Lotus is back with an entry level Elise that is set to propel the Hethel based sports car manufacturer further up the sales charts. The loss of the K series engine had temporarily created a hole in Lotus’ portfolio and its disappearance from the range was not good news for pure sportscar lovers right across the globe. The challenge of ‘plugging the gap’ has now been spectacularly addressed with the launch of the new Lotus Elise S – a sub 6 second 0 - 60 mph sportscar, available at a stunning sub £24K
‘on the road’ price.

Lotus has shoehorned in a high technology 1.8-litre 134 hp Variable Valve Timing Toyota engine, which perfectly complements the phenomenal handling characteristics of the Lotus Elise. This delivers a cracking new entry-level car, capable of taking you from 0 - 60 mph in just 5.8 grin-inducing seconds (0 - 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds) and onto a top speed of 128 mph
(205 km/h), law permitting!

As the new entry-level car, the Elise S may not be the fastest or quickest Elise in the range, but the acceleration, performance and handling is class leading in its price bracket and belies the cost and real substance engineered into the new vehicle - what other sub-£24,000 roadster can reach 60 mph in less than 6.0 seconds? For the sake of comparison, a 2.0-litre MX-5 reaches the same speed in 7.9 seconds (Source: Whatcar Magazine – May06).

Add this to one of the lowest depreciation rates of any car in the market and the purchase of the new Elise S becomes one of the soundest retail propositions to be found.

The Lotus Elise S is built around the revolutionary and award winning extruded and bonded aluminium chassis, with a lightweight steel rear subframe. The chassis itself weighs just 68 kg (150 lbs) and has a stiffness of 9,500 Nm per degree.

The body design remains unchanged from the classic 190 hp Lotus Elise R – why change the award-winning aerodynamic package and an elegant Lotus design just for the sake of it? The car’s standard specification will also delight, as nothing has been removed from the car to undermine the real value for money proposition afforded by Lotus’ new ‘firecracker’. The full Lotus Elise option menu is also available on Elise S, with the exception of a limited slip differential, ensuring the new car is easy to personalize to a customer’s individual requirements and preferences.