Lotus uprates the Elise
Limited edition Sports Racer hits the spot
Elise in Ardent Red
Harking back to some key Lotus sports and GT racer colour schemes (used on some versions of the Lotus Elite, Type 23, and Lotus Elan) from the 1950s and 1960s, the Elise Sports Racer range consists of two distinctly different vehicles.
The first, in Ardent Red, features a single painted white stripe flanked by two thinner painted white stripes and has distinctive white wing mirrors (not the car in the pic -- Lotus didn't supply pictures of the new car). The interior of the car is also unique, with matching red stitching set against black leather trim.
The second car is Nightfall Blue and has twin painted white stripes running the length of the vehicle. Again, this car features white wing mirrors and has a unique interior, subtly matching the exterior of the vehicle, with blue stitching on the leather Both the versions have a coloured (red or blue respectively) Elise logo stitched into the headrests and unique Elise Sports Racer decals positioned on the exterior of the car.
Chassis
Under the blue and red colour schemes, the Elise Sports Racers use some of the best sports and track specific components available including ultra-lightweight seven twin-spoke forged alloy wheels (saving a massive 1.2Kg of unsprung weight per corner), Advan Neova AD07 LTS tyres linked to sports suspension (uprated Eibach springs and stiffer Bilstein dampers), twin oil coolers and switchable Lotus Traction Control (LTC).
The switchable engine-managed Lotus Traction Control System (LTC) is active above 5mph and works through the engine, reducing power when required to maintain traction. It operates much quicker than many brake-based systems. A Torsen-type limited slip differential (LSD) is available as an option for tight low speed, high acceleration driving (such as auto tests).
Standard luxury kit includes a colour matched hardtop, central door locking, electric windows, interior stowage net, sound insulation pack, black soft-top with sound/thermal insulation and black full carpet set.
The cars gain LED rear lights as not only are LEDs brighter than standard bulbs and illuminate 0.2 seconds quicker -- that's one Elise car length at 43 mph -- they're also 36 per cent lighter (around 0.6Kg).
Motive power
The cars also include the proven, high performance engine and gearbox combo, consisting of a VVTL-i engine (Variable Valve Timing and Lift-intelligent) producing a maximum power output of 189bhp or and 133lb-ft of torque, allowing the Elise Sports Racer to sprint to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and 100 mph in 13.0 seconds before reaching a certified top speed of 150 ph.
This performance is achieved through a balance of environmental considerations with the fully Euro IV Emissions compliant engine helping the Elise to return 32.1mpg on the combined cycle, as well as the very low figure of 208 g/km of CO2 emissions.
The Lotus Elise Sports Racer also uses a new lighter pedal box with forged steel pedal arms and extruded aluminium pads. This new unit, which is lighter that the previous extruded aluminium unit, has an electronic throttle for quicker and smoother engine response, reduced brake pedal ratio and improved pedal feel for the brake and throttle. All three pedals are better positioned for improved "heel and toe" brake and throttle control on downshifts. The cable-less throttle also ensures that emissions are managed more effectively and kept as low as possible under all operating conditions.
Air-conditioning is available as an option and weighs just 15Kg.
The Lotus Elise Sports Racer is available from Lotus dealers in November 2005 at a recommended retail price of £31,995 in the UK. Other world market prices will be issued shortly.
Looks quite smart. Not convinced by the white mirrors though...
[small](Why doesn't www.lotuscars.co.uk have the sense to redirect visitors [b]straight to the cars page[/b] within www.grouplotus.com ?)[/small]
Unsure about the LED lights, but I reserve judgement until I see them in real life.
Tat is certainly a strong word, but if you think it - fair enough.
Interesting point's, I personally like them very much as I'm torn between the Exige and the Elise. Sound's like what I'm looking for and I'm sure that comes out cheaper then asking lotus to make the changes to the car from scratch ? may be a Sports Pipe and induction kit would have made it a little better
I wish they would hurry up with the New car thou, they need an addition to the range
Boggy
dragstar said:
I like those
That's because you have no taste or style whatsoever, or did you come back from the US with cateracts?
Rawwr said:
Would I be unpopular if I accused it of being an overpriced piece of tat?
Nope, you'd be bang-right!
bennno said:
is it me or is the 'sport racer' name is embarrassing....
Bennno
It's more than that, it's plain gay.
Already commented on these god awful, cobbled-together, shit-we've-run-out-of-ideas-no-one-wants-to-buy-our-cars-new desperate measures by Lotus in order to try and get rid of stock before the '06 comes in.
How can a company be this devoid of ideas with such a great base product? Total bunch of chokers.
mood today. GRRRRRR
What I did to my R is a lot like the speck of these cars. It cost a sh!t load more than £30k but I dont care because it is how I want it and no one has stood next to my car and said "crap" or "tat"
I can see the the sport racer is in existence to shift some units so the "new" 2006 models can be brought in but never the less, the sport racer is a 111R with some great gear on board, a beautiful paintjob (try getting it custom done!!!) and a bloody good price.
