News Source: topspeed.com

After revamping the Evora,  launching the new 3-Eleven,  and introducing the Sport  and Sport 220  versions of the Elise  earlier in 2015, Lotus  is now giving enthusiasts a new Exige  model to enjoy. Meet the Sport 350, the lightest and fastest Exige to ever leave the company’s Hethel plant.

Though it’s not as powerful as the Exige 360 Cup  , the Sport 350 is quicker from 0 to 60 due to the numerous weight-reducing and aero-enhancing solutions it employs. As its name suggests, this Exige is also part of Lotus’ recent revival of the "Sport" badge, which was first used on the Esprit  in 1993. The name was discontinued six years later with the Esprit Sport 350, which makes this new Exige somewhat of a spriritual successor of the former.

"With the Exige Sport 350 we took an already phenomenally quick car and made it even faster, more dynamic and more pure, perfectly demonstrating our Lotus design philosophy of ‘lighter and faster’," said Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales.

In many ways, the Sport 350 replaces the recent Exige V6 Cup.  Although it was launched only four months ago, the V6 Cup was limited to only 50 units. It’s safe to assume that all were sold out in a matter of weeks and Lotus decided a mass-produced version would be a great idea. And, indeed it is, especially if you’re planning to purchase a no-nonsense sports car anytime soon. Keep reading to find out why.

Updated 12/17/2015: Lotus dropped a first promo video for its latest Exige Sport 350. Hit play to watch the car in action and enjoy the sound of its V-6 engine.

Not surprisingly, the Sport 350 is almost identical to the 360 Cup on the outside. Lotus is known for keeping the design of its special edition models close to the standard car, and the Sport 350 is no exception from that rule. However, because it is based on the V6 Cup, it comes with all the goodies seen on the brand’s Exige-based track cars, including a comprehensive aerodynamic kit that consists of a front splitter, sporty side skirts, a rear wing, and a rear diffuser.

Identical to the 369 Cup to the untrained eye, the Sport 350 does have a few features that set it apart. For instance, the black lid that covers the front compartment gained a grille section toward the nose. On the sides, only the wheels are new, now sporting a multi-spoke design. The 360 Cup came with standard twin-five-spoke rollers.

More changes are noticeable around back. The engine lid has a slightly different center section (but with identical louvers), while the small horizontal slats on the sides have been removed for a cleaner look. Below the rear fascia there’s a revised diffuser with smaller wings and a new twin-exhaust pipe. Another tiny detail is that there’s no "Exige" badge, while the "Sport 350" emblem was placed on the bumper. On the 360 Cup, it was located on the fascia, below the right side taillights.

Just like the 360 Cup, the front splitter, rear wing, front access panel, roof panel, wing mirrors, and rear diffuser are finished in matte black. Optionally, they can be painted in body color at no cost, but I think black makes the Exige look a lot more aggressive, especially if combined with light or bright hues. A bit of customization is possible thanks to the optional forged alloy wheels, which reduce the car’s curb weight by a further 5 kg (11 pounds), and either black or yellow brake calipers.

All told, the Sport 350 isn’t that new as far as styling goes, but it’s still a cool sports car to look at.

Just like the exterior, the interior is similar to the 360 Cup too. The Sport 350, however, benefits from larger switches, a new engine start button, and new trim packages that include a heritage theme with tartan upholstery for the seats and door panel inserts. Revived on the Elise Sport 220 for the first time since it was introduced on the first-generation Esprit in 1976, tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical lines in multiple colors, similar to the layout seen on Scottish kilts. For the Exige, the tartan upholstery is available in either red or yellow.

If you don’t fancy this pattern, Lotus will happily replace it with leather or Alcantara upholstery for an extra fee. Speaking of extras, the options list also includes air conditioning, an in-car entertainment system, full carpet and sound insulation.

Another feature unique to the Sport 350 is the new gearshift mechanism that uses lightweight, machines and cast aluminum components. Making it that much more interesting is that mechanism is no longer hidden within the transmission tunnel, but exposed through an open-gate design. This not only reduces weight, but also enhances the cockpit’s race-inspired appearance.