Lotus Exige S3 Sport 350 - 2017

Lotus Exige S3 Sport 350 (2015–2021) arrived as a ruthless distillation of the V6 Exige recipe. In late 2015 Lotus retired the “S” badge and ushered in the “Sport” naming, with the 350 becoming the lightest, most focused regular-production Exige V6 to date. Rather than chasing headline power, Hethel’s engineers put the car on a strict diet and re-honed every control surface.

Under the deck sits Toyota’s bulletproof 3.5‑litre 2GR‑FE V6 with an Eaton TVS supercharger, still rated at 350 PS, but the car lost a massive 51 kg versus the outgoing Exige S. A louvred tailgate, pared-back sound deadening, reworked HVAC pipework, lighter engine mount cross-brace and the option of a lithium battery all played their part. The exposed aluminium gear linkage – a Lotus design flourish turned cult icon – brought a shorter, more positive throw and theatre to every shift. Lotus quoted a Hethel lap of 1:29.8, around 2.5 seconds quicker than the S, proving that subtraction can be the most potent form of addition.

The Sport 350 launched first as a Coupé with a six‑speed manual; a paddle‑shift six‑speed automatic (IPS) and the Roadster followed. Lotus’s DPM (Dynamic Performance Management) offered Tour, Sport and Race modes plus full-off, and a catalogue of lightweight forged wheels and two-piece J‑hook brake discs let owners tailor track-readiness straight from the factory. As ever, the bonded aluminium chassis, double‑wishbone suspension and unassisted steering delivered the sort of feedback rivals struggled to match.

Context matters: 2015–2016 saw the Porsche 981 Cayman GT4 dominate headlines, yet on the right road the Exige felt more visceral, raw and elastic. Period tests from evo, Autocar and Top Gear consistently praised the steering feel, body control and intensity, while noting cabin refinement and practicality weren’t the point. For many enthusiasts, that honesty only burnished its appeal.

Through its life the 350 sat beneath ever wilder siblings – Sport 380, Cup 380 and finally Cup 430 – but remained the Exige sweet spot for road use: compact, analogue, explosively fast yet approachable. It featured in countless track-day videos and enthusiast channels, and that skeletal shifter became a social‑media star in its own right. In 2021 Lotus wound down the V6 Exige line to make room for the Emira, with the Sport 350 effectively succeeded by the higher‑output Final Edition Sport 390. By then, the 350 had done its job: it reaffirmed Lotus’s Chapman‑era credo – simplify, then add lightness – and reminded a new generation that feel beats figures.