New Elise By 2006?...

[ErnestM]

...hinted at during Group Lotus' filing in the US to be exempt from certain safety standards (bumper and lights - they should get the exemption quite easily) this week:

Automotive News said:

WASHINGTON -- Group Lotus PLC wants a three-year exemption from some U.S. safety standards so that it can bring its four-cylinder mid-engine Elise to the United States next year. Lotus says it has spent $27 million to make the Elise meet U.S. regulations but cannot afford further changes for headlight and bumper standards. It says that a newly engineered Elise, due in 2006, would meet all standards

Hmmmmmmm...

ErnestM

[dragstar]

do you think that it will still carry the "elise" name or will it be a totally new replacement model?

i always thought that the elise's time was ticking??

[ErnestM]

Well, if they stuck in a 2.5 litre engine they could call it the M250. Wait a sec. That's been tried hasn't it

ErnestM

[hedgerley]

I thought bumper and headlight changes were THE main conformances. What the hell have they spent $27m on? Can't be emissions - the new Toyota engine is already ratified for the States isn't it?

Seems a lot of cash to engineer the cup holders ;-)

[Captain Muppet]

hedgerley said:

I thought bumper and headlight changes were THE main conformances. What the hell have they spent $27m on? Can't be emissions - the new Toyota engine is already ratified for the States isn't it? Seems a lot of cash to engineer the cup holders ;-)

The Toyota engine is ratified as fitted in the Celica - the Elise is a completely different car, hence new tests for everything.