race-bred lotus elise S cup car suited for track and daily road use

race-bred lotus elise S cup car suited for track and daily road use
images courtesy of lotus cars

boasting a maximum power of 217 hp and torque levels of 184 lb-ft at 4600 rpm, the lotus ‘elise S cup’ can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds and reach a speed of 140 mph. acknowledging these figures, the new car, developed from the ‘elise cup R’, has an unquestionable racing-heritage and even beat its predecessor’s hethel lap time by 3.0s. this focus on track-testing was to ensure that no competition pedigree was lost, even though the model is fully suited for road-driving. these dual characteristics enable the vehicle to be used for sunday racing and then driven comfortably to work on monday – a trait that remains coherent within the brand.

side view of the road-legal automobile

jean-marc gales, CEO group lotus plc, stated: ‘this engaging new model accentuates the pure driving competence elicited by lotus. light, agile and significantly faster on-track than the standard elise S, it will appeal to competition-minded enthusiasts.’

to express the model’s racing performance and even to enhance it further, the body bolsters a front splitter, end winglets and tail wing which benefit the aerodynamics by increasing the downforce by a max of 125kg at full velocity. in its strive to transition from track to road, the lotus ‘elise S cup’ is equipped with a T45 specification roll-hoop which ensures safety as well rigidity.

the car features new additions, such as the front splitter, end winglets, lateral bargeboards, fixed roof, tail wing and rear diffuser

the car’s interior