In recent years sports car manufacturers have been churning out race cars for the road. We've seen cars like the Porsche Cayman R, Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale all make appearances on the market.
Typically they're sold in limited volume to overly anxious gearheads that are slobbering at the very thought of stripped out interiors, high-tech transmissions and a more "pure" driving experience.
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In this situation we turn to Europe's well-known publication, Autocar. Steve Sutcliffe pairs up the most hardcore roadgoing Lotus, the Exige V6 Cup against its proper racing family member, the Exige V6 Cup R to see JUST how much they're really alike.
The Lotus Exige V6 Cup is almost the dictionary definition of a sports car. Plenty of power and not a lot of weight. In the pursuit of purity, Lotus has divested the Exige of unnecessary luxuries and installed a supercharged V6 engine from Toyota.
As a result, the Exige S Cup weighs not much more than 1000kg, which provides a power-to-weight ratio that will embarrass all but the most ambitious supercar drivers. Sutters travels to Lotus' test track in Hethel to drive the Exige V6 Cup S road car and the Exige V6 Cup R racer.