Following it being spotted recently testing at the Nurburgring, Lotus have today announced the latest addition to the Exige range – the Exige S Automatic.

Although specs haven’t yet been given the Exige S Automatic likely shares its drivetrain with the Evora S IPS, with the gearbox calibration suitably altered to match the Exiges more aggressive driving characteristics.

The Automatic gearbox takes 0.1s off the Exiges 0-100kph time, bring it down to just 3.9 seconds, and is a £2,000 option for both the Exige S coupe and Roadster.

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Offering the involvement of a manual paddle-shift with all the convenience of an automatic, the Exige S Automatic comes with a 6-speed transmission that has been specifically tailored to the sporty characteristics of the Exige.

Integrating smooth and intuitive gear shifts with engine response and exhaust note, the Exige S Automatic provides its driver with all round engagement and excitement and reflects the Lotus DNA of pure driving experience.

For drivers who enjoy a more spirited drive, the gear-shift characteristics have been calibrated to reflect the dynamic system changes that are activated when the driver selects either ‘Sport’ or ‘Race’ mode. Optimised gear selection and response deliver quicker all-round performance when a sportier experience is desired.

Jean-Marc Gales, Chief Executive Officer, Group Lotus plc said, “By introducing a paddle-shift, we have expanded the Exige product range to make it more accessible to customers worldwide. Now, customers who are more accustomed to two pedals and automatic transmissions can enjoy the unbelievable performance and handling of the Exige S without compromise.”

The new Exige S Automatic is currently completing its final stages of testing and is anticipated to exceed the manual variant in performance when it goes on sale in January 2015. In fact, the Exige S with automatic transmission as fast as its manual counterpart around the Hethel test track and achieves the 0 – 100 km/h sprint achieving, 0.1 seconds quicker than the Exige S manual in 3.9 seconds.

Automatic transmission will be available as a cost option to the Exige S and Exige S Roadster models in all markets where the Exige is currently on sale.  Prices for UK customers will be £2,000 including VAT and €2,185 in Europe excluding local taxes.

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