Photo: Lotus
Gone are the days of Colin Chapman and the magnificent Lotus Elan, but the old Lotus spirit lives on with the brand's most recognized model of the 21st century.
To keep it fresh and relevant, the Elise is getting much better for the 2016 model year. Cue the 2016 Lotus Elise and its more hardcore brother - the Lotus Elise Sport 220.
The updated models are 10 kilograms (22 lbs) lighter on their feet compared to the current Elise 1.6 and Elise S. But that's not the whole story. For starters, the Sport naming designation makes a return for the updated Elise family. It's the first time since the Esprit that Lotus has used this name.
With prices starting at £29,900 (€39,900) for the Elise Sport, it's not exactly cheap to join the Lotus owner's club. It would be cheaper to go for the fourth-gen Mazda MX-5 Miata or the soon-to-be-facelifted Toyota GT 86, but compared to those two, the Lotus Elise is a driving-centric precision instrument.
Jean-Marc Gales, the chief executive officer of the Lotus Group, agrees with our view on the Elise. “Over the years, with each improvement to the Elise, we have ensured that the purity of the driving experience has been retained and improved upon and with these two new models, we have taken it on to the next level,” he declared.
The 866-kilo (1,909 pound) 2016 Lotus Elise Sport boasts 134 horsepower from its 1.6-liter engine, new color and trims options, including a classically correct tartan interior. On the other hand, the slightly more hardcore Elise Sport 220 is heavier at 914 kilograms (2,015 pounds), but it's a little more powerful.
The mid-mounted 1.8-liter engine is rated 217 horsepower and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft), which is enough for a 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint in just 4.2 seconds. Is that fast enough for most people? Hard to tell, but one thing is certain: it's faster than what the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata and Toyota GT 86 are able to offer.
The updated models are 10 kilograms (22 lbs) lighter on their feet compared to the current Elise 1.6 and Elise S. But that's not the whole story. For starters, the Sport naming designation makes a return for the updated Elise family. It's the first time since the Esprit that Lotus has used this name.
With prices starting at £29,900 (€39,900) for the Elise Sport, it's not exactly cheap to join the Lotus owner's club. It would be cheaper to go for the fourth-gen Mazda MX-5 Miata or the soon-to-be-facelifted Toyota GT 86, but compared to those two, the Lotus Elise is a driving-centric precision instrument.
Jean-Marc Gales, the chief executive officer of the Lotus Group, agrees with our view on the Elise. “Over the years, with each improvement to the Elise, we have ensured that the purity of the driving experience has been retained and improved upon and with these two new models, we have taken it on to the next level,” he declared.
The 866-kilo (1,909 pound) 2016 Lotus Elise Sport boasts 134 horsepower from its 1.6-liter engine, new color and trims options, including a classically correct tartan interior. On the other hand, the slightly more hardcore Elise Sport 220 is heavier at 914 kilograms (2,015 pounds), but it's a little more powerful.
The mid-mounted 1.8-liter engine is rated 217 horsepower and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft), which is enough for a 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint in just 4.2 seconds. Is that fast enough for most people? Hard to tell, but one thing is certain: it's faster than what the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata and Toyota GT 86 are able to offer.
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