2005 Lotus Elise Touring Rare Color! 6-speed, Removable Top, Must See on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Lotus reveals an even lighter version of the Elise Cup 250

For an automaker with very few resources, Lotus manages to keep things relatively fresh. The new Evora 400 is a blast to drive, even if it is just a heavily revised version of the car that debuted in 2009. The current Lotus Elise debuted back in 2010, and though it may have departed from our shores, Lotus keeps customers worldwide happy with a plethora of new variants. The latest model is the lightweight Lotus Elise Cup 250. Now, this isn't the same Elise Cup 250 that debuted last year, though the two cars are very, very similar. The main difference is weight, as is typical with a Lotus. Colin Chapman's tried and true saying, simplify and add lightness, is still true here. The new model weighs just 1,895 pounds, or 1,948 without the lightweight package. Last year's Elise Cup 250 was already quite svelte at 2,053 pounds. While you may think that shaving that much weight from an already light car must be the result of black magic or a localized black hole, the truth is far more simple. The Elise Cup 250 makes extensive use of carbon fiber, titanium, and aluminum for components like the bodywork, exhaust, and wheels. The rear window is plastic instead of glass, and the standard lead-acid battery is replaced with a lithium-ion battery. The rest of the car remains mostly unchanged. The car is propelled by a 243-horsepower supercharged 1.8-liter inline four. It can hit 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds, quicker than the more powerful Evora 400. There's plenty of aero to keep the car planted, but it's not a pure track car like the Exige. The Elise Cup 250 still comes with a full interior with a stereo, though there's no mention of cupholders. As exciting as all this may be, the Elise Cup 250 won't be coming to the US. Unfortunately, airbags and crash structures all add weight. For everyone else, the Elise Cup 250 is at dealers now. Related Video: Featured Gallery Lotus Elise Cup 250 News Source: Lotus Lotus Lightweight Vehicles Performance

Listen to the Lotus Evora 400 make lovely noises

Automakers roll out loads of video content these days, but they often do so much editing and add so much background music that you miss out on the best stuff. With this video, Lotus shows they know what's important. This video shows Lotus's Evora 400 spending some time out on their test track in Hethel. The video is quite short and consists mostly of some onboard footage, but Lotus clearly invested in the sound recording. This Evora's 400 horsepower, supercharged V6 sounds brilliant as it screams around the course. We'll be getting a version of this car in the States this year. Lotus intends on selling the fittingly named Evora Sport 410 (for its 400 horse output) in America. It's possible we may see a lower-end model as well without the supercharger or with a smaller engine. No matter what though, great-sounding Lotuses are in our future. Related Video: Image Credit: Lotus Lotus Coupe Performance Videos engine

Lotus and Proton might be sold to Peugeot-Citroen after Geely bails

Despite some strong initial interest, Chinese automaker Geely changed its mind about purchasing a controlling stake in Proton, parent company of Lotus Cars. This leaves Groupe PSA, owner of Peugeot, Citroen, and now Opel, as the sole remaining interested party. This is mixed news for Proton, as Geely's hands-off, cash-flush approach may have helped Lotus. On the other hand, it isn't like Groupe PSA is bordering on bankruptcy. According to Malaysian automotive news site Paultan.org, the reasons behind Geely's change of heart are unclear. In fact, it may seem that the indecision about the deal may have been coming more from Proton, not Geely. Reports say that Proton's parent company, Malaysian manufacturer DRB-Hicom, was uneasy about the potential partnership. DRB-Hicom assembles cars for a number of automakers, including Honda, Isuzu, and Suzuki. A deal with Groupe PSA would give the French automaker access to both DRB-Hicom's facilities and an expanded foothold in Southeast Asia. As only one contender remains, look for news of the deal going one way or another in the next few months. Related Video: News Source: Paultan Lotus Citroen Peugeot Geely groupe psa