To celebrate the Exige's inaugural success in the British GT3 Championship this year, Lotus has launched a British GT Special Edition of the already blistering Exige S.

A quad-stripe paint scheme, uniquely numbered 'British GT' badges and a set of seven-spoked alloy wheels visually distinguish the car from its 'standard' sibling, while modified sport seats, door trims and floor carpets separate the British GT on the inside.

Off the shelf, the British GT Exige is capable of 0-60mph in 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 148mph. But it doesn't have to stop there; Lotus is also offering a 'post-registration' GT Pack with an added 25bhp, taking the 0-60mph time below 4 seconds! Thankfully the extra performance is backed up with uprated brakes and two-way adjustable Ohlins dampers.

Mike Kimberley, Chief Executive of Group Lotus, had the following to say on the new edition to the Exige range:

"We believe that the Lotus Exige S British GT Special Edition will provide a unique customer proposition, both emphasising the racing heritage of the Lotus Exige and enabling customers to get closer to the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 racecar than ever before."

The British GT Special Edition starts at £35,995 and the GT pack is an additional £4,995. So, while this new Exige isn't exactly cheap, it's certainly a lot less than say a Porsche 911 GT3.

Will Nightingale - 28 Nov 2006