The Lotus T125, also known as the Lotus Exos, is a single-seater open-wheel sports car produced by Lotus Cars. In 2019 Rodin Cars began building it as the Rodin FZED, with former Force India test driver James Rossiter as official test driver.
Lotus T125 at a glance
| Shown | 2010, Pebble Beach |
|---|---|
| Public track debut | January 2011, Vallelunga |
| Engine | Cosworth 3.8-litre GP V8, 640 bhp |
| Gearbox | six-speed semi-automatic with paddle shifters |
| Starting | push-button, without mechanics |
| Construction | carbon composite, Nomex and aluminium |
| Weight | 590 kg |
| Planned | 25 cars |
| Built | 6 chassis by Lotus |
| Successor | Rodin FZED from 2019 |
Based on one source (English Wikipedia).
History of the Lotus T125
The T125 was part of the repositioning of Lotus Cars under new chief executive Dany Bahar, which included several new Lotuses to be launched alongside the T125 halo car. The car was first shown at Pebble Beach in 2010. Before the 2010 Paris Motor Show, Bahar invited several potential buyers to Hethel and then flew them first class to a private viewing of the T125 in the basement of the Louvre, attended by Sir Stirling Moss and Takuma Sato.
Owners joined the Exos Experience, a private club offering expert engineers to support the cars’ performance, nutritionists to develop the drivers’ fitness and a concierge for track bookings and transport around the world, with events planned at Paul Ricard and Portimão. The car’s public track debut came in January 2011 at Vallelunga, driven by Jean Alesi and James Rossiter.
The T125 is powered by a Cosworth 3.8-litre GP V8 producing 640 bhp through a six-speed semi-automatic gearbox with paddle shifters, and it starts with a push-button rather than the team of mechanics and special equipment needed for a Formula One car. It is built from carbon composite, Nomex and aluminium and weighs 590 kg. Owners could choose liveries including an Exos special in white and blue, a heritage green and gold design, John Player Special black or a speed yellow inspired by Senna’s Camel Lotus.
Lotus anticipated 25 cars but built only six chassis, and only a handful have been sold on the open market. Chassis P002, used on Top Gear and tested by Romain Grosjean, sold in 2025 for just under $174,000; C003, delivered new to the United States, sold at auction in 2019 for $417,500, again at Amelia Island in 2022 for $380,000 and at Goodwood in 2023 for £287,500; C018, delivered to Germany in 2016, sold at Sotheby’s Monaco in 2024 for €320,000. Rodin Cars of New Zealand acquired several chassis and offered an enhanced Rodin FZED for $650,000, building four from scratch and completing C018. In late 2016 Rodin proposed a one-make Formula UK series for the T125, but it never gained momentum. The T125 also appeared on Top Gear in July 2011, driven by Jeremy Clarkson with help from Jean Alesi.
Design and features
- Cosworth V8: 3.8 litres and 640 bhp.
- Light construction: 590 kg from carbon composite, Nomex and aluminium.
- Paddle-shift gearbox: six-speed semi-automatic.
- Push-button start: no mechanics or external equipment needed.
- Exos Experience: a private club with engineers, trainers and a concierge.
Lotus T125 versions
- Lotus T125 / Exos (2010): six chassis built by Lotus.
- Rodin FZED (2019): enhanced version by Rodin Cars, $650,000.
The T125 followed the track-day Lotus 2-Eleven as Lotus’s most extreme road-legal-adjacent car. More cars are in the Lotus collection.
Sources
- Lotus T125, English Wikipedia: background, specification, sales, Rodin FZED
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