2007 Lotus 2-Eleven
In a fad that appears to be gaining traction, Lotus unveiled a more-powerful, roofless track-day version of its already extreme Exige S two-seat sports car.
Lotus says its new track treat was “designed with the most serious of track-day enthusiasts in mind.” That seems a bit of an understatement, and a description that applies equally well to the company’s regular-production Exige S, a car that’s already too much for some of our staff.
At any rate, the 220-hp supercharged-and-intercooled 1.8-liter engine from the Exige S has been cranked to 252 horsepower in the 2-Eleven. That additional power goes even further with new, ultralight bodywork that contributes to a claimed 600-pound decrease in weight over the 2060-pound Exige S on which the 2-Eleven is based. The 2-Eleven’s power-to-weight ratio of 5.9 pounds per horsepower eclipses that of a Corvette Z06 and approaches that of a 1960s Formula 1 car, according to Lotus. The six-speed manual from the Exige S remains.
To make the most of available grip, the 2-Eleven sports even more extreme Yokohama A048R tires in the same 195/50R-16 front and 225/45R-17 rear sizes as on the Exige S. Upgraded Pagid pads grip the same 11.3-inch cross-drilled rotors front and rear. Adjustable dampers and an adjustable front anti-roll bar (part of the Exige S’s track pack) round out the chassis tweaks.
Lotus claims the 2-Eleven will now blast to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, which is a 0.3-second improvement over the last Exige S we tested.
Two 2-Elevens will be on sale—one of which will be able to be licensed for public-road use—in the U.K. in April, with prices starting at just over $78,000.
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