Supercharged Exige?
From spies in Germany come an unsubstantiated rumor that Lotus will be replacing the 190hp Toyota motor in the Exige with a mildly supercharged version of that motor, at a 3000 pound premium, producing around 215hp. This is being done to differentiate the Exige from its Elise sibling. It’d be the same motor recently shown in the 2006 Toyota Corolla Compressor (link).
Analysis: this rumor is most likely true. The engine in question meets the Euro IV emissions requirements, so there’s really no reason for Lotus to NOT put it into the Exige. The Exige has been out for a while now, and engine power improvements are a good way to help fight the typical slowdown in sales as a model ages. The big question (well, for me at least) is two-fold. First will we see it in the US? Absolutely, it will be an option for all Exiges starting in the 2007 model year (my prediction, not based on any fact). Second, will Elise owners be able to upgrade to this? Technically, yes, but it’s highly unlikely that Lotus will offer such an upgrade path, as doing so would then negate the advantages of putting it into the Exige. However, this is yet another step validating the idea of supercharging the 2ZZGE; look for aftermarket companies (such as Ragnorak Racing) to step up and fulfill the needs of the boost-happy Elise owners.