Lotus launches its fastest ever convertible in Malaysia

The sexy roadster was unveiled by Proton Advisor YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was accompanied by YBhg Dato’ Syed Mohamad Syed Murtaza, Chairman of DRB-HICOM and the Covering Chief Executive Officer of Proton Holdings Berhad (“Proton”), Dato’ Abdul Harith Abdullah, Group Lotus Plc Chief Operating Officer, En Aslam Farikullah and Senior Management of Proton. Lotus is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Proton Holdings Berhad.

Sitting alongside the Exige S, Exige Cup and Exige Cup R, the Exige S Roadster completes the Exige line-up and enhances the track focussed collection by providing a new facet to the range. Powered by the same 3.5L V6 as the coupé variants and weighing in at 10kg less than the Exige S at 1,166kg, none of the exhilarating performance of the phenomenal Exige range is compromised, yet the driver is only ‘two clicks and a roll’ away from cruising in open-top style thanks to the lightweight, factory-fitted soft top.

Achieving 0-100 km/h from standing in 3.9 seconds, delivering 345 hp at 7000 rpm (350 PS) and 295 lb ft of torque at 4500 rpm, the Roadster matches the coupé’s mechanical performance, but style takes an understated approach having shed its rear wing and front splitter to maximise airflow over its sleek silhouette.

According to En Aslam, the introduction of the new Exige to the Lotus product range has provided a new opportunity for LOTUS to expand and strengthen its production resource, generating new jobs and opportunities for skilled individuals who want to be part of the Lotus story.

"Since the takeover in 2012, Lotus has made great strides to reclaim its spot among the very best of the motoring world. The year 2013 marked a real turning point for the company with a 31% production increase. Additionally, LOTUS Engineering is working with more major OEMs than it did last year and now has 120 engineering projects in its books," he added.

As capable as its coupé counterpart, the Exige S Roadster retains all the intent of a race-bred sports car but also possesses the poise of a sleek convertible.

During the ceremony, Tun Dr Mahathir also presented a mock key to the first Exige S Roadster customer in Malaysia, Mr Simon Flint. The Chief Executive Officer of Fitness First Asia, Mr. Flint was naturally delighted with his new ride, which he ordered in Storm Titanium colour. "I have always been a huge fan of Lotus – since my cousin acquired an Esprit many years ago. The first Lotus I owned was a Europa SE and after experiencing that, I'm an absolute advocate for the brand. Now taking delivery of a new Exige S Roadster is a dream come true.

"The introduction of this latest model to the Malaysian market is important as the company looks to remain relevant and competitive. As it is a very competitive market, it is pertinent for us to introduce more and more exciting products to our customers in the future with an improvement on the overall product quality. These products must be complemented with the best of quality, cost and delivery which is now a standard operating procedure at Lotus and Proton," said En Aslam.

The Exige S Roadster is the perfect car for a ‘joy’ ride, and is the latest edition to the current line-up of Lotus models available in Malaysia. The other models are the Exige S, the Elise S, Elise MT, the Exige MT, the Lotus Evora MT and the Lotus Evora AT and IPS.

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