What's the news?
Lotus has just unveiled the latest version of the evergreen Elise sports car, the 250 Special Edition. Based on the 250 Cup racing car that was launched last month, the 250 Special Edition is, of course, road going and has a kerb weight of just 899kg. Shoving that feather weight around is a supercharged 246hp (243bhp), 250Nm Toyota 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine, which gives the Elise a 01-100km/h time of just 4.3 seconds.
It looks familiar enough on the outside, but there is a slew of added-on carbon fibre elements, including a front splitter, rear wing, tailgate and front access panel. Inside there are carbon-fibre sports seats finished in either dark blue or dark grey leather, and hand-stitched with a choice of contrasting colours. The car's door trim is given the same hand-stitched finish.
The car carries over the same suspension and braking components from the Elise Cup 250, including Bilstein sports dampers and Eibach coaxial coil springs and double wishbone suspension. AP Racing twin-piston front calipers, and Brembo single-piston rear calipers work in conjunction with the track-tuned ABS system. There's also an Electronic Differential Lock as standard to give better traction and faster exit speeds when cornering and driver selectable ESP modes, providing 'Sport' and 'Race' settings. Proportionally increasing throttle response, lowering traction slip thresholds and removing understeer recognition, it allows enhanced control before the system intervenes.
There is also, horror!, some luxury in the cabin. including the option of an integrated in-car entertainment system, including iPod connectivity and Bluetooth, along with air conditioning, cruise control, auxiliary driving lights, full carpets, floor mats and enhanced sound insulation. The colour schemes are kept simple though; classic metallic blue, red, yellow and white finishes are all complemented by ultralight forged wheels in silver, or black as an option. An optional carbon fibre hardtop roof panel is also available.
In spite of all that, the 250 Special Edition can still set a pretty blistering time around Lotus' iconic Hethel test track - just 1min 34sec.
Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus plc, commented, "When we first introduced the Elise, it redefined how involving and exciting, yet civilised, a sports car could be. As the Elise was conceived, designed, engineered and is built at Hethel, we wanted a 50th tribute that's even lighter than the fastest road-going Elise we've ever produced. The new Elise 250 Special Edition achieves that, so it's supremely quick and agile, but it's also wonderfully finished and stunning to look at."
Want one? You'll have to be quick - just 50 will be built, the number coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Lotus' move from its original factory in Cheshunt, north London to the Hethel, Norfolk base it's occupied since.