dissimilar auto manufacturer have different approaching when it amount to designing a high - performance car . For some , it ’s an perpetual pursuit for morehorsepower , with biggerengines , more cylinder andhigh - octane fuel . Some turn to space - eld technology , bring the latestturbochargers , wind - burrow try aeromechanics and computerizedsuspensioncomponents .
For British manufacturerLotus , mellow - performance is all about simplicity . A lightweight , stripped - down railcar with a modest locomotive engine is the Lotus nonsuch – the complete sports railroad car . The unexampled Lotus Elise gibe that ideal absolutely . It count less than a ton and only has a four - cylinderengine , but it ’s fast enough for most and has cover characteristic that more than one automotive magazine has ring " telepathic . "
The Elise has been usable in Europe for a few days ( as the Elise 111R ) , but the 2005 Lotus Elise strike out the company ’s re - unveiling into the U.S. market . In this clause , we ’ll find out how they made the Elise so light , why it handles so well and what it read to get behind the wheel .
Four Cylinders of Power
The Elise ’s engine contrasts sharply with some of the brawny engines in today ’s European supercars . The Toyota - made engine replaces the jolly outdatedRover K - Seriesthat has powered the Elise in Europe . The 1.8 - l , water system - cooled , naturally - aspirated engine has an all - aluminum four - cylinder block withdual budget items cams , four valves per piston chamber and an 11.5:1 compression ratio . It is placed in amid - engine configuration , just behind the driver .
This locomotive engine is exchangeable to the one witness in the Toyota Celica GT - S , but with an updatedintake systemand exhaust and an Electronic Control Unit ( ECU ) tune specifically for Lotus ( Road & Track , August , 2004 ) . It ’s cranks out190horsepowerat 7,800 revolutions per minute , producing138 lb - ft oftorqueat 6,800 rpm . If you ’ve been look at the Ferraris and Corvettes of the world , those numbers game might seem a minute low . Keep in mind that the Lotus is n’t intend to be a roaring beast of a elevator car – it ’s meant to be incredibly spry .
The Elise comes with Toyota’svariable valve timing and lift(VVTL - i ) installed . This allows the engine to switch to a dissimilar visibility on the camshaft when a gamey rpm is detect . To put it plainly , this give the engine an extra boot at about the 6,200 - rev layer . Both Motor Trend and Road & Track report that the system has been refine to provide a bland passage to the high - rpm River Cam visibility than in former Toyota engines .
The engine is mated to asix - hurrying , close - ratiomanual transmission(also from Toyota ) , designed to offer short , quick shifts as superpower is transferred to the rearward wheel . A chemise light lets the driver know when he ’s mystify close to the redline , which in the Elise is 8,000 revolutions per minute .
Next , we ’ll take a airless spirit at what makes a Lotus a Lotus – low weight and great handling .
How Does the Elise Compare?
How does a car like the Elise stand up to its counterparts in the world of gamey - performance auto ? By misplace weight – cut away the extras and observe the Eliseunder 2,000 pounds(900 kg ) .
If all this talk of being " lightsome " and " fast " seems kind of vague , permit ’s put it into position . The 2004Porsche Carrera GTboasts over 600 H.P. , but it weighs in at about 3,200 pound ( 1,450 kg ) . That ’s more than a half - ton heavier than the Elise . Even anEnzo Ferrari , with 650 H.P. , is a heavyweight at 3,200 lbs ( Motor Trend , Oct. 2004 ) . In a straight - line running , that H.P. would put the Elise to dishonour in term of top speed . But on a tight , twisting road course of study , the $ 40,000 Elise could exceed cars that be one C of thousands of one dollar bill more .
The neckcloth U.S. Elise has a AMEX weight of1,984 lbs(900 kg ) , a few pound more than the European Elise . This is due principally to the improver ofair bagsand other features needed to eliminate U.S. federal safety monetary standard . The Elise Sport bundle drops 20 lbs . ( 9 kilo ) from the stock weight , while the Touring package adds 15 hammering ( 7 kilo ) .
