The competition is fierce in the Track Day World Championship, Ferrari Fxx and 599XX, Pagani Zonda R, not to mention any number of British built barely legal contenders. Today Lotus raised the bar for the non-racing, track only market with the Exos T125 presented yesterday at Laguna Seca.
Our West Coast friend Rahul Nair, who attended the premiere and shot these videos and pictures, tells us the Cosworth powered Exos has a carbon fiber tub and a configuration inspired by current spec Formula 1 cars including carbon suspension and brakes but, as you see from the pictures, it rolls on a low profile tire similar to what F1 will likely move to after 2013.
The engine, a 3.5L V8, produces 650HP at 10,300 RPM (with a 10,800 "push to pass" option in case you find a Zonda R at your track day). The package is made more user friendly by allowing 4500 hours between engine rebuilds and a starter motor. No word if a UK only "street legal" kit will be offered but if so, it will be undoubtebly be hailed as "...actually quite comfortable"
Twenty five Exos are planned at a cool one million dollars apiece. The entry ticket will give the owner access to special track days and instruction from actual Formula 1 drivers in not just driving but also fitness. Think of it as the best gym class you even bought!
Huge gallery after the jump.
(thanks to Rahul Nair)
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Anyone have a million dollars they wouldn't mind parting with?
ReplyDeletePshh...no EBD? No flexiwings? Just kidding. Amazing stuff. Would be cool if this club included periodic updates on the cars, somewhat like F1...
ReplyDeleteSo when do they run it round the Ring and claim "near-production honours"? :)
ReplyDeleteOne question it raises in my mind though is how much would it cost to acquire a fully kitted out FR3.5, Indy Lights, etc and service contract for prep, rebuild, maybe transport, etc? Is this really any different from that? Is this really a "new" idea in that sense?
(Not suggesting it doesn't look like fun, of course.)
@M I think you hit the nail on the head except that this would presumably come ith some measure of factory support, like a version of Ferrari Clienti and the promise of better reliability ( from lotus...)
ReplyDeleteThis will no doubt cause Gran Turismo 5 to be delay for at least another 6 months.
ReplyDelete@M and @AC
ReplyDeleteThis is more of a hybrid between the Corsa Clienti and a full on race car. If you were to get a race car it would be stressed to the limit and would require frequent rebuilds and a team of people just to get it started. The FXX and 599XX give you more reliability but since they are based on a street car they will always have inherent compromises.
In theory the Exos/T125 will give you race car level performance without requiring race car level preparation/crews. Though you could always argue that anyone who spends a million dollars on a track car will probably always have a crew with them anyway :)
I really can't understand that price tag.
ReplyDeleteCome on, the 2008 GP2 car was sold at around 250.000 euros when it was new, how can this cost 750.000 euros?
@zizzo:
ReplyDeleteLotus are no doubt trying to get some money to flow into their F1 team and also maybe some testing time, using this car as a test bed.
Insane, some people are saying Lotus is using this thing as a loophole to get past F1's testing ban. Seeing as it's almost identical to this year's chassis, and is wearing wheels that we're going to see in Forumla sooner rather than later...I think there might be some truth to that.
ReplyDeleteAnd more power to them if they get away with it. The teams up front aren't going to give them a break and slow down. I'm surprised no one has thought this idea up yet... if the claims hold any validity.
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't know about all that but it's nice to see that 18" low profile tires don't look too bad!
ReplyDeleteI believe those are 15 inch wheels
ReplyDelete"And more power to them if they get away with it. The teams up front aren't going to give them a break and slow down. I'm surprised no one has thought this idea up yet... if the claims hold any validity."
ReplyDeleteI agree completely. I really want to see Lotus do well, and if they can make this work as a way of testing their cars, then I'm all for it.
I don't think you can read too much into it being an F1 testbed. The car certainly does not comply to F1 regs. Look at the wide, low rear wing. The massive diffuser. Any data reaped for F1 application would be of little value.
ReplyDelete@A Train: Even just the shape of the tires would make a massive difference in aero compared to current ones. And the post 2013 regs have yet to be defined.
ReplyDeleteAm I the only one having a hard time believing that those with a million (+) to drop would choose Lotus over a Ferrari FXX/599XX program or even oh I don't know, 4 years of grand am racing, for example?
@AC
ReplyDeleteI thinks looks, performance and freedom will play into Lotus' hands. The Exos is faster, looks like an F1 car and you can use it as an when you want to. Its also half the price of the 599XX though that probably wont matter to the owners.
And finally they only need 25 people to pony up the cash - I'm sure there are enough rich guys out there who remember the glory days of Lotus and want something with a Clark, Andretti, Fittipaldi connection
@Rahul: I'd imagine that the cats rich enough to purchase such a machine will not be doing so in memory of the good old days. More likely, the client base will be those with chrome painted SLRs, custom 737s and Neon Green Lambos. Just a guess.
ReplyDelete