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2020 Lotus Elise Classic Heritage Editions celebrate past race car liveries

For 2020, the Lotus Elise is getting a very limited edition. The Elise Classic Heritage Edition is a version that can be had in one of four liveries that reference past Lotus race cars. While the paint schemes are fitting tributes, the redundancy of having "Classic" and "Heritage" in the same name seem antithetical to Colin Chapman's philosophy of "simplify and add lightness." Name aside, the color schemes look good. Naturally, one of them is the famous black and gold of the John Player Special Lotus race cars. Others are less familiar, but still significant. Two of them highlight cars driven by famous racers. The blue, red and silver combo references the 1980 Lotus Type 81 driven by Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell and Elio de Angelis. The red, white and gold version is for the 1968 Type 49B driven by Graham Hill. As for the blue and white car, it celebrates the first Lotus F1 car to win pole position and the race, the 1960 Type 18. The flashy paint is matched with equally flashy interiors. The upper door panels and other trim pieces are painted in coordinated colors, and the seat centers are finished in matching fabric. The one exception is the blue and white model that gets red seats. While the car is based on the 217-horsepower Elise 220, it gets features that are normally extra-cost on that car, including air conditioning, cruise control, a radio, carpeting and floor mats, two-piece brake rotors and forged wheels. Available as options are a hardtop, lithium-ion battery and titanium exhaust. All of these extra features, plus the colors and exclusivity help make the extra GBP6,350-pound upcharge worthwhile, which makes the car cost GBP46,250, or just over $57,000 at current exchange rates. Speaking of exclusivity, only 100 of these cars will be sold internationally. Lotus notes that the split between the different colors will be dependent on demand, so certain liveries could be rarer than others. Don't expect any of them to be offered in the U.S., though, since the Elise isn't available here at all. Related Video:    

Lotus will let Evija buyers configure their 2,000-hp electric car on their couch

The men and women who reserved a Lotus Evija will have the opportunity to configure their 2,000-horsepower electric car without getting off their couch. Several aspects of the coupe are customizable, so the company created a digital, touchscreen-based configurator to let clients design their car without leaving their home. Online configurators have been around for over a decade, but Lotus explained its software is more advanced and life-like than what's normally found on a manufacturer's website. It relies on a powerful graphics processor and software gleaned from the gaming world to display extremely realistic images of the car that almost look like they're photographs. Enthusiasts can see the Evija from every angle, inside and out, and they can pelt it into different worlds to check how a specific color looks in the shade or in direct sunlight. The configurator's last party trick is what the firm calls a 360-degree fly-through film which looks like it was shot with a drone. Lotus Evija configurator View 10 Photos When they're done, customers can hit save to send their configuration to Lotus headquarters in Hethel, England. They won't take delivery immediately, the Evija is a limited-edition car built largely by hand, so the company will whet their appetite by periodically sending them gifts. It hasn't revealed what it will ship clients, though it's not too far-fetched to imagine a scale model will be in one of the care packages. Each customer will also receive a personalized build book showing the car at different stages during the production process. Lotus will make 130 examples of the Evija, and it's planning to launch production before the end of 2020. The first year's allocation is already spoken for, according to the firm, so act fast if you want to add one to your collection. Alternatively, Lotus told Autoblog the Evija is a trailblazer that will influence future models, notably in terms of design and technology, so you're in luck if you like what you see but want it at a cheaper price point. Those of us who aren't waiting for a ticket into the Evija club will need to wait for their chance to spec one. "At the moment, [the configurator] is only for customers," a company spokesperson told Autoblog via email. Related Video:

Lotus updates Elise with new Sport, Sport 220 models

There aren't a lot of models that stay on the market a full 20 years after their introduction. The Lotus Elise is one of those few, so to mark the occasion, the British sports car manufacturer is launching two new versions. Instead of simply dressing the Elise up with special trim and badges (which it has already done), the new models succeed the old ones by "adding lightness" and increasing performance in the classic Lotus style. Replacing the base Elise is the new Lotus Elise Sport, which cuts a good 24 pounds off the already featherlike curb weight – now down to 1,909 pounds. The 1.6-liter inline-four that is sourced from Toyota and enhanced in-house carries over with 134 horsepower and 118 pound-feet of torque for a 0-60 time of 6.0 seconds and a top speed quoted at 127 miles per hour. Fuel economy and emissions figures improve thanks to the decreased weight, but Lotus says the difference is most felt in the brand's signature handling dynamics. Those looking for a little more oomph may be more enticed by the upgraded Elise Sport 220. Taking the place of the outgoing Elise S, the new Sport 220 benefits from the same weight reduction as the Elise Sport, but packs the larger, more potent engine. The 1.8-liter supercharged four delivers 217 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque to deliver a 4.2-second 0-60 time and a 145-mph top speed. Along with the weight reduction, the new Sport models benefit from optimized throttle response, traction slip thresholds, and handling balance. They also feature new Bilstein dampers. Along with ten exterior colors available, buyers will also be able to choose between leather, Alcantara, or (our pick) classic tartan upholstery like the original 1976 Lotus Esprit S1. Unfortunately, we can't count ourselves among those potential buyers, since Lotus no longer offers the Elise in North America. The automaker is, however, tipped to bring the next generation back to these shores toward the end of this decade. And the incremental improvements that it constantly rolls out bodes well for what's to come.