The Lotus Exige LF1 Is The Only Car In The World That Comes With A 1:2 Replica Romain Grosjean Helmet

With a paltry eight points scored in seven races, 2014 hasn’t been the best season for Lotus F1 so far. With that in mind, Lotus Cars is understandably looking to past successes for this limited-run, F1-themed version of the Exige S.

Dubbed the LF1, just 81 will be made, each representing one of 81 victories scored by Lotus F1-branded cars over the years.

It’s finished in black with gold wheels, echoing the iconic Lotus livery originally seen on the John Player Special-sponsored Lotus F1 cars of the 1970s. Mounted in the middle is the same 3.5-litre supercharged V6 found in the standard Exige S, kicking out 345bhp and 295lb ft of torque. That’ll give you a 0-62mph time of just four seconds and a top speed of 170mph.

The LF1 comes with the Exige Race Pack (which adds a ‘Race’ driving mode and launch control), optimised suspension, a set of ultra-sticky Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo boots and uprated brakes. Each car also has a plaque displaying the particular race win it represents, although it’s not clear if the cars are allotted at random or if buyers will have some sort of choice. The price? £62,900, around £10k more than the standard Exige S. It’ll be available everywhere except the US.

Purchasing one of these also gets you into a special LF1 owners’ club, the membership of which includes a tour of of the Lotus Cars and Lotus F1 factories, and a 20 per cent discount on Lotus merchandise, of course. Still not tempted? Maybe the prospect of the included Lotus F1 memory stick and 1:2 scale replica Romain Grosjean crash helmet will sway you…