Monday 20th February 2006

Lotus signs up for GT racing

Deal inked with Cadena

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Lotus Exige GT3

Lotus has inched further towards joining the British GT Championship (see link below for earlier story) by inking a deal with a race team.

Lotus Sport, the performance division of Lotus Cars, and Cadena have announced the signing of a two-year agreement for the supply of a minimum of two Lotus Sport Exige GT3 race cars. The cars will be campaigned initially in the British GT Championship in 2006, and Lotus said it expects to enter the FIA European GT3 Championship in 2007.

The Lotus Sport Exige GT3 entrant has been developed by Lotus Sport and is a derivative of the new Lotus Exige S coupe model. Weighing about 750kg, it stays true to the "performance through light weight" core Lotus philosophy. The car uses a race prepared 1.8 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i engine with a Roots type supercharger and air-to-air intercooler which utilises the Lotus T4e Engine Control Unit to produce 285bhp at 7,800 rpm. This gives an impressive power to weight ratio of 380bhp / tonne.

The team will be branded Lotus Sport Cadena. Drivers are yet to be confirmed for the two chassis.

Lotus Sport boss Chris Arnold said: "We see this as the essential next stage in the development of the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 race car. The British GT Series is a very competitive championship and features some very exciting racing as well as some fine cars, drivers and teams. Although this is not a full factory team, we are working closely together to build the Lotus Sport brand in GT racing for global success in the future. Lotus has a fine tradition in GT sportscar racing over more than 50 years, and I am delighted to see Lotus Sport Cadena on the grid for 2006."

For Cadena, Paul Whight said: "2006 will be a year of discovery for Lotus Sport Cadena. We expect to sign four drivers very shortly, and look forward to working very closely with Lotus Sport to develop both the team and the cars during the 2006 season. Looking beyond 2006, we have our sights on the FIA European GT3 Championship in 2007 so we will view this year as one of development for the future."

• PH: Lotus heads for GT racing

[GTRene]

I would like that weight and power in a road going Exige...and not the ones they give us now with almost 200kg up the 750kg weight the GT3 weights...acording to the "lotus" philosophy?
GTRene

[garydvo]

Good to see lotus back on the track.

You can bet that an Ltd Edition of the Exige GT3 will hit the roads, lets hope it is raw for the road.

[plonker555]

Just as long as it looks like that and it comes in green ill be a life long fan

Loving the rear wing by the way

>> Edited by plonker555 on Friday 17th March 19:05