The Lotus Elise - a Brief History

The Elise is a car that is small in stature - a midget amongst an array of ever-expanding behemoths in the sportscar world. Furthermore, this little car is so subtly soft-spoken, sputtering about town with a meager powerplant. Its specs speak more of an economy car than a sportscar. A cute little car named after a similarly cute little girl.

But this little car would be destined for great things. It would make great marks on the automotive world, and would save a dying marque - ironically by heralding a return to its core ideals. In just over a decade since her birth, the Elise has become a legend.

Elise Series I

Lotus Elise S1 Sport 190Originally conceived in 1994, and released in September 1996, the Series I Elise was the possibly the world's most advanced car at the time - embodying Colin Chapman's philosophy of lightweight design, and showcasing some of Lotus Engineering's latest developments in car manufacturing technolgoy. Sporting a chassis constructed completely of bonded and riveted extruded aluminum members, the Elise Series I tipped the scales at a spritely 1,587 pounds (720 kg). This was an amazing accomplishment for a modern car, with safety requirements out the wazoo - bumpers, crash structures, crash test requirements, airbags, etc., not to mention the need for modern amenities - power windows and seats, air conditioning, radi. Hah! No, no amenities here except the wind through your hair and the sound of your Rover engine propelling you through the twisties. AC and radio optional. Cupholders nowhere to be found. But the result was a car that carried less than half the mass of most cometitors - blubbery behemoths that had no chance in the twisties.

Despite a the Elise's anemic 118 hp, it managed to get to 60mph in under 6 seconds, and its cornering capabilities were unmatched. Widely raved as the most fun sports car in existence, the Elise became a legend in its own time. And one that virtually anyone could afford. It market the rebirth of the Lotus marque.

Elise Series II

In October, 2000, Lotus announced the Series 2 Elise. Following styling cues from the M250 concept and the 340R minimalist track-day car, the Elise S2 brought a new face to the prodigal daughter of Lotus. Aggressive, exotic, with slanted, animalistic, almost angry eyes and a wide gaping mouth, this Elise looks less like it's going to kiss its competition on the track and more like it's going to eat them! That new aggressive look was quite appropriate, too. Although initial releases of the S2 used the same Rover engine as the S1, in 2004 Lotus announced yet another step forward in the Elise's destiny to become a dominating force in worldwide sportscar history.

In 2004, Lotus announced their plans to create a Federalized Elise - one that would be legal for road use in the USA. In order to accomplish this, they had to abandon the Rover engine and find something that would pass US emissions tests. They came to an agreement with Toyota to use the 2ZZ-GE powerplant used in the Celica GTS and Matrix. Tweaking the engine a bit, Lotus managed to get 190hp out of it! Pairing this to the 1900lb Elise S2 produced a vehicle that did 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, with the optional sport-pack shoes, and still cornered and braked better than anything else on the road, while capable of getting over 30mpg on the highway!

They introduced this revolutionary vehicle to the US at a starting price of under $39,000. Hello, sports

Since its introduction to the US, the Elise has seen a few changes. Bumper changes, LED brake lights, power windows standard, different head unit, raised lettering on the rear, sealed headlights with an eyelid to prevent sun damage, et cetera. European customers had an option of the 111S Elise, which had 135hp.

The 2008 Elise

For 2008, Lotus introduced yet another breakthrough - they managed to squeeze a supercharger in the little Elise!

Upping the HP from 190 to 218 hp, the Elise SC's acceleration from 0 to 60 is decreased to just over 4 seconds, approaching supercar territory! The Elise SC also includes a rear spoiler, providing additional downforce.

The standard 111R Elise is still available for the US.