LA 2010: 2011 Lotus Exige SC RGB Edition

The people behind Lotus never cease to amaze. Case in point: Roger Becker. The former vehicle engineer ended his 44-year run with the automaker this past February after being instrumental in some of Lotus' most influential cars. After proving to be a superior engineer and driver, Lotus founder Colin Chapman plucked Becker from the Elan assembly line in the late 1960s and he went on to help create everything from the Esprit to the Elise. His most recent and final masterpiece was the 2+2(ish) Evora, which Becker described as his "finest hour at Lotus."

To commemorate Becker's tenure, the automaker is releasing the 2011 Lotus Exige SC RGB Edition adorned with the engineer's signature, the required plaque and packing the 257-horsepower supercharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine from the SC260 – the last time the Toyota-sourced 2ZZ will be used in the Elise and Exige. The RGB will be available in either Elise or Exige guise, with the convertible coming in under $58,000 and the Exige commanding $70,750.

Oh, and if you need another reason to be impressed with Becker: When they were filming the chase scenes in The Spy Who Loved Me, Becker was behind the wheel – he was apparently better at manhandling the Esprit than Bond's stunt man.

Photos copyright ©2010 Drew Phillips / AOL