Lotus has been busily preparing its new Exige R-GT Rally car. The manufacturer just put the car through its first shakedown tests in Turin, Italy. So far, the Lotus team is happy with the vehicle's progress, but testing will continue in 2012 as the company prepares to take on the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship albeit in a limited format. The rear wheel drive Exige R-GT wont be taking on too many gravel stages, however Lotus say the rally car will lock horns with competitors in the FIA GT Class on the tarmac events in Monte Carlo, Tour de Corse and San Remo.
Lotus Group Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro said, “When you consider that we’ve only began working on this car in July, I think what we've achieved in that time has been incredible. For me the Exige S makes the perfect GT rally car, it has an awesome 3.5-litre, supercharged engine, and we've managed to balance the weight perfectly to meet the minimum weight regulations. The shakedown on the 23rd December has only made us even more excited to show off the car in true race form early next year – I think we’re doing the Lotus motorsport pedigree proud.”
