Bogdan Zoltan wrote:As if the Elise wasn’t a lightweight track-munching driver’s car to begin with, the British automaker has introduced a new performance Cup variant – the fastest road-going Elise ever made.
The new moniker brings a comprehensive array of modifications, shaving 21 kilograms (46 lbs) in the process and gaining 26 horses. Now, the Elise tips the scale at a measly 931 kilograms (2,052 lbs), being capable of getting from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 3.9 seconds – but that’s to be expected from car manufactured by a company known for its “aggressive” weight saving techniques.
Adding lightness and speed to an already swift and frisky automobile is a tricky task, but staying true to Colin Chapman’s “Simplify, then add lightness” recipe, Lotus delivered a real treat from its “Lightweight Laboratory”. Featuring a Lithium-ion battery, carbon fiber seats, and ultra-lightweight, forged alloy wheels, the car slashes 17.5 kilograms.
But the story doesn’t end here, as the company also offers a Carbon Aero Pack, which reduces the vehicle’s mass to just 912 Kilos. Moreover, the little Elise Cup 250 is available for the first time as a roadster as standard with a hard top available as an option.
All these performance enhancements make the car lap Lotus’ test track in 1 minute 34 seconds, four seconds off the previous Elise Cup 220’s time, making it the fastest recorded production Elise.
Power comes from a new higher-output version of the supercharged 1.8-litre 4-cylinder engine, boasting 243 hp at 7200 rpm and 250 Nm of torque between 3500 and 5500 rpm. The aerodynamically optimized body kit comes into play as well, providing 66 Kilograms of downforce at 160 km/h (100 mph) and 155 Kilograms at 248 km/h (154 mph) – which is the vehicle’s top speed.
But in spite of all the weight saving, the Elise Cup 250 doesn’t lack in creature comforts, sporting a full Alcantara interior in red or black, with an optional Leather Pack available. A total of ten paint choices are available for the car, providing customers a wide variety of options to tailor their Elise.
