Lotus Exige S Type 72 launched – are they celebrating a return to Formula 1?

Lotus Exige S Type 72 launched – are they celebrating a return to Formula 1?

Is Lotus finally accepting the Litespeed run/Malaysian backed Lotus F1 Team as their own? It would seem so because Hethel has chose now to launch the Exige S Type 72, named after the Lotus Type 72 Formula One car which achieved 20 Grand Prix victories between 1970 and 1975. To commemorate a return of the Lotus name in F1 perhaps?

The Type 72 won three Formula 1 Constructors’ Championships (1970, 1972, 1973) and two Drivers’ World Championships (Jochen Rindt in 1970 and Emerson Fittipaldi in 1972). The Exige S wears the famous black and gold Type 72 livery and is finished by the same sign writer who painted the racing cars.

The 935kg Exige S sprints to 100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds, before maxing out at 233 km/h. It is a powered by a mid-mounted Toyota sourced 1.8-litre supercharged engine with 220 bhp/215 Nm and an 8500rpm redline.

The Exige S Type 72 comes with black micro fibre ProBax sports seats with gold stitching and a special build plate commemorating one of the F1 car’s 20 GP wins. The Sport Pack, which includes a steel main roll hoop, Lotus Traction Control, twin oil coolers and an adjustable front anti-roll bar, is standard.

Looks really good to these eyes. Gallery is after the jump.

[zenphotopress number=999 album=699]

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • is lotus still owned by malaysia?

    do we have the say in the company?

    by d way, superb sport car

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  • FIRST ! nice car :)

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  • MADBOY on Dec 24, 2009 at 6:59 pm

    fry said,

    December 24, 2009 @ 10:53 am

    is lotus still owned by malaysia?

    do we have the say in the company?

    by d way, superb sport car

    ———

    Where have you been my friend? It is still controled by Proton.

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  • HARD-CORE. Love the BLACK

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  • awg1031 on Dec 24, 2009 at 7:39 pm

    this looks good..

    btw, how many years have it been since proton got lotus? aside from handling, what else do we get and learn? i would love to know

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  • gtr blogger on Dec 24, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    oh DAMN!!!!!! Lotus has become SICK!!!!!!!!!!!! the ex-ferrari man is behind all these….. that's it…. im buying one of these puppies….

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  • Kereta Juga Supersed on Dec 24, 2009 at 7:51 pm

    awg1031 said,

    December 24, 2009 @ 11:39 am

    this looks good..

    btw, how many years have it been since proton got lotus? aside from handling, what else do we get and learn? i would love to know

    ———–

    At least perodua expert in design bonnet and bumpers..

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  • jolly_idiot on Dec 24, 2009 at 7:51 pm

    Why the design always the same?

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  • black is gold… reminds me of a cigarette brand…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • btw, how many years have it been since proton got lotus? aside from handling, what else do we get and learn? i would love to know

    ———–———–

    I don't think the UK government allows the transfer of technology simply by purchasing the company. Proton owns Lotus, but it doesn't control it, I think most of the board of directors are still British.

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  • emine on Dec 24, 2009 at 8:12 pm

    should i have one, i'll add the John Players Special decal on the car just like the old F1 racer….yummy!

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  • Tiadaid on Dec 24, 2009 at 8:36 pm

    Ngan said,

    December 24, 2009 @ 12:03 pm

    black is gold… reminds me of a cigarette brand…

    ——————————————

    Right, but wrong brand. John Players Special ciggie brand is often associated with Lotus, but the Black is Gold tagline is the Perillys cigarette.

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  • hiruma kecil on Dec 24, 2009 at 8:50 pm

    yummy,yummy……….

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  • kimi_ on Dec 24, 2009 at 9:47 pm

    jolly_idiot said,

    Why the design always the same?

    ———————————————

    The Porsche also liddat !!!

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  • raixa on Dec 24, 2009 at 10:14 pm

    Performance is a little to less for the car that bear the emblem of one of the most successful F1 car of all time. Only the exterior has the fame but not the performance that denied this car old golden day.

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  • lotus is another company with so many different versions of their super successful elise model. the exige the elise SS the … … so many versions.

    the rims do look old skol !

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  • taboogen on Dec 24, 2009 at 10:47 pm

    aiyooo….. be proud lah proton save lotus from bankrupcy… if not mistaken we bought lotus in cash

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  • Mazda 3 MPS on Dec 24, 2009 at 11:20 pm

    boring car

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  • MADBOY on Dec 25, 2009 at 12:24 am

    jolly_idiot said,

    December 24, 2009 @ 11:51 am

    Why the design always the same?

    ———

    cause it is based on the same car, Lotus Elise.

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  • bohpee on Dec 25, 2009 at 1:17 am

    I love it!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • TURBOfans-VW FANS-An on Dec 25, 2009 at 4:01 am

    Ngan said,

    December 24, 2009 @ 12:06 pm

    btw, how many years have it been since proton got lotus? aside from handling, what else do we get and learn? i would love to know

    ———–———–

    I don’t think the UK government allows the transfer of technology simply by purchasing the company. Proton owns Lotus, but it doesn’t control it, I think most of the board of directors are still British.

    _—————————-

    Then WTF we bought LOTUS for?????????????

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  • Gajen on Dec 25, 2009 at 4:34 am

    i prefer the scura haha

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  • when you buy a company for 100% share… how come you cant have a say in the company?

    Weird business thinking la some guy here…

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  • litespeed on Dec 25, 2009 at 7:29 am

    Lotus Chairman is a Malaysian lah… it's 100pc owned by Proton.

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  • TURBOfans-VW FANS-Anti-Proton fans said,

    December 24, 2009 @ 8:01 pm

    Then WTF we bought LOTUS for?????????????

    ————————————-

    for the handling

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  • Hahaa… you fellas are funny.

    I am sure many of you are in Facebook. Please join the group Lotus Cars Club Malaysia (LCCM) to catch up with our frequent activities including drivers’ training, autocross and track sessions. Anyone is free to drop by and check out our cars. Lotus Cars Malaysia (LCM) is always supporting/running the events with full technical support and would be more than happy to show the demo cars that they always bring to these events.

    Cheers :-D

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  • mutal bilah on Dec 25, 2009 at 3:36 pm

    Is Malaysia entering into F1? Lotus Malaysia? Funny that petronas goes and sponsors Mercedes Brawn. Says a lot for their belief in Lotus team malaysia.

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  • nudin on Dec 25, 2009 at 7:09 pm

    malaysia safe lotus but they still remain british…in this bolehland proton = lotus

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Hahaa… you fellas are funny.

    I am sure many of you are in Facebook. Please join the group Lotus Cars Club Malaysia (LCCM) to catch up with our frequent activities including drivers' training, autocross and track sessions. Anyone is free to drop by and check out our cars. Lotus Cars Malaysia (LCM) is always supporting/running the events with full technical support and would be more than happy to show the demo cars that they always bring to these events.

    Cheers :-D

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • theanswer on Dec 26, 2009 at 1:56 am

    "At least perodua expert in design bonnet and bumpers.."

    yeah rite..why blame p2..blame toyota la. p2 dont even have r&d..n yet oh pls look at the sales figure.

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  • that car is awesome!i should ride that.

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  • Lovely car.

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  • milos on Dec 27, 2009 at 9:02 pm

    People bash proton not because they want it to improve, it is a cry of their own weakness for;-

    i) not working hard enough to be able to own more expensive car,

    ii) showing that they are smart and others are stupid,

    iii) lack of parental upbringing in manners and decency in speaking.

    Even a child will know how to differentiate between a positive criticism and outright spewing of slurs.

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