To celebrate its 70th birthday, vehicle manufacturer Lotus will be releasing two special editions of its Exige sport car series. The vehicles will be based on the Cup 430 variant and badged Type 49 and 79. Both debuted at the ongoing Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The cars bear the names of Formula 1 winning entries. Mario Andretti won the championship 40 years ago driving a Lotus Type 79, while Graham Hill claimed the gold cup and the champion’s title piloting a Type 49 half a century ago.
The anniversary edition vehicles will be painted to match the liveries of the abovementioned racecars. Both will get a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 430 hp (321 kW) and a six-speed manual transmission. They will be able to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill in slightly over three seconds and ultimately accelerate to 290 km/h (180 mph).
The base equipment lists carbon body kit, adjustable shock absorbers, AP Racing brakes, and aluminum wheels clad in Michelin tires.
The prices of the Lotus Exige Type 49 and the Lotus Exige Type 79 will become available at a later date.
Photo: motor1.com