Photo: Lotus
Released in 1996 as the long-awaited successor to the front-wheel-drive and therefore underwhelming Elan M100, the Elise is the nameplate that defines Lotus in this day and age.
A lightweight sports car with the agility of a mosquito, the Elise spawned countless variants and derivatives since the first unit rolled off the assembly line. In 2017, however, Lotus decided to push the envelope one step further.
One of those extras is the titanium exhaust system, which removes 7 kilograms from beyond the rear axle. Then there are the forged alloy wheels and the polycarbonate rear screen, as well as the Carbon Aero Pack. Regarding the latter, Lotus says that the Cup 250 generates 125 kilograms (almost 275 pounds) of downforce at 140 mph (225 km/h).
On the subject of performance, the 243-horsepower 1.8-liter supercharged four-banger can be pushed until the speedometer reads 154 miles per hour (248 km/h). Top speed, however, pales in comparison to how the Cup 250 accelerates. 3.9 seconds to 60 mph (96 km/h) is very quick by all accounts, make no mistake about that.
“A Lotus rewards like no other car, with sharp handling, tremendous speed and a pure, undiluted driving experience,” declared Jean-Marc Gales, the chief executive officer of the Hethel-based manufacturer. “We know what existing Lotus enthusiasts demand from our cars and we are also bringing in many new customers who can see clearly that we offer an unrivaled combination of performance, styling, dynamics and value for money,” Gales added.
Already available to order from Lotus retailers, the newest Elise of them all costs a rather unnerving £47,400 in its most basic form. The weight-saving options add £18,400 to the tally, but the most ludicrous extra available is the fire extinguisher. Care to guess just how much Lotus wants for such an item? £2,800! Two. Thousand. Eight. Hundred. Pounds. Sterling.
The Elise in question is the Cup 250, a model Lotus is so proud of that the British automaker labels it “the best Elise yet.” Conceived as a purebred focused only on satisfying even the keenest of drivers, the Cup 250 weighs in at 860 kilograms (approximately 1,896 pounds) as long as the customer specifies all the optional weight-saving solutions.
One of those extras is the titanium exhaust system, which removes 7 kilograms from beyond the rear axle. Then there are the forged alloy wheels and the polycarbonate rear screen, as well as the Carbon Aero Pack. Regarding the latter, Lotus says that the Cup 250 generates 125 kilograms (almost 275 pounds) of downforce at 140 mph (225 km/h).
On the subject of performance, the 243-horsepower 1.8-liter supercharged four-banger can be pushed until the speedometer reads 154 miles per hour (248 km/h). Top speed, however, pales in comparison to how the Cup 250 accelerates. 3.9 seconds to 60 mph (96 km/h) is very quick by all accounts, make no mistake about that.
“A Lotus rewards like no other car, with sharp handling, tremendous speed and a pure, undiluted driving experience,” declared Jean-Marc Gales, the chief executive officer of the Hethel-based manufacturer. “We know what existing Lotus enthusiasts demand from our cars and we are also bringing in many new customers who can see clearly that we offer an unrivaled combination of performance, styling, dynamics and value for money,” Gales added.
Already available to order from Lotus retailers, the newest Elise of them all costs a rather unnerving £47,400 in its most basic form. The weight-saving options add £18,400 to the tally, but the most ludicrous extra available is the fire extinguisher. Care to guess just how much Lotus wants for such an item? £2,800! Two. Thousand. Eight. Hundred. Pounds. Sterling.
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