2021 Lotus Exige Sport 390 Final Edition
Explore the 2021 Lotus Exige Sport 390 Final Edition: programme history, design, verified rarity scope, specifications and credited photography.
The Lotus Exige Sport 390 Final Edition is a closing V6 Exige specification from 2021. Its precise name separates it from the earlier Sport 350 and the final-year Sport 420.
History and verified programme identity
The factory final-year programme gave the Exige several clearly named configurations. Sport 390 is one of those final specifications, rather than a generic label applied to any remapped V6 Exige. The official regional importer documents the final-year offering, and the supplied photograph explicitly identifies Sport 390 Final Edition. The programme’s reference year is 2021; a later event photograph records its appearance after introduction. Lotus’s approximate V6-family volume supports the rarity screen while remaining an all-model reference. It is not assigned as the number of Sport 390 cars, nor interpreted as a numbered allocation for this particular example.
Engineering and design
The larger V6 Exige platform differs from the earlier four-cylinder generation in both proportions and powertrain context. Final-year equipment includes the revised driver-display presentation documented for the programme. Sport 390 and Sport 420 should retain their original names and configurations rather than share a copied specification table. A numeric badge is a programme identifier, not a complete engine test result. The exact photo shows the body and visible aerodynamic presentation, while individual build records can identify options and less visible equipment. Later tuning and component changes belong in the chassis history, without creating a second original Final Edition car. Model-specific factory parts documentation is useful when an original component has been superseded. Record the replacement and its date rather than assuming every current part was fitted when the programme began. This keeps an archive comparison tied to original identity while allowing a surviving or exhibited car to have its own maintenance and configuration history.
The physical car in the supplied photograph
Alexander Migl photographed the black Exige Sport 390 Final Edition in Böblingen. The creator’s exact model title and exterior view support this FE illustration; its factory allocation position is not inferred.
Identifying the original configuration
A reliable Sport 390 FE record starts with the original model description. Registration dates, badge replacements and later engine maps can otherwise make similar V6 cars appear to belong to the same programme. Preserve original specification documents and dated photographs so each configuration change is traceable. The Final Edition package also deserves its own record apart from the older Exige programme. Retaining exact titles improves both catalogue searches and duplicate checks: a Sport 350 upgraded after delivery should stay attached to its original identity. The broader family reference explains rarity without suggesting that each final variant received a separately numbered 2,700-car run.
Collecting and chassis evidence
A useful Exige Sport 390 Final Edition history starts with the original model identity and dated factory specification. Record the chassis number, delivery market, original engine and transmission, and any numbered edition plate separately. Preserve changes in a chronological record: replaced panels, altered suspension, remapped engines and revised aerodynamic parts can affect the present configuration without creating a second original factory vehicle. Early invoices and photographs help distinguish an original edition from a later cosmetic recreation. A specialist inspection should connect those records to the car, especially its structure, mounting points and model-specific parts. A low programme volume makes careful documentation more useful; it does not establish the condition or completeness of an individual example.
Related Lotus designs and meaningful comparisons
Sport 420 Final Edition is the direct final-year comparison. LF1 supplies an earlier numbered V6 programme with a very different commemorative identity.
Reading the sources
The programme sources and the photograph answer different questions. Manufacturer and custodial records establish the original model, Type, category and published production scope. The creator’s file establishes the pictured subject, setting and image permission. An individual chassis history can then add ownership, competition entries and dated repairs without changing the scope of the original programme. Build references are not survivor counts, and a later specification does not automatically become an additional newly manufactured vehicle. Where primary evidence does not establish a complete fabrication census, that field remains unassigned.
Specifications and rarity evidence
| Programme reference year | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Model / Type | Exige Sport 390 Final Edition — Exige V6 / Sport 390 Final Edition |
| Body / competition role | Mid-engined road sports car |
| Factory programme | 2021 Final Edition |
| Named variant | Sport 390 |
| Engine context | Supercharged 3.5-litre V6 |
| Generation | Later V6 Exige |
| Separate closing variant | Sport 420 Final Edition |
| Published build / register reference | Family estimate approx. 2,700 |
| Independently audited completed tally | Not assigned |
| Count scope | Named 2021 Exige Final Edition variant. Approximate V6-family volume 2,700 covers all 2011–2021 models, not Sport 390 alone. No exact variant completion tally assigned. |
| Original inventory status | LOT-183 — Verified |
Frequently asked questions
Is a tuned Sport 350 automatically a Sport 390 Final Edition?
No. Sport 390 FE is a named factory final-year specification. Later tuning does not establish original FE programme identity.
How is Exige Sport 390 Final Edition classified?
This is a named original Lotus road-car programme. Its qualified source references fall below the 7,500 screening threshold. Completed production, announced allocations and survivor counts remain distinct, with any unresolved differences explained in the article.
Which technical details are established for the programme?
The primary record supports factory programme: 2021 Final Edition; named variant: Sport 390; engine context: Supercharged 3.5-litre V6. These are programme or explicitly attributed photo references. A particular surviving car’s engine, chassis repairs and competition preparation require its own dated documentation.
Does the photographed appearance establish factory originality?
The caption records a real creator-identified Exige Sport 390 Final Edition subject and its documented setting. It establishes the illustration’s scope, while original components, restoration work and individual race provenance require chassis-specific evidence. A competition number, current paint or museum display is not used as an originality certificate.
What rarity or archive scope is verified?
Named 2021 Exige Final Edition variant. Approximate V6-family volume 2,700 covers all 2011–2021 models, not Sport 390 alone. No exact variant completion tally assigned.
Who photographed the supplied image?
Alexander Migl via Wikimedia Commons, under CC BY-SA 4.0. The original file and licence are linked with the image. Retain the creator, source and licence when uploading, exporting or reusing it; local retouching and synthetic enlargement have not been performed.
Related Lotus profiles
Sources and photo credits
Photograph: Alexander Migl via Wikimedia Commons original source, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source-provided thumbnail supplied without local cropping, retouching or synthetic enlargement.
Built in limited numbers
Named 2021 Exige Final Edition variant. Approximate V6-family volume 2,700 covers all 2011–2021 models, not Sport 390 alone. No exact variant completion tally assigned.
Gallery
Specifications
Factory specifications may vary by model year, market and configuration.
Identity & production
- Official model
- Exige Sport 390 Final Edition
