Earlier today, Lotus Cars Malaysia held a hand-over ceremony for the last unit of the Lotus Exige LF1 - of which only 81 have been made - in Pavilion KL. The event saw Proton CEO Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah and Lotus Cars Malaysia head (also Proton R3 boss) Tengku Djan Ley present the mock key to owner Datuk Nik Hamdan and his daughter.
Why 81? Well, Lotus has had 81 Grand Prix wins, and each of the numbered Exige LF1s celebrate the victories in chronological order - for example, car #1 commemorates the first victory at Monaco in 1960, while #81 marks Kimi Raikkonen's 2013 Australian GP win. Nik's is car #52, which represents the 1973 Austrian GP win by Ronnie Peterson. Nik is in fact one of two Malaysian buyers of the car, we're told.
Lotus Exige LF1 owners are treated to factory tours for two at Lotus Cars' Hethel, Norfolk, UK facility and the Lotus F1 Team's Enstone headquarters. There's also a Collector's Edition Owner's Pack which includes an Exige LF1 Membership Card that entitles bearers to discounts on Lotus merchandise. Finally, owners get a 1:2 scale replica of Romain Grosjean's helmet, a Lotus F1 key fob and a Lotus F1 USB stick.
The F1-inspired black and gold paint scheme with red accents do make it look good. Those gold alloys (17s front, 18s rear) are wrapped with Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo rubber, and peeking through the spokes are AP Racing four-piston callipers and two-piece ventilated and cross-drilled 332 mm discs.
Other features include an aero package comprising an unmissable front splitter, rear diffuser and rear spoiler, a free-flowing exhaust system with bypass valve, Lotus Dynamic Performance Management (Touring, Sport and DPM off modes) and track-tuned four-channel ABS.
Inside, the trim is in leather and "technical fabric" with plenty of gold contrast piping and stitching. 'LF1' logos are embroidered on the headrests; 'Lotus F1 Team' logos on the seat backs. Completing the package are an individually-numbered carbon fibre build plate and CF engine plate.
Of course, for Malaysia, the Lotus Exige LF1 was offered on a special-order basis. We're told the starting price was RM438,777, before taxes. In comparison, the regular Exige S Coupe, which is officially part of Lotus Cars Malaysia's range, costs RM405,777, nett before OTR costs.
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