2006 Lotus Elise In Chili Red/one Owner With 20k Miles on 2040-cars

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How the fastest Elise ever compares to 3 sportscars you know

The Lotus Elise had its 20th anniversary last year, and the British sports-car maker's belated celebration is the quickest production Elise ever around its test track. The new Elise Cup 250 can sprint to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 154 mph. It's essentially Lotus' answer to a Porsche Cayman GT4. The Elise Cup 250 replaces the Cup 220 in the model lineup, and Lotus plans to limit production to 200 units annually. The 1.8-liter supercharged four-cylinder now makes 243 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, compared to 217 hp and 184 lb-ft from the predecessor. The company claims the Cup 250 laps its test track in 1:34, which is four seconds better than the 220. On paper, the Cup 250 could give a Cayman GT4 quite a fight. The Porsche's 385 hp wins on power, but it weighs significantly more at 2,955 pounds. Those differences translate to a slower 60 mph run of 4.2 seconds but a faster 183-mph top speed. We also think the upcoming Jaguar F-Type SVR could make for interesting competition around a very tight track. A recent leak suggests the new model has over 560 horsepower and a 200-mph top speed, so it would easily win on an open course. On a curvy circuit, the Lotus could be an intriguing challenger. Lotus Elise Cup weighs a scant 2,053 pounds in normal trim and 2,030 pounds with the optional Carbon Aero package, which includes carbon fiber parts for the front splitter, rear wing, rear diffuser and side-floor extensions. To save weight, Lotus fits the car with a lithium-ion battery, carbon fiber seats, and forged alloy wheels. The suspension and brakes carryover from the 220, including Bilstein dampers, Eibach springs, and AP Racing brakes. Lotus models often have a sparse interior, and that continues with the Cup 250. The options list includes usually common items like air conditioning and cruise control. A package even combines a radio, carpets, and sound deadening. Standard cars come with a red or black Alcantara interior, but leather is available. The Cup 250 goes on sale in April for 45,600 pounds ($65,170 at current rates), but it isn't available in North America. This forbidden fruit makes for an interesting comparison to other stripped-down models, though. For example, the Evora 400, which is for sale in the US, is slightly slower to 60 at 4.1 seconds but its 1:32 time around the Hethel test track is two seconds a lap quicker.

Lotus Advanced Performance offers hints about special projects

Four months ago, Lotus teased the creation of an Advanced Performance division. The legendary sports car maker divulged that the department would build "ultra-exclusive and unique vehicles" outside of the firm's regular-production lineup, developing Lotus race cars, manage Lotus motorsports programs, work on customer commissions and create customer experiences from Hethel production tours and track days to global driving academies and "money can't buy" opportunities. In further comments to Autocar and Auto Express, the head of Lotus Advanced Performance (LAP), Simon Lane, gave clues about what's coming. Lane suggested a number of creations, but the part we're most excited about is "while wider Lotus Group moves towards full-on electrification, LAP is 'reserving the right to still play with combustion engines.'" These ICE powerplants could be slated for coming restomod projects based on plans and technical drawings for Lotus products in the 1960s and 1970s that were never produced. Lane said his 15-person team is "well advanced" on work on what he calls "scratch build" vehicles that will hearken to vintage wares but be "easier to drive and maybe [have] a better power-to-weight ratio and better brakes." We love our electric cars here at Autoblog, but the idea of lightweight revivals recalling Lotus' best years with classic lines, small-displacement engines and maybe even manual transmissions would be glorious. These won't be continuation cars, but all-new products with production runs said to be smaller than anyone would expect.    It's possible we could see something this year, 2022 being the 50th anniversary of Emerson Fittipaldi and Lotus winning the 1972 Formula 1 Driver's and Constructor's Championships in the Lotus-Ford 72D. That might explain the teaser image from February, if not the colors of the car in the teaser. Know what other momentous Lotus moment occurred in 1972? The Esprit concept debuted at the Turin Motor Show. Lane, who comes from service in Aston Martin's Q division, calls LAP "the most all-encompassing special operations department" among automakers. That means there will be work done on the electric side, too, potential services being electric drivetrain conversions of traditional Lotus cars, and creating new bodywork for the new range of battery-electric cars.

Join XCAR as it explores the history behind the Lotus Seven

All modern Caterhams are based on the Lotus Seven – a small, lightweight roadster developed by Colin Chapman back in 1957. That car has evolved into an entire range of models, spanning from the new, affordable 160, shown below in the latest video from XCAR, to the maniacal 620R. Over the years, the Seven has come to be a known quantity among auto enthusiasts. What isn't as well known is the origin of the Seven and the cars that came before it. As XCAR points out, "What happened to [the Seven's] earlier ancestors? What happened to the Lotus numbered one through six?" The answer probably isn't what you'd expect. Scroll down for a great look at unique motorsport that inspired Colin Chapman's earliest efforts in the latest video from XCAR. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Gallery Caterham Seven 160 View 12 Photos News Source: XCARFilms via YouTube Lotus Convertible Performance Classics xcar