- Lightweight, agile chassis
- Outstanding dynamics
- Excellent steering feel
- Fun to drive
- Track-oriented design brings shortcomings: cramped and noisy interior
- Limited features
Overview
Released in November 1996, the Lotus Series I Elise was a two-door, mid-engined roadster with a removable roof. Manufactured in Norfolk, England, the rear-wheel drive Elise was powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that was mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The Series I Elise had an epoxy-bonded extruded aluminium chassis with a hand-finished fiberglass bodyshell. In June 2000, however, the chassis was modified with lower, reinforced longitudinal sills for improved ingress and egress.
The Elise range initially consisted of a single, unnamed variant, though the Sport 140 variant was released in November 1998. In June 1999, the range was revised as the Sport 140 was replaced by the Sport and the range was expanded with the Sport R. The full range is given in the table below.
K-Series engine
The Elise was powered by a 1.8-litre Rover K-Series engine which featured double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and variable valve control (VVC) which provided continuously variable timing and duration for the inlet valve openings. The standard Elise could accelerate from rest to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds.
Dimensions and suspension
The Elise was 3726 mm long, 1701 mm wide, 1202 mm tall and had a 2300 mm long wheelbase; kerb mass was 725 kg. Furthermore, the Elise had double wishbone suspension front and rear with co-axial coil springs and inverted monotube dampers.
| Variant | Years | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | 1996-01 | 1.8-litre petrol I4 | 5sp man. | 88 kW at 5500 rpm | 165 Nm at 3000 rpm |
| Sport 140 | 1998-99 | 1.8-litre petrol I4 | 5sp man. | 98 kW at 5500 rpm | 165 Nm at 3000 rpm |
| Sport | 1999-01 | 1.8-litre petrol I4 | 5sp man. | 98 kW at 5500 rpm | 165 Nm at 3000 rpm |
| Sport R | 1999-01 | 1.8-litre petrol I4 | 5sp man. | 101 kW at 5500 rpm | 165 Nm at 3000 rpm |
Features
Standard features for the regular Elise included 15-inch alloy wheels, contoured sports seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
The Lotus Elise Sport 140, Sport and Sport R variants were fitted with stiffer front and rear springs, competition Koni gas shock absorbers and a stiffer adjustable front anti-roll bar. The Sport 140 and Sport variants were fitted with a low-restriction air filter and sports exhaust for mode power; the Sport R had additional engine modifications, including a modified cylinder head and inlet manifold, for further power gains.
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