We are going to present a model that has been a difficult task for the company’s designers: the Elise. The vehicle isn’t just a new face, like other sister-concepts introduced at the French event. Oh, no. The Elise is a vehicle that defines the Lotus brand, so the automaker has paid an extreme level of attention to developing the future incarnation of the model, which is scheduled to be released in 2015.
The two-seater is powered by a mid-mounted four-cylinder 2.0 liter engine that uses turbocharging to deliver 320 hp and a maximum torque of 330 Nm. The unit is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, but a double-clutch transmission is offered as an option. The unit also features a stop-start technology that allows it to offer CO2 emissions of just 150 grams per km.
The Elise tips the scales at 1,095 kg, can reach 62 mph in 4.3 seconds and offers a top speed of 167.7 mph (270 km/h).
The vehicle’s production will debut in early 2015, with the sales scheduled to debut in spring 2015. Its price will play somewhere in the 35,000 pounds area (EUR40,700 or $55,550).
“We worked very hard on getting the Elise 2015 exactly right, it’s our entry level car so it needs to give a proper introduction to the Lotus driving experience,” said Dany Bahar, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus
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