Thumbs up Lotus, if you had done it last year I would have saved enough to put on a supercharger.
gooby said:
I cant believe some of you guys. When a beautiful Type 23 was shown in all it glory, everyone turned round and threw praise at it (and also the guy who baught it). Lotus have been making loads of special editions and there are people who really love them. S Works, I believe the S160 is a ltd edition, the 340R is a ltd edition etc etc.
Right point one, I have never dissed the good Special Eds out there that actually relate back to something and really look the biz, but for me these are a total miss.
And come on, you can't compare this (a couple of stripes, some stiching and some replacement shockers & wheels) as some huge leap forwards towards some track-demon spec 111R.
Point 2, comparison to a 340R is completely without value big guy - it's not even in the same ballpark. To the Sport 160 maybe, but that WAS a track-focussed edition (and not particularly limited I might add) which was stripped back (seen the seats?), camm'd up, given LSS, an ARB, lightweight wheels, and an oil cooler ('cos it's sensible for track use).
This lard-assed affair (even with lightweight wheels) doesn't even knock on the door of that ethos. Where's the ARB, where are the harnesses, proper Exige type sports seats, track spec wheels and tyres (a la the 135R)?? The wheels on this are leftovers from the Fed-Elise and don't be fooled otherwise.
And does that 'yota lump need twin oil-coolers? I doubt it, it's all pub-talk marketing guff.
gooby said:
What I did to my R is a lot like the speck of these cars. It cost a sh!t load more than £30k but I dont care because it is how I want it and no one has stood next to my car and said "crap" or "tat"
Good on you for making it your own - some might arguably say you should have been offered the opportunity to spec it upto a more 'focussed' specification when you bought it at an affordable price. But then Lotus don't do it that way with the 111R do they because they want to get the masses boys out of their Boxsters & Z4's into Elises (which'll never happen in large numbers).
gooby said:
I can see the the sport racer is in existence to shift some units so the "new" 2006 models can be brought in but never the less, the sport racer is a 111R with some great gear on board, a beautiful paintjob (try getting it custom done!!!) and a bloody good price.
OK, lets look at what you get for your 32k...
Lotus and me said:
- 199 units will be produced worldwide, with each including an individually numbered build plate (Big deal - they'll probably make another 200 if the demand is high enough just like the 240R who's inital 50 owners must be getting mightily hacked off at the arrival of the new version)
- Harking back to some key Lotus sports and GT racer colour schemes....the Elise Sports Racer range consists of two distinctly different vehicles. (Er, one red and one blue)
- Red or Blue with stripes on the outside with "distinctive" white wing mirrors (which look cheap)
- The interior of the car is also unique, with matching red stitching set against black leather trim.
(Wow, coloured stitching on black leather - how original)
- ...unique Elise Sports Racer decals positioned on the exterior of the car.
(This is the 3rd worst thing on the car, snapping at the heels of those mirrors and the awful wheels)
- uprated springs & dampers (This bit's OK, can't fault them much on that apart from the fact that it's just the Exige spec on an Elise)
The switchable engine-managed Lotus Traction Control System (LTC) is active above 5mph and works through the engine, reducing power when required to maintain traction. It operates much quicker than many brake-based systems. A Torsen-type limited slip differential (LSD) is available as an option for tight low speed, high acceleration driving (such as auto tests).
TRACTION CONTROL??? THIS IS AN ELISE FFS! The traction control is at the end of your right leg!
Standard luxury kit includes a colour matched hardtop, central door locking, electric windows, interior stowage net, sound insulation pack, black soft-top with sound/thermal insulation and black full carpet set.
...this always cracks me up, luxury kit
The cars gain LED rear lights as not only are LEDs brighter than standard bulbs and illuminate 0.2 seconds quicker -- that's one Elise car length at 43 mph -- they're also 36 per cent lighter (around 0.6Kg).
New lights - wow, check out the weight save!
The Lotus Elise Sports Racer also uses a new lighter pedal box with forged steel pedal arms and extruded aluminium pads... electronic throttle for quicker and smoother engine response, reduced brake pedal ratio and improved pedal feel for the brake and throttle. All three pedals are better positioned for improved "heel and toe" brake and throttle control on downshifts. The cable-less throttle also ensures that emissions are managed more effectively and kept as low as possible under all operating conditions.
...I'm sure this isn't a special edition feature but it's being dressed up as one. I'd expect to see this in all Elises right after and as such it's just a standard spec item. Electronic throttle in an Elise? Given Lotus' track record with electronics I'll keep my cable thanks. What next - parking sensors?
Sorry dude, we're going to have to disagree on this one.
When Lotus brings out a new Elise Special Ed which is properly lightweight and track spec for less than 25k I might be tempted to get a hat and sharpen my teeth for a meal, but until then, I still think this is a cobbled-together affair using parts bin leftovers and some new bits which will soon be standard on the 06 model. 32k is too much and the market will show that once these start cropping up in the classifieds for 25/26k next Autumn.
gooby said:
Thumbs up Lotus, if you had done it last year I would have saved enough to put on a supercharger.
...except they won't sell you one EVEN though the market is gagging for them to produce a retrofit package. Where's the sensible money at? Developing the SC kit for the 111R with good track spec to make a seriously quick and capable Elise, or putting out something like this to appeal to Joe Punter?
>> Edited by S Works on Monday 24th October 16:14
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