Weight Loss
The Elise ’s light weightiness is attain through several different methods . It begin with thechassis , which is made ofaluminum . Formed of bonded Al canvas in a tub shape , the Elise form only weighs 150 pound ( 68 kg ) . The Elise ’s exercising weight is drive down a bit more by the use of lightweight carbon roughage on sections of the undertray .
Next , the Elise is a very small gondola – a two - fanny roadster with only a small stowage distance for luggage . Theshort wheelbase(90.5 inches/230 cm ) also keeps the car ’s visibility clipping and compact , and the stock Elise only has acloth roof .
Finally , Lotus keep the Elise ’s weight down by discase away many of the comforts that are look at mandatory in a high - priced car . We ’ll discuss the Elise ’s interior in heavy detail later on , but for now , it ’s sufficient to say that the inside of this car is spartan . Much of the aluminum tub is left expose , and many of the interior panels have large holes drill through them to further trim free weight .
In the next section , we ’ll take a look at the Elise ’s tree and stopping power .
Quickness
Virtually everyone who has had the delight of exam driving an Elise has noted how well it handles . The cable car scoot through turns , is very responsive to the machine driver and yet does n’t sense too " twitchy . " How did Lotus make the Elise plow so well ?
It turns out it is n’t anything fancy – just an independentdouble - wishing bone suspensionwith quality spring and shock andanti - roll bars(exactly what kind depends on whether you have the line of descent or the Sport bundle ) , all carefully tune up by the expert at Lotus .
TheYokohama Advan Neova AD07tires are mounted on eight - spoke , cast - metal wheel in the stock version . The Sport package set out youYokohama A048 LTStires tune for the Elise and mounted on lightweight wheel . Four - wheel , venteddisc brakeswithABStake the Elise from 60 miles per hour ( 97 kph ) to a dead check in 105 ft ( 32 m ) , a Road & Track record ( Road & Track , August , 2004 ) .
Because the Elise is n’t meant to turn over ultra - high speeds , Lotus did not worry too much about aerodynamics . With a top speed of150 mph(240 kph ) , the Elise ’s smooth shape is n’t as sleek as some of the European supercars . The undercarriage has been designed to reduce ski lift , helping to keep the rearward wheels on the primer at high speeds .
So what ’s it like inside an Elise ? Check out the next division .
Step Inside
Remember what we said about the interior being spartan ? Well , it ’s also small . Climbing in and out of an Elise can be a complicated maneuver for anyone over 5 feet improbable .
The driver ’s seat is adjustable – it can move frontwards or back . But the passenger seat , which is smaller than the driver ’s rear end , is n’t adjustable at all .
Minimal carpeting and upholstering covers sure section of the seats and the floor . The stock Elise comes with air conditioning and aCD player , but that ’s pretty much it in terms of gadget driver puff ( gondola and Driver , July 2004 ) .
merge the severe , diminutive home with the Elise ’s penchant for letting the driver hump exactly how the road feel ( bumps and all ) , and you may see that this is not a car plan for the daily commute . route and engine noise are a particular annoyance ( hence the sound - dampening option in the Touring package ) . Nevertheless , the Elise reportedly is not an uncomfortable cable car – it just is n’t as well-off as you might require a $ 40,000 car to be . For some , that deficiency of comfort is part of the collection . The Elise is a virtuous carrying into action roadster .
How do you get your hands on one ? translate on …
Buying an Elise
The Elise is different from many gamey - execution European cars in more way than one . For one thing , you do n’t have to be a millionaire to bribe one . While the stock dagger price of $ 40,780 is n’t exactly chump variety , it barely compares to the $ 600,000 supercars that are usable .
The primary stumbling mental block with the Elise is a low supply . Only 2,200 Elises were ab initio shipped to the United States , so many potential buyers are on long wait lists . When the first Elise was delivered to the United States in July 2004 , pre - orders were already in excessiveness of the yield run . You ca n’t just walk into a Lotus dealership and grease one’s palms one – every motorcar must bespecial - grade .
For more information on the Lotus Elise and other high - carrying out automobile , determine out the links on the following page .
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