung patut bagi racun saja.. ur a pest! just bcoz u cant afford it.. dont have to be so rubbish. learn to love ur rubbish Myvi or perhaps that old Bike u have at home. and get along with life!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
    • Anonymous on Aug 14, 2016 at 4:07 am

      Mne yg mahal…ni ke tu kee???? Tgk la barang ape lotus pakai..barang racing std….barang mahal

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Anonymous on Aug 14, 2016 at 4:10 am

      Try arr lotus tu dgn gtr kt karak highway…gtr kene tinggal jauh boh…handling lotus adalah handling racing std

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • sampai on Mar 26, 2014 at 6:23 pm

    this car is too small , even jeremy clarkson cannot get in .

    feeling scared to drive it

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 5
  • Tayler on Mar 26, 2014 at 6:41 pm

    wow, after so much funds poured into, this is it ? Really ? ?
    I bet only Proton’s top management staff will have this car in their garage, no one else.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 5
  • superbird #43 on Mar 26, 2014 at 7:27 pm

    i’d rather have an upcoming 6th gen 302ci Mustang than this Lotus.
    i must say, there’s nothing quite exciting and new about this car.

    Cheers

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 6
  • Albert Lee on Mar 26, 2014 at 7:50 pm

    This is a BLEEDING car.Protong’s founder(who left it in a mess)bought this FORSAKEN BRAND from the kwai loh to BLEED THE TAXPAYERS i.e. you and me.
    Protong could slowly turn around but was left BLEEDING PROFUSELY by this GIANT MONSTER discarded by the British.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 12
  • Lane Tamer on Mar 26, 2014 at 7:53 pm

    What??? No cup holder??? Definitely won’t buy it. Sorry…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 7
    • cupholder on Mar 27, 2014 at 1:16 am

      Here u go. Now you can go buy the car.

      http://s2.paultan.org/image/2014/03/lotus-exige-s-roadster-launch-100.jpg

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • at this price point..that one is the hell ugly dashboard..i love the exterior…at this price, why they not st least covered it with alcantara or other chepo and light fake leather..what people at heathel and proton is thinking to ask rm450+ grand of hard earn malaysian money to get proton saga dashboard, they must be sick -_-‘

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
  • For this sort of price, at least provide a better interior..
    The interior looks like what a proton will get. Not a supposedly “brand name” sports car marque.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
  • Krasher on Mar 26, 2014 at 10:36 pm

    Am I the only one seeing Saga BLM interior in this?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
  • shitty, billions n billions of money being spend on lotus.. their mat salleh workers all get paid so much with our Malaysian money.. they r all smiling while stealing our money.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
    • Anonymous on Aug 14, 2016 at 4:14 am

      Bro jgn marah…harga lotus memang mahal…luar negara pun ckp lotus mahal…lotus mahal kerana..hand build,barang racing std,barang mahal..tapi aku suka pasal lotus ni…handling dia adalah handling racing std..main kt highway karak memang terbaik…aku dah try…bukan aku punye…kawan aku punye..elise,exige,evora…aku dah try..handling memang terbaik

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Lotus shud close.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
  • tell us how many ini lotus kereta sudah jual di sini?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • Get a Nissan GTR for that price! You will enjoy even more :)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
  • Panel is pretty clean, this car mean for driving pleasure only. At this price tag, interested to see its sales figure by end of the year.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • jaybond on Mar 27, 2014 at 9:58 am

    Better get the Evora. The dashboard of the Exige is too spartan and not much different from what you can find in a Proton Saga or Savvy.It’s dissapointing no effort is being made to make the Exige’s dash more upmarket, regardless of the powerful engine or the leather seat.Especially with the almost RM half a million price tag..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • hazamiey on Mar 27, 2014 at 10:22 am

    Roadster without foldable hardtop? In Malaysia? Yes the handling is sublime. But whoever afford to buy this car better top up a bit and get yourself Evora S. If manual trans is tiring considering heavy jams in Klang Valley, go for Evora with IPS.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Exterior is very good. However, the interior especially the dashboard need to improve. It really not suit the 400k price tag for this dashboard

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Samad Jain on Mar 28, 2014 at 7:58 am

    the interior looks plasticky. Even the Korean looks better than Lotus’s.

    Lotus, pls dont be lazy….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • kl fella on Mar 28, 2014 at 12:58 pm

    is lotus copying proton’s interior design or proton copying lotus’ interior design at the first place? i’m confused now

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
 

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