Exige

Make
Lotus
Segment
Coupe

There are signs of life at Lotus after all. After a turbulent year that first saw the sale of Lotus parent company Proton to Malaysian state-owned investment firm DRB-Hicom, the firing of CEO Dany Bahar and constant rumors of bankruptcy, it appears that Lotus is working to get back on its feet. No, this does not mean that the much-discussed reborn Esprit will debut anytime soon (if ever), but there's still more work to be done with existing models.

Lotus has just announced that the Exige S Roadster will officially arrive this summer, after having made its debut way back in 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show. It'll hit 62 mph in just four seconds but top speed will apparently be electronically limited to 145 mph, as opposed to the coupe's 170 mph, in order to save the roof from being ripped off at speed. The roadster will also weigh roughly 22 lbs. less than the coupe due to said roof as well as the omission of the rear spoiler. A six-speed manual will be standard and an automated manual gearbox will be an option. Piston Heads is claiming the Lotus Race Pack will also be on available to buyers.

Unfortunately, the roadster won't be sold in the US as it was developed specifically for European and Asian markets. Which is alright, because we're still trying to figure out how the Exige roadster will be different from the Elise on which it's based.