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The Lotus Exige Sport 390: a Final Edition Exige with more horsepower and more fun to celebrate the end of an era.
With the Lotus Evija, the Emira, and the recently-revealed all-electric SUV 'Eletre,' the iconic Exige-Elise-Evora trio now almost seems like a thing of the past as Lotus is officially moving on to bring its new brand identity to life. Yet, this does not necessarily apply to Lotus fans who remain very much enthusiastic about the petrol-powered trio. The trio still brings one of the most stimulating driving experiences today, even with the Emira just around the corner. As the last of the Final Edition Exiges and Elises are rolling out, reaching the lucky customers who were able to get their hands on one, there is no better time than now to reminisce and plunge into the experience of what driving a Lotus is like.
This time, we are taking a closer look at the Lotus Exige Sport 390 Final Edition; Lotus’ final iteration of the light, agile, and fast model with a supercar-like silhouette. Faithful to the well known motto “simplify, then add lightness,” the Exige has been a rare automotive specimen throughout the years, providing drivers with an unmatched driving experience. The very last Exige is here to celebrate this legacy, taking the whole Exige experience up a notch.
After countless limited editions released by Lotus during the Exige’s two decades of existence, the Final Edition is without a doubt the most important one. It is essentially the Exige as we know it, with a twist. To make it count, Lotus went out of their way to make it a bit different, a bit better, and a touch more modern, first by adding an extra 40 horsepower, replacing the Sport 350. The Final Edition also receives its fair share of discreet and tasteful Final Edition stickers - one on each side and one at the back - and a plaque on the inside, which replaces the usual plaque engraved with the chief engineer’s name.
On the inside, changes are minimal yet noteworthy. Lotus replaced the round steering wheel with a flat-bottomed one, making it slightly easier for the driver to get in and out of the car. The most notable change is of course the dashboard, upgraded with a brand new TFT digital screen to replace the analog dashboard. Though this new screen does contrast with the bare and analog interior, the minimal design of the interface coincides with the minimal spirit of the car and prepares the driver to modern comfort ahead of the Emira.
The Exige is as raw as a modern car can get. Typical creature comforts you’d find in your average sports car are nowhere to be found. It’s for a good cause, as the lack of distraction allows the driver to solely focus on the driving experience. Powered by the same engine as the 350, the Sport 390 hosts a 3.5L V6 Toyota engine supercharged by Lotus, tuned to produce 397 hp (52 hp more than the 350) and 311 lb-ft (420 nm) of torque making it quite the upgrade.
As a mid-engined car, the V6 sits right behind the seats, which you get to have a great view of from the rearview mirror. The 6-speed gearbox is of course manual, and the exposed linkage allows you to see every gear shift. These pieces of exposed machinery give a sense of being highly connected to the car and to feel even more connected to the wildness of the Exige, there is an unmarked button on the left side of the steering column that allows you to turn the sports exhaust on or off. The exhaust valves open automatically at the 4,000 RPM mark, allowing an aggressive, raw V6 race car sound to come out of it.
The lightness of the Exige is what truly defines its performance. Despite a 29 lb (13 kg) gain in comparison to the 350, the 390’s 2,508 lb (1,138 kg) make little difference in how agile the Exige feels on the road. The Exige is sharp and precise everywhere; it darts in and out of corners and bolts on the straights with an unmatched enthusiasm. The 390 is also slightly faster than the 350, reaching 0 to 60 mph in 3.7-seconds (0-100 in 3.8s) and a top speed of 172 mph (277 km/h). Though its 0-60 remains the same, it is 0.1s faster at achieving its 0-100 and it reaches a top speed of 2mph higher than its predecessor.
Everything in the Exige feels very much hands-on and always keeps the driver engaged. Because the gear ratio is rather short, not only do you get the chance to fully exploit each shift to its maximum potential, you also get to enjoy a lot of shifting action even at low speeds. The Exige is quick to respond to the throttle and its set of AP brakes bring the car to a halt just as fast. The Exige’s brakes are extremely responsive and with the car’s light mass, you truly get to put the AP Racing brakes to proper use. Late-braking into corners has never felt more exciting.
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On the outside, the Exige is just as impressive as its performance and makes heads turn wherever it goes thanks to its sharp and lean silhouette. This specific Final Edition shows-off a Racing Green paint, paired with yellow accents and matte black body panels. The green metallic paint reflects the light beautifully and turns into a turquoise, emerald-like color under the sun. This Racing Green paint is from the Heritage collection of shades, as part of the colors Lotus brought back for this Final Edition.
There may not be much in this compact interior but each component that makes up the interior of the Exige is here because it has a purpose. The driver sits low in the aluminum tub and the bucket seats are thinly padded. The driver’s seat is adjustable to a certain extent and you can slide it backwards and forwards. On the other hand, the steering wheel isn’t adjustable and neither is the passenger seat. The yellow accents contrast nicely with the black interior of this Final Edition, with yellow stitching spanning across the interior and a strong accent on the gear shift surrounding the exposed linkage.
Infotainment-wise, aside from the brand new digital screen, you do get a small, detachable stereo to listen to the radio or even to your own music via an AUX cord. Underneath the stereo, three knobs allow you to control the climate and that’s about it. There is not much storage space available, but Lotus does allow for a relatively generous trunk space crammed behind the engine. Though small, this luggage compartment does fit a lot more than what you’d expect, as long as you keep your belongings organized.
What is perhaps most notable in the Exige is the wide side sills, so wide and so high in comparison to the extremely low seating position that they also work as generously spacious and comfortable armrests. It is a detail that defines the Exige’s interior but that did not make it into the modern Emira interior that looks nothing like the bare, spartan cabins we’ve all gotten used to.
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Cars that offer a real, uninterrupted connection between the driver, the machine and the road are becoming more and more of a rare find. The Exige has been upholding this high driving standard until the very last model by rewarding drivers with an exhilarating performance.
The Exige Sport 390 Final Edition, alongside other Final Edition models, has brought to our attention everything we love about Lotus. Adding more power and a brand new TFT dashboard screen makes this very last model a memorable and great transition to its successor the Emira. Priced at around $86,000 (¥11,770,000) in Japan, the Sport 390 Final Edition is now sold out and only available through the used car market. Though pricey, it'll remain much more affordable than an entry level Emira, as Lotus announced a price tag going above the $100,000 (¥13,860,000) mark in Japan. Time will go on but the Exige will be holding its place as an incredibly desirable car and will surely remain so for the many years to come, no matter how much futuristic technology car manufacturers throw at us.
Automotive writer and photographer based in Tokyo, Claire has joined the HotCars team in March 2022. She is a coffee and whiskey enthusiast who enjoys creating beautiful imagery to illustrate her car stories.