| First Drive | Hethel, England | 2010 Lotus Exige |

Over 5,000 Exiges have rolled out of the Lotus factory in Hethel so far. That's small change for most car makers, but a significant contributor to the number of cars Lotus sells around the world. The closed version of the Elise has always appealed to more hardcore Lotus buyers and the company didn't set about to change that when it revealed the 2010 update.

In the Metal

Lotus's designers got the S2 Exige shape right first day, which is why it requires very little change to keep it looking fresh nearly six years later. The 2010 model year version will be identified first and foremost by its lavish new rear wing. It's much more aggressive in shape than the previous version and it has been moved from the tailgate to the rear bodywork. Naturally, this being a Lotus, there are functional gains too, in terms of added stiffness and reduced drag. Downforce is unchanged at an impressive 42kg at 100mph. Up front, the maniacal grin has been replaced by more angular shaped air intakes, while the splitter is now extended right around the nose.

Little has changed with the minimalist interior, though it seems of better quality than before. As ever, the driving controls are all that really matter and they fall to hand and foot exactly as they should.

What you get for your Money

The Exige S starts at £34,333 and for that you get everything you need really, but take a glance at the option packs at your wallet's peril... The Touring and Sports packs are tempting enough, but then there's the Performance pack, which features an increase in power, uprated brakes and clutch, variable traction control and a full length roof scoop. That little lot is not cheap at £2,936, but you can be sure we'd be tempted. Make sure you save some of your budget for the £979 air conditioning though...

Driving it

You'll need that optional air conditioning if you plan on driving this Exige as it was intended to be driven. There are few cars, at any price, as engaging as a Lotus Exige and the 2010 model is no different in that regard. Whether on road or track the brakes are faultless and the steering wheel bucks with life. Crucially, even though the Exige is designed to be regularly used on track, it's a well-mannered road car that's fun at legal speeds, though with the supercharger wailing like a banshee behind you it takes an awful lot of restraint to keep the speedometer reading the right side of the law...

Worth Noting

Although the Exige S2 shape has been largely left alone since it was introduced, it's still a unique design that looks bang up to date. The 2010 model year changes add further menace, but don't alter the basic aggressive style. We asked Lotus how the hell it was going to replace such an iconic car and were met with blank stares. Looks like there's no intention to do any such thing for some time to come. That's just fine with us.

Summary

In essence, the 2010 Exige is merely a mildly updated model. The most obvious change is the addition of a larger rear wing and wider front splitter, but the car as a whole feels more complete and better built than ever before. Good for another 5,